Program Overview

Our French program prepares students to interpret, compare, and explain the culture and artistic works generated by the diverse societies of the French speaking world. Our students demonstrate interpretative, presentational, and interpersonal communication skills in French at the Advanced Low level according to the proficiency guidelines of the American Council on Teaching Foreign Language. The broad interpretive and language level skills we offer are useful in personal and professional life and prepare our students for global citizenship.

Graduates with a strong French background are in increasingly high demand within the private and public sectors, the scientific community, and, in particular, those organizations operating abroad. Additionally, our program recognizes and emphasizes the lasting African influence present in the francophone world and the cultures they represent.

We work with educational organizations that provide semester or full academic year programs in foreign countries to encourage travel and study abroad. Students may complete a substantial part of their requirements for a major or minor concentration in French through one of these programs. Our program also sponsors its own summer study abroad programs.

Outcomes

As a result of the rigorous study in our program, graduates can:

• Demonstrate Intermediate Low to Advanced Low language skills according to the proficiency guidelines set by the American Council on Teaching Foreign Language (ACTFL) through listening comprehension, verbal communication, expository writing, and reading in French
• Interpret and explain language and linguistic cultural artifacts across time, cultures, and diverse societies in the French-speaking world
• Analyze and critique linguistic cultural artifacts in the diverse societies of the French-speaking world and compare these with their cultural backgrounds

Requirements for Program

The French major requires no fewer than 30 hours beyond the general studies requirement, HFLF 201. These hours must include FLF Intermediate 202/252, 251/303, 304, 306, 307, 308, two elective courses at the 300 level, one Afro-French Literature (432, 433, 434), and one elective course at the 400 level. The department may approve substitutions. For honors students, HFLF 251 replaces HFLF 303. Students planning to certify as French teachers at the elementary or secondary level should also take HFLF 492 Applied Linguistics and HFLF 491 Methods of Teaching Modern Foreign Languages.

Minor Course of Study Requirements

The French minor requires no fewer than 18 hours in French beyond the general studies requirement. These hours must include HFLF 202/252, 251/303, 304, 306, 307, and 308.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN FRENCH

General Education (Core) — 33-48 hours

Refer to the general education requirements for more information.

French Major — 30 hours

The following courses are required:

• HFLF 202 Intermediate French or
• HFLF 252 Intensive Intermediate French
• HFLF 303 General Conversation or
• HFLF 251 Intensive Intermediate French
• HFLF 304 General Conversation
• HFLF 305 Advanced French Grammar
• HFLF 307 Oral Communication Skills/Reading Selections in Francophone Literature
• HFLF 308 Reading Selections and Introduction to Textual Analysis
• Two 300-level and one 400-level French electives

Afro-French Literature (choose one)

• HFLF 432 Poetry of Negritude
• HFLF 433 Afro-French Folk Literature
• HFLF 434 Afro-French Novel

Summer study abroad credit is given with departmental approval and can substitute for certain courses offered during the regular academic year.

MINOR IN FRENCH

The following courses are required:

• HFLF 202 Intermediate French or HFLF 252 Intensive Intermediate French
• HFLF 303 General Conversation or HFLF 251 Intensive Intermediate French
• HFLF 304 General Conversation
• HFLF 305 Advanced French Grammar
• HFLF 307 Composition in French
• HFLF 308 Reading Selections and Introduction to Textual Analysis