Program Summary
The French major builds the linguistic skills and knowledge of French and Francophone cultures, history, memory, literature and film that are essential to many careers in business, law, education, government, the arts, international relations and health care. Our award-winning faculty, rich selection of courses and international study opportunities combine to create an exceptional experience for students who are called to make French language and culture part of their career.
Objectives & Goals
Knowledge
- French history
- French literature, art and film
- Francophone (French-speaking) cultures
- French business and politics (and the role of France and other Francophone countries)
- International relations (specific focus on the role of France within the European context)
- Business practices in French-speaking contexts
- Religion and philosophy in France
Skills
Communication
Advanced language proficiency in the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking
Collaboration
Students use their native and acquired languages to learn from and work cooperatively across cultures with global team members, sharing responsibility and making necessary compromises while working toward a common goal.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Students frame, analyze and synthesize information as well as negotiate meaning across language and culture in order to explore problems and issues from their own and different perspectives.
Creativity and Innovation
Information Literacy
Students access, manage and effectively use culturally-authentic sources in ethical and legal ways.
Media Literacy
Students evaluate authentic sources to understand how media reflect and influence language and culture.
Technology Literacy
Students use appropriate technologies when interpreting messages, interacting with others and producing written, oral and visual messages.
Flexibility and Adaptability
Initiative and Self-Direction
Students set their own goals and reflect on their progress as they grow and improve their linguistic and cultural competence.
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
Students understand diverse cultural perspectives and use appropriate socio-linguistic skills in order to function in diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.
Productivity and Accountability
Leadership and Responsibility
Students leverage their linguistic and cross-cultural skills to inspire others to be fair, accepting, open and understanding within and beyond the local community.
Is This Program for Me?
If you have a love for French language and culture and want to express that in your choice of careers, our French major will provide an outstanding professional pathway.
What Makes Us Different?
In addition to Samford's distinctive Christian mission, we offer small classes, award-winning faculty and a summer/semester program in France or other Francophone country. Our upper-level courses focus on contemporary events and texts from the Francophone world. Recent Special Topics courses have explored the history of French cinema, World War II and memory in French texts, Francophone literature and film of Africa and the Diaspora and Francophone literature of North Africa.
Samford In France
Students can participate in an intensive French language and culture program under the tutelage of French professors at the Université Grenoble-Alpes, where over 3,000 students from seventy different nations study each year.
Career Preparation
Communication
Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes
Cultures
Connections
Comparisons
Communities
Career Opportunities
Translating/Interpreting
Hotel Industry
Tourism and Travel
Teaching (K-12 and university)
Politics
Public relations
Marketing
FBI
Government
Foreign Service
Missions
Non-profit
Graduate school (Medicine, Law, TESOL, French, English, Gender Studies, Linguistics)
Accolades & Alumni
Alumni Awards
TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France): Mary Clark Herrod, Alyssa Gallas, Abby McAtee Gatliff, Julie Ann Wallis, William Kinslow, Holli Sconyers Herr, Cole Farmer
Alumni Careers
TESOL
Teaching (K-12 and higher education)
Law
Medicine
Pharmacy
Counseling
Missions
Marketing
Business Development