French

1 semesters, 3 credits

This course is designed to introduce the French language to students who have no previous experience with the language. The course is communication-centered and develops oral, aural, reading, and writing skills concurrently. The active learning approach emphasizes pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammatical structures in the context of improving student’s oral and written expression.

1 semester, 3 credits

A continuation of French 101, this course is also appropriate for students who have previously studied French but are not prepared to resume study of the language at the intermediate level. The course emphasizes pronunciation, vocabulary building, and practice of fundamental grammar points. The format of this course is designed to improve students’ oral and written expression skills.

1 semester, 3 credits

The third course in the sequence of French language courses, this course is designed to further improve students’ oral and written communication skills through the introduction of more complex grammar points and the acquisition of more extensive vocabulary. Class discussions and essay topics related to cultural and contemporary issues provide opportunity for students to express themselves with more sophisticated and individual style.

1 semester, 3 credits

The objective of this course is to provide students the opportunity to practice, in speaking and in writing, more complex and nuanced linguistic elements in order to achieve a more advanced level of expression. Regular writing assignments and class discussions based on a variety of texts enhance students’ ability to express themselves clearly, defend a position, argue a point, etc.

1 semester, 3 credits

This course is designed to continue the development of students’ reading and writing skills, to improve their written expression in terms of both accuracy and content, and to evolve a personal style of expression. The nuances of the language are examined through analysis of texts from a variety of genres, with particular attention to stylistic techniques. Selected texts will guide the students to varied genres of writing, including description, narration, and expression of opinions. The course will also comprise a review of the more complex grammatical structures; grammatical work will be closely tied to the written expression. This course also introduces students to literary terminology, to the discipline of explication de texte, and to the techniques of literary analysis. Conducted in French.

1 semester, 3 credits

This course is designed for students who aspire to engage in normal conversation with confidence, ease, and near-native fluency. Since normal conversation does not follow a simple question/answer format but flows, one’s comments cannot be prepared in advance. It is, therefore, essential to learn to listen actively, i.e. to listen for cues as well as for content and meaning. Classes are discussion-centered, based on readings and CD’s on topics of interest to students, and emphasize listening skills, intonation, pronunciation, speech patterns, and conversational strategies. Conducted in French.

1 semester, 3 credits (Fine Arts Core & Oral Proficiency)

This course examines the development of French civilization from the perspective of the arts as catalyst and mirror of the changes that transformed an occupied Roman territory into a major political and cultural force of the 21st century. France has always balanced respect for the past with a vision for the future. This incorporation of the past into the present, which we will study through the arts, is a hallmark of France’s identity that has served her well in maintaining her unique identity while forging a new identity as a member of the Communauté Européenne. Through studying the stunning pre-historic cave paintings in Lascaux, the medieval preoccupation with religion that finds expression in sculpture and architecture culminating in the spectacular Gothic cathedrals, the luxurious châteaux of the Loire Valley that celebrate the Renaissance view of humanity and a new appreciation of women, Versailles and the concept of divine right justified as earthly manifestations of the perfect order of the universe (“une foi, un roi, une loi”), the human longing for liberty and freedom of expression that leads to the Révolution in politics and the arts where personal, subjective impressions are valued as much as authoritarian interpretations/ views of what is real and true, the artistic movements of post-Impressionism, Cubism, Modernism, Surrealism and Post-Modernism, we will come to understand that the arts provide a unique insight into the complexities of how French civilization has evolved into the France of today. Conducted in French. Conducted in French.

1 semester, 3 credits

A study of contemporary French society through analysis of French customs, values, attitudes, expectations, and responses to various situations and events. Conducted in French.

1 semester, 3 credits

Intended primarily for students considering careers in international business and foreign service. Active study of commercial, banking, and legal practices and terminology, business letter writing and translating. Conducted in French. Prerequisite: FRN 201 or 202.

1 semester, 3 credits

Recurring themes in French literature studied through close reading of selected literary masterpieces. Class discussions include examination of the relationship between literary works and the historical and socio-cultural context in which they are produced, as well as the evolution of particular literary themes over the ages. Conducted in English.

1 semester, 3 credits

Close reading of selections from major works of the Middle Ages through the 18th century with attention to the development of literary genres and the social/historical context in which they emerge. Course includes oral and written work, explication de texte, and an introduction to a variety of critical perspectives. Conducted in French. (Intensive Writing II Proficiency)

1 semester, 3 credits

Critical examination of selections from the works of the major literary movements of the 19th and 20th centuries with emphasis on developing students’ analytical skills. Course includes oral and written work, explication de texte, and the study of critical theory. Conducted in French. (Intensive Writing II Proficiency)

1 semester, 3 credits

This course will provide students the opportunity for in-depth study of a particular topic not treated in existing course offerings. Topics will vary and may be drawn from current issues, events, debates, or from other related areas of interest to students of the discipline. Conducted in French. Prerequisite: Successful completion of at least two FRN courses at the 200-level or above.

1 semester, 3 credits

A critical examination of major works of French poetry from the Middle Ages through the 18th century pre-Romantic era. Conducted in French. Prerequisites: FRN 321 and 322.

1 semester, 3 credits

A critical examination of major works of French poetry from early 19th century Romanticism to the modern day. Conducted in French. Prerequisites: FRN 321 and 322.

1 semester, 3 credits (Fine Arts core)

A study of the emergence of theater as a genre, from the earliest jeux and farces of the Middle Ages through the 17th Classical Age and the major works of Molière, Corneille and Racine. Conducted in French. Prerequisites: FRN 321 and 322.

1 semester, 3 credits (Fine Arts Core)

A critical examination of the major works of French theater and a study of the evolution of theater as a genre from the post-Louis XIV era through the Theater of the Absurd. Conducted in French. Prerequisites: FRN 321 and 322.

1 semester, 3 credits

A study of the development of the novel as a genre through a critical examination of its earliest manifestations, including the 17th century’s Princesse de Clèves and the epistolary novel of the 18th century. Conducted in French. Prerequisites: FRN 321 and 322.

1 semester, 3 credits

A critical examination of major novels from the Romantic era through Existentialism, the Nouveau Roman, and the contemporary novel. Conducted in French. Prerequisites: FRN 321 and 322.

1 semester, 3 credits

This course offers majors at the advanced level the opportunity to apply and deepen their knowledge of the major language/culture in a meaningful way outside the classroom. Students interested in an internship must finalize the details of their placement and obtain approval both from the faculty member who will serve as their internship advisor and from the department chairperson PRIOR to registering for this course. Interns sign the departmental and college internship contracts and, in addition to the minimum ten hours per week devoted to supervised on-site responsibilities, meet regularly with the faculty internship advisor to discuss the ongoing process of the scholarly project that will emerge from the internship experience. At the conclusion of the internship, interns will submit the following in the target language: a written journal documenting and reflecting upon their weekly internship experiences, and a scholarly project submitted in writing to the internship advisor and presented orally to the department faculty.

1 semester, 3 credits

Research in selected areas of language or literature directed by a member of the department. Topic will be arranged in consultation with the instructor. Approval of the department chairperson is required.