French Concentration

When you pursue a foreign language degree with a concentration in French, you learn how the world extends beyond the borders of the United States. You open your mind to other ways of life, and you develop an interest in bridging cultural gaps.

Our program is an innovative one that integrates web-based and multimedia resources into the classroom. You will study traditional academic fields like language, literature, and the culture of French and less traditional subjects such as film studies and the Francophone literatures of the Caribbean, Quebec, and Africa.

Our teaching staff is as diverse as our students —with faculty from all over the Francophone world including Lebanon, Morocco, France, Canada, and Algeria.

The French concentration at Mason prepares you for research and professional work in government and private enterprises, teaching careers at the secondary-school level, and graduate study in languages.

Many language majors pursue a minor in a related subject area, and some add a second major in another field.

Major Map

	First Year	Middle Years	Last Year
Academics	Meet with your academic advisor to declare your major concentration in ARAB, CHIN, FREN, KORE, or SPAN and create a four-year graduation plan. Take a Foreign Language Placement Test if you have any experience learning your target language. Begin the basic language sequence alongside your Mason Core and CHSS required courses. Consider specialized intermediate language courses tailored for heritage speakers. Apply to the Honors College to fulfill your Mason Core requirements through challenging, interdisciplinary coursework. Join the MCL Welcome Back Event and your program information session to connect with all faculty and fellow students. Seek additional advising and resources from program coordinators and the director of undergraduate studies in the department. Plan your study abroad early so it can fit into your graduation plan.	Meet with your academic advisor to plan your courses each semester and to stay on track with degree requirements. Complete the basic language sequence by taking ARAB/CHIN/FREN/KORE 202 or SPAN 212/215 to satisfy program benchmarks before enrolling in upper-level core courses taught in the target language. Consider specialized advanced language courses tailored for heritage speakers. Study abroad during the summer or a full semester for transformative experiential learning experiences and apply for study abroad scholarships. Pursue credit-based global internships through the Global Education Office if you are interested in working abroad. Consider adding a second concentration or minor and update your four-year graduation plan accordingly. Apply for various CHSS scholarships and fellowships to fund your academic and professional growth. Learn about Accelerated MA in Foreign Languages from the director of graduate studies.	Meet with your academic advisor to have your graduation plan approved before registering for your final semester. Enroll in the Mason Core Writing Intensive ARAB 331, CHIN 480, KORE 370, FREN 309, or SPAN 370 to complete the Mason’s vertical writing curriculum. Take the Mason Core Apex course for your capstone research experience. Apply for graduation to finalize your degree and receive a diploma Complete the Graduating Senior Exit Survey to share your perspective and feedback. Submit the BAM transition form to your academic advisor if enrolled in an Accelerated Master’s program. Assess your language proficiency by taking an optional program exit test or a designated language-specific exam, as guided by program coordinators.
Career and Professional Prep	Explore what you can do with your major in foreign languages. Study the Career Readiness Guide to form your career development plan and strategies. Visit the Career Services Center to begin researching relevant industries. Build your resume and LinkedIn profile to continue career exploration and develop your professional persona. Take UNIV 220 Decide/Confirm Major if you are unsure about your major and career path. Activate your Handshake profile to explore and opt-in to industry email lists. Attend the annual MCL Career Roundtable to connect with your professors, gain industry insights and discover valuable resources for your career path. Seek additional career resources from the director of undergraduate studies and program coordinators in the department.	Study career-specific resources. Explore credit- or stipend-based internship opportunities and the scholarship for unpaid internships through University Career Services and Handshake. Attend the Resume Clinic and Career and Internship Fairs each semester. Take the Language for the Professions courses in your concentration to acquire industry-specific language skills. Join the Clearance Ready Program if you are interested in careers with federal agencies or federal contractors. Earn TEFL/TESOL certification and global teaching experience in Japan, Korea, Spain, and Thailand through credit-based summer internships if interested in teaching careers. Seek research and funding opportunities from your professors, program coordinators, and the director of undergraduate studies in the department. Discuss with your professors and the director of graduate studies whether graduate school might be the right path for you.	Meet with the industry-specific advisor at the Career Services Center for relevant resources and advice. Attend the Career and Internship Fairs each semester and keep track of all relevant career events. Take the ARAB/CHIN/FRLN/KORE/ SPAN 490 Internship Courses for experiential learning. Complete the Careers Plan Survey to share your perspective and feedback. Talk with your professors to discuss possible job or graduate school applications and request potential recommendation letters in advance. Create a centralized tracker to manage job and graduate school application requirements and deadlines. Refine your post-graduation application materials, including resume, LinkedIn profile, portfolio, and personal statement. Prepare for behavioral interview questions using the STAR technique and review the Interview Prep Checklist.
Experiences	Receive regular announcements about your program and department events by declaring your major concentration early. Check out the departmental website for any upcoming events. Join a Registered Student Organization, club sport, and other campus-wide organizations for extra-curricular and leadership experiences. Participate in co-curricular activities, including language tables, movie nights, calligraphy workshops, and language exchange by contacting program coordinators. Explore local sites and events relevant to your language and discipline in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area.	Apply for the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) to gain authentic research experience with a faculty mentor. Present your creative or literary work in your program’s academic journal like Hispanic Culture Review and at the Annual Polyglot Performances. Attend invited talks or departmental lecture series regularly. Engage in the life of the college beyond your department and consider working as a CHSS Student Ambassador. Apply for the Summer Engaged Program to work with various community partners over the summer. Participate in a Summer Team Impact Project to address a challenging global problem in partnership with the community with faculty mentors	Become a member of Sigma Delta Pi and/or Phi Sigma Iota International Foreign Language Honor Society. Present your Apex research project at the CHSS Undergraduate Research Symposium and/or other Mason Undergraduate Student Conferences like MUSCKS. Publish your scholarly works with The George Mason Review and/or Hispanic Culture Review. Apply for the Undergraduate Student Travel Fund to participate in regional or national research conferences, such as Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia and National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Attend the MCL Graduation and Award Ceremony in the spring semester.

