Career Opportunities

French and Francophone Studies can open the door to a wide variety of career opportunities. The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, an organization of 80 member states, estimates that French is the fifth most widely used language in the world, with speakers spread over five continents. It is the third most important business language (after English and Chinese) and the fourth most common language on the internet. Moreover, it is the second most important language in international organizations, serving as an official working language in the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Olympic Committee, and in dozens of other international political, business and cultural organizations across Europe, Africa and the Americas. France, with the sixth largest economy in the world, serves as the primary driver of economic opportunity across the francophone world.

The program offers a rigorous educational experience focused on critical thinking and analysis. It is particularly well suited to careers in fields in which expertise in French is directly relevant or a valuable complement: information technology and artificial intelligence, international environmental policy, government and public service, communications and journalism, research, public health, the hospitality industry, fashion, business and international relations, international trade and economic diplomacy, localization management, translation and interpretation, as well as high-school and community-college teaching or graduate-level study. Students are encouraged to consult the Career Services office to pursue internship possibilities during their course of study and to prepare for a career beyond UMass. We also strongly encourage students to continue enhancing their French language and cultural skills after graduation by participating in the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF), a program in which we have an excellent record of placing students.