Overview

Calvin's French program will help you develop both language and cultural proficiency through courses and numerous cultural engagement opportunities. Calvin's semester program in Grenoble, France is designed to take you to the next level in your acquisition of the French language. Use this major to prepare for further study in graduate school, as a subject matter concentration for the teacher education program or as a complement to other majors and minors at Calvin, such as business, history and philosophy.

Careers in French

• Professor
• Missionary
• Businessperson
• International Aid Worker
• Peace Corps. Volunteer
• Doctor
• Attorney
• Financial Services Administrator
• Librarian
• Minister
• More

See job placement rates for Calvin grads.

Student involvement

Study abroad in a French-speaking country; become a French tutor and conversation group leader; participate in department-wide events like the annual French film festival, Pause café, Christmas party and French chapel.

Course Requirements 2012-13

French major

(31 semester hours)

• FREN-301 Advanced Conversation
• FREN-302 Advanced Grammar
• FREN-351 Survey of French Literature
• One from the francophone world:
  • FREN-361 Francophone Literature and Culture in Quebec
  • FREN-362 Francophone Literature and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Diaspora
  • FREN-363 Francophone Literature and Culture in North Africa
• One from French literature:
  • FREN-394 Medieval and Early Modern French Literature
  • FREN-395 French Literature Before and After the French Revolution
  • FREN-396 Contemporary French Literature and Thought
• Five electives chosen from any of the following:
  • STFR-315 Advanced Stylistics & Phonetics
  • STFR-316 Advanced Language Study in France II
  • STFR-330 Contemporary France
  • FREN-361 Francophone Literature and Culture in Quebec
  • FREN-362 Francophone Literature and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Diaspora
  • FREN-363 Francophone Literature and Culture in North Africa
  • FREN-372 French Linguistics
  • FREN-373 French for International Business
  • FREN-374 Women and Gender in French Literature and Culture
  • FREN-375 French Cinema
  • STFR-381 Special Topics in French
  • FREN-394 Medieval and Early Modern French Literature
  • FREN-395 French Literature Before and After the French Revolution
  • FREN-396 Contemporary French Literature and Thought
  • FREN-W60 French Interim
  • FREN-W80 French Interim
  • ENGR-387 International Engineering Internship (when the internship takes place in a French-speaking region)

Study in France courses are: STFR-315 Advanced Language Study in France I, STFR-316 Advanced Language Study in France II, STFR-381 Special Topics, STFR-330 Contemporary France, STFR-361 Francophone Literature and Culture in Quebec, STFR-362 Francophone Literature and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Diaspora, and STFR-363 Francophone Literature and Culture in North Africa. Note: STFR-361, STFR-362 and STFR-363 may fulfill either the francophone world course requirement or serve as an elective. Only one of these three courses will be taught in a particular semester abroad.

All majors must take the French Department competency exam preferably in the spring of their senior year.

French minor

(22 semester hours)

• FREN-301 Advanced Conversation
• FREN-302 Advanced Grammar
• FREN-351 Survey of French Literature
• One from the francophone world:
  • FREN-361 Francophone Literature and Culture in Quebec
  • FREN-362 Francophone Literature and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Diaspora
  • FREN-363 Francophone Literature and Culture in North Africa
• Two electives chosen from any of the following:
  • STFR-315 Advanced Stylistics & Phonetics
  • STFR-316 Advanced Language Study in France II
  • STFR-330 Contemporary France
  • FREN-361 Francophone Literature and Culture in Quebec
  • FREN-362 Francophone Literature and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Diaspora
  • FREN-363 Francophone Literature and Culture in North Africa
  • FREN-372 French Linguistics
  • FREN-373 French for International Business
  • FREN-374 Women and Gender in French Literature and Culture
  • FREN-375 French Cinema
  • STFR-381 Special Topics in French
  • FREN-394 Medieval and Early Modern French Literature
  • FREN-395 French Literature Before and After the French Revolution
  • FREN-396 Contemporary French Literature and Thought
  • FREN-W60 French Interim
  • FREN-W80 French Interim

Scholarships

Dollar amounts reflect awards given for the 2012-13 academic year.

Alan and Jan Pauw Family Scholarship

• award amount: $3,400
• junior or senior
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required; majoring in history, philosophy, or a foreign language
• apply through the Calvin Portal

View all scholarship opportunities

Faculty