The Major
Along with a high level of competence in an important world language, French majors acquire a broad knowledge of one of the world’s most dynamic cultural traditions and its complex relations with other countries around the world. Requirements are flexible enough to allow students to combine the liberal arts and skill-oriented components of their major with other related programs of study, including majors and minors in other fields and certificate programs. An academic-year or semester program in Paris or in Montpellier is recommended for all students interested in French language and culture. Students are also encouraged to pursue double majors.
Proficiency in French at the low intermediate level (FRENCHST 230 or the equivalent) is required to declare the major.
The major requires a total of 36 credits. A maximum of six credits of courses at the intermediate level (240, 246, 250) may be counted in these 36 credits; all others must be in courses at the 300 level or higher.
Intermediate Proficiency
Students must demonstrate proficiency at the intermediate level by achieving a grade of B+ in FRENCHST 240. Students who do not do this must complete FRENCHST 250.
Required Courses
Students are required to complete the following courses:
- 371 Advanced Grammar and Composition I
- 473 Advanced Grammar and Composition II (371 must be taken before 473)
- 384 Themes in French Intellectual and Literary History
- 386 French Civilization from Origins to 1945
- 303 Writing on Language (the Junior Year Writing seminar in French and Francophone Studies; double majors who have completed the JYW seminar in their other major may substitute another French course at the 300 level or higher)
- 494SI Senior Seminar (fulfills the Integrative Experience requirement)
Majors must also take at least one course in three of the following areas:
- Medieval and Renaissance studies
- 17th/18th-century studies
- The Revolutionary period through the late 19th century
- 20th-century studies
- The Francophone world
- Contemporary studies
Students complete the major with additional elective courses at the 300 level or above to reach the 36 credit requirement. Note that only one course taught in English at the 300+ level may be counted towards the French major.
The Major with Concentration in Teaching
The major in French and Francophone Studies with a concentration in teaching prepares students to earn a teaching license in French for grades five to twelve. Students interested in this option should apply during the second semester of their sophomore year to the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) at the UMass College of Education. For further information about the STEP program, please consult the College of Education’s Educator Licensing Office, in particular the program’s admissions policies. Students complete the same major requirements as other French majors, as well as additional courses in education studies. Study abroad in France or another francophone country is strongly advised. The program aims for balanced competence in the fields of French studies and the teaching of foreign languages, culminating in a student teaching practicum during the last semester of the program. Students completing the STEP program receive an Initial License, which allows them to seek employment as a middle- or high-school French teacher. The Initial License is valid for five years, during which students must complete the additional necessary coursework (generally a Master’s degree) to obtain a Professional License. For advising on the French major with concentration in teaching, contact the French teacher licensure coordinator.
Other Optional Concentrations
Students are encouraged to develop concentrations and to complete minors and certificate programs in other areas. Each generally requires the completion of additional credits. A great variety of programs is available at UMass Amherst and the Five College system. Among these are the certificates in Journalism, International Relations, African Studies, Film Studies, Medieval Studies and Interpreting Studies, as well as the minor in Modern European Studies.
Honors
For information on pursuing honors opportunities within the French and Francophone Studies major, contact the program’s honors coordinator, Prof. Emmanuel Buzay.
Restrictions
All prospective majors must make an appointment to see the Undergraduate Program Director of French and Francophone Studies, Prof. Eva Valenta.
It is the student's responsibility to check with the French Undergraduate Program Director in advance of the last semester of the senior year in order to be sure that all program requirements for graduation have been fulfilled.
Courses taken at UMass Amherst or elsewhere on a pass/fail basis are not acceptable for major credit.
At least 12 of the 36 credits required for the major must be taken on the University of Massachusetts' Amherst campus. Under normal circumstances, no more than nine credits received during a study abroad semester may be applied to the major.
The grade of D in a French course or in a related course required for the major is not acceptable and will not be counted toward the number of major credits. These D credits may be made up either by repeating the course or by successfully passing an equivalency exam to be given by the program. This second option is possible only in language courses taken in the senior year.