French Courses (French and Italian) (FREN)

FREN Courses

This is a list of courses with the subject code FREN. For more information, see French and Italian (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) in the catalog.

FREN:1000 First-Year Seminar 1-2 s.h.

Small discussion class taught by a faculty member; topics chosen by instructor; may include outside activities (e.g., films, lectures, performances, readings, visits to research facilities). Taught in English. Requirements: first- or second-semester standing.

FREN:1001 Elementary French I 5 s.h.

Introduction to reading, writing, listening, and speaking; for students who have no knowledge of French. GE: World Languages First Level Proficiency.

FREN:1002 Elementary French II 5 s.h.

Continuation of FREN:1001; introduction to reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Prerequisites: FREN:1001 or French Placement score of 176 or higher. GE: World Languages Second Level Proficiency.

FREN:1005 Texts and Contexts: French-Speaking World 3 s.h.

Development of skills in reading, understanding, and critically engaging with literary texts, and of research skills for informed inquiry; sense of oneself as a situated reader; range of texts reflecting diversity of French and Francophone writers. Taught in English. GE: Interpretation of Literature.

FREN:1006 Global Sports and National Cultures 3 s.h.

Overview of the relationship between sports and national cultures in countries around the world; focus on how athletic competitions play a role in the formation of collective identities; includes the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, hockey in Canada, cycling in France, traditional wrestling in Senegal, cricket in England and India, and soccer in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. GE: International and Global Issues.

FREN:1007 Nature/Ecology French Philosophy and Fiction 3 s.h.

Representations of the natural world in literary works from 16th to 20th centuries and in film; readings in English translation. Taught in English. GE: Interpretation of Literature.

FREN:1009 Introduction to Language Learning 1 s.h.

Preparation for world language study at college level, including study and review strategies. Taught in English.

FREN:1010 First-Year French Review 5 s.h.

FREN:1001 and FREN:1002 combined in one intensive course. GE: World Languages Second Level Proficiency.

FREN:1040 French for Travelers 2 s.h.

Basic language skills for tourists wanting to increase their French language skills.

FREN:1510 Cultural Misunderstandings: France and U.S.A. 3 s.h.

Key moments in the history of relations between the United States and France, from similarities underlying democratic principles to recent divergent worldviews. Taught in English. GE: International and Global Issues.

FREN:1600 French and Francophone Cultural Activities 1 s.h.

Credit for attendance and participation at French and Francophone cultural events, including scholarly talks, film screenings, art exhibits, literary readings, conversation hours, French Culture Club meetings, and volunteering as a translator for a medical clinic.

FREN:2001 Intermediate French I 5 s.h.

Prerequisites: FREN:1010 or FREN:1002 or French Placement score of 176 or higher. Requirements: completion of prerequisites or two years of high school French. GE: World Languages Third Level Proficiency.

FREN:2002 Intermediate French II 5 s.h.

Continuation of FREN:2001. Prerequisites: FREN:2001 or French Placement score of 231 or higher. Requirements: completion of prerequisites or three years of high school French. GE: World Languages Fourth Level Proficiency.

FREN:2010 Global Science Fiction 3 s.h.

Science fiction from around the world; spanning poetry, fiction, drama, film, television, comics, mobile phone games, and music; produced on six continents. Taught in English. GE: Diversity and Inclusion. Same as ASIA:2001, RUSS:2001, TRNS:2001, WLLC:2001.

FREN:2473 Cinderella 3 s.h.

Comparative analysis of Cinderella stories from around the world including Asia, Europe, Africa, South America; readings, discussion, workshops, and writing; consideration of visual and material presentation of Cinderella stories in physical books. Taught in English. Same as TRNS:2473, WLLC:2473.

FREN:3000 Third-Year French 3 s.h.

Development of reading skills in French; composition and review of basic grammar structures. Prerequisites: FREN:2002 or French Placement score of 311 or higher.

FREN:3007 French Phonetics 3 s.h.

Introduction to French phonetics; sounds of French in isolation and in context to improve pronunciation; audio exercises that emphasize sounds (nasal vowels, [u]-[y] contrast) and prosodic features (intonation, syllabification, liaison). Requirements: FREN:2002 or French Placement score higher than 311.

FREN:3020 Oral Expression in French I 3 s.h.

First in a two-course sequence. Prerequisites: FREN:2002 or French Placement score of 311 or higher.

FREN:3060 Introduction to Reading and Writing in Literature 3 s.h.

Development of analytical, organizational skills for interpretation of literature; readings in prose, poetry, drama, criticism; emphasis on reading and essay writing. Prerequisites: FREN:2002 or French Placement score of 311 or higher.

FREN:3120 French Civilization 3 s.h.

Examination of what constitutes French culture and civilization from pre-Roman period to later 20th-century. Taught in French. Requirements: prior or concurrent enrollment in FREN:3060. GE: Historical Perspectives.

FREN:3130 Francophone Cultures 3 s.h.

