
French Studies

Explore the art of French, engage with its cultures and rediscover your own through others’ perspectives. The Department of French Studies offers about 30 courses in French language, literature and culture. Students build linguistic skills from beginning through advanced levels in grammar, phonetics and composition and use state-of-the-art technology to assist in their learning. French studies examines issues such as immigration, secularism, identity, gender and education across space (France and Francophone countries) and time, and at the crossroads of literary studies, art, history, linguistics and social sciences. Because the study of foreign languages and cultures lies at the heart of a liberal education, the department carries out its mission across disciplinary and institutional boundaries, and by directing and overseeing Smith’s Study Abroad programs in Paris and Geneva.
Above: Paris cityscape from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Picture taken by Collin Benedict ’16 during junior year abroad.
Announcements
JYA Paris Info Session
Come to the Smith in Paris information session to learn about the wide variety of courses and cultural activities the program has to offer.
Catherine Malabou's lecture "The Clitoris is an Anarchist"
This lecture is free and open to the public.
JYA Geneva Info Session
Come join us for some pizza and learn about the exciting opportunities offered by the Smith in Geneva program.
Presentation of the Major
Join us for the Presentation of the Major. Bring a friend - light refreshments will be served!
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As students learn and master the French language, they gain the ability to listen and speak articulately; read and analyze texts, cultural artifacts and digital media critically; and write clearly.
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As they explore French and Francophone cultures, society, history, institutions and thought, they develop historical and comparative depth of perspective.
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As they take courses in other departments and/or programs, they build an interdisciplinary framework to develop a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the French and Francophone world.
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As they engage with communities beyond Smith through study, internships, volunteer and other work opportunities abroad, they become global citizens who value tolerance, appreciate diversity and thereby become prepared to face the challenges of living in a rapidly changing world.
Advisers
Eglal Doss-Quinby, Dawn Fulton, Martine Gantrel, Jonathan Gosnell, Mehammed Mack, and Christiane Métral.
Requirements
Ten 4-credit courses or the equivalent at the 200 level or above, including the following:
- The basis for the French studies major: FRN 230;
- One language course at the advanced level (270, 385, or equivalent taken abroad);
- One course in French studies (FRN designation) on literature or culture before 1900;
- Three 4-credit courses in French studies (in addition to the advanced language course) at the 300 level or higher, of which two must be taken in the senior year.
In consultation with their major adviser, a student may count toward the major up to two 4-credit courses taught in English provided they are related to French studies, and up to two 4-credit courses in fields unrelated to French studies provided they are taught in French.
Normally, one course counting toward the major may be taken for an S/U grade. In consultation with their adviser, a student may take additional S/U credits toward the major. Students considering graduate school in the humanities are encouraged to take WLT 300 Literary Theory and Literary Practice: Conflicts and Consensus.
The Department of French Studies offers an online placement exam to test students' proficiency in reading, writing and understanding spoken French. The exam is accessible on Moodle and is open through the registration period. To access the test after registration, please email Jonathan Gosnell.
Students who have taken at least one year of French but have not taken the ETS French Achievement or Advanced Placement tests should take this exam. Even if you have taken those tests, we encourage all students to take the placement exam; it helps the department in advising students about course selection.
To evaluate how well students are achieving departmental learning goals, the Department of French Studies developed a series of assessment activities undertaken at different stages of a student’s career at Smith as follows:
- Under the guidance of their major adviser, students are asked to self-assess their proficiency in French, using tools created by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), an internationally recognized set of guidelines used across Europe to describe foreign language proficiency in listening, reading, speaking and writing according to reference levels from A1 to C2.
- Students enrolled in the Smith Program Abroad in Paris are required to take the TCF (Test de Connaissance du Français, the equivalent of the TOEFL for English speakers) in the spring semester prior to their departure and at the end of their junior year abroad. The TCF is an official French language test administered by the French Ministry of Education, which evaluates student proficiency from A1 to C2 according to the CEFR standard. Students enrolled in the Smith Program Abroad in Geneva take a similar test upon their arrival in Geneva and before their departure.
Director
Dawn Fulton
430d Thesis (8 credits)
Full-year course offered each year
431 Thesis (8 credits)
Offered fall semester each year
The honors program is for French studies majors who desire to conduct independent research on a specific aspect of French or Francophone literature or culture during their senior year. Students are eligible to apply for the honors program either at the completion of the second semester of their junior year or before the end of the second week of classes in September of their senior year.
