French
French is spoken in 57 countries, and on five continents. It is the first language of nearly 136 million people, and the second language of 61 million. In addition to being one of Canada's official languages, French is also one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the Red Cross, the Olympic Games … and the unofficial language of love. It’s no wonder another 90 million people are choosing to learn French now.
Studying French
Whether you have no previous French experience, or are bilingual, our program can take you from learning to introduce yourself and order coffee through to writing essays on French literature. There are many entry points into the French program:
Students who have little to no experience or studies in French will begin with language courses on the communicative approach: FR 103.3 for beginners and FR 106.3 for students who obtained the equivalent of Grade 11 French in high school.
Students who completed Grade 12 in high school core French should register in FR 122.3.
Francophone, bilingual or French Immersion High School students who completed Grade 12 French must register in FR 128.3.
These language courses will grant you entry into more advanced study of the cultures and literatures of France, Québec, Western Canada, and other French-speaking regions such as the Maghreb. The department also offers courses on French phonetics, translation and business French.
Il y en a pour tous les goûts!
A Stepping Stone
The French language links a vast communication network between Brussels (the European capital), Montréal, Marseille, Casablanca, Geneva, Kinshasa and many other places. France is the world's fifth-largest industrial nation, and a global heavyweight in aviation (Airbus), high speed trains (TGV or Eurostar), automotives (Renault, Peugeot, Michelin), the media (Vivendi and others), technology (SAGEM), medicine, nuclear power (AREVA), the energy sector (EDF, Suez, Total), and in the production of a highly diverse range of agricultural goods.
Québec is home to Bombardier, the fourth-largest aircraft company in the world, and to Hydro-Québec, the world’s largest producer of hydro-electric power. Montréal houses the national headquarters of many companies such as Air Canada and the Bank of Montreal.
In the international realms of business and politics, Belgium and Switzerland as well as other French-speaking regions are also known for their contributions. It has therefore become increasingly important to communicate in French within this global community.
Careers
Speaking more than one language is essential to many careers, and provides a distinct advantage in many others, including the following:
- education
- translation and interpretation
- journalism and communications
- politics and diplomacy
- travel and tourism
- business and commerce
In order to fully understand Canada, its peoples and its cultures, it is very important to speak and understand French well, and French-English bilingualism is required for most careers in the Canadian Federal Civil Service. No matter what your future career ambitions may be, knowledge of French is an invaluable asset. Long after the initials “BA” have come to represent the individual courses that comprised your undergraduate degree, you are likely to want to list and specify your language classes on any resume.
The U of S Advantage
The University of Saskatchewan French programs offer a great deal of flexibility through diverse course offerings of international, national and provincial importance. Students will study canonical writers and works of historical and global significance as well as francophone writers and works from Saskatchewan and the prairies. Whether students are considering a major or simply a rewarding elective, the program is able to accommodate every level, and build upon existing knowledge of the language.
Because class sizes are smaller than in other first year courses, and a second-language provides the ultimate level playing field, students become part of a close-knit community in the Languages and Linguistics Department. Not only do the professors know their students by name, but they are also able to offer personal interaction both in class and in the francophone community at large. All our French professors are involved in the Fransaskois community, and enhance their classes with trips to French movies, live theatre, musical events, variety shows, conferences and translation slams.
In addition to all these local opportunities to celebrate French and francophone culture, students are encouraged to participate in any one of many study and work abroad programs, including Explore, the federally-funded five-week French Immersion program in Québec and other provinces.
Choose Your Program
Students majoring in French can choose from one of the following degrees:
- B.A. Honours B.A. (54 cu in French)
- B.A. Double Honours (36 cu in French combined with required cu in another discipline)
- B.A. Four Year (36 cu in French)
- B.A. Three Year (30 cu in French)
Students also have the option of one of the following:
- French Minor (24 cu of French)
- Language Recognition in French (18 cu of French)
- French as either the primary or secondary language in the Modern Languages programs
Important:
The Modern Languages program is not intended for students who are thinking of pursuing a teaching career in French. Students should opt for a 4 year major in French in order to teach the French language.
Students who are considering the possibility of grad studies will need the Honours French program.
Getting Involved
The French Section:
The university year begins with a “Meet the Profs” night, and during the next eight months you can participate in student plays presented by Unithéâtre, showcase your talents at French variety nights, and attend various conferences organized by the professors of the French section.
