Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Leonard R. Koos, Chair
Marie A. Wellington, Career Advisor

Faculty

Professors
James F. Gaines
Marie A. Wellington

Associate Professors
Brooke E. Di Lauro
Leonard R. Koos
Scott M. Powers

The French Program

Through courses in French, students gain linguistic proficiency, as well as understanding of the literatures and cultures of the French-speaking world. Laboratory facilities are used extensively to supplement classroom instruction. Classes are conducted in French.

Double majors are possible, and non-majors may also take advantage of the language program. Students have the opportunity to reside in a campus residence area in which French is spoken and which sponsors various intercultural programs each year. The resident language director of this area is a native speaker of French.

The Department of Modern Foreign Languages cooperates with a variety of overseas study programs, advises and encourages students wishing to study abroad, and helps in planning their foreign study programs. Credits can be accepted from abroad to fulfill major requirements. The French program runs a four-week, UMW faculty-led summer study abroad program in Paris, France offering French language and culture courses in cooperation with the Institut Catholique.  In addition, French majors can take advantage of a number of internship opportunities in businesses, government offices, and non-profit agencies located in the Fredericksburg and Washington, D.C. area.

Graduates in French may pursue careers in government or in private fields in which the knowledge of this language and culture is essential, including interpreting, translating, research, social services, education, or international business.

*For information regarding general education language requirements for students not currently majoring in Modern Foreign Languages, please see page 81-82 in this Catalog.

Requirements for the French Major

Thirty-six (36) credits, including French 311, 312, 326, 327, 328, 411, 412, and 481; two courses chosen from French 313, 315, 316 or 319; two additional French literature courses.

Requirements for the French Minor

Twenty-four (24) credits. Students must complete FREN 201 and 202, or FREN 205, or additional French classes at the 300-level or above to equal six credits, FREN 311, FREN 312, and any four (4) additional French classes at or above the 300-level.

Requirements for the Business French Minor

Twenty-four (24) credits, including French 311, French 312, French 313, and French 316; 3 credits from French 411, French 412, or French 499; and one of the following sequences: a) Business 131, Business 132, and one Business course at the 300-level or higher; or b) Economics 201, Economics 202, and one Economics course at the 300-level or higher. Business French minors can take no more than 29 credits in Business without declaring a Business major.

French Course Offerings (FREN)

101, 102 – Beginning French (3, 3)

Prerequisite for 102: FREN 101 or equivalent. Grammar, composition, conversation, reading, laboratory use. Students with credit for a higher level course in French may not take this course.

105 – Intensive Beginning French (6)

Grammar, composition, conversation, reading, laboratory use. Students who have taken FREN 101 are not eligible to take this class. Students with credit for a higher level course in French may not take this course.

201, 202 – Intermediate French (3, 3)

Prerequisite for 201: FREN 102, or equivalent. Prerequisite for 202: FREN 201, or equivalent. Grammar review, reading, composition, laboratory use, oral work. Students with credit for a higher level course in French may not take this course.

205 – Intensive Intermediate French (6)

Prerequisite: FREN 102 or equivalent. Grammar review, reading, composition, laboratory use, oral work. Students who have taken FREN 201 are not eligible to take this class. Students with credit for a higher level course in French may not take this course.

311 – Composition (3)

Prerequisite: FREN 202. Advanced grammar, composition, reading.

312 – Oral Communication and Phonetics (3)

Prerequisite: FREN 202. Oral skills, phonetics, listening comprehension, conversation.

313 – Business French (3)

Prerequisite: FREN 311 or 312. Especially designed for those who may be connected with businesses dealing in and with France or French-speaking countries.

315 – French Culture I: From Medieval to Modern France (3)

Prerequisite: FREN 311 or 312, or permission of the instructor. The intellectual, political, economic, and social developments of France from the medieval to the modern periods.

316 – French Culture II: Contemporary Issues (3)

Prerequisite: FREN 311 or 312, or permission of the instructor. France’s intellectual, political, economic, and social developments since World War II.

319 – French Cinema (3)

Prerequisite: FREN 311 or 312, or permission of the instructor. A study of the major movements of French cinema, including silent films, surrealism and the Avant-Garde, films of the Occupation, the New Wave, the “cinema du look,” neo-realism, and films that have come to be described as postmodern and post-nationalist.

320 – Topics in French Art, Literature, and Culture (3)

Prerequisite: FREN 311 or 312, or permission of instructor. French and Francophone literature and culture. Topics will vary.

326, 327, 328 – Survey of French Literature I, II, III (3, 3, 3)

Prerequisite: FREN 311 or 312. A chronological study of French literature from the medieval period through the late 20th century.

342 – Medieval and Renaissance Literature (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey, or permission of the instructor. Selections from such genres as the medieval courtly lai and popular fabliau through the 16th century nouvelle.

351 – Seventeenth-Century Literature (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey, or permission of the instructor. Corneille, Moliere, Racine, and other representative works.

361 – Eighteenth-Century Literature (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey, or permission of the instructor. Philosophy, fiction, and theatre.

371 – Novel of the Nineteenth Century (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey, or permission of the instructor. Stendhal, Balzac, Flaubert, Zola, and short stories.

372 – Nineteenth-Century Poetry andTheater (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey, or permission of the instructor. Poetry from all periods of the century and some representative theater.

381 – The Novel of the Twentieth Century (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey, or permission of the instructor. Proust, Robbe-Grillet, Sarraute, Camus, and other representative works.

382 – Twentieth-Century Theater (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey, or permission of the instructor. Artaud, Ionesco, Jarry, Beckett, and other representative works.

383 – Francophone Literature (3)

Prerequisites: Two segments of the literature survey or permission of the instructor. Representative works from the Maghreb, sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, Quebec and French Beur literature.

411 – Stylistics (3)

Prerequisites: FREN 311, 312, and two segments of the literature survey. Analysis and practice of written French styles.

412 – Translation (3)

Prerequisites: FREN 311, 312, and two segments of the literature survey. Translation theories and techniques.

481 – Senior Seminar (3)

Selected topics. Required of and limited to senior majors.

491, 492 – Individual Study (3, 3)

Intensive study of one or more authors selected in consultation with instructor. By permission of the department.

499 – Internship (Credits variable)

Supervised off-campus experience, developed in consultation with the department. No credit toward major or minor.

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