Chair's Message

Bienvenue and welcome to the very best in French Studies

The Department of French at the University of Toronto is one of the oldest and the largest in Canada outside of Quebec. Located in the heart of the vibrant and diverse city of Toronto, we have been committed to teaching and research activities in French Studies for over 150 years.

Our courses include everything from French for the workplace to contemporary French female authors and even French sociolinguistics. For students that are new to French Studies, we also offer some courses in English, like ‘Love, Sex and Desire in French Literature and Film.’

Faculty expertise ranges from elementary language courses to doctoral seminars. Our department is not only renowned for teaching language skills (reading, writing and conversation), we even have specialized courses on how to teach French as a Second Language (FSL) for students interested in education.

In linguistics, the Department of French has led the way in ground-breaking research on Creole languages, syntax and phonology, language acquisition, information structure, syntax-phonology interface and experimental phonology.

In literature, the Department has specialists in 20th century contemporary French literature, 18th and 19th century French studies, Ancien régime, Francophone African film and culture as well as word, image and cinema studies.

We offer a Specialist and a Major program of study in French Language and French Linguistics, a Specialist and Major in French Language and French Literature, a Major in French Language Learning and three Minor programs of study each in Practical French, French Studies and French Language. Additionally, graduate-level study is offered through an MA and PhD program in French Language and Literature.

Our unparalleled undergraduate and graduate programs include a wealth of resources that will help you be successful in French: exciting courses taught by talented faculty, scholarships, exchange programs in Quebec and France, one of the best libraries in North America, innovative research projects, and helpful advisors to support you from your first day of class through to graduation.

We pride ourselves on providing students with the skills needed in today’s workplace and our graduates go on to have careers in government, education, media, and the private sector, both in Canada and abroad.

Let the Department of French help you achieve your potential.

See you in September!

Chair