2020-2021 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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French Minor

• Requirements for a Minor in French
• Requirements for a French Secondary Education Minor

Requirements for a Minor in French

Students choosing French as a minor program must complete a minimum of 21 hours of French beyond the FRE 201 course, including FRE 202 or its equivalent and the French core curriculum (FRE 315, FRE 316, FRE 317, and FRE 318). Six credits of electives beyond the core must be completed at the 300- or 400-level.

Required Courses

• FRE 202 - Intermediate French II: Language and Culture (4 credits)

Core courses (12 credits):

• FRE 315 - French Conversation (3 credits)
• FRE 316 - Advanced French Grammar (3 credits)
• FRE 317 - Writing in French (3 credits)
• FRE 318 - Introduction to French Literature (3 credits)

Plus the following:

• Two electives at the 300- or 400-level. (6 credits)

Alternative Path

Students who begin the program at the 300-level are required to complete 21 credits including the following.

Core courses (12 credits):

• FRE 315 - French Conversation (3 credits)
• FRE 316 - Advanced French Grammar (3 credits)
• FRE 317 - Writing in French (3 credits)
• FRE 318 - Introduction to French Literature (3 credits)
• Three electives at the 300- or 400-level (6 credits)

Requirements for a French Secondary Education Minor

Students choosing French as a secondary education minor must complete 24 hours of French beyond the FRE 202 course.
Note: FRE 202 does not count toward the secondary education minor.

Core courses (12 credits):

• FRE 315 - French Conversation (3 credits)
• FRE 316 - Advanced French Grammar (3 credits)
• FRE 317 - Writing in French (3 credits)
• FRE 318 - Introduction to French Literature (3 credits)

Plus the following:

• FRE 332 - Introduction to French Linguistics (3 credits)
• FRE 334 - Foreign Language Acquisition and Pedagogy (3 credits)
• Two electives at the 300- or 400-level.

Study Abroad Requirement

Students with a French secondary education major or minor must study abroad in a French-speaking country for a minimum of one semester (12 to 15 credits in French at the 300- or 400-level) in a departmentally approved program. Courses taken during the study abroad semester normally fulfill some of the courses required for the major, but these need to be determined ahead of time by a French advisor. Advising is critical. Students interested in pursuing a teaching degree in French are urged to meet with a French advisor as early as possible in their program. Students are advised to complete at least two courses (six credits) of French at the 300-level prior to studying abroad in order to maximize proficiency gains abroad. Students who cannot meet the study abroad requirement will need to complete an alternative plan approved by a French advisor.

Oral Proficiency Requirement

It is a requirement of the Michigan Department of Education and the GVSU College of Education that teacher candidates reach the Advanced-Low level on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in French before student teaching. The OPI should be taken right away after returning from a study abroad program. Information sessions on the OPI and other requirements for certification are provided each semester.