The French Department at Stern College offers courses in elementary through advanced language and culture, as well as medieval through twentieth-century French literature. 

Students choose to study French because they wish to be able to better communicate with the millions of French and francophone people living in both hemispheres of the globe. Those planning careers in international business, finance, politics, medicine, or academia are professionally motivated to acquire proficiency in the language.  Others choose to study French because it is spoken by friends and family members, and they wish to become closer to this heritage.  The French language is not simply a communicative tool; it is also a pathway to one of the richest European cultures, not to mention literature written by  Quebecois, African and Caribbean authors.  Thus, students of French can expect not only to acquire linguistic skills, but also to become more critical in their reflections on culture and the arts.