The department

French studies have been available at Eötvös Loránd University (and its predecessor) since 1775. Despite the many changes that have occurred over the past 246 years, our department has played and continues to play a very important role in training French-speaking academics. The Department of French Language and Literature is part of the Faculty of Humanities. The department currently has 10 full-time employees, two lecturers and several part-time lecturers, teaching courses in linguistics, literature, civilisation and language development. The department offers courses at all levels of higher education (bachelor’s, master’s, teacher training and PhD). It has its own library, which mainly contains academic works on French language and literature, teaching aids and methodological collections for teaching French as a foreign language, as well as informative works on French history, culture and civilisation.

Teaching

Our teaching activities cover the whole spectrum of higher education. At bachelor level, students can study either Neo Latin Languages and Cultures (specialised in French), or French language as a minor. The courses at this level lay the foundations for even higher education. Particular attention is paid to language courses and to building a foundation in linguistics, literature and civilisation.

Those who would like to pursue further education at a master’s level may do so within the French Language, Literature and Culture programme, which also contains a translation and literary translation specialisation. In the master’s programme, our students are able to deepen their knowledge of linguistics, literature and civilisation, as well as gain insights into the world of literary translation through lectures and seminars.

Those interested in pursuing a career in education have the option to study in the so-called undivided Teacher Training programme. Our department is responsible for the Teacher of French Language and Culture courses, in which we put a strong emphasis on methodological training and the preparation of our students for teaching careers.

The department also runs the French Literature Doctoral Programme at the Doctoral School of Literature. This mainly conducts research and doctoral theses in a wide range of fields within the chronological structure of French literature (from the Middle Ages to contemporary literature). The department also takes part in the Romance Studies Programme of the Doctoral School of Linguistics, which provides students with an opportunity to pursue doctoral research in synchronic and diachronic linguistics.

Research

Staff at the department mainly conduct research in the fields of linguistics and literary studies. In the field of linguistics, sociolinguistic research on non-standard varieties of French, slang, phraseology, lexicography, text linguistics and discourse analysis are worthy of special mention. Within literary studies, research into literary history and theory covering all periods from the Middle Ages to contemporary literature plays an important role and is also the focus of a research group on literary history (Groupe de recherches sur les constructions discursives en histoire littéraire – CODHIL) within our department.

Our department also pays special attention to preparing students for academic work. The András Vajda Circle has been operating at our department since 2008, and within this framework, our students and PhD candidates can present a part of their thesis or doctoral research.

Our department has a close professional relationship with the Inter-University Centre for French Studies (Centre Interuniversitaire d'Études Françaises – CIEF), which has published the French-language scientific journal Revue d’Études Françaises since 1996. The journal publishes studies and reviews on current trends, research methods and results in French linguistics, French literary theory and history, theoretical and practical issues in French language teaching and methodology, and the results of research on significant periods or trends in the history of French civilisation.

In recent years, our department has organised several international conferences on linguistics and literary studies as well as interdisciplinary conferences in cooperation with the Inter-University Centre for French Studies: Camus – Les visages de la réception européenne de l’œuvre d’Albert Camus (2013), Parlures argotiques et pratiques sportives et corporelles (2014), Migrations et intégrations (2015), Langue(s) et littérature des cités (2017), Comment traduire les variétés périphériques? De l’argot traditionnel au français contemporain des cités (2019), Argot(s) et chanson(s) – Les variétés périphériques mises en musique : des cabarets parisiens au rap (2021), Pourquoi aimer Flaubert ? Réception critique, littéraire et amoureuse (2022), Argot(s) et identité(s). Comment les variétés périphériques contribuent-elles à la construction de l’identité (2023), Roman noir, roman policier (2025).

International relations

Due to the nature of our courses, our department has been building and maintaining relations with foreign institutions since its creation. This started with native French-speaking teachers being invited to work at the department for several years, as early as the end of the 18th century. We currently have a French lector working in our department, with the support of the Franco-Hungarian Foundation for Youth (Fondation Franco-Hongroise pour la Jeunesse). In addition to contract lecturers, the department regularly invites prestigious French professors to give lectures.

Our faculty members also present at international conferences and other events at universities abroad. In addition to the exchange of lecturers, an important element of international relations is the exchange of students on scholarships to study abroad for long and short periods. Our department has strong links with many European universities, so our students can study one or two semesters in France, Belgium, Switzerland or at other European higher education institutions under the Erasmus+ programme.