101, 102 Beginning French
(4 s.h.) Designed for those with little or no French. Through exercises,
dialogs, skits, and controlled and creative writing, the student will develop a basic proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing.
141 Francophone Literature in Translation
(3 s.h.) Literary study of a selection of French language works in translation. Topics will vary, and may focus on first-person narratives, genre studies, or other forms. Literary works will represent France and other French-speaking regions of the world. The course is conducted in English.
151, 152 Intermediate French
(4 s.h.) Continues to build the student’s proficiency using exercises, dialogues, skits, and controlled and creative writing. At the end of the course, students will have a basic understanding of French and be able to carry on everyday conversations, read schedules, pamphlets, and other texts of moderate difficulty, and write fluently and accurately about everyday topics. Students with more than four years of French may NOT take French 151 or 152.
153 La Révolution Française
(1 s.h.) Designed for students enrolled in HIST 243 who want to pursue a project related to the French Revolution. Students choose and research a topic of interest–songs of the Revolution or ceramics containing Revolutionary images–and share the results in class discussion. *Co-requisite: HIST 243. Prerequisite: FREN 152 or equivalent. Conducted in French.
154 French Play in Performance
(3 s.h.) Together, the class will read, study and stage a short, contemporary French play, performed at the end of May Term as the final exercise in the course. Class time will be spent discussing, then rehearsing, building, etc., in preparation for the performance. *Prerequisite: FREN 152 or equivalent.
170 Francophone Women Writers
(3 s.h.) This survey course of modern francophone women’s literature, conducted in English, includes works from North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada. Major themes of the course are the search for identity and the role of language and writing in discovering and/or asserting cultural and gender identities.
201 Introduction to French Culture
(3 s.h.) For students who have studied French for four or more years in high school or for two years in college. Develops the principles of written and oral argumentation through analysis of issues in contemporary French and Francophone culture and builds French-language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Includes systematic grammar review.
202 Introduction to Francophone Cultures
(3 s.h.) Introduction to French-speaking areas of the world including Québec, the Caribbean and Northern and Western Africa. Through literature, current events, and multi-media sources, students explore major Francophone regions and progress to an advanced level of performance in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Also continues review of grammatical structures begun in French 201. *Prerequisite: French 201 or equivalent.
203 Everyday French
(3 s.h.) Study Abroad. A total immersion experience in language learning. Students participating will complete a home stay with a French family, taking meals with them, engaging in the life of their community, and documenting experiences in a journal. Must be taken P/NC.
205 Writing in French
(3 s.h.) Students gain intensive practice in writing French. Frequent writing assignments and analysis of short French texts will allow students to increase grammatical and idiomatic precision and to develop awareness of stylistics. Students will develop a personal style by keeping a journal and by writing short essays, and descriptive passages, and a short research paper. *Prerequisite: French 202 or permission of the instructor.
220 French Across the Curriculum
(1 s.h.) This course must be linked to another course in English, chosen in consultation with faculty. The student works with culturally authentic French material (articles, chapters, websites, film, etc.) related to the content course in English, thus allowing the student to apply her French training to another field of study. Must be taken P/NC.
225 Francophone Literature and Film
(3 s. h.) Study of translated novels and films from Francophone areas of the world (Québec, North and West Africa, and the Caribbean) that concern the making or undoing of individual and cultural identity. Some of the contexts to be studied that contribute to the formation of identity are interactions of colonizer and colonized, male and female, and child and adult.
230 Contemporary French Culture
(3 s.h.) Designed to provide the student with basic knowledge of the geography and political and social structures of contemporary France, and to acquaint her with issues of concern to the French today. *Prerequisite: FREN 152 or equivalent.
241, 242 Readings in French
(3 s.h. each) Each semester a different theme, author, or genre is treated. The course aims (1) to facilitate an appreciation and understanding of texts in French; (2) to increase linguistic competence; (3) to improve ability to read critically. The courses are conducted entirely in French. If the content changes, students may take these courses more than once. *Prerequisite: FREN 202 or equivalent.
251 A Survey of French Civilization
(3 s.h.) Survey of the masterpieces of French literature, in the context of other manifestations of contemporaneous culture: architecture, painting, music, the history of great events and daily life. The course aims to develop understanding and appreciation of French civilization, sharpen language skills, and study the impact of such factors as gender and class on culture. *Prerequisite: FREN 202 or equivalent.
255 May Term in France
(3 s.h.) Study Abroad. Students will spend three weeks in Paris studying French theatre and attending performances. Field trips and walking tours, including trips to monuments, museums, gardens, and châteaux. Cross listed as THEA 255. *Prerequisite: Intermediate FREN 152. Additional charge for this course beyond MBC tuition.
262 The Role of Women in French Culture
(3 s.h.) Women have been important but often ignored in the social, political, religious and artistic life of France. This course enhances the student’s understanding of French history and culture by examining the contributions of women in these fields and the conditions and status of women in, the 19th and 20th centuries. *Prerequisite: FREN 202 or equivalent. Conducted in French.
400 Senior Seminar
(3 s.h.) Required for all senior French and French-combined majors. Students pursue research on a theme or issue approved by the French faculty. Faculty direct the research projects during weekly meetings. Students present their research in English to the French and Spanish faculty and majors. The work culminates in a formal oral presentation and a research paper in French.
