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Bachelor of Arts in French Language and Literature

Explore global cultures, change the world.

French Collage

THE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN FRENCH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE enhances cultural awareness and sensitivity and prepares students for international opportunities. Majors gain proficiency in French while discovering the rich literary, cinematographic, historical and cultural traditions of the French-speaking world. Through language acquisition, cultural investigation and professional growth, graduates become well-rounded global citizens prepared for a variety of careers.

ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (SLLC) at the University of Maryland integrates language learning with in-depth literary and applied linguistics studies. SLLC students explore cultural landscapes in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Small class sizes ensure personalized attention. 

COURSEWORK

French coursework explores a comprehensive range of topics surrounding French literature, culture, film, history, linguistics and current events. The program combines traditional French and Francophone studies with practical, career-oriented instruction. Small class sizes encourage robust discussion. Faculty include internationally recognized specialists with expertise in a wide range of French and Francophone subjects. Students gain immersive experiences from established study abroad programs in southern France, ranging from three weeks to a full academic year. Partnerships with organizations based in D.C. create cultural opportunities and internships at institutions like the French Embassy and National Gallery of Art.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Language House students live in a multicultural community of 11 language clusters where they develop language fluency and cultural appreciation. Led by native-speaking mentors, residents engage in hands on, immersive activities that prepare them for future global engagement.

The Language Partner Program provides students with structured one-on-one weekly interactions with an international student to develop conversation skills, deeper linguistic understanding and cross-cultural awareness.

 

Transferable skills cultivated in ARHU and sought by employers

Career Readiness

The College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) offers courses designed to ensure students are ready to enter the workforce, along with integrated and individualized academic and career advising. Additionally, SLLC offers an annual Language Career and Internship Fair, connecting students to a robust list of employers. Alumni continue on to graduate school or forge their careers in a variety of industries and fields. The creative ways to apply your ARHU degree are truly limitless! Here are some placements specific to French majors:

Internship Placements

  • Central Intelligence Agency
  • Social Entrepreneurship Corps
  • The White House
  • Youth Initiative for Human Rights

Graduate School Placements

  • The George Washington University
  • Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
  • Harvard Law School
  • University of Maryland

Employer Placements

  • Abt Global
  • Macy’s (executive development program)
  • National Democratic Institute
  • Teaching Assistant Program in France
  • Wiley Rein (law firm)

Students who major in French will not only develop knowledge of the French language, but also discover the literary and artistic traditions of French-speaking cultures from around the world.

The French faculty at UMD includes internationally recognized specialists in French and Francophone literature, linguistics and cinema from the Early Modern period to the present. Through individualized curricula, students can shape their degrees according to their personal interests, while cultivating global competency and critical thinking. Students can also develop professional skills in French, including business French, diplomacy, French for medical purposes, etc. with our French for the professions courses.

Each semester, we offer a wide range of courses, with many taught exclusively in French. The French major includes opportunities to study abroad, participate in a unique immersive experience with the Language House Living & Learning Residential Program, practice one-on-one with a native speaker through the Language Partner Program and many more opportunities to experience culture from the French-speaking world. Undergraduate majors have gone on to successful careers in a range of fields, including law, journalism, international relations, civil service and teaching in France, while others have continued to study at the graduate level.

Major Requirements

Prerequisite Courses

All students new to SLLC courses must take the online World Language Placement Assessment (WLP) before registering for classes.

Prerequisite Courses
Course #      Course Name                            Credits      Prerequisites
FREN103     Intensive Elementary French    4                None
FREN203     Intensive Intermediate French  4                FREN103

Core sequence (9 credits)

Core sequence (9 credits)
Course #       Course Name                                                 Credits       Prerequisites
FREN204      French Grammar and Composition                3                FREN201 or FREN203
FREN250      Introduction to Cultural and Textual Analysis 3                FREN204
FREN301      Composition and Style                                   3                FREN250

Notes:
Students with prior experience in French may satisfy language acquisition requirements by placement in consultation with the undergraduate advisor.
Students must take language acquisition courses sequentially, i.e., 103, 203, 204, 250, etc. Once credit has been received in a higher-level language acquisition or grammar course, a lower-level course may not be taken for credit.

Translation (3 credits)

Course #         Course Name                         Credits               Prerequisites
FREN302        Introduction to Translation      3                        FREN301

Advanced Language and Culture Courses (3 credits)

Course #    Course Name                          Credits            Prerequisites
FREN311   Advanced Oral Expression      3                     FREN250
FREN312   France Today                          3                     FREN301

Literature & Advanced Writing in French (9 credits)

Course #    Course Name                                                                        Credits          Prerequisites
FREN351   From Romanticism to the Age of Modernism and Beyond   3                    FREN301
FREN352   From the Age of Epic and Romance to the Enlightenment  3                    FREN301
FREN387   Critical Writing on France and the French-Speaking World 3                    FREN301

Plus 4 additional 400-level courses in literature, linguistics, film and culture, of which only one may be in English (12 credits). See current courses.

Note that all majors returning from study abroad must take at least one 400-level course taught in French before graduating.

OPTIONAL: Study Abroad (1 or 2 semesters)

The French program offers two French study abroad opportunities guided by a University of Maryland resident director: Maryland-in-Nice and Maryland-in-Montpellier. Depending on placement, students studying for a semester in the Maryland-in-Nice program may earn up to 18 credits toward the completion of the major; students studying in Nice for the academic year may earn up to 33 credits.

FREN399     Resident Director in Nice/Montpellier Course        3 Credits

Interested in Declaring a French Major?

To add the French major, your first step is to meet with the French undergraduate advisor. Email hwegmann@umd.edu and set up an appointment.

At the appointment, the advisor will review major requirements, discuss any credits you may already have completed and help you map out a plan to complete the French major by your target graduation date. The French advisor will then provide you with the appropriate forms to submit to the College of Arts and Humanities to officially declare your major.

 

Advisor Contact

Hannah Wegmann

Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Assistant Clinical Professor and Undergraduate Advisor, French

3106G Jiménez Hall
College Park MD, 20742

(301) 405-4032
Study near the nation's capital.

BOLDLY HUMAN FEARLESSLY CREATIVE

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

When you join the University of Maryland College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU), you become part of a supportive and inclusive community committed to solving the world’s grand challenges. ARHU is reimagining an education in the arts and humanities by empowering students to make sense of the world using empathy, creativity and intellectual rigor. Our faculty and staff experts are focused on preparing competitive, versatile and visionary leaders equipped to address the complexities of the human experience. Graduates are purposefully prepared for successful careers and fulfilling lives.