French and Francophone Studies

Departmental Office: 515 Philosophy; 212-854-2500 or 212-854-3208
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/french/

Director of Undergraduate Studies: Prof. Aubrey Gabel, 212-854-2500; aag2188@columbia.edu 

Director of Academic Administration and Finance: Julie Stevens, 515 Philosophy; 212-854-7978; js4504@columbia.edu

Director of the Language Program: Pascale Hubert-Leiber, 212-854-4819;  ph2028@columbia.edu 

The Department of French offers a major and concentration in French and Francophone Studies. Both the major and concentration provide students with an overview of French and Francophone literature, culture, and history from the Middle Ages to the present.

Major in French and Francophone Studies

The major in French and Francophone Studies provides an interdisciplinary framework for the study of the history, literature, and culture of France and parts of the world in which French is an important medium of culture. Students explore the history and contemporary applications of concepts such as citizenship, national unity, secularism, and human rights, and explore central issues including universalism/relativism, tradition/modernity, and religion/state as they have developed in France and its colonies/former colonies since the 18th century.

Students take a series of required courses that includes:

  • FREN UN3405 ADVANCED GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION;

  • FREN UN3409 INTRO TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE HISTORY;

  • FREN UN3410 INTRO TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE LITERATURE;

  • FREN UN3995 SENIOR SEMINAR.

Students also take advanced electives (at the 3000 or 4000 level) on French and francophone literature, culture, and history. A senior thesis is optional but encouraged.

 

In Fulfillment of the Language Requirement

Students beginning the study of French at Columbia must take four terms of the following two-year sequence: FREN UN1101-UN1102 Elementary French I & II, and FREN UN2101-UN2102 Intermediate French I & II.

Entering students are placed, or exempted, on the basis of their College Board Achievement or Advanced Placement scores, or their scores on the placement test taken online: FRENCH PLACEMENT TEST. An SAT score of 780 or a score of 5 on the AP exam satisfies the language requirement. Students with a score of 4 on the AP exam will be placed in Intermediate II, but may attempt to place out by requesting to take an oral exam administered by the Director of the Language Program.

Please note: The Barnard course, FREN BC1204 Intermediate II does not fulfill the undergraduate language requirement.

 

Language Proficiency Courses

Elementary and intermediate French courses help students develop an active command of the language. In FREN UN1101 ELEMENTARY FRENCH I and FREN UN1102 ELEMENTARY FRENCH II, the communicative approach is the main instructional method. In addition to practicing all four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—students are introduced to the cultural features of diverse French-speaking communities.

In intermediate courses FREN UN2101 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I and FREN UN2102 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II, students develop linguistic competence through the study of short stories, films, novels, and plays. After completing the four-semester language sequence, students can discuss and write in fairly proficient French on complex topics.

At the third-year level, attention is focused on more sophisticated use of language, in grammar and composition courses, and on literary, historical, and philosophical questions.

Conversation Courses

Students looking for intensive French oral practice may take some of the 2-point conversation courses offered at intermediate and advanced levels. Conversation courses generally may not be counted toward the major or concentration. 

Advanced Placement

  • AP score of 4 automatically places a student in French Intermediate II, thereby granting them the equivalency of the first 3 courses of the elementary-intermediate sequence.

  • AP score of 5 or DELF: The department grants 3 credits for a score of 5 on the AP French Language exam, or for the completion of DELF (Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française). Students are awarded this credit only after they take a 3000-level French course (taught in French, for at least 3 points) and obtain a grade of B or above in that course.

  • DALF C1 level or IB HL score of 6 or 7: The department grants 3 credits for the C1 level of DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française), or for a score of 6 or 7 on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level (HL) exam. Students have no obligation to take higher-level French courses in order to receive these 3 credits, but restrictions apply on the use of these credits toward the French major.

Language Laboratory and On-line Materials

Language laboratories located in the International Affairs Building provide opportunities for intensive practice in French pronunciation and aural comprehension. French courses typically make extensive use of on-line interactive materials that students can access from their own computers.

Maison Française

Students interested in French should acquaint themselves with the Maison Française, which houses a reading room of French newspapers, periodicals, books, and videos, and sponsors lectures/discussions and aby distinguished French visitors to New York City. With its weekly French film series as well as, book club, café-conversation. Another opportunity to practice French, discover new aspects of Francophone culture, and learn about internships and professional opportunities is the French Cultural Society. For information about the FCS, contact the departmental liaison, Dr. Laurence Marie. and other events, the Maison Française offers an excellent opportunity for students to perfect their language skills and enhance their knowledge of French and Francophone culture.

