Requirements for a Dijon degree program

The most important requirement to succeed in a degree program at the French partner university is sufficient language proficiency in French. Language proficiency can usually be demonstrated by having had at least 5 years of French in school, which was completed with a minimum grade of “sufficient,” or 5 points. Accepted alternatives are a higher education entrance qualification from a French-language school, the French baccalauréat, or the Abi-Bac (simultaneous achievement of the German Abitur (Abi) and the French baccalauréat (Bac)).

The Dijon course of studies is right for you if you are excited about the opportunity to spend half of your time studying in France and getting to know the country, people, and culture better. Additionally, if you enjoy new experiences, are enthusiastic about the French language, and have the courage to show initiative and self-organize, you have everything you need for this course of study.

The Dijon program always consists of two subjects (an academic major and a minor), which you can combine to suit your interests or career goals. One of your two subjects must be French (either as your major or your minor). You will obtain your Licence in your academic major. Further information can be found at the Dijon Office at JGU.

As a student in the Dijon program, you will spend half of your studies abroad. You will complete any local examinations under the same conditions as the local students. The other half of your studies will be spent at JGU.

With certain subject combinations, you have the opportunity to complete an additional stay abroad at the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada to supplement your studies in Dijon.

Program structure

The French program of study is made up of three core areas. As part of the course of study, you can select your own focus among the various areas, e.g.

Literature Studies:

• Early modern era
• Classical modernism
• Non-European francophonie

Linguistics:

• Onomastics (the study of names)
• Language acquisition
• Gender linguistics
• Political linguistics
• Media language
• Language standardization

Cultural studies:

• Transatlantic francophonie
• Political discourses
• Text traditions
• Cultural theories

You will also have the opportunity to attend courses in other subjects or disciplines.

Stays abroad

Once you have finished your first two semesters in Mainz, you will spend the following three semesters at the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon. You will be immersed in the culture and language of France and learn to “think French.” A variety of funding programs such as ERASMUS+ and the Franco-German University (DFH) make it possible to receive financial support during your stay abroad. 

If you start your degree course in the winter semester, your study periods abroad must take place in the third, fourth, and fifth semesters. You can also start your degree course in the summer semester. Due to the structure of the French academic year, however, doing so will extend the duration of your degree by one semester. Your study period abroad would then take place in the fourth, fifth, and sixth semesters.

Internships

As part of this degree program, students are required to complete a mandatory internship to be completed in a foreign francophone country.

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

Thanks to your double degree, you will have no problems entering the international job market. In France, you will have access to the concours to work in public services, or you can work in one of the professional fields listed below both in France and in Germany.

In addition to your in-depth language skills and specialist knowledge of the culture, literature, and history of French-speaking countries, you will acquire many other skills during your studies. These include writing and research skills, competence in knowledge and science communication, media literacy, and intercultural competencies. These skills in the area of humanities or cultural studies will make you an interesting candidate for jobs in a wide range of sectors.

Graduates typically work in the following fields:

• German-French/European institutions

• Research in the areas of language, culture, and literature (i.e. at university, in research institutes, or as part of a project)
• Language mediation and private language classes – either one-on-one, at companies, or at state educational institutions
• Translation (including post-editing machine translations)
• Media and public relations, editorial work (e.g. publishing, copy editing)
• Education and culture (e.g. at theaters, museums, private and public educational institutions, foundations, adult education, libraries, and archives, or in documentary work)
• Tourism, leisure, and event management
• International relations (e.g., in tourism, trade relations, development cooperation, diplomacy, and international organizations)
• International communication (corporations, organizations, etc.)
• Business (e.g., business advisory services, consulting, marketing, purchasing/materials management, human resources, corporate training)
• Politics (e.g. ministries, foundations, associations and clubs)
•  Public services and administrations (e.g., as a specialist consultant)

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.