B.A. in French

A student who majors in French learns to speak the language, to read literature and cultural materials in their original form, and to interact with members of an important worldwide cultural community. With 122 million speakers, French is one of the five official languages of the United Nations, is an official language in 42 countries and is spoken in much of Africa, Canada, Louisiana, the Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East, the Pacific as well as Europe. The French major provides a truly global perspective and can help prepare a student for a career in public service, business, education, or the arts. SDSU offers a major in French for the Bachelor of Arts degree. The program requires preparatory study in speaking, reading, writing and grammar, part of which may be completed in high school. All students then take one semester of advanced grammar and composition, one semester of stylistics and translation, and a two-course survey of French literature and complete their program with a variety of elective courses. All French majors must also complete a minor in an approved subject, such as art, business administration, comparative literature, European studies, another language, history, humanities, linguistics, music, or political science. Career Opportunities: Students choose to major in French either in order to enrich their lives or as cultural training for many careers. Employers recognize the value of a well-rounded liberal arts education combined with a second language proficiency and knowledge of another country's culture. The increasing involvement of the United States in international business has created new opportunities for young people interested in international management. A major in French combines effectively with a second major or minor in business, economics, history, political science or women’s studies. Many French majors choose a career in teaching. Recent studies indicate that the demand for qualified teachers is rising. With a secondary teaching credential, one can teach at the high school level or pursue more advanced study in preparation for a university career, either in French or in related subjects, such as linguistics or comparative literature.