Eligibility
A student who applies to do honors work must have a 3.5 GPA in French studies. Honors students work closely with a faculty adviser to conceptualize and carry out study that culminates in a paper of about 50-80 pages in length or an equivalent project; this work is done either as FRN 430d (a full-year, 8 credit course, with thesis or project due by mid April of the senior year) or FRN 431 (a fall-semester, 8-credit course, with thesis or project due on the first day of the second semester of the senior year).
Presentation
The thesis or project may be presented in either English or French; the choice of language must be approved by the thesis adviser and the director of honors. FRN 430d or FRN 431 may substitute for one of the two 300-level French courses required in the senior year to complete the French studies major.
Evaluation
In the second semester of the senior year, the honors candidate will take an oral examination based on her thesis or project and the field in which it was written. Evaluation of honors work for the degree with "honors," "high honors," or "highest honors" is based on the following:
- 10 percent on the oral examination
- 60 percent on the evaluation of the final thesis project by the thesis adviser and a second reader
- 30 percent on the candidate's grades in the French studies major
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I prepare to do an honors thesis?
Students contemplating honors work should begin talking to professors in their area of interest during their junior year, at the latest. Many honors projects have developed from interests fostered by course work done at Smith or on a Junior Year Abroad.
How do I find an honors thesis adviser?
Most students use course experience or consult the department website to identify professors whose research interests coincide with theirs. The departmental director of honors can also be a resource for matching student interests to faculty expertise. The next step is to contact the relevant faculty member(s) to discuss the possibility of doing an honors project.
How do I apply for honors?
Interested students should consult the departmental honors section of the class deans website for complete information on applying for honors and for information on funding resources.
Can I do honors if I go abroad junior year?
Yes. In fact, many honors projects ideas begin on a Junior Year Abroad program. You should be prepared to approach your potential Smith adviser while you are still abroad.
What are the benefits of doing a thesis or honors project?
The honors project provides you the unique opportunity of immersing yourself in a research project to greater depth than anything else you will experience in your undergraduate studies. Your research and writing skills will develop immensely during the process. Many students derive great satisfaction from bringing an idea to full development and expression in an honors project.
What are the disadvantages to doing an honors thesis?
A thesis requires an enormous commitment of time and intellectual energy. The 8-credit thesis may mean that you take fewer courses during your senior year, which may limit your options for studying a wide variety of subjects. Some students report being intimidated by the writing commitment. However, if you think of the thesis as a related group of 3-4 papers, each 15-20 pages in length, accompanied by an introduction and conclusion, the task becomes feasible.
Please check the course catalog for up-to-date information. You can also see the Five College course schedule.
All classes and exams are conducted in French with the exception of cross-listed courses, unless otherwise indicated.
FRN 101 01 Accelerated Beginning French I
This elementary French course is designed to give students with no previous experience in French the opportunity to acquire the fundamentals of the French language and Francophone culture. It emphasizes communicative proficiency, the development of oral and listening skills, self-expression and cultural insights. Classroom activities incorporate authentic French material and are focused on acquiring competency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students must complete both 101 and 103 to fulfill the Latin honors distribution requirement for a foreign language. Enrollment limited to 25. {F} Credits: 5 Jonathan Gosnell
Fall 2022
FRN 101 02 Accelerated Beginning French I
This elementary French course is designed to give students with no previous experience in French the opportunity to acquire the fundamentals of the French language and Francophone culture. It emphasizes communicative proficiency, the development of oral and listening skills, self-expression and cultural insights. Classroom activities incorporate authentic French material and are focused on acquiring competency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students must complete both 101 and 103 to fulfill the Latin honors distribution requirement for a foreign language. Enrollment limited to 25. {F} Credits: 5 Theresa Brock
Fall 2022
FRN 101 03 Accelerated Beginning French I
