University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and SciencesUniversity of Colorado Denver

French Major Apply Now

French Majors are strongly encouraged to participate in one of the University's Study Abroad Programs. Please see a faculty member in French for information about opportunities to include study abroad as part of your major.

Admission and Grade Requirements

To be admitted to major status in French, students must have an overall GPA of C+ (2.3). The minimum grade acceptable in any French course applied to a French major is C (2.0). The average grade in all courses applied to a French major must be 2.5. No courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis may be credited toward a French major.

Upon declaring a major in French, each student will be assigned to a faculty advisor with whom the student should consult at least once per semester thereafter. It is especially important that students have their transcripts reviewed by their advisor before enrolling in their final 30 credit hours at UC Denver. Failure to do so may result in delay of graduation.

Students presenting four years of high school French (Level IV) for admission to UCD must see a French advisor before enrolling in courses for the major. Students with Advanced Placement credits from high school should see a French advisor about courses equivalencies. The Department of Modern Languages does not accept CLEP credits.

Requirements for the French Major

Students majoring in French must complete 30 semester hours of upper-division French courses (courses numbered 3000 and above). A minimum of 18 of those semester hours must be taken from the faculty in French at UC Denver. Courses taken at other institutions while a student is enrolled at UC Denver may be applied to the major only with departmental approval before enrollment in those courses.

Required Courses: 12 credit hours

All French majors must complete the following coursework:

  • French 3010 French Phonetics and Pronunciation
  • French 3020 Oral Practice
  • French 3050 Advanced Grammar and Composition
  • French 3060 Advanced French Language Skills

Elective Courses: 18 credit hours

In addition to these four courses, students majoring in French must select and complete the following courses in French:

  • at least one literature course
  • at least one culture or civilization course
  • 9 semester hours at the 4000 level

Outcomes Assessment Exam

Before enrolling in their final semester at UC Denver, seniors must demonstrate listening, speaking, reading and writing proficiency, along with a knowledge of course content, through the Oral Proficiency Interview and the written Outcomes Assessment Exam.

BA in French and Secondary Foreign Language Teacher Licensure

Teacher certification in French

Students interested in teaching French at the elementary or secondary school level should discuss the French undergraduate licensure program with both their French and undergraduate advisors. Click here for basic information on Teacher Licensure.

Honors in French

Students interested in graduating with honors in French should discuss the matter with their advisor at least one year prior to graduation. Please see "Undergraduate Honors Programs in Modern Languages"