French

The French Department: 

Department website: https://french.columbia.edu/ 

Office location: 515-521 Philosophy Hall  

Office contacts: Julie L. Stevens js4504@columbia.edu 

Department Chair: Prof. Emmanuelle Saada es2593@columbia.edu

Director of Undergraduate Studies: Prof. Aubrey Gabel, aag2188@columbia.edu

Director of the French Language Program: Dr. Pascale Hubert-Leibler ph2028@columbia.edu

Undergraduate Administrator: Benita Dace, byd1@columbia.edu

 

French and Francophone Studies

The undergraduate Major in French and Francophone Studies and Minor in French and Francophone Studies give students an overview of French and francophone literature, culture, politics, and societies from the Middle Ages to the present. Students take a series of required courses in which they hone their linguistic skills (primarily with Read, Think, Write in French) before delving into the study of literature, culture, politics and society with Introduction to French and Francophone Studies: History and Introduction to French and Francophone Studies: Literature, and the Senior Seminar in which students refine their understanding of literary analysis, works and methods and are introduced  to research in French and francophone studies. Students also take advanced electives on any aspect of French or francophone literature, culture, or history.

The optional Senior Essay, written under the guidance of a faculty member at Columbia or during a student’s semester abroad, provides an initiation to scholarly research. It is a requirement to be eligible for departmental honors.

Seeing as a direct experience of contemporary French society is an essential part of the program, students are strongly encouraged to spend a summer,  a semester or an academic year at Reid Hall-Columbia University in Paris, where they can take courses that will be credited toward the French major as well as to other majors including Political Sciences, History or Art History. Qualified students may also take courses directly in the French university system.

Please reach out to the Director of Undergraduate Studies for Majors’ and Minors’ Worksheets (for French and Francophone Studies), which provide a breakdown of course requirements.

Student Advising 

All advising for undergraduate students pursuing a French and Francophone studies major and minor is handled by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students with questions regarding language requirements should contact the Director of the French Language Program.

Coursework Taken Outside of Columbia 

Advanced Placement

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.

Barnard College Courses 

Many advanced literature and culture courses at Barnard College may fulfill elective credits for the French major or minor at Columbia, pending approval by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Please note: The Barnard course, FREN BC1204 Intermediate II does not fulfill the undergraduate language requirement.

Transfer Courses 

Transfer students may apply a limited number of qualifying credits from other institutions to elective courses in the French major and minor, pending approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students should be expected to present syllabi and transcripts for courses at previous institutions.

Study Abroad

Seeing as a direct experience of contemporary French society is an essential part of the program, students are strongly encouraged to spend either a summer term, a semester, or a full, academic year at Reid Hall, Columbia University’s Global Center in Paris, where they can take courses that will be credited toward the French major as well as to other majors (e.g. history, art history, political science) and the global core. Qualified students may also take courses directly in the French university system.

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. For Reid Hall’s French immersion program, please visit https://global.undergrad.columbia.edu/program/columbia-paris-semester

Summer Study in Paris

Study abroad opportunities at Reid Hall are 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, please visit https://global.undergrad.columbia.edu/studyabroad.

Summer Courses 

The French Department offers a limited number of courses in the French language and in French and francophone literature, history, and culture over the summer. For more information about summer courses in French, please please contact Samuel Skippon (ss2642@columbia.edu), the Director of Summer Sessions.

Core Curriculum Connections

The French Department offers courses in the Global Core, which may also count as electives in the French major or minor. For a current listing of Global Core courses, please consult this website: https://bulletin.columbia.edu/columbia-college/core-curriculum/global-core-requirement/ 

Undergraduate Research and Senior Essay 

Senior Essay

The Senior Essay offers students an opportunity to immerse themselves in a research project and to hone their research and writing skills. It substitutes for an elective and makes the student eligible for departmental honors. The essay (25 pages minimum, in French) is usually written under the direction of a tenured or tenure-faculty faculty member (assistant professor, associate professor, or professor). Occasionally, with the permission of the DUS, the essay may be written under the direction of a lecturer. Only students who choose to write a Senior Essay are eligible for departmental honors.

The Senior Essay is a year-long project. Students are required to meet with the DUS to discuss their choice of adviser. They should do so preferably before the end of the spring semester of their junior year and no later than September 15th of their senior year.  Once they have established a relationship with their adviser, they should have their research project approved by the latter, with a copy to the DUS (no later than October 15th). In the Spring, students should register for the Senior Tutorial in Literature (FREN UN3996). Students developing a Senior Essay are still required to take the Senior Seminar (FREN UN3995) in their senior year. 

