Degree: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Major: French

Program Overview

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers courses of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts in Chinese, French, German, Japanese Studies, and Spanish. In addition, the department offers minors in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. All courses in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures are taught primarily in the target language, unless the course is cross-listed with the World Literature Program or other interdisciplinary programs. 

Career opportunities for students majoring or minoring in these areas exist in college and university teaching, translation and interpretation, diplomatic and other government service, business, health care, international nonprofit agencies, and the arts. A minor in a modern language and literature can enhance a student's major course of study in a variety of fields, including the natural sciences and engineering. 

Majors in French are expected to acquire the ability to understand, speak, read, and write in French and to develop a broad foundation in the relevant literatures and cultures.

The department is affiliated with the interdisciplinary programs in French and Francophone Studies and World Literature. 

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in the French language: listening and speaking; writing and reading; and be able to express abstract thoughts in the acquired language.
• Students will be able to translingual and transcultural competence, by perfecting their ability to operate between languages and global cultures.
• Students will be able to analyze texts written in French as well as in translation, such as but not limited to literature, including cinema and other types of cultural productions and non-fiction writings.
• Students will be able to utilize the knowledge and skills acquired to conduct research in a foreign language and practice academic and professional standards.

Placement Procedure

Students with prior experience in French, however acquired (e.g., in high school, at another institution, or via study abroad), work with department faculty members to determine an appropriate level at which to start. In general, one year of high school language instruction is the equivalent to one university-level course.  Students who have taken four years or more of one language in high school are generally eligible to take 300-level language courses at CWRU, but the department recommends starting with a course numbered under 320.

Teacher Licensure

Case Western Reserve University offers licensure programs in music education and art education as degree programs in each of those departments.  Additionally, CWRU’s Teacher Education Program offers a licensure track for students who wish to pursue a teaching career in their content area in grades 7-12 Adolescent to Young Adult.  Licensure areas are: English Language Arts (English major), Integrated Social Studies (history major), Integrated Mathematics (math major), Life Science (biology major), Physical Science (chemistry major), or Physical Science (physics major).  A Multi-Age license in grades PreK-12 is available in French, Spanish or Latin. Students must fulfill the degree requirements for their primary major and declare Teacher Education as a second major. The Teacher Education major consists of 36 hours in education, including a student teaching semester.  The program places students in mentored teaching situations at every stage of their training, capitalizing on the relationships the university has built with area schools.

For the subject area requirements for teacher licensure, please visit the program page for Teacher Education, BA.

Undergraduate Policies

For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Accelerated Master's Programs

Undergraduate students may participate in accelerated programs toward graduate or professional degrees. For more information and details of the policies and procedures related to accelerated studies, please visit the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

Students seeking to complete this major and degree program must meet the general requirements for bachelor's degrees and the Unified General Education Requirements. Students completing this program as a secondary major while completing another undergraduate degree program do not need to satisfy the school-specific requirements associated with this major.

The major in French requires a minimum of 10 courses, equivalent to 30-35 credit hours.

Course requirements are as follows:

• For students placed into 200-level coursework, the major requirements include FRCH 201 Intermediate French I, FRCH 202 Intermediate French II, FRCH 320, and seven additional 300-level courses taught in the target language, at least two of which must be numbered above 320. 
• For students placed into 300-level coursework, the major requirements include FRCH 320 and nine  additional 300-level courses taught in the target language, at least two of which must be numbered above 320. Please see the courses tab.

Students may replace up to two 300-level courses with related courses. Related courses are those outside the department which are closely related to French and Francophone culture, as well as those departmental courses cross-listed with World Literature.

Departmental Honors

The departmental honors program is for especially dedicated majors. Requirements for honors in modern languages and literatures are:

1. a GPA of at least 3.5 in the major;

2. an honors thesis (FRCH 397, FRCH 398) in addition to the major credit hour requirements

The thesis is devoted to a literary, linguistic, or cultural topic and must be written in the target language. It must be read and approved by two readers and will be accepted for honors only if it achieves a grade of B or better. Students who qualify receive their degree "with Honors in Modern Languages and Literatures." A registration form for students applying for honors is available in the departmental office.