 

Study Abroad

Because a direct experience of contemporary French society is an important essential part of the program, majors and concentrators are strongly encouraged to spend either a semester or a year at Reid Hall-Columbia University in Paris, or at another French or Francophone university. During their time abroad, students take courses credited toward the major and, in some cases, also toward other majors (e.g. history, art history, political science) and the global core.

For information on study abroad, visit the OGP website at www.ogp.columbia.edu, call 212-854-2559, or e-mail studyabroad@columbia.edu. For a list of approved study abroad programs, visit http://www.ogp.columbia.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ListAll.

Summer Study in Paris

Study abroad opportunities at Reid Hall are also available during the summer. These include language and culture courses, global core electives and a combined course that meets both Columbia’s ArtHum and MusicHum requirements.

For information about study abroad, visit https://global.undergrad.columbia.edu/studyabroad.

Grading

Students who wish to use toward the major or concentration a course in which a grade of D has been received must consult with the director of undergraduate studies.

Departmental Honors

Majors who wish to be considered for departmental honors should consult with the director of undergraduate studies. To be eligible for departmental honorse, students must have a grade point average of at least 3.7 in major courses and have completed an approved senior thesis under the guidance of a faculty member at Columbia or Reid Hall. Normally no more than 10% of graduating majors receive departmental honors in a given academic year.

Undergraduate Prizes

The Department of French awards the following prizes to students enrolled in courses in the department:

  1. Prize for Excellence in French Studies: awarded to a highly promising student in an intermediate or advanced French course;

  2. Senior French Prize: awarded to an outstanding graduating major.

Professors

·         Madeleine Dobie

·         Antoine Compagnon

·         Souleymane Bachir Diagne

·         Pierre Force

·         Elisabeth Ladenson

·         Camille Robcis

·         Emmanuelle Saada

·         Joanna Stalnaker

Associate Professors

·         Peter Connor (Barnard)

.         Eliza Zingesser

Assistant Professors

·         Thomas Dodman

·         Aubrey Gabel

Senior Lecturers

·         Heidi Holst-Knudsen

·         Pascale Hubert-Leibler

·         Sophie Queuniet

Lecturers

·         Alexandra Borer

·         Pascale Crépon

·         Samuel Skippon

·         Eric Matheis

          Laurence Marie

Major in French and Francophone Studies

The requirements for this program were modified on December 18, 2021. Students who declared this program before this date should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the department in order to confirm their correct course of study.

The program of study should be planned before the end of the sophomore year with the director of undergraduate studies.

The major in French and Francophone Studies requires a minimum of 30 points beyond completion of the language requirement (FREN UN2102 Intermediate Course II) (or advanced placement), distributed as follows:

FREN UN3405THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMP
FREN UN3409INTRO TO FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE HISTORY
FREN UN3410Intro French & Francophone Literature
FREN UN3995SENIOR SEMINAR
Select one upper level course (3000 or 4000 level) on literature before 1800
The remaining 5 courses (15 points) are to be chosen from 3000 or 4000 level courses in French Literature, Culture, or History
Two of the following advanced Language classes can be counted as an elective: French for diplomats, FREN UN324X, Advanced Translation Workshop
 

Note the following:

  • FREN BC3006 Composition and Conversation is not applicable to either the French and Francophone Studies major or the concentration. Other Barnard French courses may be taken with the approval of the Director of undergraduate studies;

  • Heritage speakers are exempted from FREN UN3405 ADVANCED GRAMMAR & COMP, but must replace the course by taking an advanced elective.

The following Columbia French courses are not applicable to the French and Francophone Studies major or concentration:

 

FREN UN1101ELEMENTARY FRENCH I
FREN UN1102ELEMENTARY FRENCH II
FREN UN1105ACCELERATED ELEM FRENCH
FREN UN2101INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I
FREN UN2102INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II
FREN UN2106RAPID READING AND TRANSLATION
FREN UN2121INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH I
FREN UN2122INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH II
FREN UN3131THIRD-YEAR CONVERSATION FR I
FREN UN3132THIRD-YEAR CONVERSATION FR II
FREN UN2105 ACCELERATED INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I and II

Concentration in French and Francophone Studies

The concentration in French and Francophone Studies requires a minimum of 24 points beyond completion of the language requirement ( FREN UN2102 Intermediate Course II), distributed as follows: 

FREN UN3405THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMP
FREN UN3409INTRO TO FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE HISTORY
FREN UN3410Intro French & Francophone Literature
FREN UN3995SENIOR SEMINAR

The remaining four courses (12 points) are to be chosen from 3000- or4000- level offerings in French literature, culture, or history. 

