French is spoken by 200 million people worldwide, primarily in Europe and Africa. French-speaking traditions exist in the United States, notably in parts of Louisiana and Maine. Knowledge of French allows you to study and work abroad in parts of Africa, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and in the Indian Ocean area.
Iowa’s Department of French and Italian offers a broad spectrum of programs and courses, including majors and minors in French and Italian, a minor in Arabic, and classes in Swahili. It also offers a variety of courses on the cultures associated with each language.
As a student in the department, you'll study with faculty and graduate teaching assistants from the United States and from abroad, including native speakers of French, Italian, Arabic, and Swahili (Swahili is commonly spoken in Eastern Africa).
Many of the department's faculty members have won awards, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, Columbia University’s Institute for Scholars fellowship, and the Service Cultural award (French government service award). The National Research Council ranked the department among the top 12 at public universities in its most recent study.
All of the department's faculty members teach undergraduate courses and participate in research, developing new knowledge about languages, literature, and cultures. About 90 students major in French. An average of 120-150 students are French minors at any given time. Students studying language benefit from direct interaction with faculty, teaching assistants, and exchange students.
Students interested in this major need to meet the requirements for admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Information
Iowa graduates have a 95 percent job/grad school placement rate within six months of graduation. Our Pomerantz Career Center offers multiple resources to help students find internships and jobs.
In addition to more than 500 student organizations, Iowa students choose from more than 100 study abroad programs and multiple undergraduate research opportunities.
Study Abroad
You may participate in one of Iowa’s many study abroad programs. Popular programs in French include those at the Universities of Pau and Montpellier in the south of France; opportunities in Paris, including an internship program in partnership with the Tippie College of Business; and a summer program at Université Laval in Quebec, Canada.
Learn about all of the university’s study abroad programs and the advanced planning they require by visiting the Office for Study Abroad website.
Teaching Assistantship Program in France
After completion of a major or minor, students may teach English as assistants for seven months in French public schools, teaching English to students of all ages. Each year, over 1,100 positions are available across all regions of metropolitan France and in the overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion. The program is administered through the French Ministry of Education. Information is available at www.frenchculture.org.
The University of Iowa provides a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students through the Iowa Scholarship Portal. Scholarships are available to first-year, transfer, and currently enrolled students. For additional details on scholarships for your program of study, check directly with the department or college.
The Office of Admissions and the Office of Student Financial Aid are great resources for students seeking scholarships.
The French BA major requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 33-37 s.h. of work for the major. 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 Bachelor of Arts (BA) 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 your speaking, reading, and writing skills and provide broad background in the literatures and cultures of France and the French-speaking world.
French majors are required to take four foundation courses plus seven or eight courses in one of four tracks. The foundation courses are:
- Introduction to Reading and Writing in Literature
- French Grammar
- Oral Expression in French II and III
Tracks include:
- French and Arabic—focuses on language study along with study of history, politics, and religions of Middle Eastern cultures. It combines well with a second major, for instance, political science, geography, or history.
- Language, Literature, and Culture—to acquire a practical command of French and knowledge of translation as well as literature and culture. It will prepare you for work in international business and translation and for graduate study.
Teaching Licensure
If you want to be licensed to teach at the secondary school level in Iowa, you must complete the College of Education's world language Teacher Education Program, which requires education courses and one semester of student teaching.
Minor in French or Arabic
Arabic is spoken by nearly 300 million people, mainly in the Middle East and North Africa. Modern Standard Arabic is the official language of 22 countries. to learn about earning a minor in Arabic or French, see French and Italian in the UI General Catalog.