World Lang & Lit: French (WLF)

An introduction to spoken and written French emphasizing cultural perspectives. Linguistic emphasis is on basic grammar, vocabulary, and the development of reading, conversation, and writing skills while learning about the cultures of France and the Francophone world.

Continuation of WLF 101. Further development of basic grammar, reading, conversation, and writing skills while focusing on cultural materials from France and the Francophone World.

Continuing intensive study of the structures of the French language. Extensive practice in conversation and writing. Vocabulary building through the reading of appropriate texts in the literature and culture.

Study and practice of interpersonal communication skills to develop fluency in French speaking, writing, reading, and listening, with some emphasis on oral skills. Students will deploy new vocabulary across various registers, learn complex grammatical structures, and improve their pronunciation. Students will also engage with authentic fictional and non-fictional material from French and Francophone literary and visual cultures. They will participate in class discussions and writing assignments designed to help them achieve a high-intermediate level in French.

Advanced study and practice of interpersonal communication skills to consolidate fluency in French speaking, writing, reading, and listening, with some emphasis on written skills. Students will deploy new vocabulary across various registers, learn complex grammatical structures, and improve their pronunciation. Students will also engage with authentic fictional and non-fictional material from French and Francophone literary and visual cultures. They will participate in class discussions and writing assignments designed to help them solidify a high-intermediate level in French communication.

Reading and discussion of literary texts in the major genres: poetry, theater, and prose through close textual analysis. This course emphasizes the development of the analytical skills involved in doing a close reading and the critical skill needed for writing explications de texte. Regular papers required.

A course designed for students who want to use their French language skills in conjunction with any course taught in English at the college.

An intermediate study and practical application of French for professional purposes. While engaging authentic professional texts, both written and aural, students will assimilate and apply the specialized vocabulary, register and communicative strategies necessary to navigate a range of basic professional scenarios across the French-speaking world. Students will demonstrate the following essential professional communicative skills: establish contacts; present one's organization; sell a product or service; negotiate terms; produce a marketing campaign; undertake professional travel; apply and interview for a position; organize and lead a meeting; and resolve disagreements. Students will discuss the (inter)cultural norms and practices relevant to French-speaking professional settings. This course prepares students for the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry's exam for the Diplôme de français professionnel at the A2 level. Course taught in French.

Literary or cultural study at an introductory to intermediate level of an author, a genre, a period, or a topic. Topics will vary from semester to semester.

A discussion group about an author, a period, a genre, a topic, a translation, or a research project in conjunction with another course.

Development of oral and written skills to increase active vocabulary, fluency, and the use of authentic French structures through reading and discussion of issues in contemporary French society. Topics include immigration, unemployment, gender distinctions, changing family patterns, education, and political parties in the ""hexagon."" Some attention to the influence of the European community on French life.

A translation course for the study of the structure of the French language through comparative examination of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural influences. The course provides extensive practice of the traditional exercise of thème et version (translations back and forth of texts from a variety of disciplines) to develop an awareness of the idiomatic distinctions of French and English, the variety of written styles and what constitutes one's own prose expression.

Study of fundamentals and development of the French poetic form through close textual analysis of representative poets and major movements.

Exploration of major themes and techniques of narrative fiction as it has developed in French-speaking cultures.

Study of dramatic techniques and themes through careful examination of representative texts and attention to the role of the theater in French culture.

An exploration of post-revolutionary francophone literature from France, Haiti, and the United States. The 19th century was ushered in by a series of revolutions that sought to reorganize the world along more just lines and enact democratic principles of liberty and equality. In this class, students will read writers who were inspired by the ambitions of these revolutions but also grappled with their broken promises, particularly in the form of ongoing social, racial, and gender inequality. Students will explore how storytelling in many genres allowed these writers to shed light on their societies’ contradictions, garner sympathy for those who suffered, and rally people to continue to advocate for justice.

A consideration of major social, artistic, and intellectual developments from the creation of the Académie Française [French Academy] to the French Revolution, with emphasis given to a wide range of topics including the discovery of "new" worlds and peoples, scientific innovation, political and religious conflict, art and architecture, aesthetic ideals, and the Enlightenment. Students will study plays, essays, letters, and political and religious tracts by writers and artists grappling with a world in flux, giving rise to democratic forms of thought, and ushering in the French Revolution. Students will read works by such authors as Molière, La Fontaine, Descartes, Pascal, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau.

A study of African literatures written in French from the mid-twentieth century to today. Exploring poetry, novel excerpts, novellas, and manifestos, along with key theoretical writings, students will engage with texts which have helped represent, understand, and shape Francophone African identities. Exploring both canonical figures and emerging writers from Northern and Sub-Saharan Francophone Africa, and the French-speaking Indian Ocean, students will deploy and develop close-reading skills to analyze contemporary Francophone African fictions.

An examination of French and Francophone visual arts from the 19th century to the present day. You will delve into how Francophone artists from Africa and its diaspora have shaped Francophone visual identities in the 1960s and 70s and early 21st-century globalization. Studying works in Francophone cinema, sculpture, photography, graphic novels, installation art, and digital creations, you will build a comprehensive understanding of Francophone visual cultures. Taught in French, the course bridges visual content with literature. This course will be of interest to students seeking to broaden their understanding of contemporary Francophone visual cultures and with creative interests.

Study of contemporary French language via online media emphasizing current events and fast-paced spoken French. Using live news, streaming TV, and film excerpts, students practice listening to French in context, learn idiomatic expressions, and expand active vocabulary. Weekly writing and analysis of online content is a regular feature of class. Specific listening challenges will be reviewed with the goal of increasing comprehension of native speech. Course taught in French.

Students apply and develop their French language skills in conjunction with any course taught in English at the college. Students will read, report, discuss, and write about sophisticated materials in the disciplines, and learn how to translate them to and from English.

Advanced literary or cultural study in an author, a genre, a period, or a topic.

Advanced literary or cultural study in an author, a genre, a period, or a topic, with advanced language skills workshop.

Individual study projects under the guidance of the department.

Required for all second-semester junior or first-semester senior French majors who intend to write a thesis (WLF 374). Under the direction of a thesis advisor, the student reads extensively in primary and secondary sources related to the proposed thesis topic, develops research skills, and brings the thesis topic into focus by writing an outline and a series of brief papers that contribute to the thesis.

An extended research project culminating in a paper based on readings and extensive individual conferences.

Detailed study of an author, a period, or topic relevant to understanding the literature and culture of French-speaking countries around the globe. This capstone course is designed to enhance students’ research, written, and oral communication skills in French and to expand their understanding of theories and methodologies relevant to contemporary scholarship. Students will pursue a major research project that combines their interest(s) and the theme(s) of the seminar course. This culminating project will allow students to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired over the course of their studies and to think creatively about their research topic in relation to French studies more broadly.