What do the countries of Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Algeria, Central Africa, Egypt, and Laos have in common?

The answer is their people all speak French, an international language that is shared among 250 million people around the world. In addition, it is the second official language of the United Nations, as well as the primary language of many international organizations such as UNESCO and WHO (World Health Organization).

If one wanted to become an active participant of an international organization, or one wanted to volunteer in countries of Africa and Asia, for example, at times French would be a more effective means of communication than even English.

Students in the Department of French Studies begin by developing an all-around command of the French language through “listening, speaking, reading, and writing,” while at the same time deepening knowledge and research of French literature, history, culture, and society.

Students train to transmit their own notions and thoughts into a global society and conduct multi-angled inquiries into France, one of the centers of Europe that is predicted to play an important role, politically and economically, in our increasingly globalizing society.

In addition, we take an interest in the history of Franco-Japanese exchange, as well as contemporary issues that France faces. In our modern day and age when it is easy to be constrained by American values, I would like students to commune with the uniqueness of France, which stresses unique identity, and cultivate a pluralistic viewpoint.