B.A. in French

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Program Highlights

• 30 major credit hours of rigorous undergraduate coursework ranging from grammar and conversation to phonetics, history, and cultural studies. For detailed course descriptions, refer to the College Catalog.
  • Core French major requirements include Intermediate French I and II (or six hours of 300-level French courses if you have already completed the intermediate equivalent), Understanding France & the French, French Composition and Style, Applied Phonetics, Topics in French and Francophone Studies or Moments in French and Francophone History.
  • French literature options include Medieval and Early Modern French Literature, 18th through 21st Century French Literature, French Theatre, Cinema, Poetry, and Caribbean and African Literature in French.
  • While many students begin coursework at the 200 or 300 level, with careful planning it is possible to begin with French 101 in the fall of freshman year and complete the major in four years. Advanced students will not run out of options because several of our upper-level courses cover different topics each time they are offered and can therefore be taken more than once.
  • Students who have had prior exposure to a language but have not taken an AP exam or received college credit in the language must take the Foreign Language Placement Exam before registering for their first modern languages course at Grove City College.
• Flexibility to double major or minor in complementary disciplines such as Spanish, management, marketing, sales, finance, biology, international studies, accounting, economics, communication, law, psychology, or political science.
  • Adding a second major enhances marketability and potential for impact. Many large companies such as Citigroup, General Motors, IBM, DuPont, and Westinghouse prefer to hire individuals with a deep knowledge of more than one discipline.
• Opportunity to obtain a career-advancing certification through the Diplôme de Français des Affaires — an internationally recognized credential from the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI).
• Personal access to highly accomplished and well-traveled faculty mentors who will encourage your growth as a French speaker, team player, and person.
• Study abroad opportunities around the globe.
  • French majors often pursue an immersion study program to get first-hand exposure to the culture of France or another French-speaking country. Whether you hope to study abroad for a semester, summer, or entire year, or decide to take a two-week trip through one of our faculty-led travel courses, opportunities abound to hone your language skills and experience daily life in a French-speaking environment. Studying abroad is also an excellent way to establish contacts around the world and obtain relevant internship or job experience prior to graduation.
  • Beginning freshman year, you will have access to the Office of Global Programs — where you’ll find a wealth of resources and seasoned advisors. They will help you explore program options and map out a plan that will serve your academic and personal goals while allowing you to graduate on time.
• Internship opportunities in a wide range of professional environments.
• Opportunities to conduct research with faculty or through independent study.
  • Recent projects include an overview of French philosophy from Montaigne through Derrida; explorations of French national identity in contemporary literature and film; and a survey of French Christian writers from the early 20th century.
• Active student-led groups including the French Club and Grove City’s chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma — the national foreign language honorary and service organization.
• Vocation-enriching humanities core courses woven into your academic schedule that will strengthen your critical thinking, writing, and other communication skills while cultivating empathy and a well-rounded understanding of the world and your place in it.

Career Outcomes

• As a French speaker, you will be in high demand in industries ranging from banking and finance to diplomacy, communication and education, foreign market analysis, hospitality, and more.
• If you are like 96% of Grove City College graduates, you too will be well prepared to hit the ground running in top graduate programs or an exciting career within six months of graduation.
  • Our French graduates pursue a wide array of careers in diverse fields. Common positions include teacher, translator, interpreter, health care worker, and speech pathologist.
  • Some of our graduates choose to pursue further education and have been admitted to prestigious graduate programs at Oxford, University of Paris-Sorbonne, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Chicago, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt. Whether you want to pursue an MBA, JD, or PhD in French or another discipline, you will have cultivated the transferrable critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and work ethic to thrive.
• You could also offer in-demand expertise to your employer by obtaining the Diplôme de Français des Affaires — an internationally recognized credential from the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI).
• Wherever your vocation takes you, you will possess excellent proficiency in the French language and the necessary tools to navigate important conversations, transactions, and projects with confidence and cultural sensitivity.

Student & Alumni Stories

“There are a lot of opportunities for class discussion, and I have always found the professors interested to hear students’ thoughts and opinions!” — Sarah Markley ’17, B.A. in French, B.A. in History, Minor in International Studies

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Estelle Graham '23
B.A. in French; B.A. in English

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