Overview

Students who choose to study at the Department of French Literature will acquire advanced, practical language skills and learn to consider the social and cultural phenomena through French language and culture.

The department was established in 1910 when author Kafu Nagai came to Keio after spending time in France. Since then—for over a hundred years—we have produced graduates who find success not only in the field of literature and art, but in media, telecommunications, business, and beyond.

Our department has grown from a small organization to more than ten full-time faculty, who cover a variety of fields and eras. Not only in the narrow sense of French language and literature, but across the wide range of student interests that include thought, society, history, food culture and fashion, film and performing arts, fine art, music, and media in the information age.

One defining characteristic of the Department of French Literature is the number of students who take advantage of study abroad opportunities. Many students study at one of Keio’s many partner institutions in France, including the prestigious Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle (Paris III) as well as Université de Genève in Switzerland and Université de Montréal in Canada.