Bachelor of Arts in French

Our students become well-rounded speakers and writers of the language of diplomacy and know the literature, cinema and culture of France; they succeed in careers in international business, relations, law, publishing, fashion, the arts, education and diplomacy.

As a French major at CU Boulder, you’ll learn to speak and write French in addition to learning the literature, cinema and culture of France and other areas where French is spoken. After successfully completing the program, students can feel at ease with the language and culture of France, are able to apply this knowledge to other areas of study, and feel comfortable traveling or working in French­-speaking countries.

  • Speak and understand modern French in daily life and academic settings
  • Read and write modern standard French for all academic and professional settings
  • Become familiar with a range of cultural expressions and literary genres

Learn in our Anderson Language Technology Center (ALTEC), which includes multimedia classrooms with state-of-the-art equipment and a library of more than 3,000 films from around the world

We offer a number of French-speaking locations in our Education Abroad program, including Aix-en-Provence, Rennes, Nantes and Paris, France; Canada, Belgium, Madagascar, Cameroon, Senegal and Switzerland

Our French major works well in combination with international studies, history or philosophy

Be successful.

Be prepared to meet the needs of our 21st-century society by applying your knowledge and skills in a wide variety of careers.

 
$70,800

Median salary of CU Boulder students studying French 1–5 years after graduation

 

Job growth for language translators and interpreters is expected to grow 19% between 2018 and 2028, much faster than average job growth

(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

 

French is the second truly global language after English and opens doors to international business, relations, law and diplomacy. Work for nongovernmental organizations, the United Nations, the Peace Corps or in publishing, fashion, the arts, international business, government, banking and education

Academic Plan & Requirements

In addition to the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, students majoring in French must complete a minimum of 30 upper-division credit hours in the major.

Additional degree option for our French studies students includes:

  • Bachelor’s-accelerated master’s: A combined bachelor's (BA) and master's (MA) degree is offered for highly motivated undergraduate students. The BAM degree program in French is designed for first-year students who enter CU ready to take courses toward the major (3000 level and above). This highly structured degree program results in students’ earning both a BA and MA in French in five years.

Community & Involvement

We offer students many opportunities to network with peers and faculty, further their studies, and get the most out of their undergraduate experience.

Be inspired.

Many alumni of the department have gone on to fruitful careers, credit their knowledge of French for their success, and mention both their language skills and multicultural knowledge as a major asset.

Some alumni of the program include:

Emma Carroll

('15)

Worked as an English-as-a-second-language instructor in the Peace Corps in Namibia and is now in the Class of 2022 at CU Law School.

Maiji Castro

('16)
A development associate at the National Museum of Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State.

Nick De Toustaint

('93)
Has worked in Paris, London and New York for Valtech, a French IT consulting company; French software company LTU Technologies; and Getty Images. He now works in New York for the French software company Sinequa.  

Kenneth Landers

('16)
Works in philanthropic support at Harvard University.

News & Stories

College of Arts & Sciences magazine cover