Bachelor in French

Bienvenue dans le programme de Français d’Aquinas College !

Studying French at Aquinas College will not only help you achieve your language learning goals, it will also permit you to access a variety of vibrant and varied cultures, as well as a richness of literature and history. Additionally, French would certainly be a plus in your professional life. French is spoken by over 300 million people in over 50 countries on every continent making it with English the world’s only truly global languages. In our country, 1.8 million Americans speak French at home.

In addition to language classes, French at Aquinas College will enrich your knowledge and understanding of French and Francophone cultures. You will be encouraged to reach out to native speakers thanks to our semester-long study abroad program in France (Angers). Our program will also give you the opportunity to get prepared for the professional world through Translation and French for the profession classes. Furthermore, Aquinas College is an official exam center for the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris.

In an increasingly interconnected world, it is important to be both fluent in a foreign language as well as culturally aware. Professionally, this will make you more desirable as an employee; personally, it will give you sources of pleasure and avenues of social contribution that will enrich your life.

However you may have come to an interest in French, be it an academic requirement, an interest in film or literature, a desire to discover the language of your ancestors, the Aquinas College French program is here, first, to meet your needs and, second, to help you find success in an area we care deeply about.

Major Requirements

Thirty-two (32) credit hours (exclusive of 101 and 102). Required courses:

• FH201
• FH202
• FH301
• FH302
• For a French Language and Culture Emphasis:
  • FH325
  • FH327
  • FH401
• For a French Translation Emphasis:
  • FH405
  • FH413
  • FH415

For a French Language and Culture emphasis, PH311 (offered at CIDEF, Angers, France) and/or FH325, and/or FH327 and 401 are required. For a French for Translation Emphasis, WL405 and FH415 and LF411 (offered at CIDEF, Angers, France) or FH413 are required.

Students seeking to major in French must complete all courses beyond the introductory level with a grade of “C” or higher to continue with the next-level language class (102, 201, 202, 301, and 302). At graduation, the student must have a cumulative G.P.A. of B (3.0) or higher in those courses used to fulfill the major requirement. Overseas language study is strongly recommended for all majors. At least 18 credit hours must be taken at Aquinas College, which may include courses taken while studying abroad. Aquinas College conducts a variety of Study Abroad programs representing the languages offered by the department. Participants in study abroad programs remain registered at Aquinas College and the student’s financial aid package may be applied in full.

All French majors and students who wish to enroll in FH496 and/or FH497 must demonstrate proficiency at the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) standard of Advanced-Low in Writing and Speaking through examination in FH301 and 302. This standard may equally be met by French students who pass the DELF B2 (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française), or the DFP Affaires B2 (Diplôme de Français professionnel Affaires).

Students transferring credits for FH301 and/or 302 from other institutions will be required to take a proficiency exam. Students must consult with the department chair to arrange the proficiency exam.

Courses

• FH201 Third Semester French (4)
• FH202 Fourth Semester French (4)
• FH301 Advanced Composition and Grammar Review (3) WI
• FH302: Advanced Oral Communication (3)
• FH325 Culture and Civilization of France (3)
• FH327 Contemporary France (3)
• FH401: Seminar in French Studies (3) SC
• WL405 Theory and Business of Translation (3)
• FH413 French for Professions (3)
• FH415 French Translation: Concepts and Practice (3) SC

The close-knit educational environment at Aquinas develops students who thrive in all dimensions of life. Learn more, in our students' words about the Aquinas experience and the Dominican pillars of prayer, study, service, and community.

The Dominican tradition is two-fold: contemplative and communal. At Aquinas, we are committed to gathering for liturgical prayer nourished by God's Word and the Spirit. Prayer leads us into the deeper Truth needed to live out God's call for us in the world. We commit ourselves to a love of learning, both formal and informal. This necessitates an openness to learn from the most unlikely sources as well as tried and true scholarship. Aquinas encourages students to engage in service projects and service-learning programs. It also offers preparation for careers that will enable graduates to spread the truths that they have learned - "to make a difference in the world."