One of the following advanced language classes can be counted as an elective: French for Diplomats; French Culture, Language and Society through ... (FREN UN324X); Advanced Translation Workshop.

Major in French

The major in French requires a minimum of 33 points beyond completion of the language requirement (FREN UN2102 Intermediate Course II), distributed as follows:

FREN UN3405THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMP
FREN UN3333
 - FREN UN3334
INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES I
and INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES II
FREN UN3600INTRO TO FRENCH CIVILIZATION
FREN UN3995SENIOR SEMINAR
Select one upper-level course on literature before 1800.
Select one course in area of Francophone literature or culture, i.e., bearing on practices of French outside of France or on internal cultural diversity of France.
The remaining four courses (12 points) are to be chosen from 3000-level offerings in French literature, linguistics, or civilization.
One of the following advanced language classes can be counted as an elective: French for Diplomats; French Culture, Language and Society through…; Advanced Translation Workshop; and The Cultural Workshop.
Note the following:
FREN BC3006 Composition and Conversation is not applicable to either the French major or the concentration. Other Barnard French courses may be taken with the approval of the director of undergraduate studies;
Heritage speakers are exempted from FREN UN3405 THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR # COMP, but must replace the course by taking an advanced elective

The following Columbia French courses are not applicable to the French major or concentration:

FREN UN1101ELEMENTARY FRENCH I
FREN UN1102ELEMENTARY FRENCH II
FREN UN1105ACCELERATED ELEM FRENCH
FREN UN2101INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I
FREN UN2102INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II
FREN UN2106RAPID READING AND TRANSLATION
FREN UN2121INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH I
FREN UN2122INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH II
FREN UN3131THIRD-YEAR CONVERSATION FR I
FREN UN3132THIRD-YEAR CONVERSATION FR II

Concentration in French

The concentration in French requires a minimum of 24 points beyond completion of the language requirement (FREN UN2102 Intermediate Course II), distributed as follows:

FREN UN3405THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMP
FREN UN3333
 - FREN UN3334
INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES I
and INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES II
FREN UN3600INTRO TO FRENCH CIVILIZATION
The remaining four courses (12 points) are to be chosen from 3000-level offerings in French literature, linguistics, or civilization.
One of the following advanced language classes can be counted as an elective: French for Diplomats; French Culture, Language and Society through…; Advanced Translation Workshop; and The Cultural Workshop

Language

FREN UN1101 ELEMENTARY FRENCH I. 4.00 points.

The aim of the beginning French sequence (French 1101 and French 1102) is to help you to develop an active command of the language. Emphasis is placed on acquiring the four language skills--listening, speaking, reading and writing--within a cultural context, in order to achieve basic communicative proficiency

Fall 2023: FREN UN1101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1101 001/13645 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
411 Hamilton Hall
Jesus Suarez Martinez 4.00 14/18
FREN 1101 002/13646 M T W Th 8:50am - 9:55am
413 Hamilton Hall
Pascale Crepon 4.00 16/18
FREN 1101 003/13647 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
652 Schermerhorn Hall
Ronald McIntyre 4.00 10/15
FREN 1101 004/13648 M T W Th 10:10am - 11:15am
413 Hamilton Hall
Pascale Crepon 4.00 16/18
FREN 1101 005/13649 M T W Th 11:40am - 12:45pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Eponine Senay 4.00 14/18
FREN 1101 006/13650 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:15pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Pascale Hubert-Leibler 4.00 13/18
FREN 1101 007/13651 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
318 Hamilton Hall
Carlos Malache Silva 4.00 12/18
FREN 1101 008/13652 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
609 Hamilton Hall
Brooke Habit 4.00 9/18
FREN 1101 009/13653 M W Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 4.00 10/18
FREN 1101 010/13654 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 4.00 12/18
Spring 2024: FREN UN1101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1101 001/14901 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
222 Pupin Laboratories
Samuel Skippon 4.00 12/18
FREN 1101 002/14902 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
222 Pupin Laboratories
Samuel Skippon 4.00 15/18
FREN 1101 003/14903 M T W Th 11:40am - 12:45pm
222 Pupin Laboratories
Eric Matheis 4.00 14/18
FREN 1101 004/14906 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:15pm
222 Pupin Laboratories
Eric Matheis 4.00 14/18
FREN 1101 005/14907 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 4.00 11/18
FREN 1101 006/14908 T Th F 4:10pm - 5:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 4.00 11/18

FREN UN1102 ELEMENTARY FRENCH II. 4.00 points.