This elementary French course is designed to give students with no previous experience in French the opportunity to acquire the fundamentals of the French language and Francophone culture. It emphasizes communicative proficiency, the development of oral and listening skills, self-expression and cultural insights. Classroom activities incorporate authentic French material and are focused on acquiring competency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students must complete both 101 and 103 to fulfill the Latin honors distribution requirement for a foreign language. Enrollment limited to 25. {F} Credits: 5 Maureen DeNino
Fall 2022
FRN 120 01 Intermediate French
An intermediate language course designed for students with two or three years of high school French. Its main objective is to develop cultural awareness and the ability to speak and write in French through exposure to a variety of media (literary texts, newspaper articles, ads, clips, films, videos). Students completing the course normally enter 220. Enrollment limited to 18. {F} Credits: 4 Christiane Metral
Fall 2022
FRN 120 02 Intermediate French
An intermediate language course designed for students with two or three years of high school French. Its main objective is to develop cultural awareness and the ability to speak and write in French through exposure to a variety of media (literary texts, newspaper articles, ads, clips, films, videos). Students completing the course normally enter 220. Enrollment limited to 18. {F} Credits: 4 Christiane Metral
Fall 2022
FRN 220 01 High Intermediate French
Review of communicative skills through writing and class discussion. Materials include two movies, a comic book and two novels. Prerequisite: three or four years of high school French; 103 or 120, or permission of the instructor. Students completing the course normally enter 230. Enrollment limited to 18 per section. {F} Credits: 4 Carl Cornell
Fall 2022
FRN 220 02 High Intermediate French
Review of communicative skills through writing and class discussion. Materials include two movies, a comic book and two novels. Prerequisite: three or four years of high school French; 103 or 120, or permission of the instructor. Students completing the course normally enter 230. Enrollment limited to 18 per section. {F} Credits: 4 Maureen DeNino
Fall 2022
FRN 220 03 High Intermediate French
Review of communicative skills through writing and class discussion. Materials include two movies, a comic book and two novels. Prerequisite: three or four years of high school French; 103 or 120, or permission of the instructor. Students completing the course normally enter 230. Enrollment limited to 18 per section. {F} Credits: 4 Christiane Metral
Fall 2022
Please check the course catalog for up-to-date information. You can also see the Five College course schedule.
All classes and exams are conducted in French with the exception of cross-listed courses, unless otherwise indicated.
FRN 230 Colloquium in French Studies
Topics course.
A gateway to more advanced courses. These colloquia develop skills in expository writing and critical thinking in French. Materials include novels, films, essays and cultural documents. Students may receive credit for only one section of 230. Enrollment limited to 18. Basis for the major. Prerequisite: 220, or permission of the instructor.
FRN 230bl 01 Banlieue Lit
In this course, students study fiction, memoir, slam poetry and hip-hop authored by residents of France’s multi-ethnic suburbs and housing projects, also known as the "banlieues" and "cités". We examine the question of whether "banlieue" authors can escape various pressures: to become native informants; to write realistic rather than fantastical novels; to leave the “ghetto”; to denounce the sometimes difficult traditions, religions, neighborhoods and family members that have challenged but also molded them. Often seen as spaces of regression and decay, the "banlieues" nevertheless produce vibrant cultural expressions that beg the question: Is the "banlieue" a mere suburb of French cultural life, or more like one of its centers? Students may receive credit for only one section of FRN 230. Enrollment limited to 18. Basis for the major. Prerequisite: 220 or permission of the instructor. {F} {L} WI Credits: 4 Mehammed A. Mack
Fall 2022
FRN 230en 01 Encountering Nature in the Early Modern World: Flora, Fauna, Empire
"Encountering Nature” examines how writers from the 16th–18th centuries experienced their natural settings. These settings varied widely, encompassing both Europe and the Americas during early phases of colonization. The great variety of flora and fauna in these different locales prompted questions about what nature signified and for whom. How did such factors as gender, religion, ethnicity, and social class combine with political influences in each century to cause shifting understandings and representations of the natural world? To explore this question, we will analyze literary texts in multiple genres alongside illustrations, maps, paintings, historical documents, and audiovisual materials. {F} {L} WI Credits: 4 Theresa Brock
Fall 2022
FRN 230tww 01 Women Writers of Africa and the Caribbean
An introduction to works by contemporary women writers from Francophone Africa and the Caribbean. Topics studied include colonialism, exile, motherhood and intersections between class and gender. Our study of these works and of the French language is informed by attention to the historical, political and cultural circumstances of writing as a woman in a former French colony. Texts include works by Mariama Bâ, Maryse Condé, Yamina Benguigui and Marie-Célie Agnant. Students may receive credit for only one section of FRN 230. {F} {L} WI Credits: 4 Dawn Fulton
