By fall 2021, the French Major will not be available for students at WKU due to low student enrollment.

Laura McGee, head of the Department of Modern Languages, said the department had conversations with the French faculty about the future of the program over the summer. She said they came to the conclusion that it is important to use all of their resources efficiently.

Due to low numbers of students with a French major, McGee said they decided to make the cut.

McGee said the department found out when all current French majors would graduate before setting the cut-off for 2021.

“We want to let everyone graduate as planned,” McGee said.

The French minor and lower level French courses will still be available, and McGee said students are still encouraged to study abroad in France. She added the department is hoping to redesign the French minor.

McGee said Karin Egloff will remain on staff as a French professor. 

In the last University Senate meeting of the Fall 2017 semester, a resolution was passed to allow students to count their two years of high school foreign language classes as their modern language requirement.

The resolution was approved by former Provost David Lee January 2018.

McGee said the drop in French enrollment is closely related to the new requirements. She said French, German and Spanish courses have seen a significant drop.  

Rebekah Alvey can be reached at 270-745-6011 and [email protected]. Follow Rebekah Alvey on Twitter at @bekah_alvey.