The aim of the beginning French sequence (French 1101 and French 1102) is to help you to develop an active command of the language. Emphasis is placed on acquiring the four language skills--listening, speaking, reading and writing--within a cultural context, in order to achieve basic communicative proficiency

Fall 2023: FREN UN1102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1102 001/13655 M T W Th 8:50am - 9:55am
407 Hamilton Hall
Eric Matheis 4.00 16/18
FREN 1102 002/13656 M T W Th 10:10am - 11:15am
407 Hamilton Hall
Eric Matheis 4.00 9/18
FREN 1102 003/13657 T Th F 11:40am - 12:55pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Samuel Skippon 4.00 15/18
FREN 1102 004/13658 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Samuel Skippon 4.00 13/18
FREN 1102 005/13659 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
616 Hamilton Hall
Wesley Gunter 4.00 15/18
Spring 2024: FREN UN1102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1102 001/14909 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
413 Hamilton Hall
Carlos Malache Silva 4.00 16/18
FREN 1102 002/14910 M T W Th 8:50am - 9:55am
201a Philosophy Hall
Pascale Crepon 4.00 14/18
FREN 1102 003/14911 M T W Th 10:10am - 11:15am
201a Philosophy Hall
Pascale Crepon 4.00 7/18
FREN 1102 004/14912 M T W Th 11:40am - 12:45pm
332 Uris Hall
Brooke Habit 4.00 18/18
FREN 1102 005/14913 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:15pm
476a Alfred Lerner Hall
Ronald McIntyre 4.00 12/18
FREN 1102 006/14914 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
707 Hamilton Hall
Hayet Sellami 4.00 10/18
FREN 1102 007/14915 M W Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Pascale Hubert-Leibler 4.00 20/18
FREN 1102 008/14916 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
507 Hamilton Hall
Eponine Senay 4.00 16/18

FREN UN1105 ACCELERATED ELEM FRENCH. 8.00 points.

Prerequisites: The instructor's permission
Prerequisites: The instructor's permission This course covers in one semester the material normally presented in Elementary French I and II. This course is especially recommended for students who already know another Romance language

FREN UN2101 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I. 4.00 points.

This course will further your awareness and understanding of the French language, culture and literature, provide a comprehensive review of fundamental grammar points while introducing more advanced ones, as well as improve your mastery of oral, reading, and writing skills. By the end of the course, you will be able to read short to medium-length literary and non-literary texts, and analyze and comment on varied documents and topics, both orally and in writing

Fall 2023: FREN UN2101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2101 001/13660 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
313 Hamilton Hall
Nadrah Mohammed 4.00 5/18
FREN 2101 002/13661 M T W Th 9:10am - 10:00am
318 Hamilton Hall
Sophie Queuniet 4.00 13/18
FREN 2101 003/13662 M T W Th 10:10am - 11:00am
318 Hamilton Hall
Sophie Queuniet 4.00 17/18
FREN 2101 004/13663 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:00pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Andre Pettman 4.00 18/18
FREN 2101 005/13664 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laurence Marie 4.00 13/18
FREN 2101 006/13665 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Celia Abele 4.00 9/18
FREN 2101 007/13666 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Eleanor Grabowski 4.00 12/18
Spring 2024: FREN UN2101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2101 001/14930 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
507 Philosophy Hall
Wesley Gunter 4.00 4/18
FREN 2101 002/14935 M T W Th 11:10am - 12:00pm
253 International Affairs Bldg
Sophie Queuniet 4.00 7/18
FREN 2101 003/14938 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:00pm
509 Hamilton Hall
Pascale Hubert-Leibler 4.00 15/18
FREN 2101 004/14942 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
507 Philosophy Hall
Wesley Gunter 4.00 10/18

FREN UN2102 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II. 4.00 points.

Enrollment limited to 20.