Undergraduate Research outside of Courses

The Department of French fosters students’ research and critical thinking skills both inside and outside of the classroom. During their studies, interested students are encouraged to apply for undergraduate research funding opportunities, awarded by  the department (see the Undergraduate Research Fellowship below), other Columbia units and outside sources. French and Francophone Studies graduates often go on to  teach and research abroad, through programs like the US Fulbright Program or the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF).

Department Honors and Prizes 

Academic 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.

Undergraduate Research Outside of Courses [drop-down]

The Department of French fosters students’ research and critical thinking skills both inside and outside of the classroom. During their studies, interested students are encouraged to apply for undergraduate research funding opportunities, awarded by  the department (see the Undergraduate Research Fellowship below), other Columbia units and outside sources. French and Francophone Studies graduates often go on to  teach and research abroad, through programs like the US Fulbright Program or the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF).

Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Every year, the Department of French awards the French and Francophone Studies Undergraduate Research Fellowship. The fellowship is intended to support students majoring in the humanities or the social sciences pursuing research in France or a francophone country or region during the summer between their junior and senior years. Please visit this website for up-to-date information. 

Department Honors

Majors who wish to be considered for departmental honors should consult with the director of undergraduate studies. To be eligible for departmental honors, students must have a grade point average of at least 3.7 in major courses and have completed an approved senior essay (information below) 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.

Other Important Information 

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.

 

Professors

·         Peter Connor (Barnard)

·         Madeleine Dobie

·         Antoine Compagnon

·         Souleymane Bachir Diagne

·         Pierre Force

·         Elisabeth Ladenson

·         Camille Robcis

·         Emmanuelle Saada

·         Joanna Stalnaker

·         Caroline Weber (Barnard)

Associate Professors

·         Thomas Dodman

.         Eliza Zingesser

Assistant Professors

·         Aubrey Gabel

Senior Lecturers

·         Heidi Holst-Knudsen

·         Pascale Hubert-Leibler

·         Sophie Queuniet

Lecturers

·         Alexandra Borer

·         Pascale Crépon

·         Wesley F. Gunter

·         Samuel Skippon

·         Eric Matheis

          Laurence Marie

Guidance for Undergraduate Students in the Department
 

Program Planning for all Students 

Students interested in majoring or minoring in French and Francophone Studies should consult the Curriculum Maps, available on the Bulletin and the Department of French website. Students should also meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies to discuss their degree progress on a semesterly basis.

Guidance for First-Year Students 

Incoming students interested in majoring or minoring in French and Francophone Studies should immediately begin taking courses in French upon their arrival, after having taken the Language Placement Exam to test into the appropriate course level. Some students will need to take additional language courses before beginning courses for the major/minor, and others can proceed directly to major and/or minor requirements. As they continue with their course requirements, students should consult the Curriculum Maps, available on the Bulletin and the Department of French website. After their first year, students should also consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies on a semesterly basis.

Guidance for Transfer Students 

Transfer students interested in majoring or minoring in French and Francophone Studies should immediately should also consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, who will decide which, if any, courses may be afforded transfer credit. Students should have syllabi and course materials on hand, so that the DUS can evaluate possible courses for transfer credits. After this, students majoring or minoring in French and Francophone Studies are encouraged to meet with the DUS to discuss their degree progress on a semesterly basis.
 

Undergraduate Programs of Study
 

Major in French and Francophone Studies

For those students who would like to major in French and Francophone studies, please consult our website and the information below. Each student’s program of study is to be discussed regularly with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, starting in the spring semester of the sophomore year.

COURSES
A minimum of 30 points beyond completion of the language requirement (FREN UN2102), which should be distributed as follows:

CORE (12 points):
FREN UN3405Read, Think, Write in French (Formerly Titled, “Advanced Grammar and Composition”)
FREN UN3409INTRO TO FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE HISTORY
FREN UN3410Intro French & Francophone Literature
FREN UN3995SENIOR SEMINAR
ELECTIVES (18 points, or 15 points in case of a senior essay):
Six elective courses in French or francophone literature and culture at the 3000 or 4000 level.
These elective courses can include advanced literature, culture, and history courses offered by the Department of French, as well as our popular “French Thru/Through X” courses, which reinforce advanced French language proficiency through various cultural themes (including Current Events, Paris, Pop Culture, the Visual Arts, and so on).
These elective courses should include a minimum of one course that covers the Early-Modern period (before 1800) and a maximum of two “French Thru/Through X” classes (FREN UN32XX).
Students are encouraged to study abroad at Reid Hall. Relevant courses taken at Reid Hall or at a French partner institution may count towards the major.
Though students should prioritize classes taught in French and in the Department of French, courses with significant coverage of the French and Francophone world in other departments may also be counted towards the major with DUS approval.
Some French Barnard College courses may be taken with the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
 

