St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Queens Campus
- Home
- Academics
- Majors and Programs of Study
- French, Bachelor of Arts
Overview
Bienvenue!
Studying French at St John's University provides students with the opportunity to acquire a command of the French language, as well as an introduction to French and Francophone literatures and cultures.
Students can major or minor in French, or prepare for an international career by combining a double major in another field. St. John’s University offers students studying French internships that allow them to use the language in a professional setting.
Career Outcomes
French is the only language other than English spoken on five continents, and 28 countries have French as their official language. French language skills create opportunities for students around the world in fields like international business, education, government, journalism, translation, and the arts.
Department Contacts
Alina Camacho-Gingerich, Ph.D.
Chair, Languages and Literatures
718-990-1932
[email protected]
Annalisa Saccà, Ph.D.
Assistant Chair, Languages and Literatures
718-990-5204
[email protected]
Admission
For more information, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admission.
Courses
The French Major
French majors must complete 33 credits in the language, including the following:
- FRE 3090; 3100 Masterpieces of French Literature Part I; II
- FRE 3550; 3560 French Civilization Part I; II
- FRE 3870 Advanced French Grammar and Composition
Fifteen elective French credits are also required for the major.
Students are encouraged to participate in double and supplemented majors that include: French with International Business Concentration, French and Education, French and Hospitality, and the combined BA French / MBA program.
The French Minor
Completion of a minor in French requires the completion of 15 credits in the language chosen in consultation with a departmental advisor.
Course Offerings
FRE 3150 Review of French Grammar
FRE 3260 History of French Cinema
FRE 3280 20th Century French Literature, Film, Media, Culture
FRE 3300 France Within the European Union and the World
FRE 3570 Urban Culture in Contemporary France
FRE 3600 Life in Contemporary France
FRE 3620 Paris in the French Culture
FRE 3690 20th Century French Literature
FRE 3810 Advanced Commercial French
FRE 3820 Afro-Caribbean Francophone Literature
FRE 3830 French and Francophone Women Writers
FRE 3840 Survey of Francophone Literature
FRE 3860 Human Rights and Globalization in Francophone Africa
FRE 3870 Advanced French Grammar and Composition
FRE 3900 Art and Skills of Translation
FRE 4980 International Internship in France
Internships
French majors and minors can participate in summer internship programs in France through the Trans-Atlantic Student Internship Program (TASIP), as well as in the New York area. Internships are selected to correspond to the student's field of interest and specialty. Scholarships for internships are available.
Information about internships in France:
Major French companies where internships may be offered:
| AC Nielsen Accor AGF Air Liquide Alcan Alcatel Arcelor Axlog Ingénierie AXA BNP Paribas Bouygues Télécom Capgemini Carrefour Cégétel SFR Cetelem Crédit Agricole Credit Lyonnais | Dexia EDF GDF Essilor France Télécom Group Danone Images Création L’Oréal Lagardère LVMH Michelin Microsoft Monoprix Nestlé Noos Pernod Ricard PPR Publicis | Renault Saint-Gobain Sanofi-Aventis Schlumberger Schneider Electric Shell SNCF Société Générale STMicroelectronics SUEZ Thales Group Thomson SA Total VINCI Veolia Environnement Vivendi Universal |
Companies that have recently hosted French American Chamber of Commerce trainees:
| Animédia Arte Charpentier & Associés Atelier Jean Nouvel Bank Rothschild Barry Callebaut France Brentano’s Business Talk France Christian Dior Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP Corporate Editions Cray Valley/ Sartomer Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle | Cushman-Wakefield Dow Jones Publishing Co. Editions Plon Hachette Livre Hilton Hotels Howrey LLP Inlingua International Language Centers International Herald Tribune J.H. Lillian & Co. Jones Day Kaplan Test Prep, Inc. KPMG Latham & Watkins LLP | Lemond Language Consulting Linklaters Law Firm Lovells Law Firm Merial Nike France Publicis Groupe Schneider Electric Shearman & Sterling Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Steelcase S.A. Text 100 Public Relations White & Case LLP |
The visa process is initiated once a student receives a concrete offer from a host company in France. Contact the French-American Chamber of Commerce at 212-867-2069 or [email protected].
Global Approach to Education
Study Abroad
Study abroad programs in France are a unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the French language and culture. Scholarships to study abroad are available through Global Education. In addition to classroom courses, students are also able to take online learning courses while they are abroad.
Study abroad opportunities include:
- Summer program in France
- Semester/Year in France
- Exchange program with Université Dauphine in Paris
- Global Passport Program
Internships in Paris
St. John's University offers internships in Paris to students in their junior year who have completed at least one advanced course. Opportunities include positions at government offices, local universities, private companies, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
Additional Information
French Honor Society
Pi Delta Phi is the French National Honor Society for undergraduate and graduate students at accredited public and private colleges and universities in the United States. The purpose of the Society is to recognize outstanding scholarship in the French language and its literatures, to increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural contributions of the French-speaking world, and to stimulate and to encourage French and francophone cultural activities.
The Pi Delta Phi chapter at St. John’s inducts students in the spring. Membership is open to students who have taken at least three semesters of college French, of which one must be at an upper level, and have shown a high level of achievement in their French courses and in their courses overall. During the year, members participate in cultural activities in conjunction with the Cercle Francophone. Members of Pi Delta Phi are eligible for the Joseph W. Yedlicka Award for summer study in French language and literature in either Paris or Avignon. For more information, contact Steve Puig, Ph.D. at 718-990-8094 or [email protected].
Global Language and Culture Center (GLCC)
The Global Language and Culture Center is an academic support center serving all students interested in furthering their knowledge of a language and culture of different countries. As a resource center, students have access to Language practice and language tutoring, as well as participations to various cultural events. Through immersion and interaction, with the help of trained language assistants, they can build on their language skills in a convivial and relaxed atmosphere.
Faculty
Zoe Petropoulou
Steve Puig
Sara Hanaburgh
Michele Jones
Mary Jane Highfield