Prerequisites: FREN UN2121 Intermediate Conversation is a suggested, not required, corequisite
Prerequisites: FREN UN2121 Intermediate Conversation is a suggested, not required, corequisite Prepares students for advanced French language and culture. Develops skills in speaking, reading, and writing French. Emphasizes cross-cultural awareness through the study of short stories, films, and passages from novels. Fosters the ability to write about and discuss a variety of topics using relatively complex structures

Fall 2023: FREN UN2102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2102 001/13667 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
201a Philosophy Hall
Alexandra Borer 4.00 19/18
FREN 2102 002/13668 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
201a Philosophy Hall
Alexandra Borer 4.00 15/18
FREN 2102 003/13669 M W 11:10am - 12:00pm
255 International Affairs Bldg
Luca Pomioli 4.00 7/15
FREN 2102 003/13669 T Th 11:10am - 12:00pm
606 Lewisohn Hall
Luca Pomioli 4.00 7/15
FREN 2102 004/13670 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:00pm
424 Pupin Laboratories
William Kehl 4.00 20/18
FREN 2102 005/13671 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Heidi Holst-Knudsen 4.00 17/18
Spring 2024: FREN UN2102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2102 001/14919 M W Th 8:40am - 9:55am
411 Hamilton Hall
Luca Pomioli 4.00 20/18
FREN 2102 002/14920 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
333 Uris Hall
Nadrah Mohammed 4.00 12/18
FREN 2102 003/14921 T Th F 11:40am - 12:55pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Heidi Holst-Knudsen 4.00 19/18
FREN 2102 004/14922 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laurence Marie 4.00 18/18
FREN 2102 005/14923 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laurence Marie 4.00 16/18
FREN 2102 006/14924 T Th F 4:10pm - 5:25pm
508 Lewisohn Hall
Celia Abele 4.00 10/18
FREN 2102 007/14925 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Eleanor Grabowski 4.00 17/18

FREN UN2121 INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH I. 2.00 points.

We will be working on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition, listening comprehension, and oral expression. Activities will include listening comprehension exercises, skits, debates, and oral presentations, as well as discussions of films, songs, short films, plays, news, articles, short stories or other short written documents. Although grammar will not be the focus of the course, some exercises will occasionally aim at reviewing particular points. The themes and topics covered will be chosen according to students’ interests

Fall 2023: FREN UN2121
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2121 001/13727 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
Room TBA
Wesley Gunter 2.00 8/15
FREN 2121 002/13728 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Zachary Desjardins-Mooney 2.00 8/15
Spring 2024: FREN UN2121
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2121 001/14947 M W 1:10pm - 2:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 2.00 5/15
FREN 2121 002/14948 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
507 Philosophy Hall
Wesley Gunter 2.00 13/15

FREN UN2122 INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH II. 2.00 points.

We will be working on pronunciation, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and oral expression. Activities will include listening comprehension exercises, skits, debates, and oral presentations, as well as discussions of films, songs, short films, news, articles, short stories or other short written documents. Although grammar will not be the focus of the course, some exercises will occasionally aim at reviewing particular points

Fall 2023: FREN UN2122
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2122 001/13708 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Wesley Gunter 2.00 7/15
FREN 2122 002/13709 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
313 Hamilton Hall
Wesley Gunter 2.00 6/15
Spring 2024: FREN UN2122
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2122 001/14955 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
411 Hamilton Hall
Luca Pomioli 2.00 8/15
FREN 2122 002/14956 Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
508 Lewisohn Hall
2.00 4/15

FREN UN2106 RAPID READING AND TRANSLATION. 3.00 points.

The course focuses on reading comprehension and translation into English and includes a grammar and vocabulary overview. It also addresses the differences between English and French syntax and raises questions of idiomatic versus literal translations

Fall 2023: FREN UN2106
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2106 001/13710 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Katherine Manansala 3.00 6/18
Spring 2024: FREN UN2106
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2106 001/14944 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Katherine Manansala 3.00 12/18

FREN UN3131 THIRD-YEAR CONVERSATION FR I. 2.00 points.

Prerequisites: completion of the language requirement in French or the equivalent. Conversation on contemporary French subjects based on readings in current popular French periodicals

Fall 2023: FREN UN3131
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3131 001/13729 M W 11:40am - 12:55pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Celia Abele 2.00 8/15
FREN 3131 003/13730 T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm
327 Uris Hall
Celia Abele 2.00 9/15

FREN UN3240 FREN LANG,SOC,CULTRE THRU FILM. 3.00 points.

Prerequisites: FREN UN2102
Prerequisites: FREN UN2102 French socio-political issues and language through the prism of film. Especially designed for non-majors wishing to further develop their French language skills and learn about French culture. Each module includes assignments targeting the four language competencies: reading, writing, speaking and oral comprehension, as well as cultural understanding

Fall 2023: FREN UN3240
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3240 001/13672 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Heidi Holst-Knudsen 3.00 16/17

FREN UN3241 FRENCH LANGUAGE THRU THEATER. 3.00 points.