CURRICULUM MAP:

  • Students are encouraged to first complete FREN UN3405, to prepare themselves for other, more advanced university courses in French. One possible curriculum map is thus to take FREN UN3405, then the core literature and history survey courses (in any order or concurrently), before completing the three required elective courses. However, additional core and elective courses can ultimately be taken in any order or concurrently.

  • Elective credits can also be completed while studying abroad, either at the Columbia Undergraduate program at Reid Hall in Paris or at partner institutions, such as Sciences Po and a few other qualifying Parisian universities.

  • Any elective courses taken at partner institutions will be subject to DUS approval.

 

Minor in French and Francophone Studies 

For those students who would like to minor in French and francophone studies, please consult our website and the information below. Each student’s program of study is to be discussed regularly with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, starting in the spring semester of the sophomore year.

COURSES
The minor is composed of five courses, or a minimum of 15 points beyond the language requirement / prerequisite (FREN UN2102), which are distributed as follows.

CORE (6 points):

  • FREN UN3405 “Read, Think, Write in French” (Formerly titled “Advanced Grammar and Composition”)

  • One of our two core interdisciplinary, undergraduate survey courses, which cover literature, history, and culture from the Middle Ages to the Present. These include either the history survey (FREN UN3409 Introduction to French and Francophone Studies: History) or the literature survey (FREN UN3410 Introduction to French and Francophone Studies: Literature).

INTERDISCIPLINARY ELECTIVES (9 points):

  • The remaining three electives can be fulfilled by various French or Francophone literature courses at the 3000 or 4000 level.

  • These elective courses can include advanced literature, culture, and history courses offered by the Department of French, as well as our popular “French Thru/Through X” (FREN UN32XX) courses, which reinforce advanced French language proficiency through various cultural themes (including Current Events, Paris, Pop Culture, the Visual Arts, and so on).

  • Students are encouraged to study abroad at Reid Hall. Relevant courses taken at Reid Hall or at a French partner institution may count towards the major.

  • Though students should prioritize classes taught in French and in the Department of French, courses with significant coverage of the French and Francophone world in other departments may also be counted towards the minor with DUS approval.

  • Although students should prioritize classes taught in the Department of French at Columbia, some French courses at Barnard College may be taken with the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

CURRICULUM MAP:

  • Students are encouraged to first complete FREN UN3405, to prepare themselves for other, more advanced university courses in French. One possible curriculum map is thus to take FREN UN3405, then one core course (either the literature or history survey courses), before completing the three required elective courses. However, additional core and elective courses can ultimately be taken in any order or concurrently. Students may also opt to take the remaining core course for an elective credit (i.e., to take both the literature and history survey courses, and to count one towards the minor requirement and one towards an elective credit).

  • Elective credits can also be completed while studying abroad, either at the Columbia Undergraduate program at Reid Hall in Paris or at partner institutions, such as Sciences Po and a few other qualifying Parisian universities.

  • Any elective courses taken at partner institutions will be subject to DUS approval.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS:

  • Students could begin completing their minor immediately in their freshman year but should begin a minor no later than their junior year. Upon arrival at Columbia, interested students will need to pass the language proficiency exam to determine whether they need to complete first- and second-year French courses, or whether they can pass directly to FREN UN3405.

  • All language prerequisites must be completed before taking FREN UN3405.

  • The AP French exam already fulfills the language requirement for Columbia students, so it may not fulfill requirements for the minor.

