French and Francophone Studies, B.S.

Program Description

The B.S. degree is designed to allow students to combine fluency in French with other academic disciplines. The Business option develops basic skills in French (speaking, understanding, reading, writing) and acquaints students with a number of fields essential to business, especially in the international area. The Engineering option has a required overseas study or work component. The Applied French option develops basic skills in French (speaking, understanding, reading, writing) as well as a basic knowledge of French literature and culture. At the same time, it provides a concentration in a professional area in which a command of French can be particularly relevant or useful. Courses in French culture and civilization are essential to all B.S. options, and students are encouraged to participate in the University's International Studies programs in France.

What is French and Francophone Studies?

The B.S. degree in French and Francophone Studies is designed to develop proficiency in the French language and deepen knowledge of French cultural artifacts and frames, allowing students to combine both sets of skills with other academic disciplines. Students receive instruction in small, interactive classrooms that foster communication and exchange. Majors are encouraged to participate in language immersive events such as embedded courses, faculty led courses, and study abroad. The Business option acquaints students with concepts essential to business. The Engineering option is intended for engineering students who envision using French in their primary career. The Applied French option permits students to combine their French degree with another major or concentration in a professional area in which a command of French can be particularly relevant or useful. All options have a focus on developing proficiency and literacy in French with an eye toward using French in a professional context.

You Might Like This Program If...

• You are interested in combining your love of French with another discipline.
• You are planning a career in which French proficiency would give you a professional boost.
• You are eager to connect with French-speaking communities in your home community and abroad.
• You seek to cultivate a professional profile that will give you an edge on the job market.
• You aspire to explore the various people, places and things that make up the French-speaking world.

Entrance to Major

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:

1. attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
2. have at least third-semester classification.

READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in French and Francophone Studies (all options) a minimum of 120 credits is required:

13 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. For the French-Business Option, 4 credits of GQ courses; 6 credits of GS courses; 3 credits of GWS courses.

Per Senate Policy 83-80.5, the college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of coursework in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Requirements for the Major

Common Requirements for the Major (All Options)

Requirements for the Option

French-Business Option (44 credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
ACCTG 211	Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making	4
BA 301	Finance	3
BA 303	Marketing	3
BA 304	Management and Organization	3
ECON 102	Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy	3
ECON 104	Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy	3
ENGL 202D	Effective Writing: Business Writing	3
FR 409	French for Professional Purposes	3
FR 430	Contemporary France	3
IB 303	International Business Operations	3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
MKTG 220	Introduction to Selling Techniques	3
or IB 403	International Business and National Policies
SCM 200	Introduction to Statistics for Business	4
or STAT 200	Elementary Statistics
Select one of the following:		3
ECON 333	International Economics
MGMT 461	International Management
MKTG 445	Global Marketing
Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better
Select 3 credits in French at the 400 level		3

French-Engineering Option (30 credits)

Open only to students enrolled in an engineering major.

Note: All French-Engineering majors are required to participate in a one-semester engineering internship in France, arranged by the College of Engineering, during which up to 9 credits in French and up to 12 credits in engineering may be earned. The work experience may take the form of a professional internship (ENGR 195I) or be part of a cooperative education sequence (ENGR 295I, ENGR 395I, or ENGR 495I).

Applied French Option (27 credits)

¹

Select from related areas such as:

• Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management
• Linguistics
• Sociology
• Economics
• Science, Technology and Society
• Another professional area where competency in French is desirable

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

• Arts (GA): 3 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 3 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits

Integrative Studies

• Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits

Exploration

• GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
• GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Program Learning Objectives