The course is taught in French and focuses on learning the French language via the study of theatre (through plays, scenes, theories, lecture/workshops by guests, as well as performing a series of activities). The course offers students the opportunity to have a better grasp of the variety of French theatres within the culture; and to perform the language through the body and mind. Its goal is to both introduce students to theatre and to explore how it challenges us physically and emotionally, as well as in intellectual, moral, and aesthetic ways. No previous acting experience is necessary but a desire to “get up and move” and possibly even go see plays as a class project is encouraged

Spring 2024: FREN UN3241
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3241 001/14962 M W 11:40am - 12:55pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Pascale Crepon 3.00 10/15

FREN UN3405 THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMP. 3.00 points.

Enrollment limited to 15.

Prerequisites: FREN UN3405 must be taken before FREN UN3333/4 unless the student has an AP score of 5 or the director of undergraduate studies' permission.
Prerequisites: FREN UN3405 must be taken before FREN UN3333/4 unless the student has an AP score of 5 or the director of undergraduate studies permission. The goal of FREN UN3405 is to help students improve their grammar and perfect their writing and reading skills, especially as a preparation for taking literature or civilization courses, or spending a semester in a francophone country. Through the study of two full-length works of literature and a number of short texts representative of different genres, periods, and styles, they will become more aware of stylistic nuances, and will be introduced to the vocabulary and methods of literary analysis. Working on the advanced grammar points covered in this course will further strengthen their mastery of French syntax. They will also be practicing writing through a variety of exercises, including pastiches and creative pieces, as well as typically French forms of academic writing such as “résumé,” “explication de texte,” and “dissertation

Fall 2023: FREN UN3405
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3405 001/14120 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Alexandra Borer 3.00 10/15
Spring 2024: FREN UN3405
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3405 001/14964 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 3.00 10/15

FREN UN3242 FREN LANG,SOC,CULTRE THRU PARIS. 3.00 points.

Prerequisites: 2 years of college French
Prerequisites: 2 years of college French Paris may be referred to as the capital of modernity, as the city of romance and pleasure, as the center of social and political powers, or as a privileged stage for crises and revolutions. Analyzing and researching the meanings of these diverse representations would expose students to key aspects of French and Francophone political, social, and cultural history. This is a proposal for a course intended for students who, having completed their language requirement in French, would like to better their knowledge of French language and society. It would offer students the opportunity to study representations of Paris over the centuries as a way to practice writing, reading, and conversation in French and as a way to deepen their understanding of French and Francophone cultures. Materials for the course would include major literary texts as well as paintings, movies and popular songs, but also museum websites, local newspapers and local ads, brochures from retail and food malls, restaurant menus, postcards... such variety can be utilitarian and intellectually compelling at the same time. It would allow students not only to study language registers and vocabulary contextualization but also work on finding patterns and making connections

Spring 2024: FREN UN3242
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3242 001/15098 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
411 Hamilton Hall
Alexandra Borer 3.00 13/15

FREN UN3244 FRENCH THRU CURRENT EVENTS. 3.00 points.

The course will offer students an understanding of fundamental underlying concepts that structure French society and that are necessary to grasp if one wants to follow current events in France. This course could be of interest not only to CC students but also to students enrolled at SIPA or Teacher’s College. Moreover, this course would allow for a comparative approach to how same events are covered in US, or other foreign media, and in France. Given that this course will deal with current events, the readings will depend entirely on how the news unfolds. Students will be given an introduction to the various media outlets available to them: the press, television and online sources. As the course unfolds, I will adapt the choice of sources that best follow events as they happen. 2022 for example, will be the year France assumes the presidency of the European Union. It will also be the year of the presidential elections. For such events, I will propose specific institutional sources. On the other hand, events that could not be anticipated will require some form of guidance in terms of sources. In spite of the obvious unpredictability of the specific content of this course, certain key concepts necessary to understand current events in France will be presented. These may vary slightly from one semester to another, but would include, without being limited to: the structure of government and public institutions, political parties, unions and “associations”, social benefits and “the welfare state”, public vs. private sector, “Paris is France”, universalism, secularism and “laïcité”, cultural exceptionalism, the figure of the intellectual, national identity, immigration, geography of France and demographics, relation to Europe, geopolitics, globalization and sovereignty. Of course, the choice of themes and concepts in a given semester would be influenced by dominant topics in the French news

Fall 2023: FREN UN3244
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3244 001/13673 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
315 Hamilton Hall
Samuel Skippon 3.00 13/18

FREN UN3243 Lang. Culture, Society: La culture pop. 3.00 points.