Le Cercle Français:
The Cercle Français is a group of students who organize French activities. Its program includes theatre productions by Unithéâtre and events organized by the Fédération des francophones de Saskatoon (FFS) and the Association jeunesse fransaskoise (AJF), such as the Fête Fransaskoise in July and a ski trip to Banff in winter. For information about reduced rates for 19-25 year olds, please contact Denis Simard, executive director of the AJF at 306-653-7449. The Cercle français also organizes French lunch-hours in Room 47 Arts and the popular Frog Crawl pub nights.
The AJF also offers young francophones and francophiles aged between 19 and 25 the chance to do volunteer work and take courses and workshops in French. For more information, please contact Denis Simard, executive director of the AJF, at (306) 653-7449 or visit
their website.
ACFAS:
ACFAS is the Canadian Francophone Association for Knowledge. It organizes conferences, cultural events and invites guest speakers from le Forum du Savoir. ACFAS offers awards to students who present a paper as part of one of its knowledge-sharing projects. For more information about ACFAS and its various programs, please
contact us.
La Fédération des Francophones de Saskatoon (FFS):
The Francophone community of Saskatoon welcomes everyone to its weekly “5 à 7” or "Happy Hour" at the Relais (103-308 4th Avenue North) every Friday. The Federation organizes concerts, a Christmas party, the Winter Carnival, the Cinergie Francophone Film Festival in April, St-Jean-Baptiste day in July and the French pavilion at Folkfest. To obtain the Saskatoon francophone community’s calendar of events, please call (306) 653-7440,
email or visit the Relais, or view the
FFS website.
In conjunction with the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (ACF), the Association des parents fransaskois (APF) and the Fédération provinciale des Fransaskoises (FPF), the FFS organizes the Rendez-vous de la francophonie in March. For a list of activities, please consult
their website.
Outstanding Faculty
Dr. Marie-Diane Clarke is the head of the French Section. She conducts research in the area of francophone theatre in Western Canada. She is an active member of the FFS (la Fédération des francophones de Saskatoon) and has been a member of the executive committee of
La Troupe du Jour and
Unithéâtre (the francophone theatre company in Saskatchewan and the university French-speaking theatre company) since 2000. Her other area of expertise is the child narrator in French and French-Canadian literature.
Dr. Helena da Silva specializes in French-Canadian literature and 20th century women novelists from Québec and France. Her areas of intellectual inquiry in teaching and research are wide and varied and include the evolution of the novel, postmodernism, literary critical theory, philosophical movements of 18th, 19th and 20th century France, women’s and gender issues as well as the relationships between language, desire and power.
Dr. Max Kramer is a 19th and 20th century comparatist scholar whose research focuses on queer issues in modernist poetry (French, German, Spanish, English) and on postcolonial North African and Middle Eastern society and literature. He has a book forthcoming with L’Harmattan entitled
Poésie et Inversion: La métaphore queer dans la poésie moderniste, and published various articles on queer sexuality in the Muslim world.
Dr. Stella Spriet teaches 17th and 18th century French theatre and has organized international conferences in Paris in 2009 and 2010, as well as bringing the reknown SE17 conference to Saskatoon in 2009. In 2010, she won a Teaching Excellence Award.
Dr. Anne-Marie Wheeler has a background in Film and Translation Studies. She is a member of the National Literary Translators Association, and has translated Governor General award-Winning writers Nicole Brossard and David Paquet. She also won a Teaching Excellence Award in 2008.
Outstanding Alumni
The distinction of being named most outstanding student of the Humanities has been granted to four French students during the last six Convocation exercises: Andrea Puhl, Geneviève Gérard, Leigh Weber and Nicole Mak. In the spring convocation of 2010, Nicole Mak was also awarded the Haslam Medal for most outstanding student in the College of Arts and Science. All have moved on to further studies and achievements:
Nicole Mak's B.Sc. in Microbiology and Honours B.A. in French have led to studies in Medicine, and she also plans to undertake an M.A. in French.
Leigh Weber (Copland Prize - 2009) recently completed an M.A. in French at Queen's University.
Genevieve Gerard (Copland Prize - 2007) went on to Graduate Studies in Speech therapy at the University of Alberta.
Andrea Puhl (Rose Littman Award - 2005) completed an M.A. at the University of Saskatchewan, did additional graduate work in Library Sciences in Montréal and now works for the European Union in Brussels.
Admission Requirements
The following is a list of high school subjects required for admission. Please select the province/territory where you completed high school.
Additional Information
Related Interests
If you are interested in French,
you might also be interested in:
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