Study of cultures of the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Maghreb, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Est Asia, Quebec, and Louisiana; approaches include literature, cinema, music, the arts, and media; introduction to field of Francophone studies and promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity. Taught in French. Requirements: prior or concurrent enrollment in FREN:3060.

FREN:3160 Study Abroad: Culture 3 s.h.

Geography, history, architecture, painting, music of France; readings, slides, video and audio cassettes, visits to sites of cultural significance. Prerequisites: FREN:2002.

FREN:3210 Comparative Arts 3 s.h.

Cultural and aesthetic issues arising from side-by-side investigation of several art forms, including literature, cinema, painting, music, opera, architecture; periods, schools, styles, and their theories. Taught in English. Same as ASIA:3210, IWP:3210, WLLC:3210.

FREN:3232 French Literary Translation Workshop 3 s.h.

Workshop in literary translation from French to English; practical, ethical, and theoretical questions about translation; focus on specific complication of French-English language pair; mapping style, genre, and literary influences of French authors for purpose of translation. Taught in French. Requirements: prior or concurrent enrollment in FREN:3060. Same as TRNS:3232.

FREN:3240 Media French 3 s.h.

Introduction to French press and media; students acquire knowledge related to media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television, radio, social media); introduction to French national newspapers and television stations and their political and cultural orientations; students study articles obtained from different media to develop vocabulary and oral and written comprehension skills; study and discussion of current events in sports, politics, culture, society, and other fields. Taught in French. Requirements: prior or concurrent enrollment in FREN:3060.

FREN:3250 Topics in French Studies I 3 s.h.

Requirements: prior or concurrent enrollment in FREN:3060.

FREN:3300 French Grammar 3 s.h.

Study of word forms, sentence patterns for more accurate use of French. Prerequisites: FREN:2002 or French Placement score of 311 or higher. Requirements: completion of prerequisites or four years of high school French.

FREN:3360 Study Abroad: Language 3 s.h.

Written and spoken French; listening, speaking, reading, writing in cultural contexts. Prerequisites: FREN:2002.

FREN:3410 Business French 3 s.h.

Language of economics and business; practice in business correspondence and communication, active use of business vocabulary. Offered fall semesters. Requirements: prior or concurrent enrollment in FREN:3060.

FREN:4007 Topics in French Linguistics 3 s.h.

Concepts to aid in understanding how the French language works; major areas of linguistics—pronunciation (phonetics and phonology), the structure of words (morphology), the structure of sentences (syntax) and meaning (semantics). Prerequisites: FREN:3300 and FREN:3060.

FREN:4015 Francophone Cinema 3-4 s.h.

Study of pioneering and contemporary Francophone fictional and documentary films from the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa; cinematic vocabulary and critical concepts related to Francophone intellectual history to closely examine emergence and vibrancy of Francophone cinema, colonial, and postcolonial elements that characterize it, and ideological engagement of filmmakers; exploration of challenges and ground-breaking dynamics of distribution, funding, spectatorship, and free training in filmmaking in Dakar. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—prior enrollment in FREN:3060 and FREN:3300.

FREN:4017 Global Comics 3-4 s.h.

Study of comics and graphic novels from all over the world; focus on gender, sexuality, race, language, migration, and culture; sustained reflection on questions of translation and the global circulation of the medium. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—prior enrollment in FREN:3060 and FREN:3300.

FREN:4020 Oral Expression in French II 3 s.h.

Last in a two-course sequence. Prerequisites: FREN:3020 or FREN:3300 or FREN:3007.

FREN:4026 French Women Writers 3-4 s.h.

Survey of 20th- and 21st-century French women's literature; introduction to French feminist thought; optional discussion section taught in French. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—FREN:3060 and FREN:3300. Same as GWSS:4026.

FREN:4070 Introduction to the Study of Meaning 3 s.h.

Introduction to the study of meanings and language use in context; meaning outside the literal semantic interpretation of words used including presuppositions and goals of speaker, expectation of listener, speech acts, conversational implicatures, deixis, discourse functions, and other relevant topics. Taught in English. Prerequisites: LING:3001. Same as LING:4070.

FREN:4080 Post-Colonial Literature in France 3 s.h.

Literatures and cultures of Arabo-French (Beur) and Afro-French immigrations. Taught in French. Prerequisites: FREN:3300 and FREN:3060.

FREN:4090 Quebec Literature 3 s.h.

Study of Quebec literature and culture, First Nations' literature and écriture migrante; films and mixed media art enhance analysis of texts, historical and political contexts, and critical understanding of national and linguistic identity and relation between Quebec society, First Nations, immigration, and diversity. Taught in French. Prerequisites: FREN:3300 and FREN:3060.

FREN:4100 French Cinema 3-4 s.h.

Introduction to history of French Cinema. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—prior enrollment in FREN:3060 and FREN:3300. GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

FREN:4110 Francophone Studies: Literature and the Arts 3 s.h.

