Provides students with the four basic language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Emphasis is on learning the fundamentals of grammar and on the development of verbal skills through their active use. Students having had two or more years of high school French are ineligible to take FREN 101 unless they obtain the instructor's permission. Class/laboratory. Language level and subsequent course placement will be determined by the Department of Languages & Literary Studies.
Provides students with the four basic language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Emphasis is on learning the fundamentals of grammar and on the development of verbal skills through their active use. Students having had two or more years of high school French are ineligible to take French 101 unless they obtain the instructor's permission. Class/laboratory. Language level and subsequent course placement will be determined by the Department of Languages & Literary Studies. [H]
Accelerated Elementary French is an intensive program for high beginners. This course takes a communicative approach to developing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, while providing a diverse array of on-line ancillary materials to enhance the student's understanding of French and Francophone cultures. Students wishing to take this course should consult with the instructor in order to determine whether it is appropriate for them. In addition to four hours of class instruction per week, students will be expected to actively engage in self-directed learning, both on-line and in the Language Resource Center. Language level and subsequent course placement will be determined by the Department of Languages & Literary Studies. [H]
Review and expansion of the basic grammar and vocabulary of the language. Attention to developing reading and conversational skills and a deeper understanding of the culture of France and other francophone countries. Class/laboratory. Language level and subsequent course placement will be determined by the Department of Languages & Literary Studies. [H]
Review and expansion of the basic grammar and vocabulary of the language. Attention to developing reading and conversational skills and a deeper understanding of the culture of France and other francophone countries. Class/laboratory. Language level and subsequent course placement will be determined by the Department of Languages & Literary Studies. [GM2, H]
Grammar review with emphasis on areas of greatest difficulty. Enrichment of written expression with emphasis on style and vocabulary building. Examination of cultural and contemporary issues through use of the language laboratory (films, television broadcasts, newspaper articles, computerized programs) and discussion of cultural and literary texts. Class/laboratory. Language level and subsequent course placement will be determined by the Department of Languages & Literary Studies. [H]
Designed for the advanced student wishing to acquire specialized knowledge of the French language for use in business. The course examines a variety of topics such as agriculture, industry, postal services, telecommunications, international trade, customs regulations, banking activities, the stock market, major enterprises, advertising, the insurance industry, the real estate market, job offers and applications, résumé writing, and business correspondence.
Introduction to the study of medieval and Renaissance French literature and civilization. Readings from such works as La Chanson de Roland, Yvain ou le chevalier au lion, Tristan et Iseult, Aucassin et Nicolette, Rabelais's Gargantua et Pantagruel, the poetry of the Pléiade, and Montaigne's Essais. [H]
Readings from such works as Corneille's Le Cid, Racine's Phèdre, Molière's Le Tartuffe, Mme de La Fayette's La Princesse de Clèves, Prévost's Manon Lescaut, Marivaux's Le Jeu de l'amour et du hasard, Voltaire's Candide, and Montesquieu's Lettres persanes. [H]
Introduction to the study of such modern literary movements as romanticism, realism, naturalism, symbolism, surrealism, existentialism, and the absurd. Emphasis on poetry, fiction, drama, and criticism in the works of such authors as Mme de Staël, Chateaubriand, Lamartine, Hugo, Stendhal, Balzac, Flaubert, Zola, Maupassant, Baudelaire, Verlaine, Rimbaud, Mallarmé, Jarry, Valéry, Apollinaire, Gide, Proust, Breton, Malraux, Sartre, Camus, Beckett, and Ionesco. [H]
French history, civilization, and culture from the Revolution of 1789 through modern times. Emphasis on major historical figures and events, the evolution of political and social institutions, economic trends, the development of religious, philosophical, and political beliefs, and changes in the modes of artistic expression. [H]
“New Horizons” is an interdisciplinary journey through the Sub-Saharan and Caribbean Francophone Worlds, focusing on the intersections of youth and identity. This course explores a wide array of cultural productions, such as literature, film, graphic novels, visual arts, philosophy, and anthropology, to understand how Francophone youth navigate and reshape their identities in a rapidly changing world. Students will delve into the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, scrutinize the enduring impacts of colonization, and envision a post-modern Africa’s role on the global stage. Through engaging with the creative expressions and intellectual discourses from Africa and the Caribbean, they will gain a deeper understanding of the innovative ways in which cultural narratives can address and navigate global challenges. [GM2, H]
This course examines themes and techniques of imitation and/or subversion of classical and Biblical sources as strategies for defining the self and the creative process in the vernacular. Readings include such genres as the epic, courtly romance, popular theater, allegorical and lyric poetry, short story, and the essay (La Chanson de Roland, Chrétien de Troyes, Le Roman de la Rose, La Farce de Maistre Pathelin, François Villon, François Rabelais, Joachim du Bellay, Pierre de Ronsard, Louise Labé, Marguerite de Navarre, Michel de Montaigne). [H, W]
Study of the development of romanticism, realism, naturalism, and symbolism, with emphasis on such writers as Chateaubriand, Constant, Musset, Sand, Nerval, Hugo, Stendhal, Balzac, Flaubert, Zola, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Mallarmé, and Villiers de l'Isle-Adam. Attention also may be given to the Parnassian school. [H, W]
The major movements following symbolism are studied in historical context and in the works of such authors as Gide, Proust, Apollinaire, Breton, Mauriac, Colette, Malraux, Sartre, Camus, Ionesco, Robbe-Grillet, Queneau, Perec, Barthes, Kristeva, Ernaux, and Derrida. Topics such as surrealism, Orientalism, ludics, feminism, memory of World War II, the Algerian War, multiculturalism, and Francophonie. [H, W]
French cinematographers and their works have often stood in contrast to large-scale epic Hollywood productions. This is not to say that the two traditions are totally distinct: cross-fertilization has occurred in both directions. This course will examine several eras of French film-making: the Golden Age, the Cinema de Qualite, and the Nouvelle Vague, as well as various genres, such as the the Film Noir, the Cinema du patrimoine, the Cinema de look, the Cinema de banlieue, and Feminist film making. [H, W]
Study of a genre or major theme in French literature. Course content is broad in scope. [H, W]
This course gives students the opportunity to investigate intensively an area of special interest. Students work on their projects independently under the guidance of an instructor. At the end of the semester, students submit a research paper and/or make a substantial oral presentation. Hours arranged.
Tutorial sessions related to the student's investigation of the area chosen for the honors essay. Open to majors in French who are candidates for departmental honors. [One W credit only upon completion of both 495 and 496]