Fall 2022
FRN 252cl 01 Cities of Light: Urban Spaces in Francophone Film
From Paris to Fort-de-France, Montreal to Dakar, we study how various filmmakers from the Francophone world present urban spaces as sites of conflict, solidarity, alienation and self-discovery. How do these portraits confirm or challenge the distinction between urban and non-urban? How does the image of the city shift for “insiders” and “outsiders”? Other topics to be discussed include immigration, colonialism and globalization. Works by Sembène Ousmane, Denys Arcand, Mweze Ngangura and Euzhan Palcy. {F} Credits: 4 Dawn Fulton
Fall 2022
FRN 253 01 The Lady, the Knight, the King
An introduction to the main cultural and literary currents that shaped Medieval France, a period whose values and concept of "literature" were dramatically different from our own. We focus on the rise of courtliness and the invention of romantic love, the legend of King Arthur and the transmission of Celtic themes, adultery and madness, magic and the chivalric quest, and the ribald humour of the fabliaux. Readings include The Romance of the Rose by Guillaume de Lorris, Tristan and Yseut, Marie de France’s Lanval, Chrétien de Troyes’ Yvain, troubadour and trouvère lyric, and selected fabliaux. Prerequisite: FRN 230. {F} {L} Credits: 4 Eglal Doss-Quinby
Fall 2022
FRN 270 01 Language and Social Justice
A course in advanced composition for students who wish to improve their mastery of some of the more difficult points of French grammar, syntax and usage, as they reflect on the role of language in shaping individual and national identity, from the 16th century to the present day. Readings and discussions on topics such as linguistic policy and cultural politics, the feminization of the French language, and defending against the invasion of English by legislating the use of French within France and Quebec. Prerequisite: normally, one course in French studies beyond 230, or permission of the instructor. {F} {L} Credits: 4 Maureen DeNino
Fall 2022
FRN 299 01 Teaching Romance Languages: Theories and Techniques on Second Language Acquisition
Offered as ITL 299, FRN 299, POR 299, and SPN 299. The course explores the issues in world language instruction and research that are essential to the teaching of Romance languages. Special focus will be on understanding local, national and international multilingual communities as well as theories, methods, bilingualism, and heritage language studies. Topics include the history of Romance languages, how to teach grammar/vocabulary, the role of instructors, and feedback techniques. The critical framing provided will help students look at schools as cultural sites, centers of immigration and globalization. Class observations and scholarly readings help students understand the importance of research in the shaping of the pedagogical practice of world languages. Prerequisite:At least 4 semesters (or placement to equivalent level) of a Romance language taught at Smith (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish or French). Enrollment limited to 25. {F}{S} Credits: 4 Simone M. Gugliotta
Fall 2022
Please check the course catalog for up-to-date information. You can also see the Five College course schedule.
All classes and exams are conducted in French with the exception of cross-listed courses, unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: two courses in French studies above 230 or permission of the instructor. Course numbers reflect chronological periods and not the level of difficulty.
FRN 380tw 01 Topics in French Cultural Studies: Travel Writing and Self-Discovery: The Language of Business and International Trade
A survey of Francophone travel writing from the 16th to the 21st centuries. Students are exposed to a literary form that achieved popularity and cultural prestige early on, was then significantly challenged and diversified, and is presently enjoying a resurgence. We consider fictional and nonfictional accounts reflecting different geographies of travel and migration. While early voyagers tended to assert the relative superiority of French culture, subsequent generations of travelers abandoned discovery for self-discovery, and critiqued colonialism instead of indigenous cultures. Countries and regions surveyed include the Holy Land, Turkey, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Central and West Africa, the United States, Iran, France, Indonesia and Thailand. {F}{L} Credits: 4 Mehammed A. Mack
Fall 2022
Please check the course catalog for up-to-date information. You can also see the Five College course schedule.
Special studies provide a way for students to explore a particular topic or issue not taught in any course offered by the Department of French Studies and in the Five Colleges during the academic year of the proposed special studies.
Students work with a faculty adviser to create a syllabus comprising the description of the proposed special studies, a list of readings, work expectations, assignments and a timeline. The faculty adviser then brings the proposed course description and syllabus to the department for a formal vote.
