Undergraduate Studies

Multiple recent studies have affirmed the usefulness not only of studying a foreign language in college but of French as the most practical choice a student can make. French is the second international language and the only language other than English spoken on five continents. Proficiency in French, especially when coupled with a study abroad experience, will help you highlight your communication skills and multicultural understanding for future employers in a host of fields.

Career Opportunities

Mastering a foreign language can give students an edge in finding fulfilling careers in areas ranging from international organizations, government agencies, editing, and teaching to banking, companies involved in translation, import-export, tourism, computer science or any business with foreign contacts.
Students may add French to a major in the physical or social sciences, the arts or the humanities for purposes of research.

Curriculum

The undergraduate program for majors and minors includes courses in conversation, composition, phonetics, culture, literature, film, and business French. Culture and literature classes provide equal coverage of France and the Francophone world. Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad with one of BGSU’s affiliated programs, and most majors spend an academic year in France, while those minoring in French tend to study abroad for at least a semester. Students who want to teach French in elementary or secondary schools should pursue the Bachelor of Science in Education program with a major or minor in French. This program requires a series of professional education courses, field and clinical experiences and supervised student teaching, leading to certification from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Students may fulfill the student teaching requirement in Montreal, Quebec, as well as in Ohio.
All programs in French require the completion of general education courses covering such areas as speech, sciences, arts and social sciences to provide a balanced education.

Special Features

The undergraduate curriculum has been specially designed to help students continue developing their language proficiency even as they move beyond the initial skills classes and into special topics and content classes.

Recent research and press about marketable job skills have increasingly highlighted the usefulness of foreign language proficiency and French in particular. Our program aims to offer students not only a traditional background in literature and culture, but also highly marketable employment skills with our Applied Minor focusing on French for the Professions. In addition, BGSU offers an advanced elective course in Business French that gives students the chance to study administrative writing and commercial practices of France and the Francophone world. Students may prepare for the examination leading to a certificate from the Paris Chamber of Commerce.

La Maison Française (The French House)

La Maison Française is a residential learning community for students interested in French. Located in Kohl Hall, La Maison Française is designed to house up to 12 undergraduate male and female students who have had at least 2 years of high school French or FREN 1020 at BGSU. 

Sample Program

Following is a typical program for a student pursuing a major in French and a minor in business administration. Variations on the program given here are possible, particularly if the student does not spend one academic year abroad. The numbers in parentheses indicate credit hours.

USEFUL LINKS:

The French Consulate in Chicago with announcements about cultural events in the Midwest.

French Culture, which provides information on everything from music events to art exhibitions involving key French players.