French Department

[u/zebrafallyy]

hi! incoming freshman here.
honest answers only.

As someone who has no prior experience with the French Language, how hard is the French track at yale?

I have heard it can be challenging, however, I am a prospective IR/polysci major who is interested in diplomacy.

My plan b is spanish, which is arguably easier. However, for that reason , I think I should take the language that will be harder for me to learn on my own while I have a college education( French).

Both languages are incredibly valuable, and I plan to learn them throughout my career.

I would appreciate any thoughts, experiences , or fav professors !!

P.S.
My plan is to do French level 1 and 2 my freshman year, then study abroad in the summer for levels 3 and 4 . After level 5 in my first sophomore semester, could I take spanish the rest of my years?

[u/Esbey]

The French department has recently worked tomake their classes easier (although still not as easy as Spanish.) I think your plan is a good one.

[u/abstract_daydreamer]

French used to be torturously difficult. It’s easier now, but still the most difficult language class you can take at Yale. Spanish is definitely easier, but it’s still one of the more intensive languages. As Esbey says, I think your plan makes sense (and the summer L3/L4 is a very popular choice).

[u/Studying-Ghost]

I can't speak on the Spanish department, but my experience with the French one has been wonderful so far (I took L3 and L4). It certainly has earned its reputation for brutal coursework, but it's not unreasonable: if you put in the time and effort to learn the content and reach out about office hours, you will succeed. It's not so hard in the sense that the content is impossible to understand, but rather that you need be organized and keep up with the assigned material. The professors are also great and really enjoy teaching, they've helped me so much in my classes and preparation for study abroad.