French (BA)

Bienvenue au programme d’études françaises à Laurier!

Master French with immersive classroom experiences and optional exchanges at French-speaking universities. Enhance your skills through intensive summer language programs or a job in a Francophone country. Gain deep knowledge of French-speaking cultures, preparing for global careers that demand advanced bilingual skills.

Program Details

Degree Highlights

Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete, and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on: 

  • Comprehensive Courses: Explore advanced French writing, diverse French-speaking cultures, literature, film, music, animation, and translation. Study French grammar at various levels and engage in reflective teaching practice, equipping you with a broad and practical knowledge base. 
  • Practical Skills Development: Gain valuable hands-on experience through translation courses and relevant volunteer work, enhancing your resume and preparing you for a range of professional opportunities in bilingual environments.
  • Integrated Path to an MBA: Start with a BA in French and transition seamlessly into a full-time MBA program with a co-op component with the BA + MBA program
  • Path to a Teaching Career: Apply to our direct entry French with Teaching Option program for a pathway into a Bachelor of Education.

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more!):

  • Co-op: Arts Honours students can apply for the co-op program, completing three four-month work terms to gain valuable industry experience and develop career-specific skills.
  • Work or Learn Abroad: Explore summer jobs in Francophone countries. Partners include AIESEC Global Talent and Télévision Française de l’Ontario, offering real-world immersion. Apply for an international exchange at French-speaking universities to practice French abroad and gain global exposure.
  • Certificates and Volunteering: Earn the Certificate in Community and Workplace Language Learning to showcase your practical French skills, and volunteer locally to gain language and professional experience.
  • Tandem Program: Participate in the Tandem Program to practice French through conversation with international students, enhancing your language skills without the need to travel.

Courses, Options and Pathways

First Year Courses

The level of French you previously completed will determine which of the following courses you will need to complete in your first year of study:

  • Introductory French I
  • Introductory French II
  • Practical French I
  • Practical French II
  • Atelier in Composition and Stylistics
  • Language through Popular Culture I

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Media and the News in French
  • Graphic Novels and Animation
  • Creative Writing in French
  • Music in French
  • Cultural and Literary Representations of Montréal

Popular Elective Courses

  • Spanish Art, Music and Media
  • Spanish Language Through Cinema
  • Language Acquisition, Cognition, and Society 

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Cultural Studies minor
  • Global Studies Minor
Or combine your French Major with a Spanish, Arabic, Italian or German Minor. Check out other options to enhance your degree.


Teaching Pathway

Apply to a direct entry pathway to the Bachelor of Education program (BEd). Students applying for an honours degree in French with the Teaching Option will be considered for admission directly into the competitve BEd program at Laurier. The Teaching Option is designed to provide you with a variety of courses and hands-on learning opportunities to prepare you for future studies and a rewarding teaching career. Apply directly on the Ontario Universities' Application Centre.

Business Pathways

Enhance your degree with a Management Option or get a head-start on graduate studies by applying to the BA + Master of Business Administration with co-op. Apply directly to either on the Ontario Universities' Application Centre.

Admissions

  • Format: full time or part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term) or January (winter term)

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • communications specialist
  • customs/immigration officer
  • dialect coach
  • ESL instructor
  • film translator (dubbing)
  • foreign correspondent
  • interpreter
  • linguist
  • speech-language pathologist
  • teacher/educator
  • translator

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

Your Co-op Experience

Co-op is a way to integrate what you are learning in the classroom with practical experience in your field of study. Build your resume, earn money, develop your network, and graduate future-ready.

Future Laurier Arts students have two options to engage in co-op. You can apply in first-year to our co-op program and complete three-work terms of four months’ duration and gain valuable experience during their studies.

You can also get a head-start and apply for direct admission to our brand-new co-op program straight from high school in select Arts programs. In both pathways, you will gain 12 months of career experience.

Interested? Learn more about co-op in the Faculty of Arts.

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98%employment rate for co‑op students – 2023 / 2024

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Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Global 2000 World University Ranking

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2023

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2023

Waterloo Campus

The Waterloo campus is tucked into about one city block, so you’re steps away from your classes, food and your new favourite study spot.

There are many ways to tour our Waterloo campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

Chat with Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?