The host of the daily radio show ​Popopop​ on the public radio ​France Inter​ routinely introduces his guests by asking them “what is pop culture?”/“qu’est ce que la culture pop?” The answers are at least as diverse as the guests’ cultural, social, and generational backgrounds. Keeping the complexity and variety of the possible answers to this question in mind, students in this class will be introduced to French pop culture or ​La culture pop française​ both in its specificity and in contrast to ​American pop culture​. In this French language class, critical thinking applied to mass media such as music, movies, ads, and newspapers, as well as literature ranging from ​les BD (comics and graphic novels) to ​les polars (detective fiction),​ ​and as well as to Social Media (blogs, podcasts, influencers, etc.)​ w​ ill enable students to better grasp some of the forces shaping culture in French society, equipping them with knowledge and concepts that are helpful to understanding dominant cultural trends and their impact on contemporary French Society. Exposing students to such a wide variety of materials will be ​intellectually compelling and will also expose them to a variety of language registers

Literature and Culture

FREN UN3503 Enlightenment/Counter-Enlightenment. 3 points.

Prerequisites: completion of FREN UN3333 or UN3334 and UN3405, or the director of undergraduate studies' permission.

Taking modern definitions and critiques of Enlightenment as its starting point, this course will look at how the Enlightenment defined itself as a philosophical, cultural and literary movement, practiced self-criticism from within, and responded to dissension and critique from without. Authors will include Adorno, Horkheimer, Foucault and Israel for the modern critical context, and Voltaire, Diderot, Buffon, Rousseau, Sade and Kant for the eighteenth century material. The course will be given in French, but non-majors may write papers in English. This course fulfills the French Major requirement for a course on literature before 1800.

FREN W3515 Writing the Self Workshop. 3 points.

Corequisites: FREN W3333-FREN W3334 or equivalent, or the director of undergraduate studies' permission.

In this course, we will read works spanning the history of French literature from the Renaissance to the present in which the problem of writing the self is posed. We will also engage in various writing exercises (pastiche, translation, personal narrative) and discuss the works on the syllabus in conjunction with our own attempts to write the self. Authors will include Montaigne, Rousseau, Roland, Sand, Colette, Barthes, Modiano, and NDiaye. This course fulfills the pre-1800 requirement.

FREN UN3517 Montaigne, Descartes, Pascal. 3 points.

Prerequisites: FREN UN3333-UN3334 or the director of undergraduate studies' or the instructor's permission.

A study of Montaigne’s Essais and their rewriting by Descartes and Pascal, with a focus on the nature of intellectual and aesthetic innovation in a humanist context.

FREN UN3600 INTRO TO FRENCH CIVILIZATION. 3.00 points.

Prerequisites: FREN UN3333 or UN3334 and UN3405, or the director of undergraduate studies' permission.
Prerequisites: FREN UN3333 or UN3334 and UN3405, or the director of undergraduate studies permission. Based on readings of short historical sources, the course will provide an overview of French political and cultural history since 1700

FREN W3666 Moliere. 3 points.

Prerequisites: completion of FREN W3333 or W3334 and W3405, or the director of undergraduate studies' permission.

Study of Molière's major plays, including Tartuffe, Dom Juan, and Le Misanthrope, focusing on key concepts such as naturalness and convention, value and exchange, and the relationship between ethics and comedy. Special attention will be paid to the connections between critical approaches of the text and the various ways in which the plays can be staged.

FREN W3714 1914-2014 : un siecle de litteratures en francais. 3 points.

Not offered during 2023-2024 academic year.

Prerequisites: completion of FREN W3333 or W3334 and W3405, or the director of undergraduate studies' permission.

This class is intended as a survey course on French literatures in the past 100 years. It will consider all major moments and movements of literature in French in the 20th century (surrealism, existentialism, negritude, Nouveau Roman...) until and including some of the most remarkable literary creations of the early 21st century. The course is taught in French and the readings will be in French.

FREN W3766 Transcribing/Writing Tales in Africa. 3 points.

Not offered during 2023-2024 academic year.

Prerequisites: FREN W3333-FREN W3334 or the director of undergraduate studies' or the instructor's permission. The students are required to be able to read and discuss tales in French.

