Majors and Minors
French (FRE)
All incoming students with two or more years of high school French must take the language placement exam before taking courses in this language.
Major
(B.A. degree) Thirty-three hours above 102. Language: 18 hours, including 230, 235, 333, 335, 435. Literature and Civilization: 12 hours of culture and civilization on the 300 level, plus 3 hours from the literature or topics/seminar block on the 400 level. Teaching majors must include 310, 312, 333, and 402 in their programs. Allied Requirement: 3 credit hours as approved by French faculty.
Minor
Eighteen hours above the 100 level.
Students who have successfully completed 200 level courses will not be allowed to take 100 level courses; nor will students who have successfully completed 300 or 400 level courses be allowed to take 100 level courses or 201. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the departmental chair. (This policy applies to students who have taken language courses at Georgetown or another college or university.) All incoming students with two or more years of high school French must take the placement exam before taking courses in this language.
Course Offerings
101-102. Elementary French I and II. (3 hours each) A two-semester sequence. Emphasis on listening and speaking, with gradually increasing attention to the development of reading and writing skills in FRE 102. One hour lab per week required. Fall and Spring
201. Intermediate French. (3 hours) A course designed to bring students up to the required proficiency level at Georgetown College. One hour lab per week required. Prerequisite: FRE 102 or by placement exam. Fall and Spring
230. Intermediate French II. (3 hours) Continued development of listening and speaking skills. Increased emphasis on reading and writing skills, with concomitant study of more complex grammatical structures. Prerequisite: FRE 201 or equivalent. Spring
235. Conversation and Composition: Intermediate. (3 hours) Practice in speaking and writing, mostly on everyday topics, using appropriate models. Lab work may be required. Prerequisite: FRE 201 or equivalent. Fall
310. Pre-Revolution French Civilization and Culture. (3 hours) A study of the development of the ideas, political structures, art and architecture that constitute, in part, French culture. Historical and cultural texts as well as audio-visual material will be used to meet the goals of refining reading strategies and of better understanding modern French identity through its past. Prerequisite: FRE 230 or equivalent. Fall
312. La Francophonie. (3 hours) A study of the problems of establishing and defining national identities in a variety of Francophone countries in the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics include: regional identity in France in the nineteenth century; the French-speaking Africa; Vichy and French identity crisis; Immigration politics in France today. Prerequisite: FRE 310 or equivalent. Spring as Needed
320. French Literature of the Ancien Régime. (3 hours) An examination of a selection of outstanding literature works from the early Middle Ages to the Revolution. Writing skills will also be developed through the practice of the explication de texte method of analyzing a text. Prerequisite: FRE 310 or equivalent. Even Falls
322. Modern French Literature. (3 hours) An examination of a selection of outstanding literary works of the 19th and 20th centuries. Students will also be asked to practice the dissertation littéraire. Prerequisite: FRE 310 or equivalent. Odd Falls
333. Phonetics and Pronunciation. (3 hours) Phonetic alphabet and transcription; articulation of French sounds; French prosody; detailed study of vowels, semi-vowels, and consonants; intensive pronunciation practice. Prerequisite: FRE 235 or consent of instructor. Most Springs
335. Conversation, Composition, Cuisine. (3 hours) A course designed to bring students up to intermediate-high level of the ratings of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Lab work may be required. Prerequisite: FRE 235. Spring or Fall as needed
355. French for The Professions. (3 hours) Introduction to basic vocabulary, institutional structures, and cultural differences specific to the business world in France and Quebec. Prerequisite FRE 310. Spring as needed
340. Independent Study. (1, 2, 3 hours)
370. Topics in French Culture/Language/Literature. (3 hours) Study of a special topic announced at advanced registration. Prerequisite: FRE 310.
402. Teaching of Foreign Languages. (3 hours) Methods and materials for the teaching of foreign languages. Prerequisites: Junior standing, and FRE 335. Fall as needed
424. The Politics of Poetry. (3 hours) A study of a selection of French poetry from the late Middle Ages to the nineteenth century with an emphasis on the ways in which the poetic text participated in political discourse and influenced political action of the various periods. Prerequisite: FRE 320 or 322 or permission of instructor. Even Springs or On demand
426. Prose and Criticism. (3 hours) A selection of early modern and modern prose texts examined through various models of literary theory. Prerequisite: FRE 320 or 322 on permission of instructor. Odd Springs or On demand
435. Conversation and Composition: Advanced. (3 hours) A course designed to raise the student’s command of oral and written French to advanced level on the ACTFL guidelines. Lab work may be required. Prerequisite: FRE 335. Spring as needed
440. Independent Study. (1 to 3 hours)
450. Seminar. (1 to 3 hours)