BA in French Studies Susquehanna University

What can a French degree do for you?

Fall in love with language all over again as a French major or minor at Susquehanna.

Courses are taught in French, so you’ll become proficient and comfortable speaking and writing as you earn your degree.

You’ll sharpen those skills through fun activities and clubs on campus and by studying abroad through our Global Opportunities program.

Majors can study in semester-long programs in a French city, while minors can also choose from shorter programs restoring a medieval castle or learning language and culture in the French countryside. Adding one of our interdisciplinary minors like applied linguistics and international studies help you gain a better understanding of important topics in today’s world.

Inside French Studies

Our professors will help get you career-ready through courses in French literature, contemporary France, cinema, and other current topics. You can also pair your love of language with another interest and pursue a double major.

You’ll have opportunities to practice your French outside of class and learn what makes the French culture so alluring through:

• Weekly language tables
• French Club activities include trips to museums, theaters, and other venues
• Journée de la Francophonie, a Day of French Speaking, community outreach and education program that brings local high school students to campus
• Study abroad through Susquehanna’s award-winning Global Opportunities program

Requirements for Major

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.

Language Fellows

A special feature of language study at Susquehanna is the opportunity for students to interact with visiting instructors from other countries. The fellows teach introductory language classes, act as teaching assistants in upper-level courses, and join students in weekly language tables and club activities.

Language, Literatures, and Cultures Majors

Students with a major in French Studies, German Studies, or Spanish Studies complete at least 28 semester hours above the 201 level with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00. Students placed at the 300 level complete 24 semester hours at the 300 and 400 levels with a minimum GPA. At least one course in the target language must be at the 400 level. The Independent Study (542) in all languages may also be counted toward the major and minor. French Studies and German Studies require one related history course. Spanish Studies requires one course in Latin American history. All majors complete the capstone, which is composed of two elements: (1) a 400-level course in the language of study to be taken after completing a semester abroad, typically during senior year; and (2) a language proficiency evaluation (FRNC-599, GERM-599, ITAL-599, SPAN-599), which they must pass in their final semester. This second part of the capstone is evaluated on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

All of the majors require one semester of study abroad in a country where the language of study is spoken. Most students majoring in a language also have a second major. Almost any other major on campus can be combined with language studies. After returning from a year or semester of study abroad, majors must take at least one regularly scheduled 300- or 400-level language course at Susquehanna before graduating.

Major in French Studies

For a major in French Studies, students complete FRNC-205 or 208; FRNC-303, FRNC-306 (or approved equivalents during a semester abroad); a semester abroad in a French-speaking country, where courses taught in French count toward the major; and the capstone consisting of FRNC-460 + the language proficiency evaluation in their final semester. FRNC-310 courses (topics) also count toward the major. The French Studies major has a history requirement, which can be satisfied in several ways: through certain FRNC-310 or 460 courses; through approved history courses taken during the semester abroad, or through an approved course in the History Department. A course taught in English can satisfy the history requirement, but without contributing credits toward the French Studies major.

Double-counting restriction for interdisciplinary minors

Only 8 semester hours of this minor may be double-counted toward the student’s major.

Teaching Certification

Susquehanna offers teaching certification in French, German, and Spanish, and students preparing for such certification must maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA in the major. Coursework required by the state of Pennsylvania for admission to the teacher certification program includes successful completion of ENGL-100 Writing and Thinking or equivalent course, at least 3 semester hours in British or American literature, at least 6 semester hours of mathematics coursework (or other courses which satisfy the Central Curriculum Analytical Thought requirement), and at least one 40-hour externship.

Education course requirements for secondary education are EDUC-101 Introduction to Education and Society, EDUC-250 Educational Psychology, EDUC-260 Introduction to Special Education, EDUC-270 Instruction of Exceptional Students, EDUC-330 Technology in Education, EDUC-350 English Language Learners, EDUC-380 Instructional Design, EDUC-422 Methods of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Teaching Foreign Languages, EDUC-479 Principles of Learning and Teaching in Secondary Education, EDUC-483 Differentiated Instruction and Classroom Management in Secondary Education, and the EDUC-500 Student Teaching package (EDUC-501, EDUC-502, EDUC-503, and EDUC-600). In addition, students pursuing certification in French, German or Spanish satisfy all of the usual requirements for those majors.

Departmental Honors

The departmental honors option recognizes outstanding work in language, literary, and cultural studies. To graduate with honors, majoring students must do the following:

• Receive an invitation to enter the program in the senior year,
• Maintain a GPA of 3.50 in the department and 3.30 overall,
• Declare an honors adviser by the end of the first week of the fall/spring semester of the senior year,
• Develop and submit honors-quality senior research by April 15 (usually as part of a seminar, research, or independent study course), and
• Present their papers for discussion with faculty or at Senior Scholars Day.

Work not meeting the standards for departmental honors may be applied to the regular major.

Placement

Scores received on pre-enrollment language-proficiency examinations, and nationally recognized achievement tests help determine placement level or exemption without credit from the university’s Central Curriculum language requirement. Students who score 4 or 5 on the National Advanced Placement examination receive the equivalent of four semester hours of course credit and are placed in a 300-level course in recognition of their accomplishment.

Language placement scores are valid for two years.

Chinese, French, and Italian 102

Students who do not complete the course in which they were placed within two years must contact the language coordinator to determine their appropriate placement after the lapsed time.

The Department of Languages, Literature, and Cultures encourages students who are exempt from the modern language Central Curriculum requirement to continue their language study by enrolling in the course in which they have been placed at the 201 level or above. Upon successful completion of that course with a grade of B- or above, such students will earn a total of eight semester hours of credit: four semester hours for the upper-level course and four semester hours of (ungraded) advanced study credit in recognition of their advanced achievement. This option is not available to students who are transferring equivalent language coursework from another college. Advanced study credit may not be used to satisfy the requirement for a major or minor program.

