French and Francophone Studies

You may not know that French is the only language, other than English, spoken on five continents. Some of the 43 countries where French is spoken are Morocco, Switzerland, Vietnam, Senegal, Belgium, Mali, and Canada. French, along with English, is the official working language of many non-governmental organizations, including the International Red Cross, the United Nations, UNESCO, NATO, and the International Olympic Committee.

Studying French gives students an advantage in applying to jobs in the service and hospitality industries (hotels, airlines, travel agencies) as well as jobs with companies doing business with Canada. Knowledge of French will also help you if you study history, art history, philosophy, biology, political science, or math. Graduates of our program pursue many different paths upon completing their degree. We have placed students in graduate programs in French at universities such as the University of Chicago, Rutgers University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Michigan. Our Teaching of French graduates are currently employed as high school French teachers in the Chicagoland area. Many of our students, upon graduation, also choose to teach English in France for a year under the assistantship program sponsored by the French embassy. Some of our students have joined the Peace Corps, which actively recruits students with knowledge of French to work in West African countries.

French is a beautiful language with a rich history. We look forward to meeting you, and would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about French at UIC.

The Department of French and Francophone Studies is a member of the School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics, which comprises six independent departments and three academic programs, creating a collaborative environment for interdisciplinary study.