French (FREN)
French Undergraduate Courses
FREN 1010 WHY LANGUAGES MATTER: REPRESENTATIONS OF LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE US MEDIA (3 credits)
Delivered in English, this course introduces students to diversity in the US using language in context as points of departure. In this course, we analyze the intersection between language and ideological constructions (e.g., the objectification of Latino women, discrimination and stereotypes toward Asian peoples) and examine nodes of social meaning through visual and audio representations of language, as consumed in music, tv series, art (e.g., street art, installations) and social media. Departing from a US-centric and an assimilative approach, the course provides a historical and geographic lens through which these languages exist in the United States. (Cross-listed with WLL 1000, GERM 1010, JAPN 1020, SPAN 1010).
Distribution: U.S. Diversity General Education course and Humanities and Fine Arts General Education course
FREN 1110 ELEMENTARY FRENCH I (5 credits)
Elementary French I emphasizes the mastery of all four language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, as well as introduces cultural issues from the francophone world.
Distribution: Global Diversity General Education course and Humanities and Fine Arts General Education course
FREN 1120 ELEMENTARY FRENCH II (5 credits)
French 1120 is the second course in the 16-hour Arts and Sciences Foreign Language requirement. It is communicative in approach and emphasizes the mastery of all language skills including listening, writing, speaking, and reading.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 1110 with a grade of C- or better or placement by diagnostic examination. Department permission is needed for transfer credit.
FREN 2110 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I (3 credits)
Grammar review, continued oral practice, and introduction to literary readings.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 1120 or placement by Department of Foreign Languages diagnostic examination. Department permission is needed for transfer credit.
FREN 2120 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II (3 credits)
Grammar review, continued oral practice, and introduction to literary readings.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2110 or placement by Department of Foreign Languages diagnostic examination. Department permission is needed for transfer credit.
FREN 3020 SPECIAL TOPICS IN FRENCH (3 credits)
Topics for this course will include French grammar review, conversation practice, composition, and structure. This course is a bridge course designed for students who have completed FREN 2120, FREN 3030, or FREN 3040, to prepare them for 3000/4000-level content courses in French.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120 or equivalent. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 3030 FRENCH CONVERSATION (3 credits)
Practice in a variety of conversational situations and levels.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120 or placement by Department of Foreign Languages diagnostic examination.
FREN 3040 FRENCH GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION (3 credits)
Review of grammatical principles, practice in written composition.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120 or placement by Department of Foreign Languages diagnostic examination.
FREN 3050 INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION (3 credits)
Introduction to the theory and various techniques of translation from French into English. Students will review specific differences between French and English grammar and lexicon. Students will first practice translating sentences, moving to paragraphs to end on translating various genres of literary works. Throughout the course, students will translate a great variety of texts such as news articles, administrative forms, official records, business documents, brochures, operating instructions, and how to translate subtitles.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 3040 or permission
FREN 3060 READINGS IN FRENCH (3 credits)
This course aims to increase students' fluency in reading and to develop comprehension skills that will help them in advanced language studies. The course will also enrich students' vocabulary through the use of a variety of primary sources; many genres will be sampled.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 3160 INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH LITERATURE (3 credits)
Readings in this survey course will include a selection of French authors from the medieval period to the present. This selection will vary depending on the instructor. The main objective of this course is the development of critical reading skills and an understanding of major authors, movements, and themes in French literature. Students will read selections from numerous authors in a variety of genres, including short stories, theater, poetry, and the novel. The course also focuses on continuing to develop French language skills, in particular through reading for comprehension and interpretation of metaphorical meaning. Discussion will help to hone speaking skills.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 3060 or instructor permission.
FREN 3370 FRENCH CIVILIZATION (3 credits)
A historical view of France through its political, artistic, musical, literary, architectural and philosophical development from prehistory to the present.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120 or permission
FREN 3580 BUSINESS FRENCH (3 credits)
An introduction to the French business world. Students will acquire the necessary vocabulary, skills and cultural strategies to perform adequately in a French business environment so they can understand the cultural differences between the American and French business worlds.
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120 or equivalent
FREN 4030 ADVANCED FRENCH CONVERSATION (3 credits)
This course focuses on the development of oral skills in French through the use of complex and sophisticated conversational structures and nuanced lexicon. Students will be involved in expressing or presenting their ideas and opinions, interpersonal speaking activities, and a variety of activities including reading short literary and cultural texts and screening films. (Cross-listed with FREN 8036).
