About the field of French Language Studies: Studying another culture can be a complicated undertaking, but many people start with the language and literature of that culture. If you can speak a language, you can communicate with others who speak that language and thus learn far more than a book or a lecture can ever tell you. Similarly, learning the literature of another culture enables you to hear the stories of that people in their own words. Language studies can cover anything from basic vocabulary to advanced linguistics , while literature can touch on the range of issues facing a particular society. Many people pursuing French studies will choose to travel to France in order to immerse themselves in the language and culture. French tends to be a particularly useful language as it is the only language other than English spoken on five continents. French can claim status as an official language in 28 countries, and is a working language for many organizations including the United Nations, UNESCO, NATO, the International Red Cross, and many more. It is the second most frequently taught language after English. For those interested in studying other languages and cultures, there are a variety of other related fields including: African Studies , Asian Studies , German Studies , Italian Studies , Middle Eastern Studies , Portuguese Studies , Russian and Slavic Studies , and Spanish Studies . French studies may also encompass a range of other issues related to French culture including: history , politics , philosophy , art , and religion .