French Major and Minor

 

Stone bridge with cluster of students smiling and hugging.

The Major in French

The Department of French and Francophone Studies is proud to provide a strong base in Wellesley's tradition of liberal arts education (see this report on the long-term professional success of liberal arts majors and this article on what you can do with a liberal arts degree).

How to become a French Major

  • If you already have an advisor in the French & Francophone Studies, contact them directly for more information, otherwise; 
  • Students should contact Prof. Scott Gunther or Prof. Hélène Bilis to learn more. Our program of study is designed to give you flexibility in the courses you choose to take towards the major.

Goals for the Major

  • Students will achieve skill in speaking, writing, reading, and understanding French at the advanced level, as detailed in the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
  • Students will know enough important French literary and cultural works to identify the major themes in French literary and cultural history.
  • Students will learn to recognize and construct well-formed arguments about literary texts, cultural artifacts, and historical events that rely on clear writing and in-depth understanding of both primary and secondary sources.
  • Students will learn to grasp the complexity of cultural differences. They will know how to spot clichés and avoid using them in thinking about France and the Francophone world in particular, and other cultures in general. As global citizens, they will come to value tolerance, appreciate diversity, and be prepared to face the challenges and reap the benefits of living in an increasingly interconnected world.

Requirements for the Major

The major in French requires a minimum of nine semester courses above FREN 201, one of which may be a course taught in English in the French Department, and one of which must be FREN 210, FREN 211 or FREN 212. The major in French requires at least two 300-level courses taught in French, one of which must be during their senior year.

FREN 101, FREN 102, FREN 103, and FREN 201 count toward the degree but not toward the French major. The language courses FREN 202, FREN 203, FREN 205, FREN 206, FREN 211 and FREN 226 count toward the French Major. All majors must take at least one culture course (FREN 207, FREN 220, FREN 222, FREN 225, FREN 227, FREN 229, FREN 230, FREN 232, FREN 233, FREN 237, FREN 300, FREN 314, FREN 322, FREN 323, FREN 324, FREN 332) or spend one semester studying in a Francophone country, and at least one literature course (FREN 208,  FREN 209, FREN 213, FREN 214, FREN 216, FREN 217, FREN 221, FREN 223, FREN 224, FREN 228, FREN 234, FREN 235, FREN 237, FREN 241, FREN 278, FREN 302, FREN 303, FREN 306, FREN 307, FREN 308, FREN 312, FREN 313, FREN 315, FREN 317, FREN 319, FREN 330, FREN 333).  

FREN 350, FREN 360 and FREN 370 do not count toward the minimum requirement of two 300-level courses for the major. No more than two courses taken credit/noncredit at Wellesley College may be applied to the French major. Students planning to major in French should consult with the chair of the French department.

The Minor in French

The minor requires a minimum of five courses above FREN 201, including one 300-level course. No more than one course taken credit/noncredit at Wellesley College may be applied to the minor.