French Course Descriptions

In this intermediate French course, students will learn to understand more complex discussions of identity, society, and the modern world in the French language and in francophone cultures. Students will expand their vocabulary and fluency by engaging with extensive and targeted input, provided through in-class conversations and a range of audiovisual and written materials. The class units focus on authentic situations, building students’ ability to interpret, speak, and write for particular purposes. Students will also develop frameworks for comparing francophone cultural products and practices with their own home culture. By the end of the course, students will be able to engage in presentational and interpersonal communication at a level of intermediate low, and in interpretative communication at a level of intermediate mid. Prerequisite: FRE 1020 or its equivalent. Three hours.

This intermediate French course builds on students’ knowledge from earlier courses and develops their ability to navigate written and oral French with confidence. In the course of the class, students will read five novellas that target high-frequency vocabulary—verbs, phrases, and grammatical structures that form the foundation of the French language as it is used today. Students will develop their speaking and listening skills through discussion of themes from the novels. This course will also focus on writing in the French language, allowing students to reach an intermediate-low ability level. Each novella features a specific francophone culture and historical period, giving insight into the experiences of francophone peoples. As a class, we will engage with these stories through analysis as well as creativity, recognizing that story-telling is fundamental to humankind. Students will produce their own children’s books in French by the end of the session. Prerequisites: FRE 2010 or its equivalent. Three hours.

Advanced French Conversation focuses intensively on speaking skills, building on grammar and vocabulary from the intermediate level to expand fluency with oral expression. Students will improve their speaking skills through regular French conversation, readings on a wide array of topics, writing activities, and videos and recordings of native speakers. They will also augment their vocabulary in seven areas ranging from everyday life to reflection on contemporary world issues. Prerequisite: FRE 2020 or its equivalent. Three hours.

A study of French literary genres, periods, and authors. Topics vary, but may include a thematically-focused survey from medieval to contemporary French literature, the development of a genre, or a literary movement in a particular period. Students will learn to analyze poems, short stories, and novels in French, and will engage with important francophone authors and/or literary movements. Major reading and written assignments will be in French. See LIT 3800 for a cross-listed section of this course for non-French-speaking students. Prerequisite (for French students): FRE 2020 or its equivalent. Three hours.

In this course, students learn to write in a range of genres—from the descriptive to the analytical as well as in personal and professional contexts. By reading and analyzing short sample extracts from established authors, students develop their confidence in imitating diverse styles. They acquire strategies for adapting to varied written communications contexts. Students will explore written language production at the sentence-level, experimenting with advanced grammar constructions. They will also look at the structure of several traditional genres, such as the European-style resume, and French academic genres like the compte rendu and the explication de texte. Prerequisite: FRE 2020 or its equivalent. Three hours

This course develops students’ understanding of the civilizations and cultures in the Frenchspeaking world. It equips students to effectively engage not only with the culture of France, but also of francophone regions in Europe, Africa, and the Americas. In the class, we will explore the historical events that have shaped current economic and political realities, as well as the fabric of everyday life in these regions. Students will also encounter the literature, music, and gastronomy of la Francophonie. Prerequisite: FRE 2120. Three hours.

This class examines the theory and practice of intercultural communication through readings, discussions, observational research, practicums, and in-class activities, we will identify the barriers to successful intercultural exchanges, and study and implement better practices for communicating across cultural differences. Course assignments and discussions are designed for application to everyday encounters with individuals from other cultures. Prerequisite: COM 1100. Three hours.

This team-taught and interdisciplinary seminar is among students’ final educational experiences before degree completion. As such, its components allow students to showcase the academic abilities they have acquired through their degree program (through a thesis or project) and to think about and prepare for the next steps in their professional careers. Students participate in both interdisciplinary plenaries and discipline specific seminars. Students give a final presentation of their theses or projects at an interdisciplinary symposium. Three hours.

A minimum of 12 hours must be taken overseas at Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France, or Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.

STA 0430 Université de Bourgogne
STA 0540 Université Laval

Semester Programs – 16 credits
Summer Programs – 12 credits

Upon returning to Grace, any student still needing hours in the Major
area may take a combination of the following courses:
FRE 3810 Readings
FRE 3920 Independent Study
FRE 4520 French Teaching Practicum