Courses in French
Beginning French I (FL)
(4.0 cr; fall, every year)
An introduction to oral and written French, its basic structure, and to French culture.
Beginning French II (FL)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-1001 or placement or #; spring, every year)
Continuation of 1001
- Intermediate French I (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-1002 or placement or #; fall, every year)
Review of the essential structural patterns of the French language; continued development of oral, aural, reading, and writing skills based on cultural and literary texts appropriate to this level.
- Intermediate French II (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-2001 or placement or #; spring, every year)
Review of the essential structural patterns of the French language; continued development of oral, aural, reading, and writing skills based on cultural and literary texts appropriate to this level. |
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- Introduction to French Phonetics (HUM)
(2.0 cr [max 4.0 cr]; open to all students of French; course does not count toward FL requirement; offered when feasible)
Training in French pronunciation through general and French phonetics geared towards speakers of American English. Counts as an elective.
- Conversation and Composition (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-2002 or placement or #; fall, every year)
Conversation, including work on sounds and sound patterns as well as vocabulary building and practice based on common situations; writing skills; and advanced grammar review.
- Reading and Analysis of Texts (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-3001 or #; spring, every year)
Introduction to representative literary works of France and the French-speaking world. Development of ease in reading French; introduction to methods for analyzing its style and meanings.
- Senior Seminar
(4.0 cr; Prereq-completion of 32 credits toward the French major; must be taken on campus; spring, every year)
A capstone experience for majors, consisting of professional development and a substantial scholarly or creative work (at the undergraduate level) within the discipline. Conducted as a seminar. Final presentation must be given in French.
Index to Upper-Division Courses (see Major Requirements for explanation)
Courses Taught in English
Early Modern Cluster
Francophone Cluster
Modern Cluster
Advanced Language Studies
Study Abroad
Note that courses taught in English do not count toward a French major, minor, or certificate.
FREN 1027 - Real to Reel: The Middle Ages and Renaissance in Film for Non-Majors (HUM)
(4.0 cr; fall, does not count toward the Fren major or minor)
Introduction to the culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance as perceived through film. Students learn to critique film, to become aware of techniques, cultural differences, and biases that obtain in its production. Material includes films, cartoons, and television commercials. Discussion and papers in English.
FREN 1302 - French Cinema for Non-Majors (IP)
(4.0 cr; does not count towards the Fren major or minor)
The history of filmmaking in France from the Lumière brothers to the present; introduction to major trends in film theory. All films have English subtitles. Taught in English
- French Women Authors for Non-Majors (IP)
(4.0 cr; does not count toward the Fren major or minor)
French women's movements during the 20th century, the historical relationship of gender and class, and the lives of women from various ethnic backgrounds in France; the history of French women authors in a global context. Taught in English.
- West African Francophone Cinema for Non-Majors (IP)
(4.0 cr; does not count toward the Fren major or minor)
Introduction to the history of cinema in French-speaking West Africa. Students learn to read African films, to recognize and analyze political themes in the films, and to become sensitive to issues facing many African nations in the postcolonial world. All films have English subtitles. Taught in English.
To complete a major in French at UMM, you must complete at least one course from each of three clusters: Early Modern, Modern, and Francophone. Additional cluster courses count as electives towards your major. Typically, one course in each cluster is offered each year. Refer to the Curriculum Rotation [live link] for future cluster and elective courses.
FREN 3022 - Pre-Enlightment Culture in France (HIST)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #) This course traces the history of French culture from the Middle Ages until the French Revolution; it examines the geography, language, and institutions of medieval and early modern France. Meets Early Modern Studies (EMS) requirement in French major.
FREN 3023 - Orature and Literature in Pre-Enlightenment France (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
Survey of French literature from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment; a study of the literary forms of these eras with an emphasis on contemporaneous reading and interpretative strategies. Meets Early Modern Studies (EMS) requirement in French major. |
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FREN 3027 - Real to Reel: The Middle Ages and Renaissance in Film (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-prereq or coreq 3011 or #)
Introduction to the culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance as perceived through film. Students learn to critique film, to become aware of techniques, cultural differences, and biases that obtain in its production. Material includes films, cartoons, and television commercials. Meets Early Modern Studies (EMS) Requirement in the French major.
FREN 3028 - Female Authorship and Medieval Canon Fodder (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
The ways in which Medieval and Early-Modern women appropriated the male domain of literature to create and authorize their own writing acts. Examination of the works of the Contessa de Dia, of Christine de Pisan, Pernette du Guillet, Louise Labè, Marguerite de Navarre, and Madame de Lafayette, among others. Meets Early Modern Studies (EMS) requirement in French major.
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FREN 3041 - Francophone Worlds (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
Readings in a variety of cultural and literary texts from among French-language writers of Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, North America, and Europe; study of issues of national identity, race, gender, and postcolonial consciousness. Meets Francophone requirement in French major.
FREN 3042 - Contes francophones (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
Study of the oral tale in African and Caribbean cultures. Examination of the form of these tales, their thematic structure, and how these tales have been translated into written and/or cinematographic texts. Meets Francophone requirement in French major. |
FREN 3043 - Littérature migrante (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
Examination of texts written by people on the move: immigrants, migrants, people in exile. How do their texts move with them? How do these movements challenge national paradigms? Meets Francophone requirement in French major.
