An Iowa College in the Liberal Arts Tradition
French
Elizabeth Steding (department head), Anne-Marine Feat (section head)
Required for a major: Thirty-two hours, starting at FREN 200-level or above, including one "speaking" course at 200-level (or above), one "writing" course at 200-level (or above), one "cultural production" course at 200-level (or above), one "intercultural understanding" course at 200-level (or above); FREN 460 or 464; credit-bearing language immersion experience; a senior project (unless this is completed in another major); an oral proficiency examination in French. Writing requirement completed with "writing" course. At least 12 credits should be taken at or above the 300-level.
Required for a minor: No fewer than 18 hours, including one "cultural production" course at 200-level (or above); credit-bearing language immersion experience; an oral proficiency examination in French. At least eight credits should be taken at or above the 300-level.
Language immersion experience: For majors, a minimum of one semester of academic study in a country where French is an official language. For minors, at least one January Term of academic study in such a country, although a semester is strongly recommended. Those preparing to teach must spend at least one semester of academic study in such a country. Program selection and other options must be approved by the department for all majors and minors prior to departure.
View program learning goals for an explanation of learning outcomes in French.
Language Learning Center
The department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics has a Language Learning Center in Main Building. Language students have access to language learning materials, tutoring, computers and printers, and video study rooms. The Language Learning Center also houses the department's Foreign Language Media Library with over 800 foreign language films and a selection of leisure reading books and audio books for language learners. Students can check out these materials as well as audio and video equipment for their class assignments. The Language Learning Center also provides language students with valuable work-study experiences related to their interest in languages.
French Courses
FREN 101 Elementary French I
- 4 hours
A practical approach to the French language, in which the student begins speaking French from the first day and completes the year with a basic ability to speak, write, read, and understand French.
FREN 102 Elementary French II
- 4 hours
- Prerequisites: FREN 101
A practical approach to the French language, in which the student begins speaking French from the first day and completes the year with a basic ability to speak, write, read, and understand French.
FREN 203 French for Written Expression
- 4 hours
- Prerequisites: FREN 102 or equivalent as indicated by the placement test.
Focus on developing skills in writing and reading comprehension in a variety of Francophone cultural contexts.
FREN 210 Cinema for French Conversation
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Expression—Primary Texts
- Prerequisites: FREN 102 or equivalent as indicated by placement test
In this course students will view and discuss films from the French and Francophone world. Exercises aimed at improving students' speaking and writing skills will also include close analysis of cinematic technique and cultural controversies.
FREN 220 French Art in Conversation
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Behavior, Human Expression—Primary Texts
- Prerequisites: FREN 102 or equivalent as indicated by the placement test
In this course students will study and discuss works of art from the French and Francophone world by reenacting famous Parisian "Salons" using the RTTP pedagogy. Exercises aimed at improving students' speaking and writing skills will also include analysis of principles of artistic design in the context of revolutionary cultural changes.
FREN 230 French for Social Change
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Behavior
- Prerequisites: FREN 102 or equivalent as indicated by the placement test
This language course focuses on the acquisition of the French lexicon used in the areas of development and social change to equip students with the language tools needed to work with NGOs and development organizations. Course materials are designed to enhance the student's oral skills. Readings and RTTP simulations center on development questions in the Francophone world with a particular focus on migrants' experience. Through both classroom and field oriented activities, students will study the history of social movements in the Francophone world (May '68, Yellow Vests...) and investigate development theory, social entrepreneurship, and transnational networks that arise from migration.
FREN 240 Interpreting French Literature
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Expression—Primary Texts
- Prerequisites: FREN 102 or equivalent as indicated by the placement test.
Intended as an introduction to literary analysis in French, this course is designed to develop the necessary skills for interpreting literature and for writing effectively in French. Students learn to do close reading and analysis of various texts from the French and Francophone world. The course also includes a study of selected grammatical patterns and stylistic techniques.
FREN 342 Contemporary France: Cultures, Politics Society
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Behavior
- Prerequisites: PAID 111 and PAID 112 and recommended placement, or consent of instructor
This course seeks to deepen students' knowledge of contemporary French culture, with a particular emphasis on French presidential elections, through a pluridisciplinary approach, using multimedia (books, newspaper and magazine articles, news videos, etc.) and Reacting to the Past simulations to generate discussion. It promotes the practice of both oral and written French through exercises, debates, and oral presentations.
