Overview

French & Francophone Studies

Preparing Your Career, Building Language Skills

Wondering if world languages and cultures are a fit for graduate or professional school? Thinking about a double major? Advanced proficiency in French and a dynamic understanding of the French-speaking world can be excellent preparation for work in a wide range of professional fields, such as:

  • Journalism
  • Education
  • Publishing
  • International Business
  • Diplomacy
  • Banking
  • Law
  • International aid and development

Wooster graduates with a major or double major in French & Francophone Studies distinguish themselves from most American applicants to top graduate programs, and they increase the number of places they are qualified to work and study.

Personal Paths, Collaborative Work

At Wooster, you can develop advanced proficiency in French while also gaining in-depth knowledge of France and the French-speaking world. Students enjoy charting their own courses, by focusing on the regions, countries, and issues that they find most compelling. Thanks to our broad array of courses, you can pursue studies in language, culture, literature, film, history, and society. We embrace interdisciplinary studies. You will find creative and powerful ways to combine your interest in French and Francophone Studies with your work in other disciplines, including the sciences.

Versatile Academic Preparation, Exciting Practical Experiences

Build your résumé with opportunities such as:

  • La Maison francophone, an immersion-style residence hall suite led each year by a French-speaking Fulbright assistant
  • A wide range of study abroad programs
  • Competitive fellowships to support domestic and international internships
  • Language tutor, research assistant, departmental assistant, or TA positions
  • Student event planning team for our yearly French and Francophone Film Festival

Luce Language Labs and Global Cafe

Luce Residential Hall houses five language suites (Chinese, French, German, Spanish & Russian), which provide students with a living/learning environment focused on developing foreign language skills.

The Global Cafe, located in the lower level of Luce, is a place for socializing, learning about other cultures, and enjoying the company of other language learners.

Learn more about Luce Hall

Faculty & Staff

Wooster W logo on a cream colored background

Lisa Bansen-Harp

Adjunct Instructor of French and Francophone Studies

libansen-harp@wooster.edu

Cynthia D. Bernardy

Cynthia D. Bernardy

Academic Administrative Coordinator for Chinese Studies, Classical Studies, English, French & Francophone Studies, German Studies, Russian Studies, and Spanish

cbernardy@wooster.edu

Laura Burch

Laura Burch

Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies

lburch@wooster.edu

Marion Duval

Associate Professor and Department Chair of French and Francophone Studies (On leave Spring 2025)

mduval@wooster.edu

Harry Gamble

Harry Gamble

Inez K. Gaylord Professor of French and Francophone Studies and Pathway Liaison (On Leave for Fall 2024)

hgamble@wooster.edu

Anne McCall

President, Professor of French and Francophone Studies

president@wooster.edu

Lisa Perfetti

Lisa Perfetti

Provost, Professor of French and Francophone Studies

lperfetti@wooster.edu


Latest French and Francophone Studies News

Anna Chapman '25

Psychology and French and Francophone studies major gains clinical experience through APEX fellowship

Anna Chapman ’25, a French and Francophone studies and psychology major at The College of Wooster, attended an internship fair at the College to […]

Kennedy Schultz '94

French and cultural area studies alumna uses skills to teach cultural competency across diverse sectors

Kennedy Schultz ’91 loved that The College of Wooster had a community that was both diverse and tight knit. Coming from a large high […]

Thomas Pitney head shot

Wooster grad selected for two-year Peace Corps service in Africa

Thomas Pitney ’24, a double major in political science and French & Francophone studies at The College of Wooster, has been selected to serve […]

Grace Alexandrowski '24

French and art history double major explores how immersive art challenges perceptions

A double major in art history and French & Francophone studies at The College of Wooster, Grace Alexandrowski ’24 found inspiration for her senior […]

More French and Francophone Studies Articles

Major

Eleven courses are required to complete a major in French and Francophone Studies, including French language, literature and culture courses.

To assure linguistic competence and in-depth understanding of Francophone cultures, the department strongly encourages study off-campus and will provide guidance on choosing a study abroad program. All majors should normally plan to spend at least a semester in a French-speaking country.

 

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Minor

Six courses are required to complete a minor in French and Francophone Studies, including language, literature and culture courses. Students are encouraged to study off-campus to build language skills and The College of Wooster provides guidance and support in choosing a study-abroad program.

