Explore the literature, culture, and history of the French-speaking world. Learn a language that is rich and coveted worldwide in higher education, medicine, international relations, diplomacy, business, and travel.

Why French & French studies at Sewanee?

The Department of French and French Studies at Sewanee offers an exceptional opportunity to study and experience the rich literature and culture of the French-speaking world. We develop each of the pillars of the National Foreign Language Standards: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. Language classes are designed to help you develop skills in speaking and writing French as well as in reading literary texts. We integrate culture, history, and technology into our classes, creating a cross-disciplinary approach to the curriculum. 

As a result of our course of study, you’ll obtain an operative level of oral and written proficiency and will be capable of reading important French works and reacting to them critically. As a student of French, you will also have opportunities to take skills learned in the classroom further.  The French House offers a variety of extra-curricular activities that represent French culture. French majors and minors may live in the French House for at least one semester, sharpening their skills with complete language immersion.

FIRST DESTINATIONS: French & French studies MAJORS

Sewanee graduates secure positions in a variety of fields. French is both the language of love and reason. It opens up the world, and there is no limit on what you can accomplish once you speak it. Sewanee prepares you for your profession and your passion. Below is a sampling of recent graduates' first job.

  • Advertising Coordinator, The Advertising Research Foundation, New York City, NY.
  • Lectrice for the Departement D'anglais, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France.
  • Education Associate, French and Spanish Teacher, Children's Museum of Denver, Denver, CO.
  • Wine Distributor, Burlington Wine, Burlington, VT.
GRADUATE SCHOOL & PREPROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS: FRENCH & FRENCH STUDIES MAJORS

Sewanee graduates enjoy extraordinary acceptance rates to top graduate and preprofessional programs–about 95 percent to law school and over 85 percent to medical school. Below is a sampling of where Sewanee grads continue their education.

  • M.A. in Language Acquisition, Middlebury College/The Sorbonne.
  • M.A. in International Relations, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • J.D. University of Maine.
  • M.A. in French, Middlebury College.

Sewanee In Paris Program

The French Department’s rich course of study facilitates cultural experiences beyond Sewanee. Each Fall, accompanied by a Sewanee faculty member, students apply place-based learning abroad in France. The Program consists of four full courses and also includes two weekend trips—one to Burgundy and one to Normandy—providing cultural opportunities to attend plays, concerts, and dance performances in some of Paris's great performing arts centers. Keep up with students' adventures by following their blog!

A Sampling of Courses

Discovering Paris
French and French Studies

An interdisciplinary survey of Paris seen through history, culture, literature, and the arts. This course traces the development of Paris from its foundation by Gaulish boatmen of the Parisii tribe to its current status as a global city. Cinema, art, literature, and computer-mediated virtual tours are used to analyze the evolution of major political and cultural events in Parisian history. Taught in English.

FREN 301
Langue, Littérature, Culture in Paris
French and French Studies

The acquisition of pivotal expressions which aid in modulating the flow of the French sentence; the overall goal is to improve compositional skills for writing assignments required while studying in Paris. Literary and cultural reading is also discussed and analyzed, with excursions to an author's Parisian address or to important places in Paris connected to the author's life. This course is part of the Sewanee Semester in Paris.

FREN 322
The History of French Cinema
French and French Studies

A survey of French films from the invention of cinema to the contemporary period, with an emphasis on points of connection with American cinema. From the Lumieres brothers to Melies, from Pathe and Gaumont to Surrealism (Clair, Bunuel, Cocteau), from Abel Gance to realism (Renoir, Carne) and from "New Wave" (Resnais, Godard, Truffaut) to "Modern Cinema" (Lelouch, Malle).

FREN 415
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French & French Studies

Programs of Study

Requirements for the Major in French and French Studies

Requirements for the Minor in French and French Studies

Contact

Aymeric Glacet
Professor of French and French Studies

aglacet@sewanee.edu

Gailor Hall 213, Ext. 1524

Connecting the Dots

Language Houses
Themed Residence Halls

To create an immersive learning experience, Sewanee has several language houses (French, German, Russian, Spanish, and Italian) that simulate real-world language and cultural encounters. The head resident is a native speaker, and students speak their house language while “at home”. Events throughout the year showcase educational and recreational aspects of the language house and the culture it represents.

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International & Global Studies, Major & Minor
45 professors, 14 departments

International & global studies at Sewanee stretches far beyond the gates. Involving faculty members from departments across the college, the program spans disciplinary and thematic boundaries. The rapid pace and complex nature of our world require dexterity to navigate. At Sewanee, you will study the ever-changing political, economic, and cultural issues that characterize our world today. Here, experiencing the real world begins in the classroom.

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Study Abroad
Engaged citizens solving global problems

At Sewanee, we pledge to offer each student an opportunity to study abroad. And at Sewanee, we keep our promises. Travel, learn, and cultivate your knowledge by communicating across cultures and acquiring a sensitivity to other ways of life. Apply social scientific methodologies to various frameworks. Learn to formulate solutions to global problems and apply those theories at home in a local context.

More about Study Abroad