For students who entered Columbia in or before the 2023-24 academic year

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 UN3405Read, Think, Write in French
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 UN3405Read, Think, Write in French
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 UN3405Read, Think, Write in French
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 2024: FREN UN1101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1101 001/14812 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
411 Hamilton Hall
Alexandra Borer 4.00 14/18
FREN 1101 002/14711 M T W Th 8:50am - 9:55am
407 Hamilton Hall
Nadrah Mohammed 4.00 9/18
FREN 1101 003/14712 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
411 Hamilton Hall
Alexandra Borer 4.00 15/18
FREN 1101 004/14713 M T W Th 10:10am - 11:15am
413 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 4.00 7/18
FREN 1101 005/14815 M T W Th 11:40am - 12:45pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Sophie Queuniet 4.00 16/18
FREN 1101 006/14714 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:15pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Sophie Queuniet 4.00 13/18
FREN 1101 007/14715 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
507 Hamilton Hall
Renate Mattar 4.00 10/18
FREN 1101 008/14716 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
315 Hamilton Hall
Juliette Goutierre 4.00 8/18
FREN 1101 009/14814 M W Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laetitia Ndiaye 4.00 17/18
FREN 1101 010/14717 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Jeanne Devautour 4.00 7/18
Spring 2025: FREN UN1101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1101 001/14473 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
Room TBA
Samuel Skippon 4.00 0/18
FREN 1101 002/14474 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
Room TBA
Samuel Skippon 4.00 0/18
FREN 1101 003/14475 M T W Th 11:40am - 12:45pm
Room TBA
Hayet Sellami 4.00 0/18
FREN 1101 004/14476 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:15pm
Room TBA
Hayet Sellami 4.00 0/18
FREN 1101 005/14477 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Room TBA
4.00 0/18
FREN 1101 006/14478 T Th F 4:10pm - 5:25pm
Room TBA
4.00 0/18

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 2024: FREN UN1102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1102 001/14718 M T W Th 8:50am - 9:55am
413 Hamilton Hall
Pascale Crepon 4.00 14/18
FREN 1102 003/14719 T Th F 11:40am - 12:55pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Eric Matheis 4.00 14/18
FREN 1102 004/14720 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Eric Matheis 4.00 12/18
FREN 1102 005/14721 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Samuel Skippon 4.00 12/18
FREN 1102 006/14722 T Th F 4:10pm - 5:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Samuel Skippon 4.00 14/18
Spring 2025: FREN UN1102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 1102 001/14465 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
Room TBA
Juliette Goutierre 4.00 0/18
FREN 1102 002/14466 M T W Th 8:50am - 9:55am
Room TBA
Pascale Crepon 4.00 0/18
FREN 1102 003/14467 M T W Th 10:10am - 11:15am
Room TBA
Pascale Crepon 4.00 0/18
FREN 1102 004/14468 M T W Th 11:40am - 12:45pm
Room TBA
Sophie Queuniet 4.00 0/18
FREN 1102 005/14469 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:15pm
Room TBA
Pascale Hubert-Leibler 4.00 0/18
FREN 1102 006/14470 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Room TBA
Renate Mattar 4.00 0/18
FREN 1102 007/14471 M W Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
Room TBA
Laetitia Ndiaye 4.00 0/18
FREN 1102 008/14472 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
Room TBA
Jeanne Devautour 4.00 0/18

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 2024: FREN UN2101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2101 002/14723 M T W Th 9:10am - 10:00am
201a Philosophy Hall
Eponine Senay 4.00 20/18
FREN 2101 003/14724 M T W Th 10:10am - 11:00am
609 Hamilton Hall
Pascale Hubert-Leibler 4.00 16/18
FREN 2101 004/14725 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:00pm
318 Hamilton Hall
Ronald McIntyre 4.00 20/18
FREN 2101 005/14726 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
609 Hamilton Hall
Brooke Habit 4.00 10/18
FREN 2101 006/14728 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Carlos Malache Silva 4.00 9/18
FREN 2101 007/14729 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Hayet Sellami 4.00 9/18
Spring 2025: FREN UN2101
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2101 001/14455 M T W Th 12:10pm - 1:00pm
Room TBA
4.00 0/18
FREN 2101 002/14456 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
Room TBA
Eric Matheis 4.00 0/18
FREN 2101 003/14457 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Room TBA
Eric Matheis 4.00 0/18
FREN 2101 004/14510 M T W Th 11:10am - 12:00pm
Room TBA
Pascale Hubert-Leibler 4.00 0/18

