Courses for your French degree

First-year courses

As an Arts student, you’ll choose your major at the end of first year. You’re encouraged to explore a second major in first year to discover potential new interests.

In your Arts First courses, instead of going to a lecture hall, you and your classmates will work together to respond to an intriguing challenge. With only 25 students in each of the two first-year courses, you might address topics such as The Science of Happiness, Are We Erasing History?, Games and Culture, and Writing About Poems and Songs.

You can choose to study French through Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business.

Honours Arts

September to December

Choose one course from:

FR 151 – Basic French 1
FR 152 – Basic French 2
FR 192A – French Language 1: Module 1
FR 192B – French Language 1: Module 2 (if you've taken Grade 12 immersion or extended French)
FR 251 – French Language 2: Module 1

Plus:

Arts First requirement 1
Prospective major #2
Two electives

January to April

Choose one course from:

FR 152 (after completing FR 151)
FR 192A (after completing FR 152)
FR 192B and one of FR 250, FR 276, FR 296, FR 297 (after completing FR 192A)
FR 251 and one of FR 203, FR 250, FR 276, FR 296, FR 297 (after completing FR 192B)
FR 252 (French Language 2: Module 2) and one of FR 203, FR 276, FR 296, FR 297 (after completing FR 251)

Plus:

Arts First requirement 2
Prospective major #2
One or two electives

This is a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.

Honours Arts and Business

September to December

ARBUS 101 – Introduction to Business in North America
ECON 101 – Introduction to Microeconomics
Arts First Requirement 1
Prospective major #2

Plus one course from:

FR 151 – Basic French 1
FR 152 – Basic French 2
FR 192A – French Language 1: Module 1
FR 192B – French Language 1: Module 2 (if you've taken Grade 12 immersion or extended French)
FR 251 – French Language 2: Module 1

January to April

ARBUS 102 – Accounting Information for Managers
ARBUS 202 – Professional and Business Ethics
Arts First Requirement 2
Prospective major #2

Plus one course from:

FR 151 – Basic French 1
FR 152 – Basic French 2
FR 192A – French Language 1: Module 1
FR 192B – French Language 1: Module 2 (if you've taken Grade 12 immersion or extended French)
FR 251 – French Language 2: Module 1

This is a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.

After first year

40% of the classes you’ll take will be French courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.

Sample upper-year courses

FR 255 – Business French I
FR 291 – French Civilization I
FR 473 – Aspects of French Canada
FR 487 – African and Caribbean French Literature

Advisors are here to help

With so much flexibility, you might have a lot of questions. We're here to help! If you're applying for admission, contact our Faculty of Arts recruitment team.

Once you're a Waterloo student, you'll have access to academic advisors who can help you