French Course Descriptions
Lower-Division | Upper-Division | Courses for Undergrad or Grad Credit | French Home
Lower-Division Courses
FREN 111. Elementary French I (5) - Develops the four fundamental skills in language learning (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in an appropriate cultural context. Requires daily classroom and language laboratory work.
FREN 112. Elementary French II (5) - Further develops the four fundamental skills in language learning (listening, speaking,
reading, and writing) in an appropriate cultural context. Requires daily classroom
and language laboratory work.
Prerequisite: one unit of high school French, FREN 111, or departmental consent.
FREN 150. Workshop in French (2-4) Repeatable for credit.
FREN 210. Intermediate French (5) General education introductory course. - Continues to develop the four fundamental language skills: understanding, speaking,
reading and writing; emphasizes conversation and cultural readings.
Prerequisite: two units of high school French or FREN 112 or departmental consent.
FREN 215. French Study Abroad (3-6) - Transfer of credit from a French-speaking university in (A) grammar, (B) conversation, (C) reading.
FREN 223. Intermediate French Readings I (3) General education introductory course - Intensive reading of diverse literary works in French. Course satisfies the LAS
literature requirement.
Prerequisite: FREN 210 or equivalent.
Upper-Division Courses
Upper-division courses are given on a rotating basis. FREN300 is a prerequisite for all upper-division literature and civilization courses, unless otherwise indicated. All literature courses, including FREN 223 and 300, may fulfill the LAS literature requirement.
FREN 300. Intermediate French Readings II (3) General education advanced further study course. - Intensive reading and analysis of French literary works of all periods. Course
satisfies the LAS literature requirement.
Prerequisite: FREN 223 or equivalent.
FREN 324. Intermediate Conversation and Composition (3) - Improves oral and written proficiency through vocabulary acquisition and interactive
grammar exercises.
Prerequisite: FREN 210 or equivalent.
FREN 398. Travel Seminar in French (1-4) - An interdisciplinary travel seminar that allows a student to gain credit for the
study of one of the following: culture, art, literature, architecture, politics, society,
science and economics, while visiting historic places of interest.
Prerequisite; departmental consent.
FREN 481. Cooperative Education (1-4) - Field placement integrating theory with a planned and supervised professional experience
which complements and enhances the student's academic program. Individualized programs
formulated in consultation with, and approved by, appropriate faculty sponsors. Repeatable
for credit. Offered Cr/NCr only. Prerequisite:
FREN 324 or departmental consent.
Courses for Graduate/Undergraduate Credit
FREN 505. Advanced French Phonetics (3) 2R; 1L. - Cross-listed as LING505A. Includes articulatory phonetics, phonemics, sound/symbol
correspondences, dialectal and stylistic variations. Required for future French teachers.
Prerequisite: any 200-level course or departmental consent.
FREN 515. Major Topics in French (1-4) - Special Studies in (A) language, (B) literature, (C) commercial French, (D) the
language laboratory, (E) music, (F) composition, (I) problems in teaching French,
(J) civilization, (L) translation, (K) conversation, and (M) phonetics. Repeatable
for credit.
Prerequisite: departmental consent.
FREN 520. Novel and Film (3) - Analysis and discussion of celebrated French novels together with major film versions
of the same. The status of the image in relation to the same. The status of the image
in relation to the works' historical and cultural contexts is the focus.
Prerequisite: FREN 300.
FREN 525. Advanced French Conversation (3) - Designed to increase proficiency in spoken French. Assignments include oral reports,
dialogs and work in the language laboratory.
Prerequisite: FREN 324 or departmental consent.
FREN 526. Advanced French Composition and Grammar (3) - Emphasizes theme writing, original compositions and detailed study of modern French
grammar.
Prerequisite: FREN 324 or departmental consent.
FREN 540. French Literature in English Translation (3) General education advanced further study course. - Topic varies. May be used to satisfy the LAS literature requirement and may count toward a French major or minor if readings and papers are done in French.
FREN 541. French Literature of Africa and the Caribbean in Translation (3) General education advanced further study course. - A study of the concept of negritude through the works of major African and Caribbean writers. No knowledge of a foreign language is necessary. May be used to satisfy the LAS literature requirement and may count toward a French major or minor if readings and papers are done in French.
FREN 551. French Civilization: The Middle Ages to the Restoration (3) - Emphasizes key aspects of the civilization of France as seen in its art, architecture,
political structure, social evolution and intellectual traditions. Interdisciplinary
course complements studies in French language and literature. Classwork and required
readings are in French.
Pre- or corequisite: FREN 300.
FREN 552. Contemporary French Civilization (3) - Emphasizes the major events, themes, ideas, trends and movements in French civilization
since the Revolution. Interdisciplinary course complements French language and literature
courses. Classwork and readings are in French.
Pre- or corequisite: FREN 300.
FREN 623. Seminar in French (3) - Seminar in French literature, language or civilization. Repeatable for credit.
Prerequisite: FREN 300.
FREN 629. Medieval French Literature (3) - Analysis and discussion of major French works from 900 to 1500, the literary movements
to which they pertain, and the place of individual authors in the overall tradition.
Prerequisite: FREN 300.
FREN630. Renaissance French Literature (3) - Analyzes and discusses major French works, 1500-1600.
Prerequisite: FREN 300
FREN 631. 17th Century French Literature (3) - Prerequisite: FREN 300
FREN 632. 18th Century French Literature (3) - Prerequisite: FREN 300
FREN 633. 19th Century French Literature (3) - Prerequisite: FREN 300
FREN 634. 20th Century French Literature (3) - Analyzes and discusses major works of French fiction, poetry and drama from the
Belle Epoque through World War II.
Prerequisite: FREN 300
FREN 635. Introduction to Romance Linguistics (3) - Cross-listed as LING635 and SPAN635. Provides a contrastive examination of the
phonology, morphology and syntax of the major contemporary Romance languages (French,
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan and Romanian). Introduces students to the sound
and writing system and basic grammar of Latin, and contrasts the phonological and
grammatical systems of the contemporary Romance languages (French and Spanish in particular)
with those of Latin. It compares specific features of the modern Romance languages
synchronically (i.e., part from Latin) as well. Students are advised to have a solid
grounding in at least one Romance language (preferably French or Spanish) and a familiarity
with at least one other (French, Spanish, Latin, Italian or Portuguese).
Prerequisite: departmental or instructor's consent.
FREN 636. Contemporary French Literature (3) - Analyzes and discusses major works of French fiction, poetry and drama, 1945-present.
Prerequisite: FREN 300
FREN 726. French Composition and Stylistics (3) - Offers background in rhetoric and stylistics as an approach to literary models,
with a view to developing the creative use of style together with grammatical accuracy
in writing. Practice in revision forms the basis of this course.
Prerequisite: FREN 526 or departmental consent.
FREN 750. Workshop in French (2-4) - Repeatable for credit.