Profile

How can linguistic diversity in contemporary societies be described and understood? How does one become multilingual? How do we learn and teach foreign languages? What is the role of linguistic diversity and what values does it reflect? What are the cognitive, didactic and sociological issues associated with languages and communication? 

Unique study programmes in Switzerland

The department of Multilingualism and Foreign Language Education is looking for answers to these and other questions. In what ways? The department is involved in broad range research activities at the national and international level. It also offers unique study programmes in Switzerland including German and Italian as a Foreign Language as well as Rhaeto-Romance, Multilingualism Studies and Foreign Language Didactics. The study of French as a Foreign Language is oriented towards the University of Fribourg’s particular research and teaching focus.

Practice-oriented and research-oriented studies

Programmes at the Bachelor's level are intended for didactics specialists in French, Italian and German as Foreign Languages as well as Rhaeto-Romance. These programmes are offered for 60 ECTS credits BA or as part of the Diploma for Teacher Education for Secondary Level  (French and German only: Formation à l'enseignement au secondaire I or Ausbildung für den Unterricht auf der Sekundarstufe I).

At Master's students have the opportunity to position themselves as key players in foreign language didactics, in the institutional management of linguistic diversity and minority languages or in multilingual education. Graduates are qualified for jobs in administration, in higher education and at language schools in Switzerland and abroad.

Our programmes address social and practical issues with a focus on research. They are closely related to projects that are financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and by the Research Center on Multilingualism. Hence they enable our students to find employment in research (psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, didactics) and to continue their studies within our doctoral programme.

Everyday multilingualism

Fribourg's geographic location makes the  University an ideal venue in the national and international academic landscape. Situated on the language border between the German- and French-speaking parts of Switzerland, the University of Fribourg is ideally suited for studies in multilingualism as well as for the learning and teaching of foreign languages.