First Year

Middle Years

Last Year

Academics

Meet with your academic advisor to declare your major concentration in ARAB, CHIN, FREN, KORE, or SPAN and create a four-year graduation plan.

Take a Foreign Language Placement Test if you have any experience learning your target language.

Begin the basic language sequence alongside your Mason Core and CHSS required courses.

Consider specialized intermediate language courses tailored for heritage speakers.

Apply to the Honors College to fulfill your Mason Core requirements through challenging, interdisciplinary coursework.

Join the MCL Welcome Back Event and your program information session to connect with all faculty and fellow students.

Seek additional advising and resources from program coordinators and the director of undergraduate studies in the department.

Plan your study abroad early so it can fit into your graduation plan.

Meet with your academic advisor to plan your courses each semester and to stay on track with degree requirements.

Complete the basic language sequence by taking ARAB/CHIN/FREN/KORE 202 or SPAN 212/215 to satisfy program benchmarks before enrolling in upper-level core courses taught in the target language.

Consider specialized advanced language courses tailored for heritage speakers.

Study abroad during the summer or a full semester for transformative experiential learning experiences and apply for study abroad scholarships.

Pursue credit-based global internships through the Global Education Office if you are interested in working abroad.

Consider adding a second concentration or minor and update your four-year graduation plan accordingly.

Apply for various CHSS scholarships and fellowships to fund your academic and professional growth.

Learn about Accelerated MA in Foreign Languages from the director of graduate studies.

Meet with your academic advisor to have your graduation plan approved before registering for your final semester.

Enroll in the Mason Core Writing Intensive ARAB 331, CHIN 480, KORE 370, FREN 309, or SPAN 370 to complete the Mason’s vertical writing curriculum.

Take the Mason Core Apex course for your capstone research experience.

Apply for graduation to finalize your degree and receive a diploma

Complete the Graduating Senior Exit Survey to share your perspective and feedback.

