French (FRN)
FRN 101. Elementary French I. 3 Credit Hours.
This course is an introduction to French at the basic level. Students will start with the alphabet, basic vocabulary for everyday life situations, pronunciation and basic sentence structures. Students will learn how to read and write basic structures of the French language, and be introduced to preliminary grammar skills. There are no prerequisites for this course.
FRN 102. Elementary French II. 3 Credit Hours.
This course is a continuation of FRN 101. Students will build upon the elementary skills they have acquired in FRN 101.
Prerequisite: FRN 101.
FRN 201. Intermediate French I. 3 Credit Hours.
This course is the continuation of FRN 102 and will cover reading, conversation, and oral comprehension in relation to cultural competencies. In addition to the textbook used in class, students will be exposed to a variety of cultural materials from French and Francophone countries.
Prerequisite: FRN 102.
FRN 202. Intermediate French II. 3 Credit Hours.
This course is the continuation of FRN 201 and will cover reading, conversation, and oral comprehension in relation to cultural competencies. In addition to the textbook used in class, students will be exposed to a variety of cultural materials from French and Francophone countries.
Prerequisite: FRN 201.
FRN 203. Commercial French. 3 Credit Hours.
For learners of French who would like an introduction to business in France and in Quebec. The course will deal with business vocabulary and custom in such areas as economic geography, government requirements for business, letter writing, transportation, insurance, accounting and labor relations.
Prerequisite: students should have completed two years of college-level French or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
FRN 301. Intermediate Conversation & Comp I. 3 Credit Hours.
This course emphasizes pronunciation while increasing usage of new vocabulary and assures proper use of syntax in conversation. Students will build upon their prior knowledge of French through a variety of exercises focusing on conversation and writing.
Prerequisite: FRN 202 or permission of the department chair.
FRN 302. Intermediate Conversation & Comp II. 3 Credit Hours.
This is a continuation of FRN 301.
Prerequisite: FRN 301 or permission of the department chair.
FRN 303. Introduction to Literature I. 3 Credit Hours.
This course introduces students to major texts, authors and genres from the French and Francophone world. Students will be exposed to major contemporary authors in theater, short stories, novels and poetry.
Prerequisite: FRN 202 or permission of the department chair.
FRN 306. French Through Film. 3 Credit Hours.
This course introduces students to a variety of films from the French and Francophone world in order to discuss and critique a film in the French language orally and in writing.
Prerequisite: FRN 202 or permission of the department chair Fulfills Core Requirement: Visual and Performing Arts (VPA).
FRN 390. Independent Study. 1-9 Credit Hours.
A student who wishes to pursue an independent study project for academic credit must submit, prior to registration, a proposed plan of study that includes the topic to be studied and the goal to be achieved, the methodology to be followed, schedule of supervision, end product, evaluation procedure and number of credits sought. The proposal must be approved by the supervising faculty member, the department chair (program director) and filed in the dean of arts and science's office.
FRN 395. Study Abroad Experience. 1 Credit Hour.
One of the Student Learning Outcomes of our Spanish and French programs is "Intercultural Competence: Integrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions in an experiential, intercultural context." We assess this SLO through the Study Abroad semester required of all our Spanish and French majors during their junior year. In order to assess this SLO the students need to undertake a series of tasks that require them to write a statement of purpose before leaving, a reflection upon their return, and a series of diary entries while abroad (refer to shared materials). These materials are assessed through a rubric (see shared materials). Currently, these tasks are not credit-bearing and are not attached to any particular course. As a result, we can't link the assessment to any specific course in the curriculum map on TaskStream. In order to make these tasks a requirement for our majors and to be able to link them to a course in the curriculum map, the Registrar suggested creating this one-credit pass/fail "Study Abroad Experience" course as part of the requirements for the Study Abroad.
FRN 401. Advanced French Conversation. 3 Credit Hours.
Intensive practice in speaking French about topics of personal and public interest in France and the Francophone world. Emphasis is placed in the development and improvement of functional language skills needed for interpersonal communication and academic presentations. Required for majors. Not open to native speakers of Spanish.
Prerequisite: FRN 302 or permission of the department chair.
FRN 402. Advanced French Gram & Comp. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on the development of advanced-level writing skills according to the Writing Proficiency Guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. With a focus on process-oriented writing, students will write informal and formal essays of varying lengths that focus on description, narration, and argumentation. In addition, students will review and practice key grammatical structures and vocabulary in order to promote greater precision and a more sophisticated writing style. Students will also focus on the mechanics of writing, including proper punctuation and spelling. Required for majors.
Prerequisite: FRN 302 or permission of the department chair.
FRN 403. Oral Proficiency Preparation. 1 Credit Hour.
A one-credit preparation course for the Oral Proficiency Interview that focuses on intensive speaking practice of the linguistic functions students must master to pass the OPI at the Advanced Low level. It must be taken the semester immediately following their Study Abroad program. It may be taken as an Independent Study. Students who do not reach the advanced low level must retake the OPI at their own cost. Advanced low level equals A-; above this level equals A; below this level equals F.
