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French is the language of 170 million people around the world, primarily in Europe and Africa. French-speaking traditions are still present in the United States, notably in parts of Louisiana and Maine. And according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Italian is the seventh most spoken foreign language in U.S. homes.
Knowing French allows you to study and work abroad, whether in France, Canada, Belgium, Morocco, or French-speaking West Africa. A knowledge of Italian is useful for people in the arts, technology, business, and other professions. Both languages also are helpful for students planning careers in music, linguistics, education, and international relations.
Why
Study French or Italian at Iowa?
As the major research program statewide in these fields, Iowa’s Department of French and Italian is active not only in instruction but also in developing knowledge. It was ranked in the top dozen programs at public universities in the most recent National Research Council study.
Small numbers of majors—approximately 90 students in French and 12 students in Italian—allow for extraordinary individual attention, opportunities for outside-the-classroom learning, and direct interaction with faculty, graduate teaching assistants from the United States and the African diaspora, and exchange students from France.
Combining courses in the French and Arabic languages and cultures is one of the new features of the program.
Faculty
All of the department’s highly committed and distinguished faculty members teach undergraduate courses. Many have won awards, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, Columbia University's Institute for Scholars fellowship, and the Service Culturel award (French government service award). The faculty includes native speakers of French and Italian. Faculty members encourage interdisciplinary studies through electives, minors, certificates, and second majors. The department is especially strong in its offering of courses on most cultures of the French-speaking world, including France, North and West Africa, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean area, and Quebec.
Course
Work
Courses in French provide speaking, reading, and writing knowledge of the language as well as a broad background in the literature and cultures of France and the French-speaking world. Courses in Italian provide speaking, reading, and writing knowledge of the language. Students may combine language studies with concentrations in other areas.
BA in French
The undergraduate major in French may be completed with an emphasis on language, literature, and culture; French and Arabic; or teaching. All majors must complete the following courses (total of 10 semester hours [s.h.]):
- Introduction
to Reading and Writing in Literature (3 s.h.)
- French Grammar
(3 s.h.)
- Oral Expression
in French II (2 s.h.)
- Oral Expression
in French III (2 s.h.)
Students complete the degree with seven courses in these tracks (21 s.h.).
Language—for students interested in acquiring a practical command of French and familiarity with technical terminology, business procedures, and translation techniques, or who want to continue French with studies in such areas as international studies, communication studies, and other languages.
Literature and Culture—for students interested in combining the study of French and francophone literature and culture with a major in another area, such as cinema, comparative literature, history, political science, and other liberal arts disciplines.
Teaching—for students who plan to acquire secondary teaching licensure. French majors who are interested in obtaining a state license must successfully complete requirements for a major in French and must be admitted into the foreign language Teacher Education Program. Students must complete one semester of student teaching in the classroom and the required education courses from the Division of Curriculum and Instruction.
Students complete the degree with seven or eight courses in this track (25 s.h.).
French and Arabic—for students interested in languages, Africa and the Middle East in the postcolonial era, and 21st-century world and global studies.
BA in Italian
You may choose to major in Italian with the objective of pursuing graduate study in Italian, comparative literature, or history, and with the goal of becoming a college teacher. You may combine your major studies with courses in education as preparation for teaching in high school settings. You also may combine Italian with professional studies in international business, global studies, political science, finance, travel, journalism, and communication studies. In these professions, it often is essential to possess a good knowledge of foreign languages.
The BA degree in Italian requires 31 s.h. and includes:
- Intermediate
Italian (8 s.h.)
- Advanced Composition
and Conversation (8 s.h.)
- Introduction
to Modern Italian Literature (6 s.h.)
- Medieval and
Renaissance Italian Literature (6 s.h.)
- One additional
100-level course taught in Italian (3 s.h.)
Minors
in French or Italian
The requirements for a minor are 15 s.h. with a 2.00 minimum grade-point average (GPA). For French, credit from the Iowa Regents' Summer Program in Lyon is counted as University of Iowa credit; 6 s.h. from other study abroad programs may be used toward the minor. Students who plan to use a minor to teach at the elementary or secondary school level should contact the Division of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education to determine specific requirements for teaching licensure.
Other
Opportunities
You may choose to live in the International Crossroads Community in Mayflower Residence Hall. In this living-learning community, American and international students have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of international issues, languages, and cultures while living in a close-knit group.
Study
Abroad
You can register to participate in one of Iowa’s well-developed study abroad programs, on a summer-, semester-, or year-long basis or as an American assistant in France through the French Ministry of Education. The most popular programs in France include the Iowa Regents’ Summer Program in Lyon, the Universities of Pau and Montpellier in the south of France, and opportunities in Paris. In Canada, the summer program at Université Laval in Quebec also is popular.
Business students may earn Iowa credit with study in Italy through the Consortium of Universities for International Studies. Italian majors are encouraged to consult the Study Abroad Office for information about numerous programs of study available throughout Italy. Students in Arabic may go on the Iowa Regents' Summer Program in Fez, Morocco.
Study abroad requires advance planning, so visit the Office for Study Abroad as soon as possible.
Honors
In order to graduate with honors, you must be a member of the University of Iowa Honors Program.
In addition, students in French and Italian must complete several honors-designated advanced courses, complete individual research and a thesis, and maintain a department GPA of at least 3.50. Study abroad credit is another way to earn honors at Iowa.
Scholarships
Consult multiple sources for scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and departmental web sites.
Available to upper-level French students are scholarships such as the Helen K. Fairall Endowment, which offers $4,000 to a junior or senior, born and educated in Iowa, who has a minimum University of Iowa cumulative GPA of 3.00. Students must be nominated.
Also available to French majors is the Mary Susan Morse Iosue Fellowship, which offers up to $750 per semester for two consecutive semesters.
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