Submit the BAM transition form to your academic advisor if enrolled in an Accelerated Master’s program.

Assess your language proficiency by taking an optional program exit test or a designated language-specific exam, as guided by program coordinators.

Career and Professional Prep

Explore what you can do with your major in foreign languages.

Study the Career Readiness Guide to form your career development plan and strategies.

Visit the Career Services Center to begin researching relevant industries.

Build your resume and LinkedIn profile to continue career exploration and develop your professional persona.

Take UNIV 220 Decide/Confirm Major if you are unsure about your major and career path.

Activate your Handshake profile to explore and opt-in to industry email lists.

Attend the annual MCL Career Roundtable to connect with your professors, gain industry insights and discover valuable resources for your career path.

Seek additional career resources from the director of undergraduate studies and program coordinators in the department.

Study career-specific resources.

Explore credit- or stipend-based internship opportunities and the scholarship for unpaid internships through University Career Services and Handshake.

Attend the Resume Clinic and Career and Internship Fairs each semester.

Take the Language for the Professions courses in your concentration to acquire industry-specific language skills.

Join the Clearance Ready Program if you are interested in careers with federal agencies or federal contractors.

Earn TEFL/TESOL certification and global teaching experience in Japan, Korea, Spain, and Thailand through credit-based summer internships if interested in teaching careers.

Seek research and funding opportunities from your professors, program coordinators, and the director of undergraduate studies in the department.

Discuss with your professors and the director of graduate studies whether graduate school might be the right path for you.

Meet with the industry-specific advisor at the Career Services Center for relevant resources and advice.

Attend the Career and Internship Fairs each semester and keep track of all relevant career events.

Take the ARAB/CHIN/FRLN/KORE/ SPAN 490 Internship Courses for experiential learning.

Complete the Careers Plan Survey to share your perspective and feedback.

Talk with your professors to discuss possible job or graduate school applications and request potential recommendation letters in advance.

Create a centralized tracker to manage job and graduate school application requirements and deadlines.

Refine your post-graduation application materials, including resume, LinkedIn profile, portfolio, and personal statement.

Prepare for behavioral interview questions using the STAR technique and review the Interview Prep Checklist.

Experiences

Receive regular announcements about your program and department events by declaring your major concentration early.

Check out the departmental website for any upcoming events.

Join a Registered Student Organization, club sport, and other campus-wide organizations for extra-curricular and leadership experiences.

Participate in co-curricular activities, including language tables, movie nights, calligraphy workshops, and language exchange by contacting program coordinators.

Explore local sites and events relevant to your language and discipline in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area.

Apply for the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) to gain authentic research experience with a faculty mentor.

Present your creative or literary work in your program’s academic journal like Hispanic Culture Review and at the Annual Polyglot Performances.

Attend invited talks or departmental lecture series regularly.

Engage in the life of the college beyond your department and consider working as a CHSS Student Ambassador.

Apply for the Summer Engaged Program to work with various community partners over the summer.

Participate in a Summer Team Impact Project to address a challenging global problem in partnership with the community with faculty mentors

Become a member of Sigma Delta Pi and/or Phi Sigma Iota International Foreign Language Honor Society.

Present your Apex research project at the CHSS Undergraduate Research Symposium and/or other Mason Undergraduate Student Conferences like MUSCKS.

Publish your scholarly works with The George Mason Review and/or Hispanic Culture Review.

Apply for the Undergraduate Student Travel Fund to participate in regional or national research conferences, such as Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia and National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Attend the MCL Graduation and Award Ceremony in the spring semester.

Opportunities

All students have opportunities for research, global-engagement, public service, and career preparation.

Improve your language skills by studying abroad. Read more >>
Apply for a Study Abroad Merit Scholarship. Read more >>
Join the French Club and meet students and faculty with a passion for French for discussions and film screenings.
Share your knowledge of French by participating in the department's annual Polyglot Performance.

Other Concentrations

Major Map

Opportunities