An internship in French is an invaluable way to apply language skills developed in the classroom. Whether you are a single major in French looking to continue your path towards fluency or a double major, minor, or heritage French speaker looking to use your French in your other field of study, working in French can help you to hone your language skills and multicultural perspective-taking while learning professional skills and building your resume.
In addition to the tangible skills you gain by working in French, students can earn credit along the French Professional Pathway by completing an internship paired with research. More information about the Professional Pathway to be posted, Fall 23.
To participate in an internship for credit with the French department, students must have completed French 102 or have native fluency. Questions about language preparation should be directed to Vesna Rodic, Placement Coordinator (vrodic@berkeley.edu).
During internships, students conduct their work, research, and writing in French. Opportunities include:
- Summer internship opportunities in Paris or the Bay Area paired with research (French 199) with the French Undergraduate Faculty Advisor or French department instructor. Learn more about Paris Summer Global Internships Program here, and contact Breanne Tcheng (btcheng@berkeley.edu) at UCEAP to learn more. To learn more about Bay Area French internship opportunities, contact the Undergraduate Major Advisor at frendept@berkeley.edu. Bay Area French-speaking internship partnerships include:
- Les Alliances Francaises de Berkeley, San Francisco et de la Silicon Valley
- Villa Albertine (artists' residences)
- Services Culturels du Consulat de France
- Consulats francophones de la Bay Area (France, Belgique, Suisse, Luxembourg, Canada)
- Chambre de Commerce Franco-Américaine
- Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley
- Lycée Français de San Francisco
- Internship and coursework in Paris, Strasbourg, or Bruxelles through the Institute for Field Education; this program has five weeks of intensive coursework followed by full-time work and research. Learn more here.