Transcribing, adapting, rewriting, reinventing in the French language African oral tales is an important literary genre in African francophone literature. The works of authors such as Amadou Hampâté Bâ from Mali, Bernard Dadié from Côte d'Ivoire and Birago Diop from Senegal are among the classics of that genre. The course is a study of a certain number of "tales" written with talent and humor by Bâ, Dadié and Diop; they are from the following books: Il n' y a pas de petite querelle (Bâ), Le pagne noir (Dadié), Les contes d'Amadou Koumba, and Les nouveaux contes d'Amadou Koumba (Diop). This course is intended primarily for undergraduate students interested in French and in Francophone Studies majors, concentrators, and those who speak French and want to study an important aspect of literature in French.

FREN W3726 Sex, Class and Shame in 20th-21th Century French Literature. 3 points.

Prerequisites: Prerequisites: completion of FREN W3333 or W3334 and W3405, or the director of undergraduate studies' permission.

The second half of the twentieth century in France saw a sudden explosion of literary works examining, with unprecedented explicitness, sexuality and social class and the relations between them. This course will provide an introduction to the literature of sexual and social abjection, beginning with Genet and Violette Leduc and including works by Annie Ernaux, Christine Angot, Virginie Despentes, and Edouard Louis. We will also consider relevant sociological writings by Bourdieu, Eribon, and Goffman. Readings and discussion will be in French.

CLFR UN3830 French Film. 3 points.

A study of landmarks of French cinema from its origins to the 1970s. We will pay particular attention to the relation between cinema and social and political events in France. We will study films by Jean Vigo, Jean Renoir, Rene Clair, Alain Resnais, Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. In English.

FREN UN3409 INTRO TO FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE HISTORY. 3.00 points.

This class provides an introduction to the history of France and of the francophone world since the Middle Ages. It initiates students to the major events and themes that have shaped politics, society, and culture in France and its former colonies, paying special attention to questions of identity and diversity in a national and imperial context. Modules include a combination of lecture and seminar-style discussion of documents (in French). This course is part of a two-course sequence and is a core requirement the French and Francophone Studies major

Fall 2023: FREN UN3409
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3409 001/13707 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
411 Hamilton Hall
Thomas Dodman 3.00 15/15
Spring 2024: FREN UN3409
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3409 001/11627 M W 1:10pm - 2:25pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Zachary Desjardins-Mooney 3.00 9/20

FREN UN3410 Intro French & Francophone Literature. 3.00 points.

This class offers a survey of major works of French and francophone literature from the Middle Ages to the present. Emphasis will be placed on formal and stylistic elements of the works read and on developing the critical skills necessary for literary analysis. Works will be placed in their historical context

Fall 2023: FREN UN3410
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3410 001/13674 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laurence Marie 3.00 10/15
FREN 3410 AU1/19017 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Othr Other
Laurence Marie 3.00 1/2
Spring 2024: FREN UN3410
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3410 001/11633 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
616 Hamilton Hall
Celia Abele 3.00 14/20

Senior Seminar and Senior Thesis

FREN UN3995 SENIOR SEMINAR. 3.00 points.

Prerequisites: completion of either FREN UN3333-FREN UN3334 or FREN UN3420-FREN UN3421, and FREN UN3405, or the director of undergraduate studies' or the instructor's permission.
Prerequisites: completion of either FREN UN3333-FREN UN3334 or FREN UN3420-FREN UN3421, and FREN UN3405, or the director of undergraduate studies' or the instructor's permission. Required of all French and French & Francophone Studies majors. Usually taken by majors during the fall term of their senior year. Critical discussion of a few major literary works along with some classic commentaries on those works. Students critically assess and practice diverse methods of literary analysis

Fall 2023: FREN UN3995
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3995 001/11193 T 4:10pm - 6:00pm
507 Philosophy Hall
Antoine Compagnon 3.00 7/20

FREN UN3996 SENIOR TUTORIAL IN LITERATURE. 3.00 points.

Prerequisites: the director of undergraduate studies permission. Required for majors wishing to be considered for departmental honors. This course may also be taken at Reid Hall. Recommended for seniors majoring or concentrating in French and open to other qualified students. Preparation of a senior essay. In consultation with a staff member designated by the director of undergraduate studies, the student develops a topic withing the areas of French language, literature, or intellectual history

Spring 2024: FREN UN3996
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3996 001/16132  
Aubrey Gabel 3.00 3/10