Course Descriptions

BA programs in French

French and Francophone Language and Culture

FRE 1120. Elementary French I (4). This course stresses oral comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. May not be taken by native speakers. May not be taken concurrently with FRE 1121 and/or 2220.

FRE 1121. Elementary French II (4). Prerequisite: FRE 1120 or equivalent. This course places further emphasis on oral comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. May not be taken by native speakers. May not be taken concurrently with FRE 1120 and/or 2220.

FRE 2220. Intermediate French (4). Prerequisite: FRE 1121 or equivalent. This intermediate course offers a rapid overview of basic French grammar and expands students’ oral and written French expression through structured activities and compositions. May not be taken concurrently with FRE 1120, FRE 1121, or by native speakers.

FRE 3244. Intermediate French Conversation (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 2220 or equivalent. Through readings and films about contemporary issues facing French society, this course aims at developing oral communication skills in a broad cultural context.

FRE 3420. French Grammar and Composition I (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 2220 or equivalent. This course is an in-depth study of French grammar emphasizing subtleties of written expression.

FRE 3421. French Grammar and Composition II (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 2220 or equivalent. This course is a further study of the subtleties of written expression in the French language.

FRE 3440. Commercial French (3). Prerequisites: FRE 2220 or equivalent. This course develops language and correspondence skills appropriate to business transactions in such areas as sales, finance, transportation, management, etc.

FRE 3501. Contemporary France (3). Prerequisite: FRE 3420. This course, taught entirely in French, provides the student with an understanding of French culture and society from WW II through the present day. Topics include high vs. popular culture, political life, Franco-American relations, economics, media, France and the European Union, social interactions of the French, family life, education system, religion, cuisine, and immigration and multiculturalism. Activities and assignments emphasize French writing and speaking skills.

FRE 3780. French Phonetics (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 3420. This course targets pronunciation practice using the phonetic alphabet with the objective of improving production of standard French pronunciation. French majors only.

FRE 4410. Advanced Conversation (3).  This course is about oral expression, listening skills and vocabulary acquisition in French in a variety of domains using contemporary materials.

FRE 4422. Advanced Grammar and Composition (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 3420 and FRE 3421. This course aims at developing writing and speaking ability at an advanced level through a review of French grammar, an introduction to Comparative Stylistics of French and English, the reading of sophisticated French prose, and the writing of two research papers.

FRE 4905r. Directed Individual Study (3).  In this course, students arrange with individual faculty members to undertake specialized study in areas outside of or in addition to the regular curriculum. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRE 4930r. Special Topics (3).  Prerequisite: Divisional coordinator permission. This course allows students to study literary topics of a special kind, depending on student interest and faculty expertise. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

FRE 4935r. Honors Thesis (1–6).  This course may be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours, three hours of which may be applied to the requirements for the major with permission of the department. All honors work is directed by the student’s honors committee.

FRE 4942r. Internship in Applied French (1–6).  (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Advanced standing in French. This course provides academic credit for students working in governmental agencies or private business where students employ the foreign language. Departmental permission required. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) credit hours; repeatable within the same term.

French and Francophone Cultures in Translation

Note: FRT courses do not count toward the major unless the student reads the works in French, writes all assignments in French, and can provide a letter from the instructor granting him/her permission to take the course for major credit.

FRT 3140. Masterworks of French Literature in Translation (3).  This course is a survey of selected masterpieces of French literature, ranging from the Middle Ages to the present. The readings and instruction are in English.

FRT 3520r. French and Francophone Cinema (3).  This Francophone cinema course is offered in two versions: one focusing on the relationship between cinema and Francophone cultures and societies, and another taking a chronological and thematic approach to the movements and directors of metropolitan French cinema. This course is taught in English and, with instructor permission, three hours may be used for major or minor credit. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRT 3561. French Women Writers (3).  Prerequisites: ENC 1101 and ENC 1121, or equivalent. This course addresses issues of race, gender, and class in a selection of works written by prominent French/francophone writers. Taught in English. Can be used for minor credit with permission of the coordinator.

Literatures, Cultures and/or Societies of French Expression

FRW 3100. Survey of French Literature I: Early-Modern France (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 2220; FRE 3420 or FRE 3421 recommended. This course is an introduction to the study of early-modern French literature by reading and discussing works representative of the various schools and movements.

FRW 3101. Survey of French Literature II: Modern France (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 2220. This course is an introduction to the study of modern French literature by reading and discussing works representative of the various schools and movements. (Spring semester only.)

FRW 4420. Medieval and Renaissance Literature (3).  Prerequisite: FRW 3100. This course is an introduction to the poetry and prose of the medieval and early-modern periods. Emphasis is on the themes of love and friendship.

FRW 4433. 17th- and 18th-Century Literature (3).  Prerequisite: FRW 3100 or FRW 3101. This course surveys major works in the areas of theatre, philosophy, and prose fiction. Special attention is given to the possible meanings of central concepts such as Classicism and Enlightenment.

FRW 4460. 19th-Century Literature (3).  Prerequisite: FRW 3101. This course focuses on major themes and issues in 19th-century literature and culture.

FRW 4480. 20th-Century Literature (3).  Prerequisite: FRW 3101. This course is a survey of the major works (novels, theatre, poetry) and movements of 20th-century French literature.

