Amy Harker-Rosskopf, M.A.
Lecturer, French
Comparative International Studies
College of Arts and Letters
SDSU
Bio
Born and raised in San Diego, Amy Harker first studied Spanish for six years before unexpectedly discovering a passion for French during her freshman year at UCLA. Inspired by a dynamic professor whose enthusiasm and pedagogy brought the language to life, she continued enrolling in French courses even as a psychology major. A study abroad experience in Bordeaux solidified her love for the language, leading her to change her major to French.
After five years in corporate America, she realized she missed French and wanted to pursue teaching, ultimately earning her M.A. in French at SDSU in 2025.
Since joining SDSU as a Lecturer in Comparative International Studies in the College of Arts and Letters, Amy has expanded her teaching portfolio to include beginning, intermediate, and advanced French courses, covering Francophone Literature, Grammar, Business French, and Translation. She has also taught French Civilization in English for the Department of Humanities and Contemporary Europe for European Studies. Her favorite part of teaching is witnessing the spark in students’ eyes when they realize they can communicate deeply in the target language—an achievement that requires courage, humility, and persistence. She fosters a supportive classroom environment where high expectations are balanced with encouragement and teamwork.
Passionate about showing students that it is never too late to learn a foreign language, Amy shares her own journey of beginning French at 18 and working tirelessly to master it. She encourages lecturers to keep growing professionally and embrace new opportunities at SDSU. Outside the classroom, she brings the same energy to teaching fitness classes in Cardio Kickboxing, Dance, HIIT, and Yoga, and expresses her creativity as a singer in rock, pop, blues, and jazz bands.
Areas of Specialization
French language instruction