Jean Giraudoux tells us as he looks out from the Eiffel Tower: “In twenty square miles I can see before me, there has been more thinking, more discussing, and more writing than anywhere else in the world.”
Ball State’s major in French will help you become fluent in one of the most beautiful romance languages in the world. You’ll graduate prepared for a wide range of career fields in government, business, law, communication, and more—or for further study in graduate school.
This major is an excellent choice if you want to:
- travel the world
- teach the French language
- learn French for your personal pleasure
- enhance your professional and social competence
Our French majors experience the following benefits as well:
- a better understanding of the English language, since over 60 percent of English words have been drawn from French
- fluency in one of the most widely spoken languages in the world (and a major language of law and diplomacy in Europe)
- knowledge of the language spoken in one of the largest economies in the world
- a firm grounding in the foundations of Western Culture that stem from France, including philosophy, literature, cinema, theater, art, political thought, and culture
What You Will Learn
As a major, you will take courses to develop your expertise in the French language as well as French cultures and literature.
A major in French pairs well with a major in:
What It’s Like to Major in French at Ball State
Ball State offers more than 300 exchange and study abroad program options in 65 different countries including France, Germany, Japan, and Mexico.
As a student, you can also be involved in language clubs and two national foreign language honoraries.
Study Abroad Student Organizations
Our department is home to more than 30 full-time faculty members and graduate assistants. Faculty members are engaged in active research in addition to teaching full course loads. They are experts in their fields and committed to—and invested in—your pursuit of excellence.
Classes are kept small to enable students to practice speaking, writing, reading, and listening. You’ll work closely and meaningfully with faculty over the entire undergraduate experience.
Read Faculty Bios
Our programs, faculty, and campus provide a wonderful diversity of languages, cultures, and experiences. You will also have the opportunity to study in another country, broadening your cultural experiences as you further your education.
Major Requirements
The bachelor’s degree in French requires courses in beginning, intermediate, and advanced French. You will also study conversation, composition, and literary readings in French.
Major Credits
41
Courses
A few of the classes you will take include:
- FR 101-102 Beginning French
- FR 201-202 Intermediate French
- FR 301 Conversation
- FR 302 Composition
- FR 360 Intro to French Lit Readings
For a complete list of all the courses you will take and their descriptions, please see our Course Catalog.
View Catalog
What Can You Do with a Degree in French?
Having trained in an important language like French makes you eligible for jobs in:
- government
- foreign service
- communication services (journalism and television)
- economics
- business
- International law
- agriculture
- trade
- science
- technology
Explore More Career Options
Paying for Your Education
In addition to the numerous scholarships the university offers its students, our department gives awards every year to our majors and minors to recognize them for their academic achievements. Find a scholarship.
Ready to Apply?
Admission to Ball State is selective and we carefully evaluate all applications on an individual basis. Applying for admission is easy. Use our convenient, comprehensive, and secure online application
Want to Learn More?
The best way to get a true feel for Ball State University is to spend some time here, so we encourage you and your family to schedule a campus visit. Take a tour, attend an information session, meet with a professor in our area, and ask plenty of questions. Or, if you’d rather speak to someone directly by phone or email, please feel free to contact us.