A recent addition to the School of Languages, the Department of French and Francophone Studies dwells upon the extensive and intensive teaching and learning of language, literature, culture and civilization of France and Francophone nations through a mosaic of workshops, seminars and cultural activities. Established in August 2014, the Department of French and Francophone Studies is one of the youngest departments of the University, yet it has been the most popular one and an emerging centre of excellence in the field of French studies in Uttarakhand.
Apart from English, French is the only other language to be spoken in five continents (in around 51 countries). French is also one of the official languages of the United Nations and its agencies, European Union, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organisation, NATO, International Olympic Committee, FIFA, etc., which makes it an important language in the international field. Considered the language of culture, diplomacy and international relations, the knowledge of French opens the door of employment in the world’s number one tourist destination, the number three destination for foreign investment and the fifth biggest economy, France. Therefore, the Department has a vision to become a nationally and internationally recognised centre of excellence for learning, teaching, and research in French and Francophone studies. Learning French at Doon University will consequently lead to numerous opportunities to work in the following fields: translation, interpretation, international business, technology and engineering, international organisations and associations, tourism and hospitality industry, diplomatic services, French research institutes, teaching, etc.
Active in academic discipline, the Department organises various lectures, workshops and seminars where the students get opportunities to learn and interact with French native speakers and experts. The students are provided with sound infrastructure and a rich academic environment that aims at their overall development. The Department has also incorporated latest methodologies and approaches of teaching and learning French which efficiently enable a learner to meet professional and personal challenges in diverse scenarios.
Since its inception, a number of lectures and workshops have been conducted on the following topics: Importance and scope of French studies, French Cinema, French Literature, Translation, Didactics of French as a foreign language, International Relations, European Union, European Art, Oral and Written French, Francophone culture of Belgium, etc. Several distinguished experts, professors and guests from India and abroad have visited the Department and have enriched and contributed in its growth; to name a few such experts: Prof. Kiran Chaudhry, Prof. N. Kamala, Prof. C. Krishnamurthy, Prof. Abhijit Karkun, Dr. Ashish Agnihotri, Dr. S. Shoba (all from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi), Prof. Olivier Arifon (Free University of Brussels, Belgium), Ms Julie David (from Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Government of Belgium), Prof. Jean-Marc Defays, Prof. Laurence Wéry, Ms. Catherine Flagothier (all from Université de Liège, Belgium), Prof. Marianne Block, Prof. Claire Walthéry, Prof. Raphaëlle Deliège, Prof. Simone Cremer (all from ESAS, Haute École Libre Mosane, Liège, Belgium), Dr. Christopher Gibbins, Consul General of Canada, Ms. Flore Lafaye de Micheaux, Embassy of France in India, Mr. Arnaud Gaspart, First Secretary of the Embassy of Belgium in India and Mr. Abdoul Aziz Loum, First Counsellor of the Embassy of Senegal in India.
Since the Department of French and Francophone Studies is the only full-fledged department in the Himalayan region offering degree courses, it embodies an immense prospect to produce high-calibre professionals in French and Francophone studies, capable of effectively contributing to, and promoting national development, regional integration and international cooperation. The Department is deemed to collaborate with Université de Liège, Belgium to facilitate students and faculty exchange programme amongst other activities.
At present, the Department offers following academic programmes:
The well-researched and up-to-date curriculum of the Department has integrated various aspects of the French and Francophone studies to inculcate a learner on personal level as well as professional and social levels. The curriculum contains core courses on different aspects of language learning (oral, written, comprehension, reading) and cultures of France and Francophone countries. Apart from courses on French and Francophone literatures, philosophy, cinema, theatre and art, the Department also offers a number of vocational and professional courses at B.A. and M.A. levels, such as translation and interpretation (literary, scientific, technical, commercial, judicial, conferential, etc), French for tourism and hospitality, commercial French, French for mass media and methodology of teaching French as a foreign language. Besides, the Department also offers two B.A. elective courses titled “Introduction to Linguistics” and “Modern French Writers (19th century onwards)” from the next semester..