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 2024: FREN UN2102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2102 001/14730 T Th F 8:40am - 9:55am
315 Hamilton Hall
Mohamed Yacine Chitour 4.00 9/18
FREN 2102 002/14732 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
407 Hamilton Hall
Nicolas Mouzet 4.00 8/18
FREN 2102 003/14733 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laurence Marie 4.00 15/15
FREN 2102 004/14734 M T W Th 1:10pm - 2:00pm
328 Uris Hall
Hayet Sellami 4.00 19/19
FREN 2102 005/14735 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Heidi Holst-Knudsen 4.00 16/18
Spring 2025: FREN UN2102
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2102 001/14458 M W Th 8:40am - 9:55am
Room TBA
4.00 0/18
FREN 2102 002/14459 T Th F 10:10am - 11:25am
Room TBA
4.00 0/18
FREN 2102 003/14460 T Th F 11:40am - 12:55pm
Room TBA
4.00 0/18
FREN 2102 004/14461 T Th F 1:10pm - 2:25pm
Room TBA
Heidi Holst-Knudsen 4.00 0/18
FREN 2102 005/14462 T Th F 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Room TBA
Laurence Marie 4.00 0/18
FREN 2102 006/14463 T Th F 4:10pm - 5:25pm
Room TBA
4.00 0/18
FREN 2102 007/14464 M W Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
Room TBA
4.00 0/18

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 2024: FREN UN2121
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2121 001/14737 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
201a Philosophy Hall
Pascale Crepon 2.00 7/15
FREN 2121 002/14738 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Hayet Sellami 2.00 6/15
Spring 2025: FREN UN2121
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2121 001/14448 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Room TBA
2.00 0/15

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 2024: FREN UN2122
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2122 001/14744 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
Room TBA
2.00 0/15
FREN 2122 002/14745 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
407 Hamilton Hall
Zachary Desjardins-Mooney 2.00 5/15
Spring 2025: FREN UN2122
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2122 001/14444 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
Room TBA
2.00 0/15
FREN 2122 002/14511 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Room TBA
Nicolas Mouzet 2.00 0/15

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 2024: FREN UN2106
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2106 001/14736 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Sophie Queuniet 3.00 6/18
Spring 2025: FREN UN2106
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 2106 001/14450 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
Room TBA
Ronald McIntyre 3.00 0/18

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 2024: FREN UN3131
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3131 001/14747 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laurence Marie 2.00 12/15
FREN 3131 003/14749 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
201a Philosophy Hall
Laurence Marie 2.00 12/15

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

Spring 2025: FREN UN3240
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3240 001/13641 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Room TBA
Heidi Holst-Knudsen 3.00 0/15

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 2025: FREN UN3241
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3241 001/13645 M W 11:40am - 12:55pm
Room TBA
Pascale Crepon 3.00 0/18

FREN UN3405 Read, Think, Write in French. 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.
UN3405 enables students to hone and perfect their reading and writing skills while improving their ability to express and organize thoughts in French. In this engaging advanced language class, students are exposed to major texts in fields as diverse as journalism, sociology, anthropology, politics, literature, philosophy and history. Stimulating class discussions, targeted reviews of key grammatical points in context, and an array of diverse writing exercises all contribute to strengthen students’ mastery of the French language. This course also works as a bridge class between Intermediate French II and courses that focus on French and Francophone cultures, history and literature (such as 3409 and 3410). Students who take this class will be fully prepared to take advanced content classes or spend a semester in a Francophone country. This class is required for the French major and minor

Fall 2024: FREN UN3405
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3405 001/14755 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Alexandra Borer 3.00 12/24
FREN 3405 002/21368 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
507 Hamilton Hall
Marie-Helene Koffi-Tessio 3.00 10/15
Spring 2025: FREN UN3405
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3405 001/14438 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
Room TBA
Alexandra Borer 3.00 0/15

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

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 2024: FREN UN3244
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3244 001/14754 T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm
411 Hamilton Hall
Samuel Skippon 3.00 11/18

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 2024: FREN UN3409
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3409 001/10743 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
315 Hamilton Hall
Thomas Dodman 3.00 13/15
FREN 3409 AU1/21256 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
Othr Other
Thomas Dodman 3.00 3/3
Spring 2025: FREN UN3409
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3409 001/13648 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
Room TBA
Zachary Desjardins-Mooney 3.00 0/20

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 2024: FREN UN3410
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3410 001/10742 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
609 Hamilton Hall
Anna Langewiesche 3.00 7/15
FREN 3410 AU1/21257 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
Othr Other
Anna Langewiesche 3.00 3/3
Spring 2025: FREN UN3410
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3410 001/13654 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
Room TBA
Eponine Senay 3.00 0/20

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

Spring 2025: FREN UN3995
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
FREN 3995 001/13662 T 4:10pm - 6:00pm
Room TBA
Joanna Stalnaker 3.00 0/15

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