The faculty adviser and the student normally meet weekly for an hour. Students are expected to write, at a minimum, a 20-page paper, or the equivalent. All work is conducted in French. Special studies carry 4 credits. The final grade is based on a separate grade to evaluate participation and preparation in addition to the grade given to the final paper.
Prerequisites: at least two 300-level courses in French studies; previous coursework on a relevant topic is strongly recommended.
In accordance with college policy, an exceptional special studies can be converted into an honors thesis. See the class deans website for information about departmental honors.
Normally, FRN 404 cannot be repeated for credit.
FRN 404 Special Studies
Admission by permission of the department; normally for junior and senior majors and for qualified juniors and seniors from other departments. Credits: 4
Members of the department
Normally offered each academic year
Emeriti
David Ball
Professor Emeritus of French Language & Literature and Comparative Literature
Mary Ellen Birkett
Professor Emerita of French Studies
Ann Leone
Professor Emerita of French Studies and of Landscape Studies
Denise Rochat
Professor Emerita of French Studies
James Sacré
Doris Silbert Professor Emeritus in the Humanities (French Language & Literature)
Janie Vanpée
Professor Emerita of French Studies and World Literatures
Lawrence Joseph
Professor Emeritus of French Language & Literature
Marie-José Delage
Professor Emerita of French Language & Literature
Resources
Each year the French department is fortunate to work with graduate students who come to Smith College for the Interdisciplinary Studies Diploma Program as part of our exchange with universities in Paris and Geneva. For the academic year 2022–23, we welcome three students from Paris and two from Geneva.
Paris
- Cécile Fonbonne (Université de Paris IV)
- Irina Jameron (Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris)
- Yaël Le Goff (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Val de Seine)
Geneva
- Roxane Campiche (Université de Genève)
- Amandine Lacroix (Université de Genève)
Prizes & Fellowships
Coordinators of Prizes: Theresa Brock & Eglal Doss-Quinby
Prizes and fellowships are available to students studying French at Smith and on Junior Year Abroad (JYA) programs. Students interested in information about these prizes should consult the director of honors, or in the case of prizes and fellowships awarded to students on the JYA programs in Paris or Geneva, the current director of that program. Students interested in the Killam fellowship to Canadian universities should consult the director of graduate studies.
Recent French Studies Prize Winners (2021-22)
Césaire Prize: Gabrielle Bushala ’24, Nicole Papageorgiou ‘24
Voltaire Prize: Emily Pauwels ’25
Colette Prize: Xinran Chen ’25
Josephine Ott Prize (awarded in Geneva): Lily Boschin ’23, Lexie Casais ’23, Yulia Kuzniar ’23, Anna Maffa ’23, Grayson Matula ’23, Jennifer Wise ’23, Mika Yassur ’23, Sasha Yeutseyeva ’23, Kelly Zhang ’24J
Rousseau Prize (awarded in Geneva): Denielle Amparado ’23, Katie Raphaelson ’23
Ruth Alpern Leipziger Prize (awarded in Paris): Norma Jean Haynes ’23, Elizabeth MacNeil ’23
Submissions: Submissions for essay prizes are accepted each spring via this form.
If you need help converting photos into PDF documents, please consult these guidelines.
Please note: Submissions for the Colette, Césaire and Voltaire prizes must be received by 4:00 p.m. EDT one week before the last day of classes in the spring semester. For work completed in the academic year 2021-2022, the deadline is April 22, 2022.
Guidelines for Césaire, Colette, and Voltaire Prizes
- Only essays and projects completed for Smith College courses taken on campus in the current academic year are eligible; essays and projects from first as well as second semester courses are eligible
- Honors theses and special studies projects are not eligible
- You may not submit more than one essay or project
What to submit: (in a single PDF)
- The final version of your essay or project, along with any and all professor comments, corrections and grades; if multiple drafts were evaluated by your professor, please include these in your submission file. As submissions will be judged anonymously, please remove your name if it appears on your essay or project (for instance, in a header or footer, or in the professor’s comments).
- A cover letter with the following information:
- your Smith ID number (99….)
