Our undergraduate program has two distinct but complementary missions: to provide instruction in the French language at all levels, and to lead students to a broad appreciation and deep understanding of the literatures and cultures of the French-speaking world.
Explore Our Courses and Programs
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Language & Literature Courses
We offer language & literature courses for all levels of study (L1-L5), as well as courses in conversation, creative writing, culture, literary translation, business & medical French.
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Major in French
The major in French is a liberal arts major, designed for students ready to study French-language literatures, arts, & cultures in depth. We offer a BA & a combined BA/MA.
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Certificate of Advanced Language Study
Yale College undergraduates who are not French majors can earn a Certificate of Advanced Language Study, which involves taking 4 courses beyond the L4 level.
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Francophone Events & Activities
Immerse yourself in French outside the classroom through language tables, cultural events, film screenings, and theater.
Why Study French?
By 2050, French is likely to be among the top three most widely-spoken languages in the world. French is the official language of the International Olympic Committee and an official language of most international organizations, including the UN, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Court of Justice, and the International Red Cross.
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300 million
people in our world speak French, a nearly 10% increase since 2014
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235 million
people speak French every day as their main language
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106
Countries and territories on earth are French-speaking
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32
States and governments use French as an official language, and 23 of these are in Africa
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5th
French is the fifth most-spoken language in the world, after Mandarin, English, Spanish, and Arabic
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Kinshasa
The capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is the most populous Francophone city in the world, with a population of 17.7 million
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30%
Of all English words have a French origin, thanks in part to William the Conqueror, who landed in England and became king in 1066
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16
Nobel Prizes in Literature have been awarded to French writers, making it the country with the most Nobel laureates in Literature
Questions?
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French
Alice Kaplan
Sterling Professor of FrenchDirector of Undergraduate Studies (interim)+1 (203) 432-4907
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