Requirements for Minor

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.

Minor in French Studies

For a minor in French, students complete 20 credits in French (independent of placement), starting at the 200-level, with a minimum GPA of 2.00. At least four of those credits must be an FRNC-310 (topics) course.

Courses Options

Arabic Studies

• ARBC 101 Beginning Arabic I, Credits: 4
• ARBC 102 Beginning Arabic II, Credits: 4

Chinese Studies

• CHNS 101 Beginning Chinese I, Credits: 4
• CHNS 102 Beginning Chinese II, Credits: 4
• CHNS 201 Intermediate Chinese, Credits: 4
• CHNS 202 Intermediate Chinese II, Credits: 4
• CHNS 542 Independent Study, Credits: 1–4

French Studies

• FRNC 101 Beginning French I, Credits: 4
• FRNC 102 Beginning French II, Credits: 4
• FRNC 205 French Culture and Language, Credits: 4
• FRNC 208 Cultures of la Francophonie, Credits: 4
• FRNC 303 Oral Expression and Public Speaking, Credits: 4
• FRNC 306 Written Expression and Translation, Credits: 4
• FRNC 310 French/Francophone Lit & Cultural Study, Credits: 1–4
• FRNC 460 Seminar French Literature/Culture/Film, Credits: 4
• FRNC 501 Internship, Credits: 1–8
• FRNC 542 Independent Study, Credits: 1–4
• FRNC 599 Senior Language Proficiency Evaluation, Credits: 0–0

German Studies

• GERM 101 Beginning German I, Credits: 4
• GERM 102 Beginning German II, Credits: 4
• GERM 201 Intermediate German I, Credits: 4
• GERM 202 Intermediate German II, Credits: 4
• GERM 301 Advanced Conversation and Oral Expression, Credits: 4
• GERM 302 Advanced German Grammar & Written Expression, Credits: 4
• GERM 310 Topics in German Studies, Credits: 4
• GERM 460 Seminar in German Studies, Credits: 4
• GERM 503 Internship, Credits: 1–8
• GERM 542 Independent Study, Credits: 1–4
• GERM 599 Senior Language Proficiency Evaluation, Credits: 0–0

Italian Studies

• ITAL 101 Beginning Italian I, Credits: 4
• ITAL 102 Beginning Italian II, Credits: 4
• ITAL 2THM Intermediate Themes in Culture & Civilization, Credits: 4
• ITAL 2TPC Intermediate Topics in Culture & Civilization, Credits: 4
• ITAL 3THM Advanced Themes in Culture and Civilization, Credits: 4
• ITAL 3TPC Advanced Topics in Culture and Civilization, Credits: 4
• ITAL 542 Independent Study, Credits: 1–4

Spanish Studies

• SPAN 101 Beginning Spanish I, Credits: 4
• SPAN 102 Beginning Spanish II, Credits: 4
• SPAN 201 Intermediate Spanish I, Credits: 4
• SPAN 202 Intermediate Spanish II, Credits: 4
• SPAN 300 Spanish for Heritage Speakers, Credits: 4
• SPAN 301 Advanced Conversation & Oral Expression, Credits: 4
• SPAN 302 Grammar and Composition, Credits: 4
• SPAN 310 Topics in Hispanic Culture, Credits: 4
• SPAN 445 Seminar in Peninsular Spanish Studies, Credits: 2–4
• SPAN 447 Seminar in Hispanic-American Studies, Credits: 1–4
• SPAN 503 Internship, Credits: 4–8
• SPAN 542 Independent Study, Credits: 1–4
• SPAN 599 Senior Language Proficiency Evaluation, Credits: 0–0

Courses Taught in English

• LANG 300 Introduction to Applied Linguistics, Credits: 4
• LANG 350 Introduction to Linguistics, Credits: 4
• LANG 360 Second Language Acquisition, Credits: 4
• LANG 502 Independent Study, Credits: 1–4
• LANG 503 Classroom Assistant, Credits: 1–2
• LANG 504 Language and the Professions, Credits: 2

Study Abroad Programs for French Majors

Strasbourg

Excursions in and around France broaden your experience.

Learning Goals

• Students will demonstrate a high level of communicative proficiency in the target language. This proficiency encompasses interpretive, presentational, and interpersonal modes.
• Students will be able to interpret target language texts in a variety of modes (written, spoken, and visual) and in a variety of genres (narrative, poetry, nonfiction, etc.).
• Students will be able to present orally and in writing about a range of cultural and literary topics and issues related to the target language for a variety of purposes (e.g., to inform, explain, persuade, etc.).
• Students will be able to interact and negotiate meaning in spoken and written conversations for a variety of purposes.
• Students will thus use their language proficiency to develop critical insight into the cultures in which their language of study is widely spoken.

Teaching French at the elementary, secondary, or collegiate level is a rewarding career path for many majors. Don’t want to teach? Here are some other careers where you can use your degree:

• Translators focusing on written work in the publishing industry or government
• Interpreter for the United Nations, NATO, or an embassy
• Teaching English in a French-speaking country
• Employee of a multinational company, non-government organization (NGO), or charitable organization

Recent graduates have gone to graduate school at:

• Columbia University
• George Washington University
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania State University
• Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
• University of Kentucky
• University of Maryland
• Villanova University
• Fellowships
• Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals
• Fulbright Scholars Program

Recent graduates are employed at:

• Bayer AG
• Billings Bilingual LLC
• Congressional Quarterly Inc.
• Corporation for National & Community Service (AmeriCorps)
• Moravian Academy
• Teach for America
• United Nations
• Villanova Theatre at Villanova University
• Walnut Street Theater, Philadelphia