- the title of the submitted work, the course, and semester in which you submitted it
- an explanation (maximum 150 words) of the reasons why you think this essay or project is your best work. For Colette submissions, the cover letter may be written in English. For all other submissions, the cover letter should be written in French
- If you received outside help on the essay or project, please acknowledge this by stating the name of the person who helped you and the kind of help received (content and/or grammar)
Voltaire Prize
Awarded to a student at Smith College for an essay or project completed in French for an intermediate literature or culture course that shows originality and engagement with their subject.
Note: FRN 220 essays or projects can only be submitted for the Colette Prize.
Césaire Prize
Awarded to a student at Smith College for excellence in an essay or project completed in French for an advanced literature or culture course on campus.
Colette Prize
Awarded to a student at Smith College for an essay or other project that shows originality and engagement in a French language course.
Josephine Ott Prize
Awarded to a Smith junior in Paris or Geneva for commitment to the French language and European civilization. (In one out of seven years the prize is given to a student studying on the Geneva program.)
Ruth Leipziger Prize
Awarded to one or more students studying on the JYA program in Paris.
Rousseau Prize
Awarded annually to a member of the junior or senior class studying with the Smith College program in Geneva.
Blumberg Fellowship
Funds up to five students on the Smith College JYA programs who design a project to be carried out during the summer after their academic year on the JYA program. The fellowship provides the opportunity for students to travel widely in the country of their program.
Baer Fund
Sponsors a student wishing to undertake a full-time internship during the summer after having studied at the JYA program in Geneva.
Julia Mayrant Rees Simonds ’95 France Internship Fund
Sponsors a student wishing to undertake an internship during the summer after having studied at the JYA program in Paris, or in Geneva, if there should be no candidates from the Paris program.
Killam Fellowship
Enables a Smith student to study in a Canadian university either for a year or for a semester. For more information, see the Fellowships website.
Smith’s long-established study abroad programs in Geneva and Paris attract about 30 students each year. Students live in university housing or with French-speaking families, attend classes with their French and European peers, and come back with near-native language skills and a real understanding of the culture. Majors find that this experience opens doors to careers in international relations, business, law, art and teaching. Majors in French studies who spend the year in Paris or Geneva will normally meet certain requirements for the major during that year.
Smith in Paris
Adviser: Mehammed Mack
Faculty Director:
2022-23: Howard Gold, Professor of Government
French-speaking students live abroad for a full year in a French home. Students study at the Paris universities with Smith program courses offered by French professors, volunteering, interning and enjoying excursions and cultural activities in a select group of 25 students. Students are advised by a Smith faculty director and a Parisian associate director at the beautiful Reid Hall Smith Center in Montparnasse. Learn more on the Study Abroad website.
Requirements
Students going on Smith programs abroad to Paris must meet the following requirements:
- GPA of 3.0
- Two years or the equivalent of college-level French, normally four four-credit courses, including one course at the 250 level or above in the spring semester of the year before study in Paris.
- Students who enter Smith at the 230 level or above are required to take at least three semesters of French prior to study in Paris, including one course at the 250 level or above in the spring semester of the year before study in Paris.
- Students beginning French with FRN 101 and 103 must take three four-credit French courses in their sophomore year, including one at the 250 level or higher in the semester prior to study in Paris.
Les Sciences à Paris
Les Sciences à Paris is a yearlong program designed explicitly to support students in the sciences, mathematics and engineering. Coursework, research opportunities and tutoring are combined into a customized curriculum enabling science students to experience the rich scientific traditions of France, acquire competence in French and experience the practice of science in an international context. Students with at least one year of college-level French or the equivalent are invited to apply.
Smith in Geneva
Adviser: Christiane Métral
Resident Director:
2014-present: Geneviève Piron
Track A. International Internship Program
Intern at an international organization at least three days per week; study French; take the core Humanitarianism and Practicum courses at the Smith Center; enroll in at least one Graduate Institute or University of Geneva course. Available fall or spring; can be combined with Track B or C for a year-long option. Applicants are expected to have at least one semester of college-level French or the equivalent.
Track B. University Studies Program
Enroll in four to five Smith Center and university courses each semester in either French or English, including a French language course. Available for the academic year for students with two years of college-level French or equivalent; and spring for students with at least one year of French or equivalent.
