Departmental Writing Requirements :

The following writing requirements apply to courses in which the authorized enrollments do not exceed 20 (French 331 and 332) or 25 (literature and civilization courses numbered higher than French 332) :

• FREN 331 and 332 : 10-15 pages, typically divided among 4 to 5 papers. Peer editing introduced during class and practiced outside.
• 300-level literature and civilization courses : 10-15 pages, typically divided among 2 to 4 papers. Relatively less sophisticated content than at the 400-level. Peer editing outside of class may be offered to students as an option (or requirement).
• 400-level literature and civilization courses : 15-20 pages, typically divided among 2 to 4 papers. Relatively more sophisticated content than at the 300-level. Peer editing outside of class may be offered to students as an option (or requirement).
• In all courses the quality of written French (that is, accurate use of grammar and vocabulary ) is an important factor in grading. Command of the language affects how understandable, persuasive, and impressive writing is. As students move from 300- to 400- level courses they will be expected to show greater sophistication in sentence structure, grammar, and use of idioms.

  FREN 331 INTENSIVE GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION

Prerequisite: Exemption from FREN 201 & 202; or a score of 3 on the AP French language exam; or a score of at least 660 on the SAT. Required as preparation for all subsequent courses except FREN 333 and FREN 339.

This course will place emphasis on grammatical rules and their application to composition. Short readings in French will provide a context for discussion, writing, and grammar practice. Students will be graded on short quizzes, dictations, compositions, a mid-term, and a final exam.

9:00-9:50 MWF TBA
12:00-12:50 MWF Ms.Sapir
11:00-11:50 MWF Ms. Sapir

  FREN 331 INTENSIVE GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION

Prerequisite: Exemption from FREN 201 & 202; or a score of 3 on the AP French language exam; or a score of at least 660 on the SAT. Required as preparation for all subsequent courses except FREN 333 and FREN 339.

Ce cours consiste en une révision intensive de la grammaire et son application en activités communicatives tant orales qu'écrites. La note est basée sur : les exercices d'entraînement et d'auto-evaluation, plusieurs tests et rédactions, un examen de mi-semestre et un examen final. Les livres requis sont : Grammaire progressive du français et Exercices communicatifs de la grammaire progressive du français par Maia Grégoire.

10:00-10:50 MWF Ms. Houyoux
1:00-1:50 MWF Ms. Houyoux

  FREN 332 THE WRITING AND READING OF TEXTS

Prerequisite:French 331. This course is a prerequisite for all undergraduate courses on a higher level except French 333 and French 339.

The development of writing skills and strategies in French: grammar, vocabulary, organization and style. Careful reading and analysis of a variety of texts (for example, poetry , theater, fiction and essays).Several papers in French (10-15 pages total).

9:00-9:50 MWF Ms. Bargach
9:30-10:45 TR Ms. Barnett
10:00-10:50 MWF Ms. Bargach
11:00-11:50 MWF Ms. Houyoux
2:00-2:50 MWF Ms. Sapir

  FREN 333 ORAL AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

Prerequisite: Completion of FREN 232 or equivalent. Permission of instructor for those having completed only FREN 202. Students having completed French 332 are excluded from this course and MUST enroll in French 334.

An intensive course designed to give students a better command of present-day spoken and written French. Conversation on topics of current events (French and international, including but not limited to politics, economics, education, language, and entertainment), including some which class members choose, mastery of advanced vocabulary, weekly graded written and oral assignments including one guided short exposé, several one-two page papers, oral and written quizzes, and a final exam. This course is designed for students who have not had the advantage of an extended stay in a French-speaking country. Students who have participated in semester study-abroad programs must confirm placement and transfer credit with the instructor to avoid duplication. Students who have studied in a French speaking country for a year should enroll in FREN 334. Section size is limited to 14 students. Consistent attendance and ACTIVE participation constitute 30% of the semester grade.

2:00-2:50 MWF Ms. Stuart

  FREN 334 ADVANCED ORAL & WRITTEN EXPRESSION IN FRENCH

Prerequisite: Students must have completed French 331 and French 332 or their equivalent. Counts for major/minor credit.