 

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Independent Study

Working closely with a faculty mentor, each senior major completes an extended yearlong project that typically culminates in an original research paper. The subjects of I.S. projects vary widely, depending on student interests and goals. Senior projects may explore culture, literature, film, society, history, or language and linguistics. In certain cases, students with the appropriate training may choose to produce artistic works, such as novellas, collections of poetry, or short films.

Senior I.S. projects focus on many different parts of the French-speaking world, from European contexts (France, Switzerland, Belgium) to the twenty-six countries that comprise francophone Africa. Some students explore francophone locations in the Americas, such as Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, and Quebec. In many cases, Senior I.S. projects connect two or more geographic contexts. Study abroad experiences very often inform I.S. projects, whether directly or indirectly.

 

Search the I.S. Database

Student Year I.S. Title Major 1 Major 2 Advisor
Please search to view results

Related Articles

Grace Alexandrowski '24

French and art history double major explores how immersive art challenges perceptions

A double major in art history and French & Francophone studies at The College of Wooster, Grace Alexandrowski ’24 found inspiration for her senior […]

Head shot of Natalie Bean

Sioux Resistance: How the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota People Maintain Their Fight Against the United States for Sovereignty and Land

Name: Natalie Bean Major: History Minor: French and Francophone Studies Advisor: Dr. Jordan Biro Walters This independent study seeks to determine how members of the Sioux Nation resisted […]

Head shot for Libby Malone

Integrating Communication and Culture in Intermediate French Classes

Name: Libby Malone Majors: French and Education Advisors: Rebecca Grenouilleau-Loescher, Matthew Broda This Independent Study focuses on the importance of communication and culture in […]

I.S. button

Two Tales of Murder and Intrigue: The Study and Practical Application of Current French Translation Techniques

Name: Joseph Kalmar Major: French and Francophone Studies Minor: History Advisors: Dr. Marion Duval and Dr. Harry Gamble Second Reader: Dr. Laura Burch This […]

Alumni

Wooster graduates with a major or double major in French & Francophone Studies distinguish themselves from most American applicants to top graduate programs, and they increase the number of places they are qualified to work and study.


Related Articles

Kennedy Schultz '94

French and cultural area studies alumna uses skills to teach cultural competency across diverse sectors

Kennedy Schultz ’91 loved that The College of Wooster had a community that was both diverse and tight knit. Coming from a large high […]

Head shot of Ishtiaq Ghafoor '00

Ishtiaq Ghafoor ’00 finds harmony in his life’s work with the foreign service

The College of Wooster provided Ishtiaq Ghafoor ’00, an international student from Britain, with a foundation in writing and critical thinking that has helped […]

Samira El-Adawy '13 stands in front of Special Olympics sign

Samira El-Adawy ’13 encourages inclusivity through sports for those with intellectual disabilities

Samira El-Adawy ’13 is an athlete on a mission to foster inclusion. A former competitive swimmer for the Egyptian Youth National Swimming Team as […]

Holly Engel '21

Wooster ’21 graduate pursues doctorate at The Ohio State University

After a year’s worth of writing to complete her Independent Study titled “Sinister Cinema: Depictions of Evil in the WWII and Postwar Thrillers of […]

Prizes & Scholarships

The Willis C. and Scott L. Behoteguy Endowed Scholarship is awarded to a major in French and Francophone Studies who has demonstrated high academic achievement and promise. Second preference shall be given to a student majoring in Global and International Studies, with a minor in French and Francophone Studies. Recipients must also demonstrate financial need.

The Frances Guille-Secor Memorial Fund provides scholarship income to a student who has demonstrated high achievement in French and Francophone Studies as well as in other academic work.

The G. Pauline Ihrig Fund awards a scholarship annually to a student who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in French and Francophone Studies. Recipients also need to demonstrate financial need.

The John W. Olthouse Prize is awarded to the major who has the highest standing in French and Francophone Studies at the end of the senior year.

The Mary Sanborn Allen Prize is awarded to a student majoring in a foreign language who has greatly benefited from study outside the United States.

** Please note: In determining prize recipients, the department considers a number of factors, including not only academic success, but also depth of involvement with our program and curriculum. Preference may be given to students who take more than the minimum number of courses and participate regularly in departmental cultural activities.

Faculty Emeriti

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Jerri Lynn Baxstrom

Professor Emerita, French and Francophone Studies

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Carolyn Durham

Professor Emerita, French and Francophone Studies

cdurham@wooster.edu

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David J. Wilkin

Professor Emeritus, French and Francophone Studies