France is a central player within the European Union and one of the world’s leading countries. The French language is spoken in the second largest number of countries and regions in the world. In addition to acquiring a high level of practical French language skills that can be used in a wide variety of countries and regions, the department offers a comprehensive study of France and the French-speaking world.
Many of our students also have the opportunity to study abroad for a year. There are 30 institutions of higher education in France alone that offer exchange programs. Students can also study in Switzerland, Belgium, and Canada. The department provides extensive support for students studying abroad. Students will grow both intellectually and personally through a variety of local learning experiences in French and concrete cross-cultural experiences.
In the first and second years, students learn the fundamentals of the four French language skills in depth, and in the third and fourth years, they receive more practical training to acquire advanced operational skills.
In the third year, students are required to choose one of nine research courses and conduct specialized research under the supervision of faculty members specializing in philosophy, linguistics, sociology, political science, economics, history, social development theory, international relations, etc., and to integrate these research themes into their graduation thesis or thesis project. These research projects culminate in a graduation thesis or graduation research project. By making full use of both French and specialized fields, students acquire the essential skills needed to play an active role in today’s globalized society.
as of 2026
* Please refer to the syllabus for more information on the courses.
Students will comprehensively develop the four skills of French (reading, listening, writing, and speaking) while building a solid grammatical foundation. The classes are taught by a team of Japanese and native French teachers at a high density of six lessons per week.
As in Basic French I, six classes per week are offered. While improving grammar and conversational expression, students are also exposed to specialized fields such as sociology, linguistics, history, political science, and economics, and acquire knowledge and advanced reading skills for research in the third and fourth years.
The program consists of a group of subjects designed to reinforce the four skills, such as expression exercises, listening comprehension exercises, and reading exercises. We also offer subjects such as Comprehensive Exercises and Special Exercises to strengthen students’ overall French language skills.
Students study the history of France from the Middle Ages to the present day, as well as the geography of France and the French-speaking world, and develop the basic knowledge necessary to pursue specialized research. Students will also acquire presentation skills.
Students will learn how to look at international politics with a focus on France. We will examine France’s ideal image of the nation and the development of its reality from the European and global dimensions, and grasp the characteristics of French diplomacy that differ from that of the hegemonic nation of the United States.
The course focuses on specific issues such as population, family, labor, poverty and inequality, food problems, and water resources in the Middle East and Africa, with a focus on North Africa, and provides students with a social scientific perspective and analytical methods on major development issues.
Curatorial courses are available.
To cultivate advanced proficiency in the French language and impart a broad base of knowledge (of humanities, social sciences, and the basic features of the French-speaking world) that will provide the foundations for specialized research in fields such as area studies and linguistics.
To produce individuals capable of contributing to increasingly globalized societies through advanced proficiency in the French language, and experts in research related to area studies and linguistics.
The Department of French Studies sets standards for the skills and knowledge students should acquire before graduations as described below. Those who fulfill the graduation requirements shall be deemed to have acquired these qualities and will be awarded a diploma.
The Department aims to have all students reach a level of proficiency equivalent to “B2” (level sufficient to study at an overseas university) under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) at the timing of graduation and furthermore to have as many students as possible reach a level equivalent to “C1” (level sufficient to study at an overseas university)
In accordance with the Diploma Policy, the Department of French Studies constructs its curriculum with courses aligned with the following purposes:
Erina IWASAKI Professor
Herve COUCHOT Professor
Machiko KOJIMA Professor
Akeo TAKAHASHI Professor
Simon TUCHAIS Professor
Sanae HARADA Professor
Yoko MAKI Professor
Simon SERVERIN Associate Professor
Brieuc MONFORT Associate Professor
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Department of French Studies
