French
For centuries, a classical liberal arts education has involved the study of foreign languages, as well as their cultures and histories. Few languages rival French in terms of its beauty and its extraordinary contributions to the fine arts, history, literature, and philosophy. With an emphasis on those liberal arts fundamentals, Hillsdale’s French program offers an exciting opportunity to expand your understanding of France’s influence on the world. You’ll study the works of Rousseau, Flaubert, and Camus to draw connections between French culture and your own. You’ll have the option to immerse yourself in the language and French way of life at the Institut de Touraine in Tours, France. You’ll become a member of a global community of over 300 million French speakers by studying the only language alongside English that is taught in every country. French is offered as both a major and minor.
Featured Faculty
French
Sherri Rose
"Learning is a life-altering adventure. It begins with the strangeness of discovery, a spark of curiosity, and, when pursued with vigor and sustained reflection, leads undeniably to a powerful transformation of the self."
Sherri Rose, French
French
Jan Starczewski
By engaging with a variety of authentic texts and media types, my students make meaningful use of the French language within real-world contexts.
Jan Starczewski, French
French
Whitney Swance
The French consider their native tongue not simply as a system of words used to speak and write, but as an important cultural product of history, a creation that, as 16th century poet Joaquim du Bellay famously argued, must indefinitely be cared for, nourished and refined.
Whitney Swance, French
French
Anna Navrotskaya
Featured Courses
Featured Course
French Civilization and Culture II
Read More about "French Civilization and Culture II"A study of French life and culture from the Revolution of 1789 to the 20th century.
Read More about "French Civilization and Culture II"A course designed to increase the student's range of self-expression in the speaking and writing of French.
Read More about "Speaking and Writing French"A close reading of major works of the 17th-century Golden Age.
Read More about "Classical French Literature"Featured Course
Survey of French Literature from the Middle Ages through the Eighteenth Century
Read More about "Survey of French Literature from the Middle Ages through the Eighteenth Century"The major themes and movements of each period are examined through representative works.
Read More about "Survey of French Literature from the Middle Ages through the Eighteenth Century"A study of novels representing the literary currents of Realism, Naturalism, and Existentialism in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Read More about "The Modern Novel"Study Abroad
The Institut de Touraine in Tours provides Hillsdale College students with a unique opportunity to increase their knowledge and understanding of French language and culture.