French Studies Minor

All students wishing to pursue an individualized major are subject to the following conditions:

1. The proposed major must include at least 30 credit hours but not more than 48 credit hours chosen from two or more departments.
2. At least 18 of the 30 credits in the individualized major must be taken beyond the introductory level.
3. The proposed major must be accompanied by a minor within a discipline listed in the General Catalog.
4. None of the courses chosen may be courses used to meet the General Education requirements.
5. Courses taken for this major may not be counted for credit towards a minor or second major.
6. The proposed major must be supported and supervised by one of the deans in the College of Arts and Sciences or an academic advisor.
7. A comprehensive rationale statement by the student justifying the major must accompany the Individualized Program form. This form must list the specific courses to be taken and be approved by the faculty supervisor before it is approved in the Dean’s Office. Any revisions must also be approved by the Dean of the College.
8. The proposed major must be submitted online for approval, preferably by the beginning of the junior year, but no later than November 1 for December degree candidates and April 1 for May or August degree candidates.

Students wishing to complete an individualized major in French Studies are subject to the following additional conditions and requirements:

A. Students must complete a minimum of 30 credits that combine coursework in French beyond FREN 102 with a minimum of 3 credits in an allied field outside of French (see list of recommended courses below).

B. Students may begin counting credits towards the individualized major in French Studies with FREN 203 or FREN 204 depending on their individual language placement:

• Students who take FREN 101 and 102 at Valpo may begin counting credits towards the individualized major with FREN 203.
• Students who place into FREN 102, 203, or 204 based on previous study may begin counting credits towards the individualized major with FREN 204.

C. Coursework in French must include at least one course at the 300-level.

D. Students may count both FREN 291 and FREN 300 towards the individualized major.

E. Students may count up to 12 credits of French coursework from study abroad towards the individualized major.

Per item A above, students must complete at least three credits of coursework outside of French, but related to French Studies. The following courses may be counted in fulfillment of this requirement provided they do not fulfill a general education requirement. This list will be updated from time to time as new courses are added to the General Catalog. Students may also propose courses beyond this list that they feel are relevant to French Studies, subject to approval by Prof. Tomasik and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) have course prerequisites.

Communication and Visual Arts

• CVA 101 : Ancient to Medieval Art History – 3 Cr.
• CVA 102 : Renaissance to Modern Art History – 3 Cr.
• CVA 270 : Introduction to Cinema Studies – 3 Cr.
• CVA 315 : Intercultural Communication – 3 Cr.

Economics

• *ECON 326    International Economics – 3 Cr.

English

• ENGL 343 : Introduction to Linguistics – 3 Cr.
• ENGL 344 : Sociolinguistics: Language Across Cultures – 3 Cr.
• ENGL 368 : TESOL: Theory and Methods – 3 Cr.
• ENGL 369 : TESOL: Methods and Practices – 3 Cr.

History

• HIST 100 : European History – 3 Cr.
• HIST 215 : Medieval Europe – 3 Cr.
• HIST 250 : African History and Society – 3 Cr.
• HIST 312 : Reformation Europe – 3 Cr.
• HIST 318 : The Old Regime and the French Revolution – 3 Cr.
• HIST 350 : Colonialism and Independence: Understanding Modern Africa – 3 Cr.

Philosophy

• PHIL 280 : Modern Philosophy – 3 Cr.
• PHIL 286 : History of 20th Century European Philosophy – 3 Cr.

Theology

• THEO 323 : Reformation Theology – 3 Cr.

Political Science

• POLS 130 : Comparative Politics – 3 Cr.
• POLS 150 : International Relations – 3 Cr.
• *POLS 333 : Politics of Africa  – 3 Cr.

FREN 101 | Beginning French I
An introduction to French language and culture with emphasis on spoken and written communication skills. Refer to world language credit policies stated beginning on page 125. (4 credits)

FREN 102 | Beginning French II
A continuation of FREN 101. Prerequisite: FREN 101 or equivalent. (4 credits)

FREN 203 | Intermediate French I
A consolidation of French language skills with emphasis on interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication. Students increase control of grammatical structures, broaden vocabulary, and become more familiar with French and Francophone cultures. Prerequisite: FREN 102 or equivalent. (4 credits)

FREN 204 | Intermediate French II
A review and expansion of French language skills with emphasis on interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication. Students refine grammatical accuracy, write on varied topics, participate in extensive oral practice, and read literature and other authentic texts while building on their understanding of French and Francophone cultures. Prerequisite: FREN 203 or equivalent. May be repeated for credit at approved study abroad programs in France. (4 credits)

