Modern Languages

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Faculties and schools_

Department of French and Francophone Studies

Immerse in the language and cultures of the French-speaking world

Discover and expand your knowledge of French and Francophone literature, culture and history as you develop your fluency in the French language.

Since our inception in 1853, we have a long tradition of teaching and researching French and Francophone studies. We provide three pathways to a French and Francophone major: introductory, intermediate and advanced. We provide students with a deep understanding of the literature, culture and history of the French and Francophone worlds, while developing their fluency in French.

We are a vibrant community of researchers, teaching staff and students with academic expertise in the fields of modern and contemporary literature, cinema, art, theory, linguistics and translation.

Our study offering

French and Francophone Studies

Experience the rich history and cultural diversity of the official language of 29 countries (la Francophonie), spoken by more than 300 million people worldwide.

Undergraduate

*Available as a major and minor within the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Visual Arts, as well as all combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies  degrees.  

Research

Our research

Our researchers focus on a wide range of research areas, including:

Artists’ writings, word and image studies
Autobiographical writing, life writing and diary writing
Feminist theory and women's writing
Film and media studies
Film festivals
Francophone films and world cinema
French and Francophone theory
Hoaxes, fakes and forgeries in literature

Intersection of genre and gender
Linguistics and sociolinguistics
Modern and contemporary art
Modern and contemporary literature and culture
Pedagogy of French as a foreign language
Representations of Paris in literature and culture
South Pacific literature, art and culture
Translation, self-translation and translingual writing.

Learn more: Languages and cultures research

Exchange

Our exchange programs provide life-changing experiences in France, Switzerland and Canada where students exercise their language skills and develop an understanding of cultural intricacies first hand.

Learn more: Study abroad and student exchange

Our people

Academic staff

Key academic contacts

Undergraduate enquiries: caroline.lipovsky@sydney.edu.au
Honours: lea.vuong@sydney.edu.au
Postgraduate research: nathalie.segeral@sydney.edu.au
Exchange: nathalie.segeral@sydney.edu.au and caroline.lipovsky@sydney.edu.au

Language level coordinators:

Beginner stream: clara.sitbon@sydney.edu.au
Intermediate stream: sonia.wilson@sydney.edu.au
Advanced stream: caroline.lipovsky@sydney.edu.au

Sessional staff

Nathalie Camerlynck
Annabel Gassman
Corinne Mesana
Jacqueline Murguet
Eve Nachin
Rita Orsini
Christel Rome
Victoria Souliman

Honorary Associates

Emeritus Professor Ivan Barko
Emeritus Professor Angus Martin
Emeritus Professor Margaret Sankey
Associate Professor Francoise Grauby
Dr Althea Arguelles-Ling
Dr Edward Duyker
Dr Elizabeth Rechniewski

Events

We hold regular seminars and events that seek to engage with the French-speaking community at large, and to provide a platform for new and exciting research in French and Francophone studies.

See our school's calendar for a full listing of upcoming events.

UPDATE: Some of our events are transitioning to online delivery and will be advertised accordingly. Let us know what event you're interested in via our online form, and we'll update you as the situation changes. Learn more about the University’s COVID-19 advice.

French Connections: Research seminar series

Each semester, we hold monthly research seminar events with presenters from our department including research staff, students and associates, as well as other disciplines within the University of Sydney and external institutions from Australia and beyond.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

When: Wednesdays, 12 or 1pm

Check our event calendar for upcoming French Connections seminars.

The Sonia Marks Memorial Lecture

The Sonia Marks Memorial fund was set up in 1985 to commemorate the life and achievements of Sonia Marks, whose untimely death deprived the University of a much-appreciated teacher and colleague. Each year the fund provides prizes for students from the introductory language stream and a memorial lecture on French and Francophone Studies.

Past lectures

2019: Teaching ‘French’ in Brexit Britain
2012: Learning from Teaching

Please check the SLC Events website for our next Sonia Marks Memorial Lecture.

World Literatures and the Global South Conference

The third international congress of the World Literature Association on 'World Literatures and the Global South' was proudly hosted by the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Sydney from 23–25 August 2019.

Co-convened with the Peking University Australian Studies Centre and the World Literature Association, this international conference engaged with literary production on and from the Global South in their own languages as well as in translation.

Learn more