The study of French language and culture is a passport to the past, the present, and the future. With it the student can go back in time to the dawn of French civilization and follow its development from before the Gallo-Roman period through the Middle Ages, with the flowering of the great cathedrals, into the Renaissance graced by its many chateaux, and on to the glories of imperial France under Louis XIV. Armed with knowledge of French, the student will better understand the Enlightenment, whose numerous great French philosophers carved out the principle of both the American and the French revolutions, and the developments which followed them, bringing the modern world into being. The passport of French studies will also serve to open doors for the students in today's world where French is a principal language in 43 countries and where knowledge of French is constantly needed in critical diplomatic situations. France will most surely maintain its political and commercial leadership in the world as it enters the twenty-first century. Majors obtain jobs in teaching, health, and human services professions, international business and business-related professions, communication, and technology-related fields.

Why study Spanish?  There are many substantive reasons, but an important one is that Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. Therefore, the knowledge of Spanish is of value in all human services professions, as well as in many areas of business, especially since Latin America represents a large potential market. Because Spanish can become an invaluable skill in an occupation, many students choose to combine Spanish with another area as a double major or as a minor.