An intensive course designed to improve more advanced students' oral and written language skills. Assignments include discussion on topics of current interest, presentations, translations, and compositions. All materials are French- or Francophone-related. The course focuses on language development in a Francophone cultural context, so students can get familiar with French and Francophone cultures and comfortable in expressing their viewpoints in French. Of course, consistent attendance and active participation are essential.

12:00-12:50 MWF TBA
1:00-1:50 MWF Ms. Portet

  FREN 339 FRENCH PHONETICS

This course, conducted in French, is designed to introduce basic concepts in phonetic theory and to teach students techniques for improving their own pronunciation. We shall examine the physical characteristics of individual sounds, the relationship between sounds and their written representations, the rules governing the pronunciation of "standard French", and the most salient phonological features of selected regional varieties (e.g. le français méridional). Working independently and regularly with audiotapes in the language laboratory, and as a group with the instructor in the classroom, students will have opportunities for oral practice in the production of French sounds (in isolation, in syllabic combinations, in rhythmic groups and in phrases). Requires much memorization. Basis of evaluation: 4-5 quizzes, final exam, 'travaux pratiques' (homework assignments), and daily in-class performance.

2:00-3:15 TR Ms. Saunders

  FREN 341 FRENCH LITERATURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND 16TH CENTURY

The French Middle Ages and Renaissance, a period covering over 500 years, may seem like a faraway world of knights and crusaders, castles and intrigues. Yet, books from those centuries between 1050 and 1600 shaped ideals, tastes and cultural icons that still prevail today. From video games to science fiction, Nostradamus to "Shakespeare in Love," modern culture betrays its fascination with that distant past. In this course you will go beyond anachronism and get to know the real thing. We will read in modern French La Chanson de Roland, the founding epic of la douce France; Yvain ou le chevalier au lion, an Arthurian romance; some lais of Marie de France, the first woman storyteller in France; excerpts from Christine de Pizan's utopian vision, La Cite des Dames and from Rabelais's Gargantua, a fantastic tale of giants in Utopia. We will close with selections from Montaigne's Essais, where the author reflects on the New World of America and the equally novel territory of the self. Three short papers totaling 10-12 pages, a mid-term and a final.

2:00-3:15 MW Ms. McKinley

  FREN 343 FRENCH LITERATURE OF THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY

Le cours est consacré à la littérature moderne, de l'époque révolutionnaire à nos jours. Les auteurs retenus sont Staël, Duras, Lamartine, Baudelaire, Loti, Allégret et Camus. Dans le courant du semestre chaque étudiant fera quatre exposés oraux et écrira deux rédactions. La note finale sera établie de la manière suivante : 1/3, la moyenne des rapports oraux ; 1/3, la 1ère rédaction ; 1/3 la 2e rédaction. Les rédactions seront de type différent. La première sera consacrée à une question de synthèse portant sur la première moitié du cours. La seconde examinera de façon analytique un aspect important d'une ou plusieurs oeuvres que nous aurons examinées ensemble depuis le congé de printemps. La 1ère rédaction sera de 6 pages à interligne double (soit 1.500 mots) La seconde sera d'une dizaine de pages. Chaque rédaction sera accompagnée de références aux sources que l'étudiant aura utilisées. La seconde rédaction comporte obligatoirement un travail de recherche en bibliothèque.

3:30-4:45 TR Mr. Arnold

  FREN 345 TOPICS IN CULTURAL STUDIES (3) - ROMAN ET SOCIÉTÉ

La lecture d'environ une demi-douzaine de romans populaires parus depuis une quarantaine d'années servira à illustrer certains des problèmes posés par les transformations sociales, politiques et économiques en France. On y ajoutera quelques films et des chansons.

Romans, dans l'ordre de parution : Les petits enfants du siècle, de Christiane Rochefort (1961) ; Les choses, de Georges Pérec (1965) ; La place de l'étoile, de Patrick Modiano (1968) ; La place, d'Annie Ernaux (1983) ; La goutte d'or, de Michel Tournier (1985) ; La fée carabine, de Daniel Pennac (1987).
Lecture supplémentaire : Henri Mendras, La seconde révolution française, 1965-1984 (1994).

