Parlez-vous français? Sinon, pourquoi pas?

Do you speak French? If not, why not?

French is spoken around the world, in Canada and in the Caribbean, in Africa and in the South Pacific.  In fact, French is very useful almost everywhere in the world.  For reasons you'll be learning in class, the French language and the savoir-faire that come with it enjoy considerable influence even where French is not the regional language - in Latin America, for instance.

In the French program at Pacific Lutheran University, students immerse themselves in authentic French from the beginning. "A special kind of beauty exists which is born in language, of language, and for language."   --Gaston Bachelard Even at beginning levels, there is an emphasis on the music, art, and social life of the French-speaking world.  Students learn to express themselves clearly and effectively in French, and to understand written and spoken French.

The study of the language is no end in itself, however.  In studying French, you'll be learning about the wide range of contributions - literary, artistic, philosophical, and historic - that those who speak French have made to our understanding of the human condition.

Knowledge of French, then, opens the door to some of the world's richest treasures of art and thought.  It is also a practical thing to acquire.  Fluency in French will help you in your career, whatever plans you may have.  Many careers in diplomacy or international business call for the ability to speak French.  The need for French teachers at all levels creates many opportunities.  French is also a language of choice for service in Africa and the West Indies.

A number of recent PLU French majors have enjoyed Fulbrights in France, including Elise Erickson in Rouen, Courtney Berner in Rennes, Sarah Harmon in La Réunion, and, currently, Vanessa Bruce in Guérande, near La Baule. So what are you waiting for? Venez faire du français avec nous!  (Come study French with us!) 

Check out our curriculum.