French

Although the French Department is fairly large for a college of Augustana’s size, your classes will be small, beginning through advanced, and the French faculty are accessible and (oh so) supportive.

The curriculum is flexible and rigorous, offering beginning-level language courses through advanced, composition and cultural studies, as well as advanced literature courses taught in French.

Choose a French major/minor or the major for teaching French in the secondary schools. (See also the new minor in linguistics.) Many students customize their future in interesting ways with a second major. Recent examples include art history, communication sciences and disorders, economics, international business, mathematics, pre-medicine and philosophy.

If your goal is graduate study in French, you’ll be prepared, and many of our students gain entrance into some prestigious programs. Your French studies also can give you an edge for graduate school in library science, the health sciences, speech-language pathology and more.

You’ll find your knowledge of French language, culture and literature adds éclat to your résumé and skills for many careers, from education to medicine to business in the global marketplace.

Distinctions

• Six 2021 French majors were selected for the Teaching Assistant Program in France in 2021-2022. In addition to being paid to work and live in France, TAPIF participants can tap into a rich network of mentors and professional connections. The experience often is used as a springboard for taking classes at French universities. Some U.S. graduate programs such as the Professional French Masters Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison offer scholarships just for TAPIF alumni.
• During a six-week summer program with l’université de Bourgogne in Dijon, students can focus on intensive study of French language and culture with other international students. All classes are taught by native French speakers, and students also have the option of a home-stay with a French family.
• Many students of French use their Augie Choice $2,000 to study abroad in one of the college’s programs in France or Francophone countries, with options available every year.
• On-campus opportunities include French Club, the Table Française discussion group and the Francophone Film Festival. At the Soirée Française at the end of every term, students practice their public speaking and perform a reading, monologue or short dialogue for an audience.

Recent grads

Abigail Johnson '23 teaches French at Pleasant Valley Junior High and High School in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Evan Juarez '23 is the international admissions counselor at Augustana College. → Hear more from Evan

Alyssa Twilbeck '22 is pursuing a master's in international relations and affairs at George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Morgan Lynch '21 is a travel operations coordinator at EF Education First, based in Boston, Mass.

Kathryn Boyle '21 is a speech-language pathologist at Cooper Therapy Connections in Plainfield, Ill.

Alexis Jones '20 is pursuing a J.D. at the University of Iowa College of Law.

Alejandra Raya '20 is a bilingual speech-language pathologist for the Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 in Belvidere, Ill.

Patricia Grod '20 is an assistant account executive at MP&F Strategic Communications in Nashville, Tenn.

Alma Pizano-Onofre '20 is an admissions counselor at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill.

Madison Williams '20 is a breaking news writer for Sports Illustrated.

Eric Huizinga '19 is a financial planning specialist with Northwestern Mutual in Arvada, Colo.

Haley Ruch '19 is a client account executive at Morningstar financial services in Chicago.