French Language and Literature Major
Majoring in French offers a gateway to the literatures and cultures of 29 countries around the world, including in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and North America.
Students who major in French will not only develop knowledge of the French language, but also discover the literary and artistic traditions of French-speaking cultures from around the world.
The French faculty at UMD includes internationally recognized specialists in French and Francophone literature, linguistics and cinema from the Early Modern period to the present. Through individualized curricula, students can shape their degrees according to their personal interests, while cultivating global competency and critical thinking. Students can also develop professional skills in French, including business French, diplomacy, French for medical purposes, etc. with our French for the professions courses.
Each semester, we offer a wide range of courses, with many taught exclusively in French. The French major includes opportunities to study abroad, participate in a unique immersive experience with the Language House Living & Learning Residential Program, practice one-on-one with a native speaker through the Language Partner Program and many more opportunities to experience culture from the French-speaking world. Undergraduate majors have gone on to successful careers in a range of fields, including law, journalism, international relations, civil service and teaching in France, while others have continued to study at the graduate level.
Major Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
All students new to SLLC courses must take the online Foreign Language Placement Assessment (FLPA) before registering for classes.
Prerequisite Courses
Course # Course Name Credits Prerequisites
FREN103 Intensive Elementary French 4 None
FREN203 Intensive Intermediate French 4 FREN103
Core sequence (9 credits)
Core sequence (9 credits)
Course # Course Name Credits Prerequisites
FREN204 French Grammar and Composition 3 FREN201 or FREN203
FREN250 Introduction to Cultural and Textual Analysis 3 FREN204
FREN301 Composition and Style 3 FREN250
Notes:
Students with prior experience in French may satisfy language acquisition requirements by placement in consultation with the undergraduate advisor.
Students must take language acquisition courses sequentially, i.e., 103, 203, 204, 250, etc. Once credit has been received in a higher-level language acquisition or grammar course, a lower-level course may not be taken for credit.
Translation (3 credits)
Course # Course Name Credits Prerequisites
FREN302 Introduction to Translation 3 FREN301
Advanced Language and Culture Courses (3 credits)
Course # Course Name Credits Prerequisites
FREN311 Advanced Oral Expression 3 FREN250
FREN312 France Today 3 FREN301
Literature & Advanced Writing in French (9 credits)
Course # Course Name Credits Prerequisites
FREN351 From Romanticism to the Age of Modernism and Beyond 3 FREN301
FREN352 From the Age of Epic and Romance to the Enlightenment 3 FREN301
FREN387 Critical Writing on France and the French-Speaking World 3 FREN301
Plus 4 additional 400-level courses in literature, linguistics, film and culture, of which only one may be in English (12 credits). See current courses.
Note that all majors returning from study abroad must take at least one 400-level course taught in French before graduating.
OPTIONAL: Study Abroad (1 or 2 semesters)
The French program offers two French study abroad opportunities guided by a University of Maryland resident director: Maryland-in-Nice and Maryland-in-Montpellier. Depending on placement, students studying for a semester in the Maryland-in-Nice program may earn up to 18 credits toward the completion of the major; students studying in Nice for the academic year may earn up to 33 credits.
FREN399 Resident Director in Nice/Montpellier Course 3 Credits
Interested in Declaring a French Major?
To add the French major, your first step is to meet with the French undergraduate advisor. Email hwegmann@umd.edu and set up an appointment.
At the appointment, the advisor will review major requirements, discuss any credits you may already have completed and help you map out a plan to complete the French major by your target graduation date. The French advisor will then provide you with the appropriate forms to submit to the College of Arts and Humanities to officially declare your major.
Advisor Contact
Hannah Wegmann
Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Assistant Clinical Professor and Undergraduate Advisor, French
3106G Jiménez Hall
College Park
MD,
20742