NB : This course will include a very important electronic component through the use of ToolKit. There will be NO written work in printed form, and students will be expected to familiarize themselves with the use of ToolKit within the first week of the semester. In addition to individual work, students will also be expected to work on research projects in teams of three or four persons.

Travaux exigés : participation aux discussions, comptes-rendus de lecture de deux pages ; essai final de 5 à 6 pages ; examen final.

12:30-1:45 TR Mr. Simon

  FREN 345 TOPICS IN CULTURAL STUDIES (3) - GREATEST FRENCH DETECTIVE STORIES

Famous mystery novelist Georges Simenon (1903-1989) owes his success to Maigret, chief police commissioner in Paris and the main character of his 76 mystery novels. Maigret is to Simenon what Sherlock Holmes is to Conan Doyle or Hercule Poirot to Agatha Christie. As a writer, Simenon avoids long descriptions; he excels in the art of concrete and short sentences. Here at last is a first-rate French writer who does not pile up long prepositional sentences. No wonder that his stories have been translated in 87 languages and that his books are found in train stations and airport bookshops! What has made Simenon so popular? This course is an invitation to solve many mysteries. Recommended for students who are looking for a way to increase their everyday vocabulary and to gain an insight into the "real life" of middlebrow French people. Lectures and discussions will be done exclusively in French. The reading list will include five short mystery novels, one biography, and a few articles. In addition to the required reading material, three papers and a final exam constitute the course requirement.

10:00-10:50 MWF Ms. Zunz

  FREN 345 TOPICS IN CULTURAL STUDIES (3) - L'IMMIGRATION EN FRANCE

L'immigration est un sujet d'actualité quotidienne en Europe et en France en particulier. Elle fait resurgir de vieux débats ainsi que des interrogations sur l'identité nationale. En abordant le thème de l'immigration, on traite divers aspects de la France d'aujourd'hui : l'histoire à laquelle ce phénomène est lié, ses conséquences sociales, culturelles, économiques, politiques et parfois humanitaires.

Des œuvres littéraires, des articles de presse et des films illustreront le cours.

Lectures : Gérard Noiriel, Population, immigration et identité nationale en France ; Claire Etcherelli, Elise ou la vraie vie; Jean-Marie Le Clésio, Poisson d'or ; Michel Tournier, La goutte d'or.

Travaux: examen partiel (mid-term) et examen final, 5 essais de deux ou trois pages, un projet de recherche par équipe.

12:00-12:50 MWF Ms. Bargach

   FREN 408/530 SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY COMEDY(3)

The development of the genre will be traced from its roots in ancient and medieval theater, as well as the Renaissance traditions of Spain and Italy, through its emergence as an element in French Classical literature. Emphasis will be given to the particular contributions of Pierre Corneille and Jean Racine, though the central subject will be Molière's synthesis of comic traditions into the grand models of the comedies of character and of manners. Other factors to be examined will be the relationship of comedy to tragedy, the contextual influences of Molière's rivals and emulators, and the unique stage and career conditions that prevailed during the rise of comedy. Special importance will be given to the social and political influences that affected this aesthetic evolution and to the strain of skeptical thought that informed Molière's creative efforts. Finally, some plays from the post-Molière period will be studied in order to appreciate how comedy began to be modified in the Classical mentality even before the era reached its culmination and how it began to have such an immediate and sweeping international impact.

6:00-8:30 M Mr. Gaines

   FREN 409 LITTERATURE D'AUJOURD'HUI

Le cours porte sur la littérature de la seconde moitié du 20e siècle. Les auteurs retenus sont : Camus, Beauvoir, Ernaux, Césaire et Duras. Un aspect important de la conduite du cours sera la participation des étudiants qui prépareront en équipe leurs rapports oraux, au nombre de deux. La note du cours sera établie de la manière suivante : ¼ exposés oraux, ¼ examen partiel, ¼ examen final, ¼ travail de recherche.

