Why Major in French?

Wondering what you could do with a major in French Studies?

You should know that the major means more than language fluency;  you gain expertise in another culture, in this case one with a very long, rich and influential history. It offers training in cultural comparison (an important skill in an increasingly connected world), linguistics, and rhetoric. For this reason it’s a fine background for careers in education, law, international relations, international business, political science, non-profit and other careers.

French Studies majors learn to analyze and write about cultural artifacts:  literature, film, and texts or images from popular culture. The major sharpens analytical and communicative skills which employers value. Like other liberal arts degrees, it gives you the skills for a variety of career paths, as these paths change in ways you cannot predict.

One advantage to majoring in a modern language is that you learn to write, present and interpret in more than one language.  Furthermore, your access to research in more than one language offers you a tremendous advantage, especially in graduate school.

Some of our majors go on to teach French at the elementary, secondary and college levels, while others teach other disciplines. Some have careers that have nothing to do with French. Alumni report that fluency in French, while not always leading them directly to a job, offered them opportunities in business and the non-profit sector once their career was underway, working in offices abroad or in the U.S.

Interested in an internship experience abroad?  Students who study abroad with Wheaton’s affiliated programs in France have access to many quality internship experiences there, and in some cases receive course credit for their work.  Ask a member of the French Studies department to talk about the internships Wheaton students have done in France.

Where in the World Can I Speak French?

French is a global language. Knowing French can take you all over the world, and enhance your life in ways you never imagined.

View the map to discover all the other Francophonic places you can visit. Allons-y!