French Major B.A.
- Careers in a variety of posts that require foreign language proficiency
- Double majors, with preparation for print or broadcast media, government, teaching, social services, or industry.
- Opportunities for internships, study abroad, post-graduate Fulbright scholarships, Peace Corps experience
- Preparation for graduate programs, law school
Major Code: BA5221
Faculty Contact: Nikhil Sathe, Undergraduate Programs Chair
Degree Requirements & Sample 4-Year Program
Program Overview
The French major provides students with a base of knowledge not only in languages, but, just as importantly, in cultural content so vital for understanding and navigating the world. French majors learn to think analytically and critically in courses on Francophone literature, culture, and film, and they acquire clarity of thought and expression through frequent writing assignments and speaking activities.
The French faculty is committed to student mentoring and guiding students through the options of double majors, complementary certificate programs, and elective courses. Class sizes are limited so that professors can address the needs of individual learners and encourage dialogue, collaboration, openness, and critical thinking.
To complement coursework, the French Club sponsors events such as conversation meetings, game nights, and film viewings. The French major challenges undergraduate students in a supportive environment where they can thrive and prepare themselves for a successful future.
Careers and Graduate School
French majors are not limited to a specific career track. Many job listings include foreign language proficiency as a desirable or necessary tool. Additionally, the ability to think analytically, communicate clearly, and understand people from diverse cultural backgrounds has served graduates well in a wide range of professions. Ohio University French majors discover that current job listings call for the types of abilities they have acquired through their liberal arts education: communication skills, analytical skills, interpersonal skills, a capacity for problem solving, and the ability to learn quickly.
In consultation with a faculty mentor and with the help of Ohio University career services, students approaching graduation can identify companies and organizations offering job opportunities that correspond to their personal interests. When recent graduates can employ their marketable skills in the pursuit of an individual passion, they greatly enhance their chances for success, satisfaction, and lifelong rewards.
Some of our students combine a major in French with a secondary discipline such as journalism, political science, education, sociology, or business, and then seek employment in print or broadcast media, government, teaching, social services, or industry. These students possess career-specific skills in addition to general knowledge and language proficiency.
Many of our majors acquire additional training prior to seeking employment. Some pursue internships, either in the United States or abroad, in which they employ their foreign language skills in a professional capacity. With faculty guidance, our seniors have successfully competed for postgraduate awards such as Fulbright Scholarships. Many graduates enter M.A. and Ph.D. programs, either in French or another discipline, and go on to academic positions at universities. Others attend law school or medical school. Volunteer service abroad with organizations such as the Peace Corps provides training that can help a student identify a future career track.
Browse through dozens of internship opportunities and full-time job postings for Ohio University students and alumni on Handshake, OHIO’s key resource for researching jobs, employers, workshops, and professional development events.
Admissions Information
Freshman/First-Year Admission: No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Change of Program Policy: No selective or limited admission requirements.
External Transfer Admission: No requirements beyond University admission requirements.
Degree Requirements
University-wide Graduation Requirements
To complete this program, students must meet all University-wide graduation requirements.
College-Level Requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences
View the College-Level Requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences.
Modern Languages Majors General Information
Courses in your major must be taken for a letter-grade (A-F). A grade of C (2.0) or better must be earned in a course for those hours to count toward a major. All students majoring in a language are strongly urged to study abroad in one of the Department’s programs. A major in French or Spanish requires study abroad. Suggested electives are classical languages, comparative literature, cultural anthropology, English, fine arts, history of the country in your major interest, and linguistics.
If you are an Arts & Sciences student interested in becoming licensed to teach languages K-12 (elementary, middle school or high school), please seek assistance at the department chair's, Gordy 283C, to meet with language department faculty knowledgeable about language education. Together you can plan how to complete the licensure requirements listed under Modern Languages in the Patton College of Education and Human Services section of the catalog. Prospective teachers are highly encouraged to spend at least one semester in education abroad.
French Hours Requirement
Complete a total of 27 semester credit hours of FR coursework, beyond FR 2120.
Core Requirements
Complete the following courses, each with a grade of C (2.0) or better:
- FR 3110 - Advanced Conversation and Composition I Credit Hours: 3
- FR 3120 - Advanced Conversation and Composition II Credit Hours: 3
Language, Literature, and Culture Expansion
Complete four of the following courses, each with a grade of C (2.0) or better:
- FR 3215 - French for Business Credit Hours: 3
- FR 3348 - French Civilization and Culture I Credit Hours: 3
- FR 3349 - French Civilization and Culture II Credit Hours: 3
- FR 3540 - Introduction to Reading French Literature Credit Hours: 3
- FR 3550 - Introduction to Prose Credit Hours: 3
- FR 3560 - Introduction to Drama and Poetry Credit Hours: 3
Advanced Language, Literature and Culture
Complete three of the following 4000-level courses, each with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
- FR 4334 - French Through Film Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4437 - Applied Phonetics Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4439 - Modern French Usage Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4441 - Stylistics and Criticism Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4502 - 16th-Century French Literature Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4503 - 17th-Century French Literature Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4504 - 18th-Century French Literature Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4505 - 19th-Century French Literature Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4506 - 20th- and 21st-Century French Literature Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4511 - Francophone Literature and Culture of Africa and the Caribbean Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4512 - Francophone Literature and Culture of the Americas Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4513 - Occupation and Resistance in French Film and Literature Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4514 - Early Modern Non-Fiction Prose: 16th-18th Centuries Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4515 - Early Modern Poetry: 16th-18th Centuries Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4516 - Prose Fiction of the 17th and 18th Centuries Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4517 - Drama of the 17th and 18th Centuries Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4518 - Prose Fiction of the 19th Century Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4519 - Poetry of the 19th and 20th Centuries Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4520 - Drama of the 19th and 20th Centuries Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4521 - Prose Fiction of the 20th Century Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4640 - Theory of Teaching French Credit Hours: 3
- FR 4900 - Special Topics Credit Hours: 3
Study Abroad
Complete a minimum of a five-week approved study abroad in a French-speaking country.
Oral Proficiency Interview
Complete an official Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), resulting in a rating of Intermediate High or better.