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McGill SCS Certificate of Proficiency in French for Professional Communication

The Certificate of Proficiency in French for Professional Communication is a 30-credit program that focuses on oral and written communication in French.

The level of the certificate corresponds to the Advanced Level recognized by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Note that all students must take a Placement Test in order to be admitted to the program.

Take Placement Test

Type: Certificate

Courses: 10

Credits: 30

Schedule: Part-time OR Full-time if combined with the English or Bilingual Certificate

Time: Evenings or Saturdays

Delivery: In-person

Unit: Global & Strategic Communications

Questions? studentsuccess.scs [at] mcgill.ca

Learning Outcomes

The program is designed to enable you to:

Participate in meetings, interviews, and oral presentations
Prepare written letters, articles, and reports
Communicate in French in formal and informal situations
Gain the confidence to work in French in the Quebec professional context
Receive a McGill Certificate of Proficiency – French for Professional Communication

Program Courses

French for Professional Communication (Cert. Proficiency) (30 credits)

Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
Degree credit weight: 30

Program Description

The Certificate in Proficiency in French for Professional Communication is a 30-credit program that focuses on oral and written communication in French. The level of the certificate corresponds to the Advanced Level recognized by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Prerequisite courses

Course List
Course	Title	Credits
CEFN 102		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 104		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 106		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 107		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Required courses - Intermediate and Advanced (30 credits)

Course List
Course	Title	Credits
CEFN 211		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 212		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 221	¹	3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 222		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 331	²	3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 332	French Communication Practice 3.	3
French Communication Practice 3. Terms offered: Summer 2026 Designed for students at a High Intermediate level wishing to acquire oral and written communicative competence at this level. Vocabulary, grammar and strategies needed in professional life and in socio-cultural situations, including listening and communicative skills. / Ce cours s'adresse aux étudiants de niveau intermédiaire élevé qui veulent développer, en communication orale et écrite, une compétence propre à ce niveau. Il vise à développer le vocabulaire, la grammaire et les stratégies nécessaires pour interagir dans la vie professionnelle et dans diverses situations socioculturelles. L'accent est mis sur l'écoute et l'aptitude à communiquer. See course page for more information
CEFN 411	²	3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 412	³	3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 421		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 422		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

¹: Students who begin their studies with courses CEFN 221 Functional French Grammar/Writing 2 and/or CEFN 222 French Communication Practice 2, and who would like to be admitted to the Certificate in Proficiency in French for Professional Communication must take two complementary courses (CEFN 401 French Vocabulary in Context and CEFN 402 Persuasive French in Communication), or equivalent courses as approved by the academic domain to satisfy the requirements of the program. These courses may be taken as part of the advanced module of the program. For more information, please contact the academic domain.
²: Students who begin their studies with courses CEFN 331 Functional French Grammar/Writing 3 and/or CEFN 332 French Communication Practice 3 are not eligible for admission to the Certificate in Proficiency in French for Professional Communication. However, these students may register as Special Students and may be eligible to receive the McGill Attestation of Proficiency in French if they successfully complete all four (4) courses of the Advanced Module (CEFN 411 French Grammar/Writing Techniques, CEFN 412 French Oral Communication Techniques, CEFN 421 French Written Communication Contexts, and CEFN 422 French Oral Communication Contexts) with a minimum grade of B- (65%).
³: Students who begin their studies with courses CEFN 411 French Grammar/Writing Techniques and/or CEFN 412 French Oral Communication Techniques, are not eligible for admission to the Certificate in Proficiency in French for Professional Communication. However, these students may register as Special Students and may be eligible to receive the McGill Attestation of Proficiency in French if they successfully complete all four (4) courses of the Advanced Module (CEFN 411 French Grammar/Writing Techniques, CEFN 412 French Oral Communication Techniques, CEFN 421 French Written Communication Contexts, and CEFN 422 French Oral Communication Contexts) with a minimum grade of B- (65%).

Complementary courses

Course List
Course	Title	Credits
CEFN 401		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.
CEFN 402		3
Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Certificate of Proficiency – French for Professional Communication:

Students must take the a Placement Test and place into a level no higher than Intermediate Mid (CEFN 221/CEFN 222)
Students must be at least 18 years of age and hold a CEGEP diploma (DEC) or equivalent.
Students 21 years of age and over who do not have the normal academic background for admission may be admitted as Mature students.

Placement Test

In order to begin studying in the Certificate of Proficiency in French for Professional Communication, all new students (except for those at the beginner level) are required to take placement test in French. Test results are used to evaluate your current level of proficiency and determine which level and course you can register in according to our program structure. Students can take the test once per session and the results are valid for one year.

Beginner Level Participants

Beginner students who have little or no knowledge of French can fill out a waiver to be exempted from the Placement Test. Students who submit a waiver will be placed in our Basic French course (CEFN 102).

Register for a Placement Test Placement Test Waiver Form