Enhance Your Education

Distinctive Programs in French

There are ample opportunities to enhance your studies in French through College Honors, off-campus study, and internships. These programs are integral to a Knox education, teaching you how to apply your skills in real world situations.

Student Research and Creative Projects
Knox is a leader in promoting top-notch undergraduate research. In fact, more than 90% of all Knox students complete an independent research or creative project by the time they graduate. Many students' projects are supported by an unusually rich array of Knox College funding programs that together provide students more than $200,000 each year in support of their work. These sources include: Richter Memorial Scholars Program, Ford Foundation Research Fellows Program, Ronald E. McNair Fellows Program and departmentally supported independent studies. In addition, special fellowships awarded to Knox through national competitions and through the research grants of Knox faculty make Knox a leader in promoting top-notch undergraduate research. Examples of some recent student research projects include:

• "Women Writers of French Expression," Priscilla Akuetey, '08.
• "Women Writers of French Expression," Jennifer Ewa, '08.

College Honors
Outstanding students may elect to undertake College Honors in their senior year, carrying out an advanced research project presented and defended to a faculty committee that includes a distinguished outside examiner. Examples of recent Honors projects include:

• "Study of English Words and Expressions Frequently Used in the French Language," Alison Mae Spataro, '11.
• "Double Image: A Study in Self-Translation," Malissa Marie Kent, '07.
• "'Contested Identities': The Case of African Immigrants Living in France," Adwoa Benponmaa Atta-Krah, '06.
• "Beyond the Incense, World Music, and 'Earth-Tones': Perceptions of Fair Trade Amongst Ghanaan Producers and French Consumers," Abimbola Olubunmi Laniyan, '06.
• "'The Presentation of History in Secondary School Textbooks in Japan and France': A Comparative Study," Yuko Sorano, '06.
• "The Epistolary Novel: A Study on the Constitution of a Letter," Jessica Brumley, '02.

Off-Campus Study
Off-campus study can provide incomparable opportunities to conduct research that supports the major in French, subsequent independent study courses or College Honors. Knox offers you plenty of opportunities to begin exploring the world while still a student. Almost 50% of Knox students participate in off-campus study and consider their studies abroad to be the highlight of their college experiences. One program is of particular interest to students in French:

Knox Program at the University of Besançon, France
Knox operates the principal American program at the University of Besançon. Besançon is a city of 120,000 people, with 20,000 students at the University. All courses are taught in French by the University of Besançon professors. Students with majors other than French may continue study in their major fields. Students stay with French families for the October orientation period, then move to University dormitories with French and foreign students.

Internships
Few experiences can prepare you better for life after Knox than conducting an internship. As a Knox French student, you can conduct an internship for course credit either during the academic year or the summer, working closely with a faculty supervisor while engaging in fieldwork and completing an academic paper. A recent internship by a French student is:

• Intern, Poesticité Non-Profit Arts Organization, France. Summer Robinson, '05, French major.