The French Program
Our undergraduate French program emphasizes both solid training in the French language and understanding of French literature and culture. Our language courses range from introductory classes for complete beginners to advanced training in writing and phonetics. The introductory literature sequence offers a survey of French literary history; students read and discuss masterpieces of French poetry, theater, and the novel, while gaining an understanding of general movements and tendencies. Other courses cover a range of periods (from the Middle Ages to the present) and a wide variety of topics, from in-depth studies of individual authors to explorations of a particular theme across different centuries. Students may also study French culture and thought from an interdisciplinary perspective, through courses in such areas as Comparative Literature and Social Thought. Combining intellectual rigor and flexibility, our major and minor programs ensure a strong foundation in French language, literature and critical methods, while allowing students to pursue individual areas of interest. Students may also pursue a degree program in two Romance languages. Our students go on to develop careers in a range of areas, from academia to international business.
Students have many opportunities for study and research abroad, and are encouraged to spend a summer, a quarter, or even a year at the University's Center in Paris. The Center's French programs include intensive language study and sequences in Western civilization and Parisian culture. Back on the Chicago campus, visiting professors from French universities regularly teach courses. The Department also has close ties with the France Chicago Center, a University of Chicago-based interdisciplinary organization which sponsors public lectures, French film series, travel grants, and fellowships. Contacts and exchanges with France form part of the rich cultural life of the University, and make Chicago a particularly exciting and rewarding place to study French.