FREN 343 Religions, Secularism, and the French State
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Historical, Religion
- Prerequisites: PAID 111 and PAID 112 and recommended placement, or consent of instructor
This course examines the French concept of "laïcité", or secularism, concentrating on whether this republican requirement has led to the exclusion of religious minorities from the French public sphere. Specific topics will include examples of citizens who seek to practice their faith, be it Islam, Judaism, or Protestantism, within the various spaces of the Republic. The course will include a role-playing simulation exploring the ban of the Muslim headscarf in French schools in order to explore how non-Muslims in France portray Muslim women's understandings and experience of the sacred and divine, and what these portrayals also reveal about French conceptions of faith and identity.
FREN 344 Advanced Grammar and Composition
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Expression
- Prerequisites: PAID 111 and PAID 112 and recommended placement, or consent of instructor
An in-depth review of French grammar with systematic work in French composition. The course is intended to help students develop strategies for the production of effective written French. More complex grammatical, syntactic and stylistic structures, as well as more sophisticated vocabulary and expressions are introduced and practiced through a variety of activities: syntactic, structural and grammatical analysis of texts, study of common problem words for non-native French speakers, short translation and stylistic exercises, and guided writing projects in different genres.
FREN 345 Conversation and Phonetics
- 4 hours
- Prerequisites: PAID 111 and PAID 112 and recommended placement, or consent of instructor
A course for advanced students wishing to increase their fluency through daily conversation on topics of current interest. A systematic review of problems in French pronunciation is included. Offered on a rotating basis.
FREN 346 Early Modern French Literature
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Expression—Primary Texts
- Prerequisites: PAID 111 and PAID 112 and recommended placement, or consent of instructor
Historical survey of French literature from the earliest texts to the end of the 17th century. Emphasis on the development of literary forms, including the epic, drama, lyrical poetry and narrative literature. Fundamental concepts of analysis and criticism are presented. Attention will be paid to increasing the student's fluency in writing. Offered alternate years.
FREN 347 Introduction to Commercial French
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Behavior, Intercultural
- Prerequisites: PAID 111 and PAID 112 and recommended placement, or consent of instructor
An introduction to business in French context, including business vocabulary, commercial correspondence, economic geography, and the role of government in business transactions. Specific topics will be addressed on a rotating basis.
FREN 348 Francophone Literature of Africa and the Caribbean
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Expression—Primary Texts
- Prerequisites: PAID 111 and PAID 112 and recommended placement, or consent of instructor
Reading and discussion of literary works, with analysis of social, historical and political issues, with an emphasis on cultural and literary movements such as Negritude and their role in shaping ideas of self-determination, nationalism and independence in the French colonies of the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa. Students will analyze works by such authors as Aime Cesaire (Martinique), Leopold Sedar Senghor (Senegal), Leon Gontran Damas (French Guiana), and Alain Mabanckou (Congo). Offered on a rotating basis.
FREN 460 Topics in French Literature and Culture
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Expression—Primary Texts
- Prerequisites: FREN 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347 or 348
Study in depth of a particular topic as seen through primary texts. The focus will vary each year, and may include topics such as women writers, social criticism, and film. Offered alternate years.
FREN 464 Francophone Literatures and Cultures
- 4 hours
- Fulfills: Human Expression—Primary Texts, Intercultural
- Prerequisites: FREN 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347 or 348
A survey of the literature and culture of Francophone countries. Focus will vary, depending upon the specific topic as well as the number of Francophone countries studied. Offered on a rotating basis.
FREN 490 Senior Project
- 1, 2, or 4 hours
The senior project requirement gives students an opportunity to participate in independent study, to read relevant literature in their chosen area, to develop methods of research and analysis appropriate to their selected topic, and to construct a sustained argument in the language of their major. To enrich their work, students will be encouraged to reflect on and use their study-abroad and firsthand cultural experiences as a means of contextualizing their projects. The research paper is written in French and is presented orally as well. If students have another major in addition to French, they are not required to complete a senior project in both majors.