French

Bachelor of Arts

(Faculty of Arts)

When you study French, you’re not just learning to speak one of Canada’s official languages. You’re discovering new cultures and ways of life that are excitingly different from ours. At the University of Calgary, you don’t just study grammar and vocabulary. Right from first year, you build on what you already know to improve your communication skills and discover the Francophone world in all its variety.

Our program emphasizes not just French language but the whole range of French life and culture in places as varied as Switzerland, Guadeloupe, Cameroon, Belgium, Tahiti, Viet-Nam, Quebec and of course France. In our courses, you’ll examine films, advertisements, literature, newspapers, magazines as well as the Web. You’ll learn to probe and analyze these documents so you can better understand them and what they represent. A background in French will prepare you for tomorrow’s world, where these analytical and communication skills are all important, and intercultural understanding a must.

As a Bachelor of Arts (BA) student, you will gain the skills that will help set you apart from others when you embark on your chosen career path. Having a high level of confidence with your abilities in a second language is becoming increasingly important in our multicultural world.

If you’re interested in pursuing graduate studies in French, consider an Honours degree – this will prepare you for the rigors of graduate studies. Discover your passions in the field of French as you complete an Honours thesis/research project in your final year, which is supervised by a department member.

The University Calgary also has a French Centre, where you can enhance your language acquisition by practicing your language skills outside the classroom. Stop by for un café et croissant, visit with fellow students and mentors, and put the concepts you are studying into practice!

Co-op is also available for French students. Find out more.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission applicants are required to present appropriate high school subjects and a competitive average.

Application/Document Deadlines

Why take this program?

Parlez-vous français?
French is one of the world’s major international languages and is the official language of 33 countries around the world. It is estimated that more than 250 million people regularly speak French, so knowing how to speak it is a definite asset when travelling abroad. In addition, the French program can open your eyes to the global community by introducing you to different Francophone communities and cultures, and by providing different perspectives on global issues and practices.

Get paid for travelling
Aside from making your travels more enjoyable, an education in French can lead to employment opportunities in the global market because it allows you to function effectively in a significant number of countries French is also one of Canada’s two official languages, so a degree in French is helpful when seeking employment within federal-government agencies in Canada and around the world, since many positions require bilingual language abilities.

Straight from the horse’s mouth
Knowledge of French allows you to gather information and understand texts from the original French source. Meaning and cultural subtleties can be lost through translation, so whether you’re watching a French film, examining documents, or reading Voltaire, you can be sure of the content.

What will I study in my first year?

According to your previous knowledge of the French language, you will begin your studies in one of the four introductory junior level courses. These courses range from basic skills for those who have never studied the French language before to courses that examine French culture and analyze French texts.

You are encouraged to explore a variety of option courses in your first year that will complement your studies in French. As part of the Faculty of Humanities requirements you will have to take courses from the faculties of Communication and Culture, Fine Arts, Science or Social Sciences and you can take some of these courses in French though the FLIP (French Language Instruction Program). If you choose to do so, in addition to the advantage of being in a smaller section that the regular one, you can also get a scholarship from the Alberta government if you take 3 French or FLIP courses in the same semester.

What will I study in later years?

As a senior student you will continue to hone your language skills while studying topics such as French cinema and culture as well as grammar, vocabulary and linguistics. You may choose to study in a francophone university in Canada or abroad, or participate in an exchange program (for this, several awards are available to students).

What can I do with this degree?

The great thing about studying a field in Humanities is that you’ll graduate with a number of marketable skills including:

• Oral and written bilingualism
• Command of grammar and syntax
• Cross cultural communication
• Logical thinking and problem solving
• Public speaking
• Research and synthesis
• Understanding language structures

Graduates from the French program have a number of career options available to them in a variety of industries. Here is what some U of C grads have done with their French degree:

• Bilingual educator
• Consular officer
• Customs and immigration officer
• Foreign diplomat
• International account manager
• Journalist
• Public Policy Analyst
• Travel Writer

To see a full list of potential skills, careers and industries available to you, visit the Career Services Career Profiles website (look under French, Italian and Spanish).

Additional Information

Department of French, Italian and Spanish