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Should I major in French if I only took 1 year of French in HS?

I took Spanish for 4 years in high school, and in my senior year I decided to take French I. I've fallen in love with it, and I want to major in French, but is that a good idea? Will it cost me more money in the long run? Will I be too far behind? #majors #French #foreign-languages

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Thank you comment icon It depends on what you want to be. If what you want to be needs a French major-Do it! If you would only be getting a major because you love it, I would say get a minor in French. That way you can still study abroad if you want. This is what I am doing but with Spanish. I am going to minor in Spanish and get a major in something else... Zena
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Meghan’s Answer

Hi Emma!

I think it is wonderful that you have fallen in love with French. I personally have a Bachelor's in French and English (double major) and a Master's in French. I have had countless amazing opportunities due to my French degrees and would not discourage you from studying French if that is your passion.

As for your experience, it may mean you will need to put in more time to "catch up" to others in your program, but if French is truly something you love, this may feel less like work than you'd think! Check out some French TV series, films, Youtube stars, etc. and start watching these in French with French subtitles. Doing this regularly will boost your vocabulary and listening/reading comprehension and will complement your other French studies. Any opportunities you have to communicate directly with Francophone (French-speaking) people will also accelerate your learning. If travel to a Francophone country isn't an option, look for opportunities in your own community. There are likely Canadian, French, Belgian, Moroccan, Senegalese, Swiss, or many many other nationalities present in your own area with whom you can connect. In college, I attended weekly "conversation tables," with native and non-native French speakers at a coffee shop in my college town. I joined the French club at my university and over the course of my studies, went on to become president of it. Surrounding yourself with other Francophiles is a sure way to help deepen your French immersion and help you determine if this is indeed the right path for you. That's what happened to me! In fact, I started with a French minor and ultimately switched to a major due to the influences of these interactions. My French professors and TAs were also super influential, so try to connect with yours during office hours and go from there.

The idea that a major in French will lead to a limited set of career opportunities is, in my experience, a myth and underestimates the value of world languages. They truly do teach you so much more than the specific language you are studying. You learn critical skills for connecting with others, valuing other cultures, and understanding human interaction at a much deeper level. I have worked as a French teacher, Instructional Designer for Finance, Business, Accounting, banking, project management, and many more diverse subject areas that have nothing directly to do with French. I work alongside folks who majored in Spanish and French as well as a variety of other subjects. Your ability to market yourself during interviews, on your resume, etc. as so much more than a "French language speaker," is really what will set you apart.
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Garth’s Answer

It's great that you've fallen in love in French. The same happened to me in high school, and I speak French to this day. Whether to major in it depends a lot on what you intend to do with it. I thought about majoring in French, then ended up minoring in it (along with International Relations). My eventual direction was pre-law, and I didn't want foreign language to be my primary focus, but the French minor has always been a talking point with prospective employers and has helped me get work involving French. I wouldn't worry that much about being behind if you do major in it - with your passion and your evident foreign language skills, you should be able to get up to speed before too long. I suggest you take some more time to explore career choices, keeping in mind that even with a foreign language minor, you can still use that language as a qualification/selling point that can open doors for you. All the best - bonne chance!

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Nicole’s Answer

What do you want to do with French and where do you plan on working? For example, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, German, Russian, and Chinese would be more helpful if you plan to work in the US. If you plan on working in Europe or Africa, French is going to be more useful for you there. I do not recommend just doing a major in French. You should heavily consider combining it with something like International Business, Economics, Systems Administration, etc. Not only are double majors more and more common, but having a major in a STEM/business field plus a liberal arts major will give you a real edge over other recent graduates. Right now, employers are looking for people that can combine the technical side with the communications side. Additionally, since you took only one year of French, I strongly recommend trying Duolingo or looking at other free online resources to ensure that you're not just enthralled with the ease of learning a third language. Take some time to get into the more difficult aspects of the language to make sure you really like it even when it gets tough. As for your concerns about being behind in college, you won't. You'll be able to start at a 100-level course; however, it may not count towards your major, so you do want to be mindful of that. It may also either push you out past 4 years or it will just limit how many upper-level courses you can take.
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