Prerequisite(s): FREN 3030 or departmental permission. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 4040 ADVANCED FRENCH COMPOSITION AND STYLISTICS (3 credits)
In this capstone course, required for the completion of the major, learners will explore and practice advanced grammatical structures, write compositions in a variety of genres, and familiarize themselves with advanced stylistics.
Prerequisite(s): French majors with Junior or Senior standing. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
Distribution: Writing in the Discipline Single Course
FREN 4050 SEMINAR IN THE CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION OF QUEBEC (3 credits)
An introduction to the many facets of Quebec Culture & Civilization, through readings on Quebec's history and contemporary culture and also through films and other media related to Quebec. (Cross-listed with FREN 8056).
FREN 4070 FRANCOPHONE WEST AFRICA CULTURES (3 credits)
This course is intended as an introduction and exploration to the history, literary traditions and cinema of Francophone West Africa from 1945 to today. It seeks to familiarize students with the practice of reading literary texts, discussing seminal films and articulating critically informed reaction in writing. The course will focus on a selection of canonical authors and seminal films from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal . The texts and films will provide a point of entry to the study of history, society, and culture. Historical, socio-political and cultural issues covered in the course will include: Ancient rites and oral literature, French colonization and post-colonialism, women and gender issues, childhood, immigration, the "Afropean" literature and West African Francophone countries contemporary challenges (politics and economies) with presentations on Benin, Niger and Togo today. (Cross-listed with FREN 8076).
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120
FREN 4150 CONTEMPORARY FRENCH NOVEL (3 credits)
Selected contemporary French novels are analyzed and discussed. The main objective of this course is the development of critical reading and analytical skills that will allow students to reflect more productively upon the major social and aesthetic themes manifest in the texts under consideration. In addition, students will examine the sociopolitical and cultural contexts of these literary works. (Cross-listed with FREN 8156).
Prerequisite(s): FREN 3060 or permission. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 4170 CONTEMPORARY FRENCH THEATER (3 credits)
Selected contemporary French plays are analyzed and discussed. The main objective of this course is the development of critical reading and analytical skills that will allow students to reflect more productively upon the major social and aesthetic themes manifest in the texts under consideration. (Cross-listed with FREN 8176).
Prerequisite(s): FREN 3060 or permission of instructor. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 4220 THE STRUCTURE OF FRENCH (3 credits)
A survey of the linguistic structure of modern French, including phonology, morphology, and syntax. (Cross-listed with FREN 8226).
Prerequisite(s): FREN 3040 or departmental permission. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 4860 MODERN FRENCH WOMEN AUTHORS (3 credits)
Selected contemporary French literary texts written by women are analyzed and discussed. This may include novels, short stories, poetry, and graphic novels. The primary objective of this course is the development of critical reading and analytical skills that will allow students to reflect more productively upon the major social and aesthetic themes manifest in the works under consideration. In addition, students will examine the sociopolitical and cultural contexts of these works.(Cross-listed with FREN 8866).
Prerequisite(s): FREN 3060 or permission. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 4900 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-3 credits)
Specially planned assignments in a well-defined field of French Studies, carried out under the supervision of a member of the Foreign Languages and Literature faculty. Designed primarily for the student who has need of work not currently available in the departmental offerings and who has demonstrated the capability of working independently. In general, these independent studies should not be taken as substitutes for scheduled classes of the same nature. May be repeated for credit once. (Cross-listed with FREN 8906).
Prerequisite(s): Junior or Senior standing, no incompletes outstanding, and departmental permission. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
FREN 4950 PRO-SEMINAR: LITERATURE AND/OR FILM (3 credits)
This course is dedicated to the study of a narrow field of the literature and/or cinema of the Francophone world. (Cross-listed with FREN 8956).
FREN 4960 PRO-SEMINAR: CULTURE AND SOCIETY (3 credits)
This course will address narrow field of study of the civilization, history, film, contemporary culture, art, politics, and or cultural studies of the Francophone world. (Cross-listed with FREN 8966).
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2120; FREN 3030, FREN 3040, and FREN 3060
FREN 4970 PRO-SEMINAR: LINGUISTICS AND LANGUAGE FOR THE PROFESSIONS (3 credits)
This course will address a narrow field of study of linguistics, translation/interpretation or the professional language of the Francophone world. (Cross-listed with FREN 8976).