French Courses
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Basic Language Courses
Elementary French I & II (French 120
& 121) teach students core vocabulary and
structures necessary for basic communication.
Intermediate French I and II (French 220
& 221) expand students' listening, reading,
speaking and writing skills in French, and teach them as well about the
cultures of France and Francophone countries.
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Special Language Electives
Students wishing to speak French with a more native pronunciation may
take French Pronunciation (French 225)
taught by our French Assistant. Students seeking to combine French with
adventure may wish to participate in the annual
French
Immersion Weekend (French 232) where
fun and French go hand in hand.
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Upper-level language Courses
Composition and Conversation I and II (French
320 & 325) are transitional courses which
continue to build students' language skills while preparing them for
advanced content classes in French. Students read fiction and write short
papers and learn to converse on a wide range of topics.
French for International Business Communication (French
326) introduces students to the vocabulary of and cultural differences
between American and French ways of doing business, including politics,
banking, and office culture. While the emphasis is on l'Hexagone, units of
the larger francophone business world (the European Union, les DOM-TOM, and
Africa) are included as well.
Advanced Phonology and Grammar (French
425) examines underlying rules of the French sound system and provides a
detailed analysis of French grammatical structures.
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Civilization Courses
French Civilization I &
II
(French 323 &
324) teach students about the interrelationship of French history,
economics, government, culture, art, architecture, science, literature,
philosophy and religion. The first course examines French Civilization from
its origins to the end of the 15th century; the second course, from the 16th
century to the present.
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Literature Courses
French Literature Survey I and Survey II introduce students to
the most significant French writers. Survey I
(321) spans the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Age of Louis XIV,
including both the Baroque and Classical periods.
Survey II (322) covers writers of the Enlightenment, the 19th and 20th
centuries. Students are taught to analyze literary passages and to write
explications de texte.
The Topics in Literature classes are specialized courses which
allow students to focus on works from a specific genre, period, or region.
Topics in Francophone Literature (French
401) include African, Québécois, & French Canadian literature; French
Indochinese literature; and Caribbean Literature.
Topics in Modern French Literature (French
402) include the French novel, Contemporary Drama, and Existentialism.
Francophone Women Writers (French 403)
focuses on the works of women authors from the French-speaking world.
Literature of the Ancien Régime (French
404) topics include Medieval and Renaissance literature; Baroque
literature; French Classicism; and the Enlightenment.
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Translation Courses
French Stylistics and Translation I & II (French
432 & 433) introduce students to the
contrastive analysis of the structure and lexicon of French and English.
Students learn procedures and strategies for translating between the two
languages. Completion of the two courses partially fulfills the requirement
for the French Minor in Translation.
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The French Capstone
French majors complete The French Capstone (French
430) during their last semester before graduation. Working with a
faculty mentor, each student undertakes an independent project in
linguistics, literary analysis, translation or pedagogy. Students submit a
written report to their mentor and make an oral report to the faculty as a
whole.
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Graduate Courses for the Master
of Arts in Education
These classes are intended for students who are preparing to teach
French in public schools.
The Seminar in Contemporary French Culture (French
521) (focuses on aspects of French society from a variety of
perspectives, such as cultural anthropology, cinema, art and politics,
depending on the expertise of the instructor.
Topics in French and Francophone Literature (French
523) provides students in-depth study of a recurrent theme, genre or
movement as well as relevant critical works.
Advanced Composition and Conversation (French
530) refines students' language skills through extensive reading,
writing, and discussion of articles from the French media and French web
sites.
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