Expand your world with a minor in French! Minoring in French is a great way to supplement your major(s) with additional skills. A minor in French will not only enable you to speak, read, write, and listen in a second language, it will also equip you with insight into another culture and that culture's rich history, literature, and arts, and teach you to think critically. The French minor is 12 credit hours. Most students are able to complete the minor in just a few semesters, and up to 6 credits of the minor may overlap with GE requirements.
French Minor Course Requirements
Total Credits
The minor consists of 12 credit hours. No more than 6 hours of credit by examination (EM) and/or transfer credit can be applied to the minor.
Prerequisites
French 1101, 1102, 1103, and 2101.
Prerequisites do not count towards the 12 credit hours required for the minor.
Core Requirements
If you declared the minor in Spring 2020 or later
- Required: French 3101
- Choose one of the following: French 3201. 3202, 3401, 3403, 3501, or 3502
- Choose two of the following: any two additional courses taught in French at the 3000 level and above, at least one of which must be at the 4000 or 5000 level.
- One course may be taught in English: Students minoring in French may petition to have one 2000- to 5000-level course offered by the Department of French and Italian but taught in English count toward their minor. Eligible students must have at least a 3.3 GPA in their French courses overall. The course taught in English may not replace the required 4000- to 5000-level course taught in French (this advanced course may be taken before or after the course in English). Students who would like to petition to count a course in English toward the minor should contact Andy Spencer.
Courses
List of courses that count towards the minor.
If you declared the minor in Autumn 2019 or earlier
- Required: French 3101
- Three courses taught in French at the 3000 level or above, at least one of which must be at the 4000 level or above.
- One course may be taught in English: Students minoring in French may petition to have one 2000- to 5000-level course offered by the Department of French and Italian but taught in English count toward their minor. Eligible students must have at least a 3.3 GPA in their French courses overall. The course taught in English many not replace the required 4000- to 5000-level course taught in French (this advanced course may be taken before or after the course in English). Students who would like to petition to count a course in English toward the minor should contact Andy Spencer.
Courses
List of courses that count towards the minor.
Courses by Theme
If you are interested in using your French in a professional context (say you are pairing a minor or major in Business, Engineering, Education, International Studies, or Pre-medicine with a minor or major in French), we suggest you consider the following courses in particular: 3103 Conversation; 3401 and/or 3402, French and Francophone Cultures; 3501 French for the Professions; 3502 French for International Studies; 4690, French for the Professions Internship; and 5102, Translation. Education majors in particular will benefit from 3301, Discovering Second Language Acquisition.
If you'd like to explore French-speaking cultures and societies across the globe (perhaps you are double majoring in International Studies, African-American and African Studies, Middle-Eastern Studies, History, or Comparative Studies), take a look at the following courses: 3202, Introduction to Francophone Literatures; 3402, Introduction to Francophone Cultures; 5205, Black Africa; 5206, North Africa; and 5207, Quebec; and 3403 and 4401 (variable topics courses) when they treat a subject that interests you.
If you love cinema or the visual arts in general, perhaps combine Film Studies, Moving-Image Production, Design, Theater, or History of Art with a French major or minor that includes 2801, French and Francophone Cinema; 4053, French and Italian Cinema; 5701, Topics in French and Francophone Cinema; 5702, Studies in Contemporary French Cinema; and/or 4401, a variable topics course that periodically treats cinema and comics.
If the written word–whether fiction, autobiography, essay, journalism, or other–is your passion (maybe you are double majoring in Communications, Journalism, English, or World Literatures), consider the 3200 and 5200 series of courses on French and Francophone literatures in their historical contexts from the Middle Ages to the 21st century.
French Minor Resources
Students minoring in French and/or Italian are strongly encouraged to participate in the World Languages Skills and Competencies Workshop before they graduate. It is offered once every semester through the Center for Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.
We strongly encourage minor students to study abroad! As you consider the options above, be sure to check out the study abroad programs in France, Québec and Sénégal: Study Abroad Programs. There are many exciting opportunities, and the credit earned in these programs can be applied to your minor requirements.
Reach out to the French minor advisor Gloria Torrini-Roblin.
Any variation from the program requires the approval of the minor advisor.
For general information about completing a minor at Ohio State, view Arts and Sciences Minor Guidelines.