Program Overview

Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication - French

The Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication - French is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the French language and its cultural context.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the certificate, students will be able to:

1. Speak in the target language with or to native speakers with enough fluency and minimal obstacles for both the student and the interlocutor, even in spontaneous situations.
2. Write in the target language in a clear, detailed, relatively complex, and context-appropriate manner.
3. Understand key socio-cultural differences associated with the target language.

Requirements for the Certificate

Students pursuing the Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication must complete:

• A minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) to satisfy certificate requirements.
• A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) transfer credit.
• An Experiential Learning opportunity through an approved program.
• An Outcomes Assessment to evaluate language proficiency.
• A minimum overall GPA of 2.00 in required coursework with a minimum grade of C (2.00 grade points) in each course.

Certificate Requirements

The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this certificate:

• Select 2 courses from French course offerings (FREN) at the 200-level or above.
• Select 2 courses from French course offerings (FREN) at the 300-level or above.
• Complete an approved program for Experiential Learning.
• Complete an oral exam and a 500-word essay written in French for Outcomes Assessment.

Policies for the Certificate

Language Placement Testing

Students are required to take a Language Placement Test to ensure that they are placed in the appropriate course in their target language.

Program Restrictions and Exclusions

Students pursuing the certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication should be aware of the following program restriction:

• As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, students may declare their intent to pursue a university certificate only after they have first declared a major.

Transfer Credit

For Rice University's policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit.

Program Transfer Credit Guidelines

Students pursuing the certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guidelines:

• No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the certificate.
• The Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures will determine equivalency for foreign language classes (in French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish) taken at other colleges or universities and approve them for transfer credit.

Opportunities for the Certificate

Academic Honors

The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate's academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work.

Scholarships

The Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures and the Department of Transnational Asian Studies invest in students participating in experiential learning programs by occasionally offering scholarships to offset the cost. When funding is available, the scholarships are offered in the spring semester for study abroad or experiential learning programs taking place the following summer or academic year.