French Language Proficiency

1. Successfully complete the French Graduate Translation Exam administered by the Department of French and Italian in September and February. Request registration by emailing our Graduate Student Services Coordinator from your Indiana University email address with your full name and last 4 digits of your student ID. This is a translation exam graded on a pass/fail basis. Two hours will be given to complete the translation of a two-page text selected by the French Graduate Language Examiner. A paper dictionary is allowed, but electronic resources are not permitted. Blue books will be provided.

2. Jacobs School of Music graduate students may take the Music First-Year Language Exam (MFYLE)  instead of the Graduate Translation Exam, depending on their specific graduate program requirements. Such students should check with their graduate program advisor.

3. Complete F491 and F492. A grade of B or better is required in F492 to fulfill the language requirement. F491 is a prerequisite for F492. If you have previous French knowledge but cannot test out of the requirement through the exam, you may be allowed to skip F491 and enroll directly in F492. This would have to be approved by Erin Candeias, and the Department of French and Italian staff would have to enter an online permission in SIS.

4. Enroll in a FRIT course taught in French at the 300-level or above (courses taught in English and F491 not included) and earn a grade of B or better. After completing the course, the student must ask the Department of French and Italian graduate student services coordinator to send a memo to the student's major department.

In-depth proficiency in French can be demonstrated by completing a course at the F500-level or higher with a grade of B or better. After successful completion of the course, please contact the Graduate Student Services Coordinator to have the proficiency certified.

Any special situations should be addressed with the departmental language examiner for French: Erin Candeias.