French Major or Minor?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hello - </p>

<p>While at university, I've decided that I would like to study either French or Political Science. I was wondering - would a French minor allow me to achieve fluency, as I would like to move to Quebec after my studies. With a French minor, would I study the literature and culture of the Francophone world, or only focus on rote translations (if that makes any sense)? </p>

<p>If I decide to major in Political Science and minor in French, would I satisfy the requirements for a masters in French if I decided to take that road in the future? Is it common for people to obtain graduate degrees in their undergraduate minor?</p>

<p>In your opinion, which is a more valuable degree? I've always thought that if I decided to major in French, I would go to Quebec and know the language but have no marketable skills. What do you think?</p>

<p>I realize that there are a lot of questions, but I would really appreciate any and all info. Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>The main thing about becoming fluent in another language isn’t how much time you spend studying in the classroom, it’s how much time you spend watching French television, reading French books, etc, outside of the classroom.</p>

<p>Also, you would probably be better off with some sort of practical degree as opposed to a degree in French, which won’t get you very far in a Francophone locale.</p>

3

<p>Thread bump!</p>

4

<p>Most French grad programs are in Lit or Linguistics. You might get more traction in Quebec by doing a year abroad (or in Canada) w/ a French minor to get fluency, but having a major that will be marketable in Quebec. Just speaking good French in Quebec does not make you stand out from anyone else walking down the street.</p>