A major in French has never been more desirable in the workplace. The number of people who speak French has tripled in the last fifty years and French has become a dominant language in science, engineering, and technology.
Studying French will broaden your cultural horizons and prepare you for a variety of careers, including international business communication, medicine, translation, tourism, education, and technology. You can achieve linguistic and cultural proficiencies in French and Francophone settings.
Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in French (FREN) requires satisfactory completion of the following:
- A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for a B.A. degree from the IU School of Liberal Arts.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) is required for graduation.
- A minimum of 26 credit hours must be completed after formal admission to IUPUI.
- A minimum of 21 credit hours of major coursework must be completed in residence in the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. Coursework completed on an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program counts as residential credit.
- A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in each major course (C- will not qualify).
- Once a course has been applied toward one requirement, it cannot be used to satisfy a second requirement, except where explicitly stated otherwise. Except in cases of variable title courses, internships, and other special courses, no course will be counted more than once toward graduation.
- The required distribution of courses may NOT be waived or substituted, but equivalent courses from study abroad programs and/or transferred from other universities may be accepted with consent of the advisor.
What Studying French Did for Me?
“Studying French was the easiest decision I made during my undergraduate career. The professors in the French department at IUPUI are the kindest humans and genuinely care about the subject and their students. After finishing my Bachelors in French in 2019, I went on to pursue my Masters in French Linguistics at IU Bloomington; I graduated with my M.A. in 2021 and am now pursuing my PhD in French Linguistics. Alongside my graduate degrees, I teach French at IU Bloomington to undergraduates which is my dream career: becoming a professor so I can teach college students as well as carry out research on French linguistics”.
– Lee Killey, ’19 B.A. French
French Course Requirements (30 credits)
You can take a variety of courses from the introductory to advanced courses in language and linguistics, culture and literature, and applied areas (translation & Business French).
Intro Courses
- FREN-F 203: Second-Year French I (3 cr.)
- FREN-F 204: Second-Year French II (3 cr.)
Advanced Language Courses
Choose one 3 credit course.
- FREN-F 328: Advanced French Grammar and Composition
- FREN-F 330: Introduction to Translation
- FREN-F 336: Structure of French
- FREN-F 396: French Study Abroad*
- FREN-F 402: Introduction to French Linguistics
- FREN-F 421: Fourth-Year French
- FREN-F 423: Craft of Translation
*may be applied to one area only
Oral Production Courses
Choose one 3 credit course.
- FREN-F 315: Conversation and Diction I
- FREN-F 316: Conversation and Diction II
- FREN-F 331: French Pronunciation and Diction
- FREN-F 380: French Conversation
- FREN-F 396: French Study Abroad*
- FREN-F 480: French Conversation
*may be applied to one area only
Culture Courses
Choose one 3 credit course.
- FREN-F 300: Lectures et analyses littéraries
- FREN-F 307: Masterpieces of French Literature
- FREN-F 326: French in the Business World
- FREN-F 334: French for the Medical and Technical World
- FREN-F 350: Topics in Francophone Culture
- FREN-F 352: Culture, Société, Langue et Littérature au Québec
- FREN-F 360: Intro. socio-culturelle à la France
- FREN-F 391: Studies in French Cinema
- FREN-F 396: French Study Abroad*
- FREN-F 434: Advanced French for the Medical and Technical World
- FREN-F 450: Colloquium in French Studies
- FREN-F 451: Le français des affaires
- FREN-F 452: La Civilisation et littérature québécoises
- FREN-F 460: French Fiction in Film
- FREN-F 461: La France Comtemporaine
*may be applied to one area only
Elective Courses
Choose four courses (12 credits) not already taken and attributed to the Language, Oral Production or Culture Course distribution requirements from the lists above to count for the elective courses for the Major. One elective must be at the 400-level.
- FREN-F 493 Internship in French
- FREN-F 495 Individual Readings in French
Note: Even though we added options to accordion, students still need to choose four courses (12 credits).
Capstone
Choose one 3 credit course.
- FREN-F 497: Capstone in French
- Must be done in your last year of French study.
Recommended Curriculum
To provide students with guidance that will both enhance their academic experience and avoid problems meeting requirements, the French Program has developed the following suggested curriculum for taking French courses, as a major.
Four-Year Plan
Freshman Year
FREN-F 131: First Year French I (4 credits)
FREN-F 132: First Year French II (4 credits)
Sophomore Year
FREN-F 203: Second-Year French I (3 credits)
FREN-F 204: Second-Year French II (3 credits)
Junior Year
French Oral Production (3 credits)
French Language (3 credits)
French Culture (3 credits)
French Elective 300/400 Level (3 credits)
Senior Year
French Elective 300/400 Level (3 credits)
French Elective 300/400 Level (3 credits)
French Elective 400 Level (3 credits)
FREN-F 497: Capstone in French (3 credits)
Become a French Teacher
If you are interested in teaching middle school or high school French, the Major in French Education with a collaboration with the IU School of Education at IUPUI is for you. This is managed through the School of Education in close collaboration with the Program in French. You also can earn a Master’s in Teaching (MAT) French online.
Liberal Arts Advantage
Get on the path to develop your own unique advantage without adding time to your studies by combining a French degree with your other interests in any School on campus through the Liberal Arts Advantage Degree Options Program.
How to Enroll
Declare your Major now with the Liberal Arts Declaration Form.
Degree Map
To help you guide your four-year college journey, consult your degree map for a snapshot of classes you will be taking to finish your degree.
More Info
Contact Dr. Kathryn Lauten, Director of the Program in French.
