2010-2011 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Bachelor of Arts in French
- Requirements for a Major in French
- Literature Emphasis
- Linguistics Emphasis
- Civilization Emphasis
- Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in French
- Requirements for a Certificate in Secondary Education
Requirements for a Major in French
Students majoring in French are required to complete 36 hours beyond the FRE 202 course, including the core curriculum courses (FRE 301, 304, 306, 307), and FRE 495. A student must have completed the core or be completing it the semester he or she enrolls in advanced courses. FRE 495 must be taken in the last year preceding graduation.
Upon successful completion of the core curriculum, students must elect one of three emphases: literature, linguistics, or civilization.
Literature Emphasis
For the literature emphasis, students must complete:
- FRE 300 - Survey of French Literature I Credits: 3
- FRE 302 - Survey of French Literature II Credits: 3
- FRE 303 - Survey of French Literature III Credits: 3
Linguistics Emphasis
For the linguistics emphasis, students must complete:
- FRE 305 - French Phonetics Credits: 3
- FRE 355 - Introduction to French Linguistics Credits: 3
- AND EITHER
- FRE 308 - French History and Civilization Credits: 3 OR %prefix% %code% - %name% %program_field%
Additional Courses
Students are strongly encouraged to take at least one of the following:
- ENG 261 - Foundations of Language Study Credits: 3
- ENG 363 - Applied Linguistics Credits: 3
- ENG 364 - Sociolinguistics Credits: 3
Civilization Emphasis
For the civilization emphasis, students must complete:
- FRE 308 - French History and Civilization Credits: 3
- FRE 310 - Contemporary France Credits: 3
- FRE 312 - Francophone Civilization Credits: 3
Additional Courses
Students are encouraged to take at least one of the following:
- HST 365 - Early Modern Europe Credits: 3
- HST 385 - Europe 1900-1945 Credits: 3
- HST 386 - Europe since World War II Credits: 3
- HST 643 - The French Revolution Credits: 3
Electives
In addition to the above, all students must complete four elective courses at the 300 and 400 level, at least two of which have a focus on literature. Students should take careful note of the prerequisites for their chosen courses. Elective courses should be pre-approved by a faculty advisor.
Students seeking to pursue a graduate degree are advised to complete a minor or major in a second language. All majors (and minors seeking teaching certification) should complete a study abroad program.
Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in French
Suggested order of coursework for students without prior language background:
- FRE 101 - Elementary French I (4 credits) followed by FRE 102 - Elementary French II (4 credits)
- FRE 201 - Intermediate French I (4 credits) followed by FRE 202 - Intermediate French II (4 credits)
- The Core Curriculum in the following order if possible: FRE 307 - Advanced French Grammar (3 credits), FRE 304 - French Conversation (3 credits), FRE 306 - French Composition (3 credits), and then FRE 301 - Introduction to Literature (3 credits)
- Emphasis Courses and electives
- FRE 495 - Advanced Topics in French (capstone) (3 credits)
Students entering GVSU with previous experience in French may start French courses at the 200 or 300 level, based on a placement exam, CLEP or AP credits, or consultation with a member of the Modern Languages and Literature department.
Requirements for a Certificate in Secondary Education
Students seeking teaching certification with a major or minor in French must also take ENG 261 - Foundations of Language Study (3 credits). We will provide information sessions on preparing for the Oral Proficiency Interview each year.