Prerequisite: Completion of study abroad requirement or permission from the department chair.
FRN 406. The Age of Kings. 3 Credit Hours.
The study of major French authors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries is complemented by an introduction to the cultural context of the period. Special attention is given to humanism, classicism, mannerism and the baroque aesthetic as they are represented in the literary, musical and visual arts.
Prerequisite: any FRN 300 level course.
FRN 407. The Age of Revolution. 3 Credit Hours.
The study of major French authors of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is complemented by an introduction to the cultural context of the period. Special attention is given to the esprit critique, preromanticism, romanticism and the rococo aesthetic as they are represented in the literary, musical and visual arts.
Prerequisite: any FRN 300 level course.
FRN 408. The Age of Unrest. 3 Credit Hours.
A survey of 20th century French literature, which is continually exploring new directions. Emphasis is on the most successful results of experimentation in the various genres.
Prerequisite: any FRN 300 level course.
FRN 410. Staging French Theater. 3 Credit Hours.
A course in French literature in which students experience performing plays in French, some of these in front of an audience. Plays and / or scene selections taken from the repertoire of the medieval, classical, eighteenth century and contemporary French theater. Students will analyze structure, style and themes. Works selected will be studied not simply as objects for performance but also for their literary merit. Class conducted in French. Theater students and others with the requisite skills in French are also invited to enroll in this course. Fulfills core Visual and Performing Arts requirement. (VPA)
Prerequisites: Any FRN 300 level course.
Cross-listed Courses: THR 310
FRN 420. Francophone Lit Outside France. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on francophone literature produced in countries that speak and write in French outside of France.
Prerequisite: Any FRN 300 level course or permission of the department chair Fulfills Core Requirement(s): Diversity (DIV).
FRN 421. Climate Change, Capitalism, and Zro Dchet: the Quest for Social Justice. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on climate change related to capitalism, waste, and social/racial justice. We will depart from Tunisian author Yamen Mannai's novel L'Amas ardent (2017), which focuses on the ecological disaster of bees dying to critique dictatorship and the post-Revolution greed. While this novel will be the point of departure for the course as it shows the remnants of French colonialism and the greed of dictatorship (a direct consequence of colonization), the topics will vary weekly. Students will read articles and watch documentaries/films to draw connections between climate change, capitalism, and waste. The topic of illegal immigration from Africa across the Mediterranean will be highlighted as the direct consequence of capitalist greed and climate change. This course is taught in French.
Prerequisites: Any FRN 300 level course.
FRN 430. French Civilization. 3 Credit Hours.
A study of French history and culture, emphasizing their influence on contemporary France and their contributions to Western civilization. Required for major.
FRN 440. Special Topics in French. 3 Credit Hours.
A selection of courses to provide an opportunity for study of certain specific periods, themes, genres, authors or linguistic topics. Offered in accordance with current student and faculty interest.
FRN 440C. Civilization of Quebec. 3 Credit Hours.
A study of Qubec, through its history, geography, arts and literature, political, and social structures. Various social justice concepts, such as human rights, equality, equity, and the status of minorities, will inform our study of historical events as we consider a number of questions. What happens when the colonizer becomes the colonized? What are the consequences when cultural imperialism becomes a guiding principle of government? Do the rights of minority populations outweigh commitment to the common good?(NOTE: THIS COURSE IS PART OF THE UNYLC FOREIGN LANGUAGE CONSORTIUM. HOST SCHOOL IS SIENA. PLEASE SEE THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE OR THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT FOR A REGISTRATION FORM AND GUIDELINES.).
FRN 457C. Rebellion & Belonging in French History & Politics 1789-2017. 3 Credit Hours.
The French Revolution of 1789 will launch this survey of the major events that led to the construction of Modern France. Since the Revolutions outbreak, observers have debated several key questions: What is the legacy of the French Enlightenment? What were the causes of the French Revolution? How did the Napoleonic conquests raise resistance in European societies while creating a new social order? In what ways was the Haussmann architectural reforms of Paris a response to the culture of the barricade? Was the Paris Commune a pre-communist movement? Who were the heroes of the Rsistance during World War II and how did their ideals and struggles shape a new role model for the post-war generations? We will also examine the cultural changes that led to the end of the De Gaulle era, the Mai 68 uprising, the sexual revolution, and the adhesion of France to a new and peaceful European ideal. Was the 2017 presidential election a democratic reaction against the traditional two-party system? In this class, we will interrogate over two centuries of French history since 1789, reading across the disciplines. (NOTE: This course is part of the UNYLC Foreign Language Consortium. THIS COURSE IS ONLINE. Host School is: Canisius. PLEASE SEE THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE FOR A REGISTRATION FORM AND GUIDELINES).