French

What Is French ?

Fluency in a second language is a valuable skill. French is an official language of 28 countries on five continents, including France, Canada, Belgium, Senegal and Vietnam. Learning French will allow you to converse with and better understand people throughout the world. Along with English, French is the world's most important diplomatic language. It is an official language of such organizations as the United Nations, UNESCO, NATO and the international Red Cross.

France, one of the world's largest economies, is a leader in the export of luxury goods and technology. Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec is in itself one of the largest trading partners of the United States. For this reason, French is an important language for conducting business in the United States and elsewhere. Finally, French is unsurpassed as a language of culture. Discussions about literature, art, gastronomy and fashion inevitably start from and return to France. By studying French, you will be able to experience the varied products of French culture firsthand and to travel more easily in the world's top-rated tourist destination.

Success Factors

Students in French usually possess strong verbal skills, some facility with languages and a desire to travel and interact with other cultures.

Career Possibilities

Students who have earned a B.A. in French have become:

• Secondary education teachers
• Instructors at colleges and universities
• Foreign service officers
• Translators
• Interpreters
• Sales representatives
• Directors of marketing
• Lawyers

Additional career options are listed on the Career Development Center's Web site.

Major Details

Students of French study the language, culture and literature of France and other French-speaking countries. French majors develop linguistic skills and enrich themselves through the study of written and oral communication, literature, culture, civilization and business.

The UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) offers flexible degree requirements allowing for multiple areas of study. Free electives allow for enough credits for students to pursue a minor, certificate program or even complete a second major. Some of the most common pairings are listed below.

• History
• International affairs
• Art history 
• Music
• Fashion

Minor Details

To obtain the minor in French (or French certificate for graduate or non-degree students), you must complete the following:

Pre-Requisite Courses:

A. For beginning students, complete or place out of the basic language sequence:

FREN 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 (Extended Basic French), 18 credits

or

FREN 101, 102, 103 (Basic French), 15 credits

B. For students with 2 years of French, complete or place out of Composition and Conversation:

FREN 251, 252, 253 (Composition and Conversation), 9 credits

Students who take the courses may count 252-252-253 as electives toward the total number of 30 hours of credit for the minor.

Minor Program Requirement (30 credit hours)

• FREN 300 (Grammar & Composition), 3 credits
• FREN 301 (Speaking in French about France/Francophone Culture), 3 credits
• FREN 310 (Introduction to Literature), 3 credits

Elective Courses, 21 credits:

Students choose seven FREN courses at the 300/400 level (FREN 251, 252, 253 will count for those starting at the 200-level and earning a B or higher). At least four of these courses must be taken from among courses taught in French. FREN 424 (Advanced French Composition) is strongly recommended.

Total hours required in the French minor: 30

Per the Department's Undergraduate Policies, students need to earn a C or higher in all classes counting towards the French minor.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

College Requirements Checklist

*Needed to fulfill A&S college requirements.

Special Opportunities

Students in UC's McMicken College of Arts and Sciences enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-intensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, Tri-state location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.

Special Programs

Study Abroad
The Department of Romance Languages & Literatures strongly encourages students to study abroad. We sponsor a variety of programs of different durations in different countries ? from Mexico and Spain to France, Italy and Brazil. Learn more about Study Abroad.

Admission Requirements

Admission criteria for this program vary based on the relative strength of test scores, class rank and GPA. Please see the Freshman Class Profile for this major in the Quick Facts sidebar on this page for the range of academic credentials typically accepted into this program. Test scores in the lower range may be acceptable with higher class rank and/or GPA. Freshmen applying to this program should also have completed the following state of Ohio articulation requirements with no more than two units missing:

• English (4 units)*
• College-preparatory mathematics (3 units)*
• Science (2 units)
• Social science (2 units)
• Foreign language (2 units)*
• Additional college prep subjects (3 units)

*McMicken College of Arts and Sciences does not allow units missing from these areas.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was not in any of the UC colleges must apply through the Office of Admissions. Applicants in this category must submit transcripts for all secondary school and college-level work. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any off-campus applicants who have received an associate degree from an accredited college or university and whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

University transfer scholarships are available to those who meet specific requirements and ANY admitted A&S transfer student might qualify for an A&S transfer scholarship. Deadlines and eligibility criteria are online via the previous links.

Changing Major Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was as a degree student in one of UC’s other colleges can apply directly to the A&S college office. Admission to A&S is generally available for any on-campus students who have:

• at least a 2.0 GPA in all college-level courses (both at UC and at other institutions),
• successfully completed two quarters of English Composition or its equivalent, and
• gained credit for a college-level mathematics course.

A&S students must meet the college residency requirement of 45.0 hours which begins immediately upon matriculation in the college and consists of courses taught within the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, students must:

• Earn at least 180 credits. This can include transfer credit, AP credit and free electives, but does not include preparatory coursework. Students who have met all other degree requirements must continue earning credit until the total number of their earned hours comes to at least 180.
• Attain a 2.0 grade point average for all courses taken at the University of Cincinnati.
• Be in good academic standing, that is, not on either academic probation or disciplinary probation or suspension.
• Complete the residency requirement by earning at least 45 credits after matriculating into the college. These minimum 45 credits must be taught within A&S (15), and also must be completed after gaining admission to the college.
• Complete all of the requirements of at least one major (see major requirements above).
• Complete the College Core Requirements.
• Submit an application for graduation to the registrar's office by their posted deadline.

Application Deadlines

UC operates on a quarter system, with 10-week grading periods beginning in late September, early January, late March and mid-June. While midyear admission is possible, fall quarter is generally the best time to enter the college, since many course sequences begin in that quarter. Applicants to the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences who are enrolled or who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking students in A&S or in other UC colleges should apply for admission directly to A&S (in French West, 2nd Floor). All other applicants who wish to earn an undergraduate degree from A&S should apply through the Office of Admissions (3rd Floor, University Pavilion).