The faculty in French are committed to helping their majors attain a high degree of skill in the five areas of language usage: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and cultural understanding. With the increasing globalization of activity in all areas of public life, the importance for our students of entering the work force with a command of at least one foreign language cannot be doubted. French stands out among the available options by virtue of its importance in the fields of medicine, technology, diplomacy, and finance, among others, as well as by the interest which its distinctive cachet continues to inspire in beginning learners of the language. By developing our students skills in each of the five areas, we are preparing them to succeed in the greatest possible variety of situations where French may be required, including our traditional mission of preparing many students to pursue careers as secondary and college-level teachers of French.<br>Students will be able to:<br>read and comprehend literary and cultural texts written in French. Students are expected to have reached the Advanced range of reading proficiency (Advanced or Advanced-Plus, as specified in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines for Reading).<br>speak French at the Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High range.<br>write research papers in French that demonstrate writing proficiency in the Advanced range (Advanced Low, Mid or High, as specified in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines for Writing).