FREN 230 | French and Francophone Culture Today
An introduction to contemporary France as it is situated in the wider Francophone world (Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Canada), focusing on current cultural, economic, social, and political contexts. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 240 | French Phonetics
A study of the principles of French phonetics with special emphasis on the difficulties encountered by American students. Brief introduction to the history of the French language. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 251 | French Culture Through Food
An exploration of food practices in France, from medieval banquets to modern molecular gastronomy. Students will examine how food habits and culinary practices change over time and how culinary culture shapes local, regional, national, and transnational identities and tastes. Topics include meals as social and political performance, culinary revolutions, terroirs and regional cuisines, the industrialization of food, the impact of technology and media on food habits, and the influence of French gastronomy on global food culture. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 252 | French Science, Technology, and Sustainability
An examination of French contributions to science and technology from the ancien régime until today and how these innovations have shaped contemporary French environmental sustainability efforts. Students will explore how French science and technology developed in relation to social, political, and economic trends at particular historical moments, focusing on the accomplishments of notable figures such as René Descartes, Antoine Lavoisier, Marie Curie, Louis Pasteur, Gustave Eiffel, and Jacques Cousteau, among others. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 253 | French Places and Spaces
A survey of spatial culture in France, focusing on public and private spaces, monumental and memorial spaces, as well as metaphorical and material spaces, with emphasis on national, regional and Parisian geographies. From the iconic Eiffel Tower and Loire Valley chateaux to typical train station and apartment architecture, students will examine how notable places and French conceptions of space contribute to the construction of French identity via a shared sense of place. Prerequisite: FREN 204.

FREN 290 | Topics in French
A study of selected topics or issues in French or Francophone literature, language, or culture. May be repeated for credit if the topic varies. Prerequisite: FREN 204.(1-3 credits)

FREN 291 | Topics in World Cinema
(Also offered as CVA 291.) Students examine and analyze the cinema of a particular country or region both in its cultural context and in its relation to global film production and exhibition. May be repeated for credit if topics are different. May be used to fulfill the Humanities: Fine and Performing Arts or Cultural Diversity component of the General Education requirements. (3 credits)

FREN 300 | Topics in French and Francophone Cultures
A study of critical cultural contributions of France and the Francophone world. Course taught in English. May be repeated for credit if the topic varies. May be used to fulfill the Cultural Diversity course component of the General Education Requirements. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above. (3 credits)

FREN 301 | Advanced French Expression
Development of advanced oral and written proficiency by exploring different registers of contemporary spoken French as well as analyzing a variety of written genres. Students will improve fluency, increase vocabulary, refine grammatical accuracy, and learn to use appropriate linguistic register. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 306 | French in the Media
Development of advanced French language skills through an exploration of contemporary French media. Students will read and discuss texts representative of traditional print culture and contemporary screen culture, as well as social media. Students will examine how media and technology shape contemporary French culture by discussing topics such as politics, education, popular culture, privacy, and censorship. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 307 | French for the Professions
Development of practical oral and written skills in French through a range of communicative tasks in business, engineering, and/or health-care settings. Students will study topics pertaining to professional careers with attention to relevant situational vocabulary as well as French cultural practices and norms. Emphasis on specific course content will reflect the interests of students enrolled in a particular semester. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 320 | French Monsters, Marvels, and Legends
An examination of French literary texts and cultural history focused on representations of iconic legends, supernatural events, and monstrous characters throughout French culture. From Arthurian legend, to Rabelais’s giants, to the scandalous protagonists of Classical tragedies and modern novels, students will read and situate literary masterworks within their historical contexts, attentive to how these works contribute to shared notions of French cultural identities. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 330 | French Migration and Identity
An analysis of France’s colonial past as a way of understanding its complex cultural and linguistic legacy within the many countries of the larger Francophone world, with emphasis on contemporary issues surrounding immigration, acculturation, and identity formation. Students will examine contemporary struggles and triumphs among immigrant populations in France through the lens of past occupations and independence movements. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (3 credits)

FREN 390 | Seminar in French
A study of selected themes or issues in French or Francophone literature, language, or civilization. May be repeated A study of selected topics or issues in French or Francophone literature, language, or culture. May be repeated for credit if the topic varies. Prerequisite: FREN 204. (1-3 credits)