COURSE CURRICULUM

The French major at Cal Lutheran is designed to develop strong language proficiency and a deep understanding of French-speaking cultures around the world. The program requires a minimum of 32 credits, with at least 28 being upper-division coursework. Students begin with FREN 201 (Intermediate French) to strengthen foundational skills, followed by FREN 301 (French Conversation and Composition), which focuses on advanced communication and writing. The program culminates with FREN 448 (Francophone Literature), a capstone course that explores literature from French-speaking regions and demonstrates the student’s mastery of the language and cultural analysis. In addition to these core requirements, students must complete 24 credits through six elective French courses. With departmental approval, up to two relevant courses from other disciplines may substitute for two of the upper-division electives, allowing for interdisciplinary exploration while maintaining a focus on French language and culture. Lower-division introductory courses, such as FREN 101 and 102, are excluded from the major’s credit count. The curriculum emphasizes interactive learning through small class sizes and incorporates multimedia tools such as audio recordings, films, and digital resources to simulate real-life French-language contexts. Students are also encouraged to study abroad in francophone regions including Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Grenoble, and Cannes, for a semester, summer, or academic year. These immersive experiences allow students to enhance their language skills and gain first-hand cultural insight. The program prepares graduates for diverse career paths or further academic study by equipping them with the linguistic fluency and cultural competence needed in today’s global environment.