French (FRE)
Major: A minimum of eight course credits in French at or above the 300 level, which include FRE 301, 303, 311, and 411 or 412. A maximum of two elective upper-level courses in other areas, approved beforehand by the Department as relevant to the major, may be substituted for two of the elective French courses.
Teaching Major: A minimum of nine course credits, to include FRE 301, 303, 311, and at least four course credits in French at or above the 300 level; and one additional course at or above the 300 level which may be in another field if approved in advance by the Department as relevant to the major. It is strongly suggested that students complete FRE 411 within their program of study. In addition to the foregoing requirements, prospective teachers must also apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program (preferably at the start of their sophomore year) and complete coursework leading to secondary certification described under Education. Prospective teachers should request a current list of the specific course requirements from the Education Office.
Minor: A minimum of five course credits in French at or above the 300 level, which include FRE 301, 303, and 311.
Study Abroad: French majors are strongly encouraged to study abroad, and up to four course credits taken on approved programs may be substituted for required major courses.
Note: Lectures and discussions in all 300- and 400-level courses are in French.
101-102-103. Beginning French I, II, & III
French 101-103 are designed to promote development of four basic skills in French: speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing. Successful completion of the beginning-level language course sequence prepares students to function in different communicative situations within a French-speaking context and to become life-long language learners. All French language classes, from the beginning to the advanced level, aim to develop awareness and understanding of cultural phenomena in the Francophone world.
101. Beginning French I
French 101 is designed for true beginners in the language. Students are introduced to the standard conventions of French pronunciation, grammer, and vocabulary, and focus is placed on building students' proficiency in the four basic skills of Speaking, Writing, Listening Comprehension, and Reading. Students also acquire knowledge about where and how French is used in the world, and ways in which the French social and educational systems differ from those of American society.
102. Beginning French II
In French 102, students build on their proficiency in the four basic skills, which are practiced in meaningful communicative contexts in the classroom. Students learn how to talk about the weather, recount and describe past actions and events, ask questions, make suggestions, express opinions and emotions, order food and drink in a restaurant, and talk about where they live. They also learn about different provinces and regional cultures within France, rites and rituals in the Francophone world, and culinary traditions.
103. Beginning French III
In French 103, students build on their proficiency in the four basic skills, which are practiced in meaningful communicative contexts in the classroom. Students learn how to articulate if-then statements, how to use future verb tenses, and how to use the conditional and subjective moods in French. Students also learn how to talk about travel plans in the future, lodging, physical health, the environment, civic responsibilities, technology, art forms, and French media.
205. Intermediate French Language and Culture
Continued development of linguistic and cultural competence in French through intensive engagement with cultural topics or themes such as immigration, education, and folklore in context. Prerequisite: FRE 103.
206. Francophone Cultural Immersion
Taught at a Francophone destination, students will develop their knowledge of French language and Francophone culture in a classroom setting and in daily interactions with native speakers from the local community. May include a homestay. Registration entails additional costs. Prerequisites: FRE 103 and permission of instructor. Alternate years.
254. Bending Boundaries: Francophone Women in Translation
Works by representative women writers will be examined in light of contemporary views of feminism, femininity, and "female writing." All work in English. No knowledge of French required. May be counted as a 300-level course for French majors with permission of instructor. Alternate years. (Humanities) WINES
265 through 266. Topics
Topics in French or Francophone literature or culture. See Topics Courses.
280/380. Internship: see Courses 280/380.
290/390. Individual Project: see Courses 290/390.
301. Composition and Conversation
Intensive practice in speaking and writing. We will read, analyze, and discuss a variety of texts – possibly including short fiction, poetry, contemporary magazines, and essays among others – to develop vocabulary and reading skills in different genres and students will compose essays in a variety of written genres, all to help prepare them to take more advanced courses in French. The course also includes oral presentations and class discussions. Prerequisite: FRE 205 or 206.
302. Advanced Conversation and Culture Abroad
For students who wish to achieve greater fluency and an understanding of life in a Francophone country. This course will focus on oral comprehension, speaking and writing skills, and the acquisition of cultural competencies. Course assignments, readings and final research project will be tailored to the specific destination chosen. Registration entails additional costs. Prerequisites: FRE 205 and permission of instructor. Alternate years.