Study of literature, cultures, and visual arts of the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the South Pacific; major theoretical paradigms in Francophone studies; variety of topics and interdisciplinary approaches. Taught in French. Prerequisites: FREN:3060 and FREN:3300.

FREN:4210 Slavery Museums, Memorials, and Statues in the United States, Europe, and the Global South 3-4 s.h.

Comparative study of museums, memorials, statues, performances, and artistic works that encapsulate the entangled history and memory of transoceanic slave trades and slavery in the United States, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe (France and the United Kingdom); critical tools to analyze public debates over politically charged monuments; exploration of transnational and political predicaments of the contemporary world; approaches include trauma theories, memory studies, history, postcolonial ecocriticism, cultural anthropology, heritage studies and museology, and Francophone cultural critique. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—prior enrollment in FREN:3060 and FREN:3300. Same as MUSM:4310, WLLC:4210.

FREN:4433 France Under Nazi Occupation, 1940-1944 3-4 s.h.

Political, economic, social, and cultural conditions that prevailed following the Nazi conquest of France in 1940; examination of this period of upheaval through work of prominent historians of France; representations of occupied France in literary works, documentary, and fictional films produced during the war and in the politically fraught culture of collective memorialization that formed in aftermath of this national trauma. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—prior enrollment in FREN:3060 and FREN:3300. Same as HIST:4433.

FREN:4520 Versailles Under the Sun King 3-4 s.h.

Survey of culture and literature related to the court of King Louis XIV at Versailles, France. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—prior enrollment in FREN:3060 and FREN:3300.

FREN:4540 Gender and Sexuality in French Cinema 3-4 s.h.

Cultural, historical, and semiotic approach to studying constructions of gender identity and discourses on sexuality in French cinema from 1920s to present; optional discussion section taught in French. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—prior enrollment in FREN:3060 and FREN:3300. Same as GWSS:4540.

FREN:4750 Topics in French Studies II 3 s.h.

French and/or Francophone literature or culture. Taught in French. Prerequisites: FREN:3060 and FREN:3300.

FREN:4911 French for Reading/Research 2 s.h.

FREN:4912 French for Reading/Research 2 s.h.

FREN:4990 Independent Study arr.

Prerequisites: FREN:3300 and FREN:3060.

FREN:4995 Honors Research and Thesis 3 s.h.

Prerequisites: FREN:3300 and FREN:3060.

FREN:5000 Teaching and Learning Languages 3 s.h.

Readings in pedagogical theory and practice, second language acquisition; experience designing activities for teaching and assessment with critiques based on current theories and approaches; development of reflective practices toward one's language teaching. Taught in English. Same as GRMN:5001, SLA:5000, SPAN:5000, WLLC:5000.

FREN:5001 Introduction to Graduate Study 2 s.h.

Expectations, resources, and opportunities of graduate study; introduction to coursework, development of preprofessional competencies. Taught in English.

FREN:5020 Comparative Stylistics 3 s.h.

Translation from English to French, and French to English, including literary texts. Taught in English.

FREN:6001 Reimagining Humanities Scholarship 0-1 s.h.

Students focus on rethinking humanities research by questioning traditional scholarly periodizations, developing an awareness of how scholarship can incorporate questions of diversity and inclusion, and exploring alternate career pathways; cross-disciplinary workshop.

FREN:6005 Colloquium: Teaching French 3 s.h.

Professional training to teach in elementary and intermediate French program; individualized mentoring and pedagogical guidance; for graduate student teaching assistants. Taught in English.

FREN:6015 The Renaissance in France 3 s.h.

Survey of literature from the French Renaissance. Taught in French.

FREN:6020 Studies in the Seventeenth Century 3 s.h.

FREN:6025 Studies in the Eighteenth Century 3 s.h.

Studies of French and/or Francophone literature and culture of the 18th century. Taught in French.

FREN:6080 Modern French Novel 3 s.h.

Taught in French.

FREN:6130 Francophone Thought 3 s.h.

Comparative study of intellectual, literary, cultural, social, and historical developments in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Maghreb, and Sub-Saharan Africa; approaches include cultural theory, literary criticism, cinema, visual arts, women's studies, memory and trauma studies, postcolonial ecologies, and cultural anthropology; examination of key conceptual paradigms and cultivation of skills in critical thinking methodologies; students acquire theoretical tools to explore an interdisciplinary scholarly field and learn to establish connections between the main components of the course and their own research interests. Taught in French. Same as GWSS:6130.

FREN:6142 Crossing Borders Seminar 2-3 s.h.

Taught in English. Same as AFAM:6635, ANTH:6635, COMM:6635, ENGL:6635, GEOG:6635, GRMN:6635, HIST:6135, IWP:6635, POLI:6635, SPAN:6904.

FREN:6750 Topics in French Studies 3 s.h.

FREN:6755 French Literature of the 20th/21st Centuries 3 s.h.

Advanced survey of French Literature 1900-present in areas of novel, theater, poetry, and essay. Taught in French.

FREN:7000 Thesis arr.

FREN:7990 Independent Study arr.