Requirements
For the most current course requirements, please refer to the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Studies Department's program requirements for the French Major and Minor. Please contact the Language Program Advisors (Brett Wells for French, James Coleman for Italian) regarding requirements for students with enrollment dates prior to recent course registration policy revisions (the revision date is noted on the program sheet).
Beyond the Major
Studying French language and literatures of French expression prepares students for graduate study in law and international affairs, advanced work in the humanities, and careers in business, governmental service and teaching. The University is committed to international study and students are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to study abroad.
Students can also combine a major in French with a second major in a field such as political science, history, biology or economics. Students who choose to study the grammar, linguistics, culture, literature and film of the Francophone world will acquire an invaluable technical resource and an in-depth knowledge of a diverse and foundational intellectual tradition.
Required Courses
Comprehensive List of Undergraduate Studies' Majors, Minors, and Certificates
The French major requires the completion of 31 credits above the intermediate level (FR 0101 through FR 0102 do not count toward the major).
Of these, 16 credits consist of the following required core courses:
FR 0020 or 0220, 0021 or 0221, 0027 or 0227, 0055 or 0255, 0056 or 0256, and 0058 or 0258. (as of fall 2020, these course numbers changed)
Majors are expected to take one (1) credit of FR 0058/0258, but may take two (2) additional credits of the course as a non-major elective. In addition, students must take 15 credits of electives at the 1000-level, of which 9 credits must be in courses taught in French.
Students should design their program of upper-level courses in consultation with their advisor, so that their course selection may best meet their projected career needs.
| REQUIREMENTS | CREDITS |
| FREN 0101, 0102, 0103, 0104 (101/102 do not count toward major) | |
| FREN 0020/0220 France in the 21st Century | 3 cr. |
| FREN 0021 Approaches to French Literature or 0221 Reading French: Literature, Media, Culture | 3 cr. |
| FREN 0027/0227 French Atlantic | 3 cr. |
| FREN 0055 French Conversation or 0255 Speaking French | 3 cr. |
| FREN 0056/0256 Writing French | 3 cr. |
| FREN 0058/0258 Advanced French Conversation | 1 cr. |
| Five of the following: 0103, 0104, 0012, 0014, 0016, 0017, 0090, or any 1000-level course in French (two may be taken in English) | 15 cr. |
Other Requirements
Grade Requirements:
A minimum QPA of 2.0 is required in those courses that count toward the major.
Satisfactory/Audit Option:
Students may take one (1) course toward the major, in addition to FR 0058, on an S/NC basis.
Writing (W) Requirement:
Students must complete at least one (1) W-course in the major. This W-course must be taught in French. "Idea of France" and "Global French" fulfill this requirement. (FR0080 does not.)
Related Area:
A minimum of 12 credits is required in any one (1) Arts and Sciences department chosen in consultation with the major advisor. The completion of an official Arts and Sciences minor or an Arts and Sciences/UCIS certificate also satisfies this requirement.
Honors Project Requirements:
To earn departmental honors in French, students must demonstrate superior performance in departmental courses, and be enrolled in 1000-level French courses, preferably no later than the first term of their junior year.
Selection of honors candidates takes place in the second term of students’ junior year. To qualify for departmental honors, students must complete and present a research paper or a creative project.
Work on this project customarily takes place over three terms, as follows:
- During the summer before the senior year, students choose an appropriate topic with their faculty advisor and begin independent preparatory work leading to the writing of a rough draft.
- In the fall term of their senior year, students continue researching and begin writing their paper/working on their project. This work must be done in consultation with their faculty advisor.
- In the spring term, students finish writing the paper/completing the project and present the thesis before a faculty committee.
Honors will be determined by the quality of the project and the presentation, as well as the cumulative grades in all departmental courses counting toward the major. See the Honors section for more information.
Language Study:
Reading competency in another language is recommended for those students planning to do graduate study in French.
Language-Learning Goals:
Our goal in the French and Italian language programs is to guide you in the development of literacy skills in French through the communicative acts of reading, writing, and creating discourse around texts of all types. Because you might have limited opportunities to speak or hear French outside of class, classroom time is devoted to help develop your competency in these areas. This means that your instructor will speak only French to you during class, and you will be expected to do the same with your instructor and classmates.
Should you need additional explanations or wish to discuss matters not directly related to course content, your instructor will be happy to speak to you in English before or after class and during office hours.