French (B.A.)

A student sharpens his French in the language lab.

Selected Courses

• French Conversation through Film
• Contemporary French Culture
• The Evolution of French Civilization

Related Links

Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Are you interested in learning one of the official languages of the Olympics, the United Nations, and the International Red Cross? Would you like to pursue the second-most widely taught second language, besides English? Is your goal to achieve fluency in a language that's used worldwide? As a French major at Ithaca College, you'll be encouraged not only to approach the technical aspects of language such as phonetics, pronunciation, grammar, and composition, but also to address the real-world applications of language usage through coursework that ranges from elementary through advanced levels and can also include our master of arts degree in teaching.

Ithaca professors will share with you the value of practical experience, and you will be able to take advantage of the numerous resources on campus and worldwide.

• Tune in online to music and news from Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Guyana.
•  View hundreds of French films in the Gannet Center’s multimedia collection, from classics like Au revoir les enfants or Les Parapluies de Cherbourg to recent releases such as Long dimanche de fiancailles or l’Auberge espagnole.
•  Hone your skills at the language center; meet with your professors one on one for ideas, help, or chatting in French; become a teaching assistant for one of the elementary courses where you'll lead drills and practice using the language.
•  Spend a semester abroad in Aix-en-Provence or Avignon through the Institute for American Universities or in Paris, Nantes, or Dijon through the Institute for the International Education of Students.

You may also practice your French with friends and fellow students in the French Club. Celebrate Mardi Gras, take a weekend trip to Montreal, or try your hand at making crepes—all while speaking French, of course!

Several recent graduates from the French program have taken jobs teaching English in French schools through a program with the French embassy. Other graduates teach French in K-12 schools in the United States. Still others use their French-language skills as lawyers, businesspeople, or media experts.