French and Francophone Studies - B.A.

Goals for French & Francophone Studies Majors and Minors

Our first goal is to help students achieve an understanding and command of the syntactic structures and linguistic foundations of the French language. Students will be able to describe, narrate, and debate abstract concepts with high intermediate-level proficiency in written and spoken French, as measured by ACTFL standards. Students will compile a critical, methodological toolbox with which to appreciate, decode and analyze cultural representations. Students will apply a variety of methods of analysis in their approach to literature, film, and other media. Students will engage in critical dialogue with primary and secondary sources. Students will demonstrate informational literacy through research and citation (MLA style) in the field.

Our second goal is foster students’ awareness of cultural biases and ethnocentric views. Students will understand the socio-historical context of numerous French and Francophone cultural productions across time periods and geopolitical locations. Students will demonstrate understanding and consciousness of their own subject position as well as the subjectivity of the Other in their written essays, oral presentations and contributions to class discussion. Students will apply themselves to an ongoing pursuit of knowledge and personal development and will show curiosity and appreciation for a diverse array of Francophone cultures.

Our third goal is to provide every student with the means to develop purposeful and authentic engagement within a variety of French and Francophone communities and cultures. We strive to offer every student the opportunity to live and flourish within a variety of cultural and geographic contexts, including France, Vietnam, Canada, Sénégal, Morocco and Martinique, and to discard stereotypes and interpret cultural similarities and differences.  Students will complete the French & Francophone Studies major with a portfolio as evidence of their achievements. 

Past French & Francophone majors have pursued careers in business, law, communications, education, government, international relations, and diplomacy. Majors are also prepared for the rigors of law school and other graduate studies. French & Francophone Studies majors and minors receive support to prepare and sit for the internationally recognized DELF/DALF exam offered by the French Ministry of Education