Majoring and Minoring in French

Requirements for the Major | Requirements for the Minor

All French Majors should make a point of meeting with a French advisor. Students taking French as a Second Major or as a Minor are urged to see advisors and discuss their aims and options in order to make the most appropriate course selections.

Majoring in French

French Majors must take 33 credits of French with a concentration in one of three areas:

French Literary Studies

213, 214, 217 [or 215], 218 [or 216]*, plus 7 courses at the 300 and 400 levels. Four courses must be at the 400 level, only two may be non-literary, and only one may be taken in English. One 300 or 400 level course may be taken in another literature department (French Department approval required). All students must take senior seminar 480.

French Cultural Studies

213, 214, 215 [or 217], 216 [or 218]*, plus 7 courses at the 300 and 400 level. Of these seven courses, four courses must be at the 400 level, two must be in literature, and one course may be taken in English and/or outside the French deptartment (any outside course has to focus on French or Francophonic subjects; French Department approval required). All students must take senior seminar 481.

French Linguistics

213, 214, 215 [or 217], 216 [or 218]*, 615:201 (in the Department of Linguistics), plus 6 courses at the 300 and 400 levels. Four courses must be in French Linguistics and/or history of the French Language, four must be at the 400 level, one may be taken in English and/or may be taken in the Department of Linguistics.

Please note: for all French major tracks, three of the four 400-level courses must be taught by members of the Rutgers-New Brunswick Department of French faculty.

Minoring in French

To minor in French, students must take 6 courses given in French, of which three must be at the 300 level or above.  The student may count one (only) of the following:  131, 132, 210.  Must take 215 (or 217) and 216 (or 218)*.  Students electing to take both 01:420:213 and 214 or two French literature or culture courses in English are exempted from one required 300-level course, in which case a total of seven courses are required to complete the minor. 

* Please note you cannot take 215 and 217; nor can you take 216 and 218.

See the Undergraduate Catalog for more details.