French at HKU

Important changes to the Major in French (AY 2024-25)

From the academic year 2024-25 onward, French will be offered as part of the Global and Area Studies Major (GLAS). As a result, French will no longer be offered as a Major.

Click here to discover the new Global and Area Studies programme: https://www.globalba.hku.hk/

Students who have already declared a Minor or a Major in French, and those who intend to do so, read our FAQ about the French Major and Minor and the new GLAS Major

The Major in French (72 credits)
(Available to students of 2023-24 and 2022-23 cohorts)

To declare a major in French, applicants must initially complete two introductory core language courses, FREN1001 and FREN1002 (12 credits in all).  Students intending to major in French should achieve at least a grade C in FREN1002.

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In their second, third, and fourth years of study, students pursuing a major in French must take a total of 54 credits of French courses which should be distributed as follows: 
 

• A maximum of 24 credits from courses at Level 2XXX, of which 12 credits must be from the core language courses, FREN2001 and FREN2002;​
   

• At least 30 credits from courses at Level 3XXX, of which 12 credits must be from the core language courses, FREN3001 and FREN3002, and 6 credits from FREN3030, ‘capstone’ course.

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Students are strongly encouraged to participate in a 3 to 4-week linguistic stay in France or in a French-speaking country during the summer either between their second and third year or third and fourth year of studies. 

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French major components:

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• Prerequisite courses* (12 credits):

  • FREN1001 French I.1

  • FREN1002 French I.2
    * Offered to undergraduates in Year 1 or 2.
     

• One 6-credit Arts Faculty introductory course to be taken from any Arts programmes except French.
   

• Core courses ** (24 credits):

  • FREN2001 French II.1

  • FREN2002 French II.2

  • FREN3001 French III.1

  • FREN3002 French III.2
    ** Offered to undergraduates in Year 2, 3 and 4.
     

• French elective courses*** (24 credits):
  At least four 6-credit French elective courses (see the list of courses).
  *** offered to undergraduates in Year 2, 3 and 4.
  Please note that FREN2XXX electives have FREN2001/FREN2002 as co-requisites.
   

• Capstone experience course (6 credits):

  • FREN3030 Guided writing in French (capstone experience)

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Total: 72 credits

The Minor in French (36 credits)

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The Minor in French is open to students from the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Medicine.

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Requirements
 

• First Year (12 credits)
  12 credits from two introductory courses: FREN1001 (Sem. 1) and FREN1002 (Sem. 2).
   

• Second, Third & Fourth Years (24 credits)
  6 credits from each of the core language courses: FREN2001 and FREN2002; FREN3001 and FREN3002.
   

• A recommended 3 to 4-week language course in France in the summer following the second year (see FREN3119 in the course list).