Specializations

Specializations are available to all students majoring in French, and they are an excellent way of developing a more nuanced area of expertise in French Studies.

You can take one of our two intensive specializations (French Teaching Specialization and Intensive French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures Specialization)  and each of them can be combined with the Professional French Specialization.

Please consult the Digital Tracking Checklist for French Honours and specializations. If you have any questions about these programs or requirements, please reach out to the French Academic Advisors.

French Teaching Specialization (FTS)

French Teaching Specialization

The University of Waterloo's French Teaching Specialization (FTS) is a long-established and prestigious program of consecutive education in which students receive an Honours B.A. in French from the University of Waterloo and have the option of pursuing a B.Ed. from Nipissing University. It is a comprehensive program providing excellent academic and work experience designed to meet the need for well-educated teachers of French. As such, the FTS program has a nearly 100% employment rate upon graduation.


Program Features

FTS has many features that distinguish it from other programs in the province, giving our graduates an edge when applying for permanent teaching positions.

  • Guaranteed acceptance at Nipissing University to complete the requirements for teacher certification in Ontario (Students are still required to apply through OUAC)
  • 100 hours of volunteer work in schools
  • Thorough grounding in French language, literature, and civilization
  • As an intensive specialization, FTS students are required to maintain a minimum major average of 75%
  • Additional course requirements in second language acquisition, and Psychology and Sociology of Education
  • FTS is compatible with the co-op stream or the EDGE program

French Teaching Specialization (FTS)

Digital Tracking Checklist (PDF)


Experiential learning requirement

Students in the French Teaching Specialization are required to complete a total of 100 hours of relevant volunteer or paid experience under the supervision of certified teachers or qualified professionals.

  • Hours must be completed during the student's undergraduate career at Waterloo, from term 1B to 4B, inclusively.
  • All 100 hours must include experience with K-12 school age children/youth. Out of these hours, at least 50 hours must be completed in a classroom setting. Other experiences may include camps, community organizations, etc. Volunteer or paid experiences may include various formats of teaching and learning.
  • Organizations eligible for volunteer or paid experiences must be approved by the French Studies academic advisor.

The in-school experience is an essential component recognized as part of the teaching experience required for admission to Nipissing University.

Relevant volunteering in a school environment can include:

  • teaching conversation groups
  • in-school tutoring
  • supervisory projects
  • classroom observation
  • unit preparation

Relevant volunteering or paid positions in the community can include:

  • Extra-curricular activities (music lessons, sports coaching, etc.)
  • Day and overnight camps (counselor, volunteering, etc.)
  • Other experiences with children and youth

As your experiential learning must be conducted under the supervision of a professional, babysitting is not considered for this requirement. Please check with the French Academic Advisors prior to securing your placement.

FTS Experiential learning form must be signed by your supervising teachers. It is the responsibility of the student to have this form completed and signed by each placement, and to submit the signed forms to the French Academic Advisors.

Please contact the French Academic Advisors for help should you have trouble finding a school for your in-school experience.


Program Benefits

Upon graduation at Nipissing University, students are fully qualified to teach at the Primary/Junior level (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6), the Junior/Intermediate (Grades 4 to 10) and the Intermediate/Senior (Grades 7 to 12) levels. Please refer to the Nipissing University website for information pertaining to their program offering.

Nipissing University Faculty of Education


The second teachable subject

No second teachable subject is required in the Junior/Intermediate level (Grades 4 to 10). Please see teaching subject (French) requirements under the P20 Junior/Intermediate section of Nipissing University's Calendar.

A second teachable subject is required in the Intermediate/Senior level (Grades 7 to 12). Please see second teachable requirements under the P30 Intermediate/Senior section of Nipissing University's Calendar.

Intensive French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures Specialization (FFLCS)

Intensive French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures Specialization

The Intensive French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures Specialization (FFLC) is available for French majors looking for an immersive program that will explore French and Francophone literatures and cultures through the study of selected texts from various periods; enabling students to develop their French through a global and diverse perspective.

  • As an intensive specialization, FFLC students are required to maintain a minimum major average of 75%
  • Completion of 4 additional upper year literature and culture FR courses
  • Students may use transfer credits from other academic institutions
  • A path of excellence towards Graduate Studies

Intensive French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures Specialization (FFLCS)

Digital Tracking Checklist

Professional French Specialization (PFS)

Professional French Specialization

The Professional French Specialization (PFS) is open to all students majoring in French. It provides students with a focused study and training on professional skills and an advanced level of bilingualism applicable to the workplace. This specialization provides an edge for those who are interested in pursuing a career in administration, governance, or the private sector. In the courses available for this plan, students will learn essential skills such as translation, phonetics, linguistics, and business-oriented vocabulary.

Professional French Specialization (PFS)

Digital Tracking Checklist (PDF)