06-07 Undergrad Catalog | French and Italian

Yvon Le Bras, Chair
3134 JFSB, (801) 422-2542

College of Humanities Advisement Center
1175 JFSB, (801) 422-4789

Admission to Degree Program

All degree programs in the Department of French and Italian are open enrollment.

The Discipline

The study of French or Italian language and literature sharpens analytical and communicative skills. Students develop proficiency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking, and they learn to use literature as a means to discover and broaden their understanding of culturally specific as well as universal issues and values.

Career Opportunities

Italian and French are valuable research and communication tools for students in music, art, history, European studies, international relations, library science, and comparative literature. Many have chosen a major or minor in Italian or French in addition to a second major or minor in an area such as accounting or business management, or as preparation for professional programs in public administration, business administration, organizational behavior, dentistry, law, or medicine.

Many of our students have opted for a career in government service, working with an embassy, the State Department, the CIA, and other government agencies.

Other students have gone into travel and tourism, working with tour agencies, airlines, major hotel chains, or resort communities.

The computer industry also provides employment opportunity for our graduates. Many computer companies have expanded into foreign markets and hire people who can translate computer and software instruction and sales publications in a foreign language.

Graduation Requirements

To receive a BYU bachelor's degree a student must complete, in addition to all requirements for a specific major, the following university requirements:

The university core, consisting of requirements in general and religious education. (See the University Core section of this catalog for details. For a complete listing of courses that meet university core requirements, see the current class schedule.)
A minimum of 30 credit hours in residence
A minimum of 120 credit hours
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0

Undergraduate Programs and Degrees

BA    French
BA    French Teaching
BA    Italian

Minors

French

French Teaching

Italian

Students should see their college advisement center for help or information concerning the undergraduate programs.

Graduate Programs and Degrees

MA French Studies
MA Language Acquisition (French)

For more information see the BYU 2006–2007 Graduate Catalog.

General Information

The Department of French and Italian strongly recommends that StDev 317, a 1-credit-hour course, be taken at the end of the sophomore year or the beginning of the junior year. Because liberal arts degrees provide preparation in a variety of useful fields rather than a single career track, this course is recommended to help liberal arts students focus on specific educational and occupational goals and to identify the career options or educational opportunities available to them. The course will introduce them to the resources needed for accessing information about graduate schools, internships, careers, and career development. Students will learn basic employment strategies, including the steps necessary for obtaining employment related to their own specialty.

Internships Abroad. The Department of French and Italian in association with the French Embassy's Cultural Services offers spring/summer internships in France in a variety of positions: businesses, corporations, industry, hospitals, research laboratories, national and local governments, cultural organizations, nonprofit agencies and nongovernmental organizations, hotels and tourism, etc. Job placements are made according to the student's language proficiency, previous work experience, field of study, and personal interest. Students may enroll for Fren 399R, 211R, 311R, or 411, or other courses such as Fren 490R. The internship proves invaluable in strengthening language skills.

Oral Proficiency Interview. All French-teaching majors and minors and all Italian majors are required to enroll in Fren 491 or Ital 491 and have an oral proficiency interview (OPI). (French majors are encouraged to do so as well.) French teaching majors and minors are required to take the OPI before taking Fren 378. The results of the OPI are recorded on the student's transcript. The minimum rating of Advanced is required of all teaching majors and minors. Appointments for the interviews are made through the department secretary.

When it is necessary to strengthen oral proficiency, students are encouraged to take Fren 323, plus conversation courses, the Foreign Language Student Residence, Study Abroad programs, summer internships abroad, and support materials in the Humanities Learning Resource Center, such as tapes, videos, and satellite broadcasts.

Instruction. All courses are taught in the target language unless indicated otherwise in this catalog.