2:00-3:15 TR Mr. Arnold

  FREN 428 HISTOIRE DE LA LANGUE FRANÇAISE (3)

Prerequisites: FREN 339 (phonetics); good reading, writing and speaking ability in French. Course conducted in French.

This course looks at some of the ways in which the French language has changed through time (from its Indo-European/Latin origins to present-day varieties). It considers the external history of the language (i.e., political and cultural events, social changes, institutions like the Académie française, the role of official organizations) as well as its internal evolution (i.e., prononciation, orthography, morphology, syntax, vocabulary). Specific questions such as the following will be dealt with: Quand a-t-on commencé à parler français? Pourquoi le français ne cesse-t-il d'évoluer? D'où viennent le féminin et le masculin? Comment s'exprimaient les rois de France? Pourquoi l'imparfait du subjonctif est-il en voie de disparition? Quelle est l'origine de l'accent méridional? Pourquoi les Français sont-ils si attachés à leur orthographe?

Mid-term exam (35%), final exam (35%); group project (15%), written homework assignments, class participation, attendance (15%).

Required textbook: Michèle Perret, Introduction à l'histoire de la langue française (1998). Reference textbooks: Anthony Lodge, French: From Dialect to Standard; Wendy Ayres-Bennett, A History of the French Language through Texts.

11:00-12:15 TR Ms. Saunders

  FREN 435 TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES OF TRANSLATION(3)

A continuation of FREN 430 Grammaire et style. The course will pursue the contrastive study of French and English structures and vocabulary with further, fairly extensive translations and re-translations. Classroom work will be seminar or workshop style to the extent class size allows. There will be experiments in collective translation and "peer editing."

2:00-3:15 TR Mr. Cook

  FREN 438 LA FRANCE ACTUELLE

Que faut-il savoir de la France en ce début de millénaire? Dans ce cours, en grande partie documenté par la lecture de la presse quotidienne et des recherches sur la toile (Web), on cherchera à préciser les traits caractéristiques de la société française, de sa culture, de son système politique, de son économie, et de ses institutions. Comment les Français se définissent-ils eux-mêmes ? Quelles sont leurs préoccupations face au présent, et quel rôle entendent-ils jouer dans le cadre de l'Europe et du reste du monde ?

NB : This course will include a very important electronic component through the use of ToolKit. There will be NO written work in printed form, and students will be expected to familiarize themselves with the use of ToolKit within the first week of the semester. In addition to individual work, students will also be expected to work on research projects in teams of three or four persons.

Lecture exigée : Laurence Wylie & Jean-François Brière, Les Français (Prentice Hall, 1995).
Henri Mendras, La seconde révolution française (Folio, 1994).
Pascal Baudry, L'autre rive : Comprendre les Américains pour comprendre les Français. (Le texte est disponible gratuitement par internet avec les compliments de l'auteur : www.pbaudry.com)
En plus des deux ouvrages ci-dessus, L'état de la France, 2001-2002 sera disponible à la Réserve de Clemons.

Travaux : 4 ou 5 essais et/ou rapports de lectures de deux pages; un essai de recherche d'environ 6 pages ; examen de mi-semestre et examen final.

9:30-10:45 TR Mr. Simon

  FREN 445 CULTURAL STUDIES - CROISADE ET CULTURE: LA FRANCE ET L'ISLAM AU MOYEN AGE (3)

La croisade: terme du Moyen Age, terme d'actualité, évoquant aussi bien le choc des cultures que l'idée de guerre sainte. Quelles sont les structures politiques, les conditions de vie, les pratiques religieuses des croisés et de ceux qu'ils ont choisis pour ennemis? De quelles idéologies les croisades se sont-elles autorisées? Quelles littératures, quels mythes "l'esprit de croisade" a-t-il engendrés en France, tant aux débuts qu'au cours du Moyen Age? Nous tenterons des réponses à ces questions en situant le "pèlerinage de Jérusalem" et l'Islam médiéval dans leurs contextes d'époque. Pour ce faire, il sera nécessaire de fixer un certain nombre de faits (noms, lieux, idées, dates) au moyen d'interrogations de type traditionnel.

12:30-1:45 TR Mr. Cook

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