303. Cultures of France and the Francophone World
Contemporary French and Francophone culture viewed through the lenses of media, cinema, literature, politics, and popular culture. Students will study the historical, political, geographic, and cultural meanings of the post-colonial term "Francophonie," and will interrogate what it means to be "French" in a globalized world. Coursework includes both formal and informal writing assignments, a mid-term examination, and a final research project with oral presentation. Prerequisite: FRE 205 or 206; FRE 301 is strongly recommended. Alternate years. (Humanities)
311. Introduction to Literary Analysis in French
Introduction to a variety of French literary genres from the Medieval period to the 20th century, including poetry, theatre, the "nouvelle," and the novel. Students will develop their skills in advanced reading and analytical writing through formal writing assignments and oral presentations. Prerequisite: FRE 301 or permission of instructor. (Humanities)
315. Power, Honor, and Love in Medieval France
Chevaliers, damsels in distress and armed women warriors play leading roles in the texts, songs and films studied in this course. Course themes include feudalism, courtly love, the chivalric code of honor and gender-bending roles and identities. Analysis of visual, material and aural/oral culture will complement our readings of texts, which will be situated in the political and cultural landscape of the era. Some readings are in English to provide background historical and cultural information, but all primary texts are in French. Students will develop their skills in advanced reading and analytical writing through informal and formal writing assignments and oral presentations in French. Prerequisite: FRE 311 or permission of instructor. Offered every third year. (Humanities) BATY
321. Passionate Extremes in Early-Modern FranceThe French Renaissance was a world of extremes; brutal civil wars, exhilarating discoveries of ancient art and knowledge, passionate lyricism, monstrous examples and dirty jokes. From the scatological yet scholarly humor of Francois Rabelais to the bloody tragedies of the best-selling serial genre of Histoires Tragiques, the early modern period in France is a fascinating period for those students interested in French culture, art, and politics. Visual, material and aural/oral culture as well as modern films about the era will complement our readings of texts. Course themes include the French humanist tradition, violent religious factionalism, gender roles and identities. Some readings are in English to provide background historical and cultural information, but all primary texts are in French. Students will develop their skills in advanced reading and analytical writing through informal and formal writing assignments and oral presentations in French. Prerequisite: FRE 311 or permission of instructor. Offered every third year. (Humanities) BATY
331. Enlightenment: Eighteenth Century French Literature
The intellectual quest of the philosophes and the Encyclopédistes, with selected readings from Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, and Montesquieu. Development of the drama, the novel, and pre-Romanticism. Prerequisite: FRE 311. Offered subject to the availability of faculty. (Humanities)
341. Nineteenth Century I: 1800-1850
The rise of Romanticism in post-Revolutionary France, examined through poetry, novels, and essays. The Napoleonic era, the return of the monarchy, and the writers who sparked a new French Revolution. The beginnings of realism. Prerequisite: FRE 311. Offered subject to the availability of faculty. (Humanities)
342. Nineteenth Century II: 1850-1900
The Realist reaction against Romanticism–Madame Bovary and Baudelaire's poetry on trial for "indecency." The impact of industrialism on the middle and working classes as seen by Zola. The scandal of Rimbaud and Valéry, the new poetry of Mallarmé, and the ribald play Ubu roi to close the century. Prerequisite: FRE 311. Offered subject to the availability of faculty. (Humanities)
351. Contemporary Literature I: Writing as Political Action
The Surrealist movement grows out of WWI. The Négritude movement unites colonized people in Francophone Africa and the Caribbean. Camus rewrites WWII as The Plague. Wittig and the rise of feminism after the student "revolution" of 1968. Postcolonial Francophone literature. Prerequisite: FRE 311. Offered subject to the availability of faculty. (Humanities)
352. Contemporary Literature II: Writing as Psychological Analysis
Proust and Robbe-Grillet portray obsessive love and jealousy. The theater of the absurd shows the breakdown of communication and language. Québécois literature reflects upon tormented sexualities in isolated towns. Prerequisite: FRE 311. Offered subject to the availability of faculty. (Humanities)
365-366. Advanced Topics
Topics in French or Francophone literature or culture. See Topics Courses.
411. Seminar
The topic varies, but has traditionally focused on the in-depth study of a literary movement, genre, author, or theme. Theoretical discourses in French and Francophone studies or cultural issues are other possible foci for this course. Required of all French majors. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Alternate years.
This option is an independent study course, supervised by a French professor. Students must meet with the professor during the fall semester of their junior year to discuss the expectations and process of the senior capstone research project. By the end of the spring semester of their junior year, they must submit a written proposal of 2-3 pages in French of their project with a preliminary bibliography for approval by the French Department. The work will be completed as a one-term independent study course during their senior year, and will culminate in a research paper in French of 15-20 pp in length, to be presented in a public forum on campus during the spring semester of their senior year. Students will be assessed on their work during the development and research stages of the project, and on their responsiveness to feedback throughout the process. If more than one student chooses to work with a professor in a given year, those students can work concurrently during the same block in a workshop model, discussing their work with both the professor and the other students. Prerequisites: 3.5 grade point in French based on a minimum of three 300-level French courses taken at Cornell College and permission of instructor. BATY or WINES
988. There are language and culture semester programs in France or Francophone countries run by the School for International Training. See School for International Training Programs.
990. Semester in Paris
Cornell students are eligible to participate in Lake Forest College's Paris International Internship Program, a semester featuring intensive language study, culture, and an internship. For further information, see http://www.cornellcollege.edu/french/off-campus/France-LFC.shtml.
991. Semester in Paris
Cornell students are eligible to participate in Central College’s Paris program, a semester featuring intensive language study, culture, and the option of either an internship or service-learning opportunity. For further information, see http://www.central.edu/abroad/paris/.