Why Study French or Italian? A Welcome from the Directors
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Patricia Mougel Director of Lower Division French Program mouge001@umn.edu |
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Sabrina Ovan |
Qualified Instructors
You will be learning from very qualified teaching assistants and specialists, several of them native speakers. Our instructors come from Europe (Italy, Val d’Aoste, France, Switzerland), Africa (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Senegal, Tunisia), and the Caribbean (Haïti, Guadeloupe).
Active Approach to Learning
The Department of French and Italian offers a wide range of courses each semester. First-year courses provide a supportive learning environment to develop your communication skills through interactive, meaning-based activities. In second-year courses, you will further develop your skills with an emphasis on reading and writing. Along with your language skills, you will also study French and Francophone or Italian cultures.
Wide Variety of Available Resources
In addition to the textbooks, all lower division courses use audio, video, and computer-based resources including grammar exercises and web-based reading and cultural activities. You can use these resources in class with your instructor or on your own in computer labs—some are even accessible from off campus.
Greater Understanding
- Learning another language increases your appreciation and understanding of other people and cultures.
- Studying French and Italian opens the door to art: literature, painting, music, fashion, cinema.
- It enhances your travel opportunities and helps you adjust more easily to new environments.
- Being proficient in one or more other languages can open a world of job possibilities. It is essential in over sixty occupations from foreign news correspondent to educator or diplomat. Your linguistic and cultural skills will help you compete more effectively in the global economy. Job applicants who are proficient in at least two languages have an advantage in national and international job markets.
- Above all, learning a language other than your own opens you to another worldview.
We wish you a fruitful and rewarding learning experience in our programs. Welcome!