FREN 3044 - L'Amérique francophone (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
Survey of literary texts and movements in Francophone North America, including Quebec and Louisiana, as well as the history of French exploration of the New World. A discussion of the cultural tensions that have threatened and continue to shape Francophone identity in North America. Meets Francophone requirement in French major.
FREN 3034 - French Poetry and Music (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
Survey of French poetry and music with emphasis on 19th and 20th century poetry and 20th-21st century music. Studying music enhances understanding of the fundamentals of verse, including rhyme, meter, and sound. Meets Modern Studies (MOS) requirement in French major.
FREN 3035 - French Women Authors (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
French women's movements during the 20th century, the historical relationship of gender and class, and the lives of women from various ethnic backgrounds in France; the history of French women authors in a global context. Taught in French. Meets Modern Studies (MOS) requirement in French major. |
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FREN 3036 - French Cinema (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
The history of filmmaking in France from the Lumière brothers to the present; introduction to major trends in film theory. Meets Modern Studies (MOS) requirement in French major.
Effective: Fall 2010
FREN 3037 - La France du 19e siècle (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
Examines the emergence of Romanticism, Modernity, Realism, and Naturalism in a historical context shaped by the successive revolutions of 1789, 1815, 1830, 1848, and 1870; industrialization; the rise of a middle class; advances in technology and medicine; and the centrality of images and the popular press in daily life in France. Meets Modern Studies (MOS) requirement in French major.
FREN 3038 - La France du 20e siècle (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
From la belle èpoque through two world wars and the civil unrest of 1968; from France's efforts to come to terms with its colonial past to its role within the European Union, from Proust to Pennac, this course examines French history, culture and literary movements of the past century to the present day. Meets Modern Studies (MOS) requirement in French major.
NB. A second course taken in one of the above clusters counts as an elective towards the major.
Advanced Language Studies
NB. Courses in Advanced Language Studies count as electives towards the major. Fren 2011 and Fren 2012 are offered alternate years; Fren 4011 and 4012 are offered alternate years.
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FREN 2011 - Introduction to French Phonetics (HUM)
(4.0 cr; open to all students of French)
Training in French pronunciation through general and French phonetics geared towards speakers of American English.
FREN 2012 - French for Professions (IP)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-prereq or coreq 2002)
Equips students with skills to function as bilingual citizens in a global market, focusing on specialized vocabularies and skills related to specific fields—especially business, the health professions, and international relations. Exploration of French contributions to contemporary issues of international scope and development of career interests. |
FREN 4011 - Thème et Version (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-or coreq 3011 or #)
The art of translation applied to everyday discourse, literary texts, and a number of professional fields: journalism, international business, and political, social, and natural sciences with a particular emphasis on specialized vocabularies and advanced grammar and syntax.
FREN 4012 - Advanced French Grammar (HUM)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-prereq or coreq 3011 or #)
Refinement of grammar. Students gain a deeper understanding of the functionality of the French language through a study of French grammar and through applied and historical linguistics.
(See also Study Abroad in French )
Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad, but should also plan to complete a significant amount of coursework in French at UMM. Up to 9 credits for one semester abroad or 16 credits for a year abroad may count towards the French major. Students may count Fren 4991—Independent Study in French Abroad and Fren 3060—CE: July in Paris: French Language and Culture in Paris II toward the major.
FREN 1312 - Morocco: History, Story, Myth for Non-Majors (IP)
(4.0 cr; does not count toward the Fren major or minor)
Study of the ways that history, myth, and storytelling intertwine to create Moroccan identity and of the different methods of telling stories through orature, literature, weaving, ceramics, and music. Students learn about current concerns and successes in Moroccan society. Taught in English. [Continuing Education course]
FREN 1021 - July in Paris I French Language and Culture in Paris I (IP). (4.0 cr)
Beginning course for UMM July in Paris Program. Four weeks of intensive beginning French language and culture at the Sorbonne, Paris IV; guided visits to cultural and historical sites. No previous experience of French required. See also Fren 3060: CE: July in Paris: French Language and Culture in Paris II.
FREN 1023 - July in Paris II: French Language and Culture in Paris II (FL)
(4.0 cr; Prereq-1001 or placement)
Fren 1002 equivalent for the July in Paris Program. Four weeks of intensive beginning French language and culture at the Sorbonne, Paris IV; guided visits to cultural and historical sites. Satisfies UMM language requirement. See also Fren 1021 and 3060: July in Paris I and III: French Language and Culture in Paris |
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FREN 3060 - July in Paris: French Language and Culture in Paris III (IP)
(4.0 cr [max 8.0 cr]; Prereq-1002 or equiv)
Advanced coursework for UMM July in Paris Program. Four weeks of intermediate or advanced French language study at the Sorbonne, Paris IV; guided visits to cultural and historical sites.
Photo credits
stone doorway in Carcassonne, by Prof. Tammy Berberi as an undergraduate
scuplture at Beaubourg (Paris), by Ngoc Nguyen, UMM July in Paris participant, 2004
chapel at Versailles, by Ngoc Nguyen
baobab tree, Senegal, by Prof. Sarah Buchanan
Moulin Rouge (Paris) by Alexis Lang, UMM July in Paris participant, 2004
Notre Dame detail (gargoyle) by Alexis Lang
Notre Dame, photographer unknown, July in Paris Program 2000
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