French & Francophone Studies - major

Learn how historical and sociocultural contexts inform gender, class and race relations within French-speaking societies. And join our study abroad program in Tours, France.

Recent graduates hold jobs in international organizations, design, investment banking, marketing and pharmaceuticals, and pursue advanced degrees in fields from statistics to education.

All French majors complete a culminating experience, which consists of a culminating exercise (an honors thesis or participation in a senior research colloquium) and a French & Francophone studies portfolio of coursework.

See detailed major & minor requirements

Whether you intend to continue a language you studied in high school or wish to explore a new one, an online placement test is required to enroll in language courses. Your exam score and academic record will inform the final placement decision. We recommend that all students with past language experience take the placement test as early as possible. First-year students will be automatically directed to the exam during course registration. Sophomores, juniors and seniors should contact the academic department prior to course registration.

Language placement exam

Study Abroad

Founded in 1987, Bucknell en France provides an opportunity for all Bucknell students, regardless of major, to enrich their Bucknell education by studying in France for a year or a semester.

The program is located in Tours, a prosperous and culturally rich city of 280,000 people situated in the very heart of France, 150 miles southwest of Paris in the Loire Valley. It is administered by the Bucknell University French faculty in cooperation with the Université François Rabelais in Tours.

The French & Francophone Studies newsletter, Nouvelles de Bucknell, is filled with interviews, photos and excerpts to give you a firsthand look at the latest news. We publish a newsletter every semester not only to keep our colleagues, friends and family updated but also to testify about the overwhelmingly positive effect that studying French can have on an individual's life. Current Bucknell students, faculty and alumni alike all share a passion for this foreign language and culture. This newsletter is designed to celebrate it in a fun and enjoyable way.

Bonne lecture!

172 Coleman Hall