Resources and Opportunities
French Studies
- CSB and SJU Library Guide for French-specific resources
- Word Reference: French-English Dictionary
- Le Dictionnaire: French Definition Dictionary
- Lexique des termes littéraires: Literary terminology
- Verb Conjugator
- Phonetics: Connect words with sounds
- Phonétique: How to form sounds and hear examples
- Vocabulary Exercises: Interactive vocabulary training organized by subject
- Flashcards: Flashcards, Matching, etc. for vocabulary and verbs
- Type French Accents: A set of shortcuts
- Le Monde: France’s most common daily newspaper
- Le Figaro: France’s right-wing daily newspaper
- Libération: France’s center-left daily newspaper
- TV5 Guide: TV Listings for TV5 États-Unis (CSB and SJU channel 20)
- Google: Google in French for research
- CNN: Read about news worldwide
- Linguo TV: Short videos with subtitles
- News in Slow French: radio in slowly-spoken French
- Live with and teach English to a family in France: Immerse yourself in the French language and culture while teaching English in France. This volunteer programme is a great opportunity to experience French lifestyle and improve your linguistic skills at a low cost. Aliore.org.
- Telescope Film: A database of over 450,000 films and a collaboration with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States that offers a weekly curated selection of French cinema (telescopefilm.com/frenchstreams).
- Coucou Minneapolis: Classes, events, opportunities to practice the language and more!
- Alliance Française: Promoting French language and French-speaking cultures through language classes, social and cultural events and information resources in Minnesota
- Cultural Services: A division of the French Embassy in the United States with the mission of providing Americans (individuals and organizations) with access and resources to engage with French culture and promote it in their own communities.
- Poetry: A combination of classical and recent poetry in French
- Poetry Bog: Forum of original poetry
- Paroles: French lyrics to French songs
- French Cinema: French films, awards, etc.
- Internet Movie Database: IMDB in French – summaries of and information about movies
- Recipes: A variety of French recibes for any occasion
- Bibliotheque numerique: A collection of French-language books available online
- Map of France: Cities, rivers, and topography
- Francophone Map: Where French is spoken in the World
- Francophonie in the World: Information about culture in French-speaking places
- CIA World Factbook: Listing of world countries and statistics published by the CIA
- France.com: Travel guide
- Europa: l’Union européenne: Information on the European Union
Current Continued-study or Employment Opportunities
- FUSAC: A Paris-based resource for ex-pats that often has good general info for people interested in finding housing/a job in the Paris area.
- Overseas Jobs
- FIT Fellowship (Future Immersion Teacher Fellowship)
- Learn more about the French Dual Language Fund’s initiatives
- Learn more about French dual language and immersion programs across U.S.’s public schools
- French Immersion Teacher – Edina Public Schools
- Ph.D. program in French Studies at Brown University
- M.A. and Ph.D. programs in French and Francophone Studies at the Department of Romance Languages at the University of Georgia
- Graduate Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
French Scholarship
French majors enrolled at the College of Saint Benedict are eligible to apply for the Dr. & Mrs. Joseph B. Gaida & Family Scholarship for French. Recipients are chosen on the basis of scholarship, strength of academic purpose, and financial need. Amounts of approximately $3000 are divided among scholarship recipients every year.
The scholarship is awarded every spring on the basis of scholarship, strength of academic purpose, and financial need, and is open to all French majors enrolled at the College of Saint Benedict who will be juniors or seniors in the Fall semester of a given year. Find out more about the Scholarship for French.
Student Employment
Each year the French faculty work with student language tutors and TAs, the French Cultural Events assistant, and office assistants through student employment; these positions might include tutoring, assistance with class materials and cultural events, researching films for the French Film Series,and other research as needed by individual faculty members.
After Graduation
- CSB and SJU French students have had success finding opportunities to apply their French linguistic and cultural skills after graduation. Alumni and alumnae of the French program include French teachers, translators, professors, researchers, and employees in international business. Experience & Professional Development hosts a webpage that features French alums and useful resources that serve as a starting point for exploring and researching careers.
- The Chateaubriand Fellowship is a grant offered by the Embassy of France in the United States. Every year, it allows doctoral students in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Biology-Health and Humanities & Social Sciences enrolled in American universities to conduct research in France for 4 to 9 months. Chateaubriand fellows receive a stipend, a round-trip ticket to France and health insurance.
The French Government Teaching Assistant Program
TAPIF – The French government teaching assistant program is of special interest: Students who will have graduated by next summer and who have working knowledge of French can apply for one of over 500 positions available. Modest stipend paid. No charge to apply or participate. Note that the application forms are entirely in French and very extensive! While the materials specify eligibility as limited to French majors, many of our students who were accepted in past years were not French majors but had a working knowledge of French.
College of Saint Benedict
Saint John’s University
Jeff DuBois
Chair, Languages and Cultures Department
CSB Richarda P32
320-363-5188
Jennifer Schwichtenberg
Department Coordinator
CSB Richarda P38
320-363-5067
SJU Quad 253A
320-363-3093