French
"La langue francaise n'est point fixée, et ne se fixera pas."
-- Victor Hugo
One of the world's truly international languages, French is spoken by 169 million people in Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania. For the past 10 centuries, France has contributed to the richness and the solidity of Western culture. Names such as Descartes, Pascal, Molière, Rousseau, Balzac and Camus are familiar to all. Philosophers and social theorists such as Sartre, Derrida, Foucault and Lévi-Strauss have transcended European borders to transform their disciplines. A generation of post-colonial writers has expressed the aspirations of emerging nations throughout the world.
By majoring in French, or combining the study of French with work in other departments and programs, students pursue work in disciplines such as French literary studies, international studies, International Business, leadership studies, women, gender, & sexuality studies, education and many other interdisciplinary areas. Special opportunities include working as practice assistants and participating in the VCU French Film Festival each spring.
