The French major exposes students to a culture, literature and a language that play a central role in world history. Through a wide-ranging curriculum, students majoring in French acquire critical skills, advanced capabilities in reading and speaking, as well as an in-depth knowledge of French and Francophone culture that is highly valued in graduate and professional schools and by employers. Our curriculum touches on an unusually varied range of topics, including literature, visual arts, gender studies, language, current political issues, music, film and theater. French majors are also offered many opportunities to develop a more direct knowledge of contemporary France, either in the French Department's Summer Program in Paris or in a semester- or year-long study abroad program, through internships, or through teaching assistantships in France sponsored by the French government.