In the 1960s, the Khmer Royal University had a Faculty of Letters, which offered French language courses. From 1985-1989, two-year short courses in French language were offered at the Institute of Foreign Languages. In 1989, after the IFL merged with the Teacher Training College to create the Phnom Penh University, the government of Cambodia requested that a French Department, offering a full degree program, be developed. An initial five-year degree in French language was reduced to a four year program in 1995, thus becoming consistent with all other degree programs offered at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.