FRW 4761r. Studies in Francophone Literatures and Cultures (3).  Prerequisite: FRW 3100 or FRW 3101. This course is an examination of selected aspects of cultural forms (books, film, music, etc.) associated with one or more French-speaking regions located outside France, including North Africa, West Africa, the Antilles, Quebec, Indo-china, and French-speaking islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 4770r. Francophone Caribbean/African Cultures (3).  Prerequisite: FRW 3101. This course examines the literature of Africa and the Caribbean written in French with an emphasis on Negritude and/or Creolite. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.


MA and PhD programs in French

French and Francophone Language and Culture

FRE 5060. Graduate Reading Knowledge in French (3).  (S/U grade only). This course is designed to present structures of the French language and vocabulary to prepare graduate students majoring in other disciplines to read learned journals, books, and monographs written in French useful for the student’s research in humanities, natural or social sciences.

FRE 5069r. Reading Knowledge Examination (0).  (S/U grade only). This course is a translation examination to ascertain the student’s ability to read research materials written in French. Use of translation software is prohibited.

FRE 5505r. French and Francophone Cultures (3).  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course covers developments in France and in the wider Francophone (French-speaking) world since the Second World War. The course explores the institutions of the Fifth Republic, the evolution of ideas since May 1968, and the emergence of new artistic movements in France. The course also examines the rise of Francophone cultures in the former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRE 5535. Post-Colonial Cultures in France (3).  This course examines the new cultural practices being forged in France by writers, filmmakers and musicians mixing elements from African, Caribbean, French, American and other sources. It is taught in French.

FRE 5567. Introduction to Global French Studies (3).  This course introduces graduate students to graduate work in French studies and traces the disciplinary shifts in this field. This course focuses on Global French studies as a way of understanding the literary and cultural production of the French-speaking world through its spatial and temporal relations.

FRE 5755. Old French (3).  In this course, the primary objectives are to acquire a reading knowledge of the language and to learn basic concepts concerning its structure and development.

FRE 5756. Readings in Old French Language (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 5755. This course is a diachronic study of short works written in Old French. The goal is to introduce students to major genres and authors and to increase their reading knowledge of the language.

FRE 5900r. Studies in French Language and Literature (3).  This course varies in content as student’s needs are addressed. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

FRE 5940r. Teaching Practicum (0–5).  (S/U grade only). A maximum of three semester hours may apply to the master’s degree. May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours.

French Literature in Translation

FRT 5555. Immigration and National Identity in France (3).  This interdisciplinary course examines the ways in which immigration and ethnicity have been reshaping the contours of contemporary French society and culture. It is taught in English.

French and Francophone Literatures, Cultures and Civilizations

FRW 5415. Old French Literature I (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 5755. Recommended prerequisite: FRE 5756. This course is a study of works in Old French organized around a specific topic.

FRW 5419r. Studies in Medieval French Literature: Figure or Genre (3).  Prerequisite: FRE 5755. Recommended prerequisite: FRE 5756. This course is a study of a major medieval author or genre. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 5586r. Studies in 16th-Century Literature: Figure or Movement (3).  This course is a study of the prose other than Rabelais and Montaigne alternates with an examination of the theater and poetry of the period. If interest warrants, a single author such as Marguerite de Navarre may be treated in depth. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 5587r. Studies in 17th-Century Literature: Figure or Movement (3).  This course focuses on a major figure (e.g., Pascal) or intellectual-religious movement (e.g., Jansenism) or a genre (e.g., novel, poetry), depending on the semester. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 5588r. Studies in 18th-Century Literature: Figure or Movement (3).  In this course, material alternates between preromanticism and enlightenment. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 5595r. Studies in 19th-Century French Literature (3).  This course is a critical or thematic approach to the literature and culture of 19th-Century France. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours as content varies.

FRW 5599r. Studies in 20th-Century Post-War (1940 to the present)  French Literature: Figure or Movement and/or Genre (3). This course covers post-WWII literary movements in the novel, theatre and poetry. Authors studied include Michel Butor, Albert Camus, Samuel Beckett, Jean Cocteau, Henri Michaux, and others. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 5765r. Studies in Francophone Literatures and Cultures (3).  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course is an examination of selected aspects of cultural forms (books, film, music, etc.) associated with one or more French-speaking region located outside France, including North Africa, West Africa, the Antilles, Quebec, Indochina, and French-speaking islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 5775r. Francophone Caribbean/African Cultures (3).  Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course examines the literature of Africa and the Caribbean written in French with an emphasis on Negritude and/or Créolité. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours.

FRW 5906r. Directed Individual Study (3).  (S/U grade only). May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

FRW 5910r. Supervised Research in French (1–5).  (S/U grade only). A maximum of three semester hours may apply to the master’s degree. May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours.

FRW 5971r. Thesis (1–6).  (S/U grade only). A minimum of six semester hours is required.

FRW 6938r. Graduate Seminar in French Literature (3).  May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

FRW 6980r. Dissertation (1–12).  (S/U grade only). A minimum of twenty-four semester hours is required for the PhD.

FRW 8964r. Preliminary Doctoral Examination (0).  (P/F grade only.)

FRW 8966r. Master’s Comprehensive Examination (0).  (P/F grade only.)

FRW 8976. Master’s Thesis Defense (0).  (P/F grade only.)

FRW 8985r. Dissertation Defense (0).  (P/F grade only.)