Earn your BA in French
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in French requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including 33-37 semester hours of work for the major. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.00 or higher in both their major coursework and any University of Iowa courses counted toward the degree. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core. Furthering Language Incentive Program (FLIP) credit may not be counted toward the major.
The French Language and Culture Advanced Placement (AP) exam with a score of 4 or higher is considered to be the equivalent to FREN:3000 - Third-Year French. Students with previous knowledge of French language, should take the World Languages Placement Test (WLPT) to determine the best level for your first enrollment in a language course.
The Bachelor of Arts degree in French prepares students for a variety of careers stateside or abroad, including secondary school teaching, or graduate study in language, literatures, and cultures. French courses will advance speaking, reading, and writing skills and provide a broad background in the literatures and cultures of France and the French-speaking world.
Requirements and program planning
Intermediate language courses
Choose one from each of the following:
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate French I OR an additional course from the electives list | 3 | |
| Intermediate French II OR an additional course from the electives list | 3 | |
Foundation courses
Complete all four courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FREN:3300 | French Grammar | 3 |
| FREN:3060 | Intro to Reading and Writing in Literature | 3 |
| FREN:4007 | Topics in French Linguistics | 3 |
| FREN:4020 | Oral Expressions in French II | 3 |
Lower-level courses
Choose at least one course from:
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FREN:1000:0001 | Backpacking through Europe | 3 |
| FREN:1000:0003 | Exploring the World’s Languages | 3 |
| FREN:1005 | Texts & Contexts: French-Speaking World | 3 |
| FREN:1006 | Global Sports and National Cultures | 3 |
| FREN:1500 | Trip to Belgium, France, and Switzerland | 3 |
| FREN:1510 | Cultural Misunderstandings: France & USA | 3 |
Electives
Choose at least four courses from:
| Course # | title | hours |
|---|---|---|
| FREN:3000 | Third-Year French | 3 |
| FREN:3007 | French Phonetics | 3 |
| FREN:3020 | Oral Expression in French I | 3 |
| FREN:3120 | French Civilization | 3 |
| FREN:3160 | Study Abroad: Culture | 3 |
| FREN:3232 | French Literary Translation Workshop | 3 |
| FREN:3240 | Media French | 3 |
| FREN:3360 | Study Abroad: Language | 3 |
| FREN:3410 | Business French | 3 |
| FREN:4015 | Francophone Cinema *taught in English | 3 |
| FREN:4026 | French Women Writers *taught in English | 3 |
| FREN:4070 | Intro to the Study of Meaning *taught in English | 3 |
| FREN:4080 | Post-Colonial Literature in France | 3 |
| FREN:4090 | Quebec Literature | 3 |
| FREN:4100 | French Cinema *taught in English | 3 |
| FREN:4110 | Francophone Studies: Literature and the Arts | 3 |
| FREN:4210 | Slavery Museums, Memorials, and Statues in the United States, Europe, and the Global South *taught in English | 3 |
| FREN:4433 | France Under Nazi Occupation, 1940-44 *taught in English | 3 |
| FREN:4520 | Versailles Under the Sun King *taught in English | 3 |
| FREN:4540 | Gender and Sexuality in French Cinema *taught in English | 3 |
Other requirements
Go back and look through the courses you have chosen.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Are at least 2 electives numbered 4000-4999? | 6 | |
| None required: A max of 2 courses may be taught in English (1 in the electives + 1 in the 1000-level) | 6 | |
Tracks
Track in French and Arabic
Requirements for the French and Arabic track include six to seven courses (22 semester hours) in addition to the foundation coursework in French. Refer to the course list under "Language, Literature, and Culture Track" for French courses that will satisfy that requirement, or to the following list for additional courses that will satisfy that requirement.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two courses in French language, literature, and culture, taught in French, with at least one numbered above 4000 | 6 | |
| Two to three courses in Arabic language beyond first year | 10 | |
| Two courses on Middle Eastern cultures (prefix FREN or ARAB), taught in French, Arabic, or English, or approved courses from other departments, such as: | 6 | |
| ARAB:2006 | Transnational Solidarities | 3-4 |
| ARAB:2012 | Modern Palestinian Literature and Culture | 3 |
Track in Language, Literature, and Culture
Requirements for the language, literature, and culture track include six courses (typically 18 semester hours), at least two of which must be numbered above 4000, in addition to the foundation coursework in French. Only one of the track courses may be taught in English under the French department (prefix FREN); this restriction does not apply to courses taught in English with an additional semester hour in French.
Courses in French stylistics and textual analysis, another language, economics, political science, and/or business are recommended as adjunct electives.
Students who intend to earn licensure to teach in elementary and/or secondary schools must also complete the College of Education's Teacher Education Program (TEP), which requires education courses and student teaching (see the section titled "Teacher Licensure" that follows).
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Six of these, with at least two numbered above 4000: | ||
| FREN:3000 | Third-Year French | 3 |
| FREN:3007 | French Phonetics (if not taken as a foundation course) | 3 |
| FREN:3120 | French Civilization | 3 |
| FREN:3130 | Francophone Cultures | 3 |
| FREN:3160 | Study Abroad: Culture | 3 |
| FREN:3232 | French Literary Translation Workshop | 3 |
| FREN:3240 | Media French | 3 |
| FREN:3250 | Topics in French Studies I | 3 |
| FREN:3360 | Study Abroad: Language | 3 |
| FREN:3410 | Business French | 3 |
| FREN:4015 | Francophone Cinema (taught in English) | 3-4 |
| FREN:4026 | French Women Writers (taught in English) | 3-4 |
| FREN:4070 | Introduction to the Study of Meaning (taught in English) | 3 |
| FREN:4080 | Post-Colonial Literature in France | 3 |
| FREN:4090 | Quebec Literature | 3 |
| FREN:4100 | French Cinema (taught in English) | 3-4 |
| FREN:4110 | Francophone Studies: Literature and the Arts | 3 |
| FREN:4210 | Slavery Museums, Memorials, and Statues in the United States, Europe, and the Global South (taught in English) | 3-4 |
| FREN:4433 | France Under Nazi Occupation, 1940-1944 (taught in English) | 3-4 |
| FREN:4520 | Versailles Under the Sun King (taught in English) | 3-4 |
| FREN:4540 | Gender and Sexuality in French Cinema (taught in English) | 3-4 |
| FREN:4750 | Topics in French Studies II | 3 |
Teacher licensure
Students interested in teaching in elementary and/or secondary schools should seek admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) in the College of Education.
To qualify for licensure in secondary teaching, students in the TEP complete a degree in education as well as a related College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree. Visit the Apply page on the College of Education website for details on requirements and deadlines for applying to the College of Education and about TEP choices of majors leading to licensure.
Create your academic path
You'll find degree overviews, requirements, course lists, academic plans, and more to help you plan your education and explore your possibilities.
Current course list
The MyUI Schedule displays registered courses for a particular session and is available to enrolled students. The list view includes course instructors, time and location, and features to drop courses or change sections.