• Communication: Students will have developed cultural and intercultural competence in French that allows them to communicate efficiently in social, cultural and global settings ranging from informal to professional contexts.
• Critical Thinking: Students will have developed analytical skills in order to improve their understanding of French and Francophone cultural phenomena, linguistics, literary works, and theoretical texts.
• Cultural Comparisons: Students will be able to use their proficiency in French language and culture to make pertinent comparisons with their own language and culture and thus demonstrate a critical understanding of the nature and function of both.
• Francophone Communities: Students will be able to discuss issues surrounding different marginalized Francophone communities in terms of social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Francophone Historical Contexts: Students will be able to describe Francophone contexts, issues related to colonialism and post-colonialism, and their historical implications.
• Immersive Learning: Students will have participated in immersion opportunities, ideally study abroad or internships, but also departmental and campus-wide events, with the goal of promoting growth in language skills, intercultural understanding, and academic achievement in French and Francophone studies.
• Self-Expression: Students will use French for artistic, creative and other forms of meaningful self-expression.
• The Three Modes: Students will have developed interpretive, interpersonal and presentational skills that allow them to successfully engage with and interpret a variety of text types including literary, scholarly, scientific and visual texts.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2024-25 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

Applied French Option: French and Francophone Studies, B.S. at University Park Campus and Commonwealth Campuses

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

*

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

‡

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

#

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

†

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15/ENGL 30H and CAS 100A/CAS 100B/CAS 100C. Each course is 3 credits.

Advising Notes:

• All incoming first-year students must take a First-Year Seminar (FYS) during Fall or Spring of their first year. Academic advisers can provide a list of FYS being offered and help the student enroll. Most FYS in the College of the Liberal Arts are worth 3 cr. and count as a General Humanities (GH) or General Social Sciences (GS) course. For this reason, the FYS is not listed separately on this eight-semester plan; most students will be able to fulfill the FYS requirement while also fulfilling a GH or GS requirement.
• Students pursuing this major at a Commonwealth Campus might require summer attendance, study abroad, or additional semesters to complete the major coursework. Students should contact the University Park adviser to plan their major courses accordingly

French-Business Option: French and Francophone Studies, B.S. at University Park Campus and Commonwealth Campuses

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

*

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

‡

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

#

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

†

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

French-Engineering Option: French and Francophone Studies, B.S. at University Park Campus and Commonwealth Campuses

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

*

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

‡

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

#

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

†

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

¹

Engineering Courses are planned in consultation with the engineering adviser. All French-Engineering majors are required to participate in a one-semester engineering internship in France, arranged by the College of Engineering, during which up to 9 credits in French and up to 12 credits in engineering may be earned. The work experience may take the form of a professional internship (ENGR 195I) or be part of a cooperative education sequence (ENGR 295I, ENGR 395I, or ENGR 495I).

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15/ENGL 30H and CAS 100A/CAS 100B/CAS 100C. Each course is 3 credits.

Advising Notes:

• Students pursuing this major at a Commonwealth Campus might require summer attendance, study abroad, or additional semesters to complete the major coursework. Students should contact the University Park adviser to plan their major courses accordingly.

Career Paths

With a B.S. degree in French, students have a variety of pathways open to them. Our graduates have gone on to pursue a myriad of exciting careers that have allowed them to use their proficiency in the French language, understanding of French and Francophone cultural artifacts, grasp of French and Francophone ways of seeing and making sense of the world, and the skills of critical thinking acquired in our classrooms.

Careers

Our majors have taught in France as Fulbright Scholars or on French government teaching assistantships; worked for the Peace Corps, Homeland Security, the State department, world health organizations, and the non-profit sector; pursued careers in the foreign service; worked in the culinary arts and hotel and restaurant management; held positions in business and management; and gone into film, journalism, advertising, fashion, public relations, and information technology — among many other professions.

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

Our B.S. graduates have gone on to pursue graduate studies domains that represent many fields both in the humanities and in STEM fields. Many have also opted to pursue Law school, Medical school, and advanced degrees in International Politics, Public Health, International Studies, Agriculture and Public Policy.

Contact

University Park

DEPARTMENT OF FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES
442 Burrowes Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-1492
hjm10@psu.edu

https://french.la.psu.edu