Learning to speak, write and communicate orally in French is an essential part of participating fully in the cultural and professional life of Quebec. At Dawson College, some students study French as a second language while others take French literature courses in order to prepare for the French Exit Exam to graduate.
Starting in Fall 2024, the level of French you will study at Dawson will depend on:
- Whether you hold a Certificate of Eligibility to English-language education
- If you do hold a Certificate of Eligibility, how strong your level of French is
This new approach to learning and teaching French are due to new amendments to the Charter of the French Language adopted by the Quebec National Assembly in May 2022. For more details on Law 14 (Bill 96), Certificates of Eligibility and what it means for you, visit our FAQ page.
French at Dawson if I have a Certificate of Eligibility
Depending on your grades in French at the end of secondary V, you will be placed in one of the following four levels:
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
If you are placed in 100 or 101, you will be required to take five French Second Language courses of 45 hours each.
If you are placed in 102 or 103, you will be required to take two French Second Language courses of 45 hours each (Blocks A and B) and three program courses in French of at least 45 hours each.
If your grades in French at the end of Secondary V are deemed too low to enter Level 100, you will first have to take a 60-hour remedial course (602-009-DW), which will count as one of the three French courses that are required as part of the application of the Charter.
If you did not attend high school in Quebec, you will be placed according to your level of French. If your level is deemed too low to enter level 100, you may be offered extra-curricular reinforcement courses. These courses count as part of the three French courses required under the Charter.
Please note: you will have the opportunity to be reassessed after taking your first two French courses to evaluate whether your pathway should be modified.
You will not have to pass the French Exit Exam to obtain your DEC. You will need to pass the English Exit Exam.
French at Dawson if I do not have a Certificate of Eligibility
To obtain your Diploma of Collegial Studies and graduate, you’ll need to pass the French Exit Exam. In order to prepare students, we offer three 45-hour preparation courses
- 602-UF0-MQ (Œuvres narratives et écriture, a compulsory complementary course)
- 602-UF1-MQ (Poésie, théâtre et écriture)
- 602-UF2-MQ (Comparaison d’oeuvres)
Once the 602-UF0-MQ and 602-UF1-MQ courses are completed, you can register for the French Exit Exam while taking 602-UF2-MQ course, or after successfully completing this course.
At the end of secondary V, if your overall average is less than 75%, or if your grade in written French is less than 70%, you must first take a 60-hour remedial course, 602-RF2-DW. This course counts as one of the three required program courses in French that are required under the Charter.
If you did not complete your secondary education in Quebec
If you did not complete your secondary education in Quebec, you will need to provide proof of a French proficiency corresponding to at least level B2 on one of the following international exams:
- DELF (Diplôme d’études en langue française)
- TEF Canada (Test d’Évaluation de Français pour le Canada)
- TEFaQ (Test d’évaluation de français pour l’Accès au Québec)
Please note that Dawson Continuing Education and Community Services offers the TEF and TEFaQ tests.
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/international-development/tef-language-proficiency-testing/
The results must be less than 24 months old.
Anyone with a result below C1 on the international exams listed above will need to take one or two 60-hour remedial courses (602-RF1-DW and/or 602-RF2-DW) before starting the French Exit Exam preparation course sequence. This course counts as one of the three required program courses in French that are required under the Charter.
