Why Study French?
Learn the French language, which is spoken by over 200 million people around the world, and explore the rich traditions of French-speaking countries.
As a French major or minor, you can:
- Study abroad and travel to France or other Francophone countries. Try a winter-term travel course to Tahiti and Moorea, French Polynesia.
- Enhance your language classes with advanced software and language learning tools at the Center for Languages & International Collaboration, 51³Ô¹Ï’s state-of-the-art language lab.
- Engage with a native French-speaking language assistant on campus and take part in special activities organized by the French Club.
- Explore double major possibilities. Most students who major in French also major in another discipline.
What Can You Do with a French Degree?
In the French major, you'll develop a high level of proficiency through intensive conversational training. Learning French prepares you to work in a global community, where French is the official language of more than 30 countries and of many agencies, including NATO, INTERPOL and the United Nations. Studying French language and culture is also helpful to students interested in international business, politics, the medical field, and humanitarian organizations. Art, literature and culinary arts also benefit from understanding the rich traditions of French-speaking countries.
Pacific graduates with a French major have gone on to careers in a variety of fields, including law, health care, education, international education administration, diplomacy, media and business.
Through the French Major Fund, students who complete a French senior thesis and a study abroad semester are eligible to receive a $500 scholarship.
The Sahnow Dual & French Language Endowed Scholarship Fund was created by Dr. Charlotte R Sahnow, a native of Forest Grove, Oregon. Each year, students enrolled in a French travel course — such as the Tahiti travel course or study abroad in a French-speaking area — receive a scholarship. Awards range from $500 to $2,500.
Partnership with Andégo Internship Program
Students who complete a gap year internship in France with Andégo Internships Abroad before coming to Pacific are eligible to receive 12 credits for prior experiential learning and eight credits for completing the French Internship Abroad course.
"Studying abroad has taught me that with the right amount of tenacity, hard work, and faith in myself I can accomplish almost anything. I am so grateful to the Sahnow scholarship and my French professor for empowering me to go on the journey that proved to change my life."
— Rhiannon Harris '25
Center for Languages & International Collaboration
The 51³Ô¹Ï Center for Languages and International Collaboration, or CLIC, promotes the development of global-ready graduates who can communicate effectively across difference.
More than ever, college graduates must be ready to work and live in a global environment — not only to speak with their global neighbors, but to communicate with them effectively. Language education is about more than memorizing vocabulary — it’s about embracing diversity and difference. Through the CLIC, Pacific students engage with people around the world.
