Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages - French

The Department of Modern Languages and Intercultural Studies offers the Bachelor of Arts in French. Beginning coursework also is offered in American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Russian, among other languages. The department’s mission is to foster students’ abilities to think critically and to communicate intelligently and creatively in their native as well as in a foreign language. It promotes the study of language and culture to provide a sense of perspective and a better understanding of the world at large today. Many foreign language majors prepare for a career in education, but the ability to speak in a second language is beneficial in any career emphasizing the global nature of our world, such as international business, media, journalism, government, conflict resolution, environmental work, social work, tourism and others. The major also prepares students for graduate work in literature and area and international studies. French French is the 3rd most used language on the Internet (after only English and German). An ability to understand French offers an alternative view of the world through communication with French speakers from all the continents, and news from the leading French-language international media: TV5, France 24 and Radio France International. French is both a working language and an official language of the UN, European Union, UNESCO, NATO, International Olympic Committee, International Red Cross & international courts. French is the language of the 3 cities with EU headquarters: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg. Knowledge of French opens the doors of French companies in France, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa. France possesses the world’s fifth largest economy and is the number-three destination for foreign investment. Thinking local? The Eastern Shore is home to nearly 20,000 immigrants from the Francophone island of Haiti, and Maryland is among the top states for Haitian settlement: 6th among the 50 states! Local schools, businesses, hospitals & volunteer organizations actively seek out college graduates who are capable of speaking French.