French is an important language of diplomacy, commerce, and health care and is used in research across the globe and in many disciplines, such as music, art, linguistics, history, law, political science, anthropology, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and philosophy. The French discipline gives students the language and analytic skills necessary to engage intellectually with these interconnected fields in French and to appreciate the cultures of France and Francophone countries throughout the world. Objectives: The French curriculum is designed to ensure that students: *Develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in French; *Refine cross-cultural and problem-solving skills; *Expand research and career opportunities in a global and interconnected world; *Discover the traditions, literatures, arts, and histories of French-speaking peoples; *Explore the contributions of French-speaking peoples to education, the humanities, social sciences and/or STEM fields; *Engage in research in French; *Prepare for a career serving French-speaking people in the United States and abroad in the sciences, commerce, diplomacy, economic development, healthcare, teaching or community outreach. CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN FRENCH The certificate program in French responds to the growing demand for individuals who can communicate successfully in a global environment and is intended for students whose other academic commitments prevent them from completing either a major or minor in French. To earn a certificate, a student must: a) complete a minimum of 16 credits in French at UMM at the 2xxx and/or 3xxx level. All courses for the certificate must be taken on campus at UMM. Students are encouraged to study abroad, but the UMM French faculty need to assess the skills and progress of the student. Therefore, classes taken abroad (including July in Paris) do not count for the certificate. b) earn at least a B in each of the four courses (S-N grades will not be accepted for the Certificate). No courses in English may count toward the French certificate program. Students who complete a major or minor in French are not eligible for the certificate program. A student who has met the above requirements will receive a reference letter from the UMM French faculty certifying completion of the certificate program as well as language competence based on guidelines published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Students must complete a significant amount of coursework in French at UMM, but are also strongly encouraged to study abroad. In order to count study abroad toward the French major or minor, all students must procure formal approval of coursework from the French Discipline prior to departure. (Typically, no more than to 6 credits from study abroad may count towards the French minor.) No courses taught in English may count toward the French minor. No grades below C- may count toward the French minor. Courses may not be taken S-N unless offered S-N only. A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required in the minor to graduate. The GPA includes all, and only, University of Minnesota coursework. Grades of "F" are included in GPA calculation until they are replaced.