French courses expose students to cultures, literatures and a language that play a central role in world history. Through a wide-ranging curriculum, students majoring and minoring in French acquire critical skills, advanced capabilities in reading and speaking, as well as an in-depth knowledge of French and Francophone culture that is highly valued in graduate and professional schools and by employers.

Rutger’s majors afford specialization in one of three tracks: literature, culture and linguistics. In all three, the courses are taught by a highly distinguished faculty, one of a handful in the U.S. whose combined expertise covers all periods of French literary history. Our curriculum touches on an unusually varied range of topics, including literature, visual arts, gender studies, language, current political issues, music, film and theater.

French minors and majors are also offered many opportunities to develop a more direct knowledge of contemporary France, either in the French Department’s Summer Program in Paris; or in a semester- or year-long study abroad program; through internships; or through teaching assistantships in France sponsored by the French government.