What will I learn?
The Department of French Literature, Thought, and Culture welcomes students with no knowledge of French as well as students who learned French in secondary school or at another university and wish to maintain their language skills and/or study the literature, culture, or thought traditions of France and the Francophone world. Advanced courses are also suitable for native speakers of the language. With an emphasis on the diversity of the French-speaking world and on urgent questions such as gender, race, and the environment, the department’s course offerings are constantly evolving. The department offers a variety of majors and minors, all of which complement a wide variety of other majors, including but not limited to art history, comparative literature, economics, history, international relations, journalism, music, and psychology. Departmental majors and minors are strongly encouraged to study away at NYU Paris, located in the heart of the historic Latin Quarter.After graduation, French majors follow a wide range of career paths. Among recent graduates are: a diplomatic policy advisor for the United Nations, an editorial project manager, a fashion journalist, an international development consultant, a manager in an international real estate firm, and others who work in the US Foreign Service, art museums, and NGOs. Other popular post-graduation pathways include graduate school (French, art history, linguistics, etc.), medical school, and law school.At the Maison Française, students can attend films, lectures, concerts, and Cafe et Conversation events, as well as other undergraduate events throughout the academic year. The Department of French Literature, Thought, and Culture hosts a chapter of Pi Delta Phi, the national French honor society. The NYU French Club, run by and for our undergraduates, fosters camaraderie and increases interest in French language and Francophone cultures within the NYU community.
