Welcome to the Department!
Our Department of French and Francophone Studies sees language as an essential gateway to other cultures and other ways of being. We focus on the languages, cultures, and power relations that organize spaces where different varieties of French are spoken, and where history, politics and language merge in complex but interesting ways. At all levels, we teach an understanding of la Francophonie that reflects the contemporary issues and values of the French-speaking world. We both investigate and challenge the intellectual and ethical implications of France’s central position in today’s Francophone geopolitical reality.
French differs depending on where and by whom it is spoken and we welcome the diversity of its sounds, from Haiti, West Africa, Belgium to Quebec. As a department, we work hard to use and present these geographical and social varieties of French in our classrooms. We see no hierarchies between them, but we recognize that the French we teach is often constrained by the limitations of France’s cultural dominance. However, we refuse to essentialize the Francophone experience.
Info for First-Year Students
In French classes, students achieve a high level of language proficiency, as well as critical skills in literary and cultural analysis that are useful far beyond the classroom. There are also myriad activities on campus that allow you to use your French (French Table, Game Nights, French Movies, and many other festivities), excursions to the Twin Cities to see exhibits and plays, and a French Studies program in Paris (including a week in Provence) every year.
Why take French?
French is the language not only of France, but also of Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Haiti, French Guyana, no fewer than twenty-three African countries, and many islands in the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean.
After English, French is the most frequently studied second language in the world. It can be beneficial for students who plan to enter professions in international affairs, international development, law, journalism, science, social services, education, medicine, business, and politics. French is also the language of a rich literary, philosophical, and cultural heritage.
Hear what current and recent students have to say about our department.
Can I major / minor in it?
The department offers a major that focuses on the study of literature and culture, representing a wide range of periods and traditions. The major engages the entire Francophone world while including such fields as history, art history, political science, and others.
The Department of French and Francophone Studies offers two minors, one in the French language (with all courses in French) and one in French and Francophone Studies (with courses in History, Political Science, Sociology, Art History, and others). Each of these distinctions appears on the transcript at graduation.
How do I get started?
First-year students should take the appropriate French language course(s) (as determined by a placement exam taken during the summer or an AP score) in order to complete the basic language sequence before moving on. Students who have tested out of the language sequence are invited to enroll in courses beyond French 204; 206, 210, 236, 239, 242, 244, and 248, are examples of appropriate next steps after the completion of French 204.
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“From the moment I stepped into my first French 101 class, I knew that the department was fully committed to not only enhancing our ability to speak and comprehend the language, but to empowering us to start asking more interesting, critical questions. What does it mean to be Francophone?”
Chris Lee ’20 -
“Studying French at Carleton has opened more doors for me than I had ever imagined possible. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with students from all over France, and a few of them have even become some of my closest friends at Carleton.”
Eva Druskin ’19
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Languages and the Liberal Arts
Chérif Keïta, William H. Laird Professor of French and the Liberal Arts, shares his experience teaching a language at Carleton and why he values it so highly.
