French Studies Major Map
Use this major map to explore possibilities and plan for success in five overlapping areas of career and academics.
Choose your year below, then see what you can do when you:
- Learn. Develop the knowledge and skills to complete your major.
- Engage. Contribute to campus and the community.
- Network. Build a foundation of professional connections.
- Transform. Make a positive impact in a diverse world.
- Prepare. Plan for life after graduation.
The map just offers suggestions - you don’t have to do it all.
Learn: What foundational courses should I be taking?
- French 101 and 102; or if you had French before, take the course in which you place
- Visit the Kochoff Language Lab, 3065 CB, for French tutoring
- Composition 105 and 106 or the course you placed
- Math or Science course, or both
- Another Math or Science course
- One Humanities or Social and Behavioral Analysis course
Engage: What kinds of activities and organizations can I explore?
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Join Talent Gateway - UM-Dearborn’s online community where you can complete challenges, earn points, and connect experiences with courses and professional goals.
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Check out all the opportunities offered by the Office of Student Life.
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Participate in First Year Programs, offered through the Office of Student Life
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Join Le Club Francophone
Network: What are important topics in my field?
- Visit your professor’s office hours to introduce yourself and discuss your academic and career interests
and goals - Join a professional organization related to your major
- Visit Mardigian Library to explore endless resources and librarian support
- Participate in French Studies field trips
Transform: What are the challenges and the strengths in my community?
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Find out about the Institute for Local Government
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Donate to the Student Food Pantry
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Explore the Environmental Interpretive Center and sign up for one of their community or university
activities -
Connect with an international organization
Prepare: What are the career options for people with my major?
- Start building your CV - your academic resume
- Explore career options in your field to learn about requirements and expectations
- Visit the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to learn about different types of financial aid and scholarships
- Consider what minor(s) and/or certificates will enhance your French major
Learn: How do I build on foundational courses?
- French 201 and 202, or continue the French sequence
- Visit the Kochoff Language Lab, 3065 CB, for French tutoring
- Upper-level writing intensive course
- Science course
- One Social and Behavioral Analysis course
- Consider a minor in Global Cultures or a certificate in Global Engagement
Engage: What activities and organizations will help me develop professional skills?
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Sign up for MLK Day of Service or Alternative Spring Break.
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Join a major-specific club or any of a number of Student Organizations on campus
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Start planning a study abroad program in France or in a Francophone country
Network: How do I connect with faculty and students with similar interests?
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Submit one of your best papers or projects to the Meeting of Minds Undergraduate Conference
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Attend department colloquium and other research talks on campus
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Attend events organized by the Alliance Française in the area
Transform: What are the challenges and strengths of the Detroit Metro area?
- Contribute to a community project through the Office of Metropolitan Impact (OMI)
- Volunteer for a campus or community organization
- Become a Diversity Ambassador or participate in a Conversation on Race
- Take a course on the European Union or European Cinema
Prepare: What resources are available on campus to help me develop the professional skills I will need?
- Develop your “academic toolkit” through numerous Seeds of Success workshops through the Office of Student Life.
- Meet with your professors to discuss your skills and possible career options
- Find out about internships and whether your job qualifies for credit
- Network with other foreign language students
Learn: How do I gain expertise in my major?
- French 301 and 302 or continue French sequence
- Three additional upper-level French courses, including Critical and Creative Thinking and Arts and
Humanities - One upper-level course that counts as cognate
- Upper-level writing intensive course
- Complete Math and Science requirements
- Complete Social and Behavioral Analysis courses
Engage: How can I grow as a leader on campus?
- Check out the options through the Office of Student Life’s Leadership Development webpage
- Become an Orientation leader
- Start volunteering with community organizations
- Consider being a leader in Le Club Francophone
Network: How can I broaden my professional relationships?
- Connect with alumni through the 30-Minute Mentors Program
- Establish a LinkedIn profile to connect with UM-Dearborn alumni or to join industry-related LinkedIn Groups that hire students
- Apply for an internship in a French company through the Internship Office
Transform: How can I prepare to effectively solve local and global challenges?
- Visit the Office of International Affairs to plan and register for a Study Abroad course
- Take a course outside of your major
- Use Mardigian Library resources to learn more about real world problems and solutions
- Contact the French Consulate in Chicago to find out the schedule of Francophone events
Prepare: What practical things should I do to further my career options?
- Schedule a visit to the Office of Career Services.
- Work a (paid) internship or co-op into your schedule to gain professional experience
- Assess what experiences you are lacking for current job postings and fill in those gaps before graduation
- Ask a French faculty to connect you with French Studies alumni
Learn: How do I finish strong?
- Three additional upper-level French courses, including 336 or 338 as your Capstone
- Complete your cognate requirements
- Complete your electives
- Complete your Intersections
Engage: How can I mentor others to be leaders on campus?
- Create a new club or student organization
- Become a French tutor in the Language Lab
- Become a mentor for a first-year French student
- Become a student assistant for a French faculty member
Network: How can I demonstrate my readiness for the next steps?
- Make sure your applications for graduate or professional schools are complete with a writing sample and personal essay
- Network with alumni working in careers of interest
- Request letters of recommendation from faculty who know your work
- Request a senior audit meeting
- Visit Career Services and refine your resume
Transform: How can I add to the strengths of my community, the region, and the world?
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Contribute to global learning initiatives on campus
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Add a minor or certificate program to your degree.
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Consider spending the summer volunteering with a government agency or nonprofit
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Determine how the knowledge gained in your French courses can be applied to global issues
Prepare: How do I make the best use of university resources to launch my professional next steps?
- Apply to jobs or future education
- Visit Career Services for advice with job searching and interviewing, resumes, and graduate school applications
- Register for postgraduate entrance exams (GRE, MCAT, LSAT) if you plan on graduate school
- Connect with a French faculty member to review your resume and discuss possible career options
- Administration
- Civil Service
- Communication
- Freelance Translator
- Diplomatic Service
- Fashion Industry
- Foreign Service
- Government and Politics
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Immigration Law and Services
- International Development
- International Law
- Interpreter
- Journalism
- Language Industry
- Management Consultant
- Marketing, Media and Publishing
- Museum Curator
- Public Relations
- Teacher/Educator
- Technical Writing
- Travel Industry
Use the map on the interior portion of this brochure to review possibilities and plan for success in the five areas listed - Learn, Engage, Network, Transform, Prepare. The map gives options so you can select what best matches your interests and goals. Start thinking about your future now and build a path throughout your UM-Dearborn career that will prepare you for success.
College is a time for discovering your passions–figuring out who you are and what drives you. UM-Dearborn offers more than 100 majors and minors, so you can find a program that is right for you. We are committed to cultivating a campus community that acknowledges our similarities and celebrates our differences. On campus you’ll find a range of support services and offices that provide the programs you need to be successful both academically and personally.