111-112. Beginning French I and II (4 hours)
Open to students with little or no previous instruction in French, this course sequence enables students to attain a basic competency in all language skills: listening, speaking, writing, reading, and culture. Language lab activities complement classroom instruction. (4 credit hours each) Syllabus
251. Intermediate French I (3 hours)
Prerequisite: Successful completion of or exemption from FRE 111-112.
Continued development of language skills leading to the ability to handle a limited variety of social situations, such as travel needs, biographical information, leisure activities, etc., including past and present frames of reference. The course includes discussion of appropriate aspects of French culture and literature. Language lab activities complement classroom instruction. Syllabus
252. Intermediate French II (3 hours)
Prerequisite: Completion of or exemption from FRE 251.
Continued development of the four language skills leading to the ability to handle an increased variety of social situations, including those calling for different levels of subjectivity (expression of opinion, emotions, wishes, etc.) and future and conditional frames of reference. The course includes discussion of appropriate aspects of French culture and literature. Language lab activities complement classroom instruction.Syllabus
253S-353S. French Studies in France (1 - 16 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 112 or consent of department faculty.
French language, civilization, history, and literature, to be taken during the Mercer Studies in France Program. Emphasis on one or more of the above-mentioned course content components. Variable credit up to 16 hours, up to 9 of which may count toward the major or minor. Syllabus
285. Intermediate Conversational Practice (1 hour)
Prerequisite: FRE 251 or consent of instructor.
This course is designed for students who would like to maintain their proficiency in speaking and listening skills. Course content will include discussion of current topics from French-language newspapers, magazines, newsletters, videos, and films. One credit-hour per semester not to exceed four credit-hours; does not count toward major or minor; non-optional "Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory'' grading. Syllabus
301. French Composition and Conversation I (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 252 or consent of instructor.
Concentrated study of everyday French by means of class discussions and short compositions. Various grammatical difficulties will be studied. Phonetic exercises will be performed in the language lab. Syllabus
302. French Composition and Conversation II (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 301 or consent of instructor.
Continued work in oral comprehension as well as the study of a more abstract vocabulary and complex grammatical structures through the reading of short literary extracts. Syllabus
303. French Literature and Cultural Identity (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 302.
Students will continue to improve their linguistic and cultural competence by examining some of the fundamental works that are essential to the development and understanding of French culture and society. Class discussion will focus on such early writings as La Chanson de Roland andLes Lais de Marie de France and will also address works of Rabelais, Montaigne, Corneille, Racine, Du Bellay, Molière, Mmede Sévigné, Voltaire, Rousseau, and others. Syllabus
304. French Literature and Cultural Identity II (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 302.
Students will continue to improve their linguistic and cultural competence by examining some of the significant shifts in society and literature that resulted from the French Revolution and that are essential to the development and understanding of French culture and society. Class discussion will focus on works of Chateaubriand, Lamartine, Hugo, Baudelaire, George Sand, Flaubert, Proust, Apollinaire, Camus, Sartre, and others. Syllabus
315. French Civilization (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 302.
A chronological overview of the most notable achievements, customs, and traditions in French history, art, architecture, and literature. Other distinctive features of contemporary France, such as cinema, music, geography, and politics, will be treated as well. Syllabus
317. French Literature and Culture of the Seventeenth Century (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 302.
Advanced practice in the four communications skills through reading, discussing, and writing about major literary works and the cultural context out of which they grew in the seventeenth century in France. Emphasis on the theater of Corneille, Racine, and Molière, as well as the philosophy of Pascal and Descartes, along with other writers such as Mme de Sévigné, Mme de LaFayette, La Fontaine, and La Rochefoucauld. Study of special social dynamics such as the "salon mondain" and court life at Versailles. Syllabus
319. French Literature and Culture of the Nineteenth Century (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 302.
Advanced practice in the four communications skills through reading, discussing, and writing about major literary works and the cultural context out of which they grew in the nineteenth century in France. Emphasis on such movements as Romanticism, Realism, Parnassian poetry, Symbolism, Positivism, and Naturalism. Study of such cultural phenomena as the growing gap between artist and public and the importance of social justice during this century. Syllabus
320. French Literature and Culture since 1900 (3 hours)
Prerequisite: FRE 302.
Advanced practice in the four communications skills through reading, discussing, and writing about major literary works and the cultural context out of which they have grown in France and Francophonie since 1900. Movements such as Surrealism, the Renouveau Catholique, the Nouveau Roman, Theater of the Absurd, Existentialism, Feminism, and Postmodernism will be highlighted, as well as the works of less easily classified writers (Proust, Gide, Duras, Queneau, etc.). Syllabus
385. Special Topics in French (1-3 hours)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
May be repeated for major or minor credit. Syllabus
425. Seminar (Subtitle) (3 hours)
Prerequisite: French 302 or consent of instructor.
A concentrated study of selected authors, literary movements, or topics in French life and culture. Topics will vary from year to year. May be repeated for major or minor credit. Syllabus
480. Internship (Variable credit up to 15 hours)
Prerequisite: Departmental approval.
A supervised program of field experience in which students make practical application of their skills in French in an approved establishment outside the University. The department as a whole must approve the student's project, which will be directed by an instructor and an on-site supervisor. No more then 3 hours may be counted toward a French major or minor. Syllabus
485. Assistantship for French 111/112 (1 hour)
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Selected French majors or minors serve as assistants in FRE 111 or 112. Assistants attend 2-3 classes per week, study the assigned work, and help conduct classroom and lab activities. Assistants may review but will not evaluate students' work. Other duties will be determined by the instructor in consultation with the assistant. In addition, the assistant will be required to complete a written reflection on the experience. Does not count toward the major or minor. Mandatory S/U grading. May not be repeated. Syllabus
490. Supervised Independent Reading (1-3 hours)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An intensive reading program designed to examine in depth a specific theme or author in French literature. May be repeated for major or minor credit. Syllabus