Come September, students at the the University of Windsor will have the option to take up to 14 new courses political science courses, in French.
The university’s department of political science will be working with the French department on the new bilingual bachelor of political science program, said Stephen Brooks, a political science professor at Windsor.
“We've also received marvelous co-operation from the department of political science at the University of Ottawa and its head, Francois Rocher,” Brooks said.
As part of the program, students in their third year will have the opportunity to take five courses at the University of Ottawa, Brooks said.
“[This] is one of the most attractive features of this program and a key to its success,” she added.
Cheryl Collier, a Windsor professor who also taught at the U of O and Carleton, said she believes the program will be a success because of the area’s French heritage.
"The popularity of the French immersion programs at public schools and high schools is growing. And there's a strong French tradition in this area,” Collier told the Windsor Star.
Only two students are registered in the new, four-year undergraduate program at the time, but Brooks said he believes there will be enough interest in the program.
“We'll be in a better position to judge how much interest there is in this program in a couple of months, once students and their families have made decisions about which universities and programs to apply to for next year,” Brooks said.
Some students believe that implementing bilingual programs would benefit Carleton.
“I think it would be very beneficial for the university to include bilingual programs because it opens up a lot more opportunities and it would increase the diversity to our school,” said Matt Monterry, a first-year law student. “Carleton would be more welcoming to francophones and that would reflect on the reputation of the school.”
Jerry Zhao, a first-year PAPM student, said he believes bilingual programs would improve Carleton’s standing from a business perspective and would put the university in better competition with the University of Ottawa.
Sarah Shaw, a first-year chemistry student, said she disagrees.
“For me, being an English-only speaker, having the school be bilingual is actually a turn-off,” she said.
Shaw said she doesn’t think that it would have any effect on Carleton’s educational quality or reputation.