Track C. International Relations Program
Enroll in four Smith Center and Graduate Institute courses each semester, including French language. Take a core Humanitarianism course at the Smith Center along with other International Studies/Development courses at the Graduate Institute. Available fall or spring. Available for students with at least one semester of college-level French. Can be combined with Tracks A or B for a year-long option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I study in Paris or Geneva if I'm not a French major?
Yes, most definitely! Smith's JYA programs accomodate a wide range of majors.
Can I apply if I began French at Smith with FRN 101 and FRN 103?
Yes, but you will need to take three 4-credit French courses in your sophomore year.
How many French courses do I need if I studied French before I came to Smith?
Students going on the Smith College Study Abroad Program in Paris must have two years or the equivalent of college-level French, normally four four-credit courses, including one course at the 250 level or above in the spring semester of the year before study in Paris. Students who enter Smith at the FRN 230 level or above are required to take at least three semesters of French prior to study in Paris, including one course at the 250 level or above in the spring semester of the year before study in Paris.
Students interested in either of the academic options offered on the Smith College Junior Year Abroad in Geneva are encouraged to begin study of French and to pursue it prior to departure. Students on any track (A, B, and C) will study French language, or particular subjects of interest in French, while in Switzerland.
Are there courses recommended for preparation for study abroad on Smith's Paris or Geneva programs?
All courses at the 230 level and above will prepare you for study abroad in Paris and Geneva.
Where can I learn more about study abroad?
For more information, consult the French Studies study abroad advisers.
Cultural Resources
Le Louvre
France
Paris
Switzerland
Geneva
French Consulate in Boston
Dictionaries
Trésor de la Langue Française informatisé (TLFI)
French thesaurus
Gender and the French Language
Écriture inclusive
Le Conjugueur Blog
Literature & Language
L'Académie française
La Bibliothèque nationale de France
Gallica
Fabula
Amélioration du français CCDMDJ'aime la langue française
Facebook Page J'aime le français
Newspapers & Magazines
Le Monde
Le Monde Diplomatique
Libération
L'Humanité
Le Figaro
France Soir
Huffington Post
France Amérique
Le Nouvel observateur
L'Express
Marianne
Le Point
Courrier international
rue89
Causette
Radio & Television
France Inter
France Info
Europe 1
RTL
RMC
Beur FM
TF1
France 2
France 3
Radio Nova
France Culture
Canal +
Arte
M6
TV5
France 24
CFI
Beur TV
La Chaine parlementaire (LCP)
LCI
Fip Radio
RFI
Studying in the Humanities Today
MLA Action Network: "STEM or Humanities? Answer: Both," May 30, 2018
TEDTalk: Eric Berridge: Why tech needs the humanities
The ACTFL Call to Action
Infographic: Benefits of Language Learning
Smith Arts & Humanities
Alum Spotlight
Those majoring in and studying French can pursue many different careers. Graduates have gone on to teach at all levels; work in the foreign service, Peace Corps or in the arts; study law, business and medicine; and pursue advanced degrees in French literature, music, translation and theater.
Every year a number of French majors also successfully apply for one of the 1,500 openings for French teaching assistantships to teach English in a French lycée. Consult the Teaching Assistant Program in France site for the latest information on how to apply.
“After my JYA in Paris, I knew the city of lights was the place I wanted to live. I was hired at ESMOD, the oldest fashion school in the world. I translate marketing materials, prepare for open houses and field applications for courses. Thanks to my French major, I work in a beautiful building in the heart of Paris where I learn more about the French language and culture each day.”
Janan Fugel ’19, Chargée des Étudiants Étrangers, ESMOD France
“I couldn’t have been happier with my experience at Smith. Many of the language skills, literary references and cross-cultural understandings that I used while living abroad, post-graduation, and in my present career as a librarian in the Alliance Française network stem directly from my years as a French major.”
Christianne Beasley ’12, Head Librarian, French Cultural Center of Boston
“Studying French at Smith—especially on the JYA Paris program—ignited my passion for travel and set me on a path to completing a master’s in creative writing and translation. I now write for such magazines as Travel + Leisure, Architectural Digest, DuJour, the Wall Street Journal and many others.”
Laura Itzkowitz ’09, Freelance Travel Writer and Editor
Contact
Fax: 413-585-3339
Administrative Assistant:
Cora Lee Drew
Individual appointments may be arranged directly with the faculty.