French Major & Minor | Luther College

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Develop strong language skills and a greater awareness of human diversity. Expand your world as a French major at Luther College.

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Why Study French?

French is the third-largest Romance language. An estimated 274 million people speak it. It’s the official language of 32 countries and governments. It’s considered the third most “useful” language in the world, and it’s one of six official languages of the United Nations.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that foreign language/literature majors are the top-paying majors in the liberal arts.

As a French major, you’ll develop strong communication skills and a greater awareness of diversity. You’ll also create the building blocks for any post-graduate career.

Why Study French at Luther?

As a French major at Luther, you’ll go beyond grammar and learn to understand and appreciate the diversity of French-speaking cultures.

Luther’s French program offers several study-away experiences and internships. Our French majors and minors can complete immersion programs on three continents. Majors spend at least one semester of study in a country where French is the official language.

At Luther, you’ll work with expert language instructors in small-classroom settings. You’ll pick up the French language through vivid, immersive experiences, like by role-playing historic and current events. This kind of learning has been shown to increase empathy and self-esteem, teamwork, critical thinking, cultural competency, and civil political discourse.

Study Abroad

French majors and minors can spend a semester or full academic year studying at a foreign university and receive credit at Luther. Opportunities are available in Paris, Nantes, and Dijon, France. Other overseas experiences are available during January Term.

Internships

Luther’s alumni network helps you find career opportunities in your major. As a Luther French major, you can pursue internships all over the world—like healthcare internships in Lome, Togo; education internships in Nantes, France; or museum studies internships in Quimper, France.

Collaborative Research

Luther students partner with Luther faculty to complete research projects. Students and faculty present their work at professional conferences and in academic journals.

What You’ll Learn

As a French major at Luther, you’ll master the French language and attain intercultural knowledge.

French Major

French majors must complete 32 credit hours. Required courses include one speaking class, one writing class, one cultural production class, one intercultural understanding class, one literature course, and a senior project.

You must complete at least one semester of study abroad in a country where French is the official language. The French department must approve your program selection. Possible locations include Paris, Nantes, and Dijon.

Majors must pass an oral proficiency exam.

French Minor

French minors complete at least 18 credits. Those credits include a cultural production course and an oral proficiency examination. You’ll also need to complete at least one January Term studying abroad. A semester in a foreign country is strongly recommended.

Curriculum

If you want to open yourself up to a future full of possibilities and learn a lot while doing it, I suggest becoming a French major.

Sidney Larsen '17

FRENCH MAJOR

Learn more about Sidney Larsen

Unique Curriculum

French courses at Luther use Reacting to the Past (RTTP) methods. This involves role-playing situations that are set in the past in the Francophone world. Students speak French throughout these classes.

This learning style provides students a creative way to improve their French skills. It also encourages community-building and fosters confidence.

Learn more about the RTTP pedagogy

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Language Learning Center

The Language Learning Center (LLC) provides you with the language assistance you need to excel and succeed in your program. The LLC offers drop-in assistance including tutoring, conversation, help with homework and presentations, and test preparation. Access extensive foreign-language film collections and print resources, gather groups to work on projects, or hold study sessions. The LLC can help you improve your language abilities in many ways!

Learn more about the LLC