French & Francophone Studies (FREN)
The French major is a rigorous and interdisciplinary major consisting of nine courses. The major is best seen as a progression of linguistic-cultural study organized in four stages. The 100-level courses focus on language proficiency in cultural context. The 200-level courses consolidate language skills while beginning a more interdisciplinary study of French & Francophone literatures and cultures. A year or semester in France provides direct experience in the French culture. The 300-level courses focus on specific critical approaches to topics in literature, civilization and cultural studies.
The major consists of nine courses. These nine courses must include at least one course in pre-revolutionary French literature or civilization, one course in post-revolutionary French literature or civilization, and one course in Francophone literature or civilization. During their time at Bucknell, majors will take at least two 300-level courses. One course outside the French & Francophone studies program may count toward the major upon approval of that course by the program director. French courses starting with FREN 101 may count toward the major.
All French & Francophone studies majors have the opportunity to satisfy College of Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum requirements by taking required courses for the major. In addition, French & Francophone studies majors will have the opportunity to take W2 courses in the 200 and 300-level literature and civilization courses required for the major. Through thoughtfully articulated writing assignments, presentations, class discussions and user education workshops in the library, French & Francophone studies majors will hone their research and analytical skills. They will gain familiarity with discipline-specific journals and databases and learn to evaluate information sources. As they engage in the critical interdisciplinary thinking necessary for successful completion of the major, students will lay the foundation for independent lifelong learning.
Courses Offered at Bucknell
Students who have studied French in secondary school or who are heritage speakers of the language must take the online placement test to determine the level at which they may register for a French course. Information on accessing the test is included in the first-year student registration information. Current students may access the placement test from the French & Francophone studies webpage. Any questions regarding placement should be directed to the French & Francophone studies program director.
French & Francophone Studies Major
The major in French & Francophone Studies consists of a minimum of nine courses at the FREN 101 Discovering French level or above, excluding:
| FREN 201 | Intermediate French Conversation I | .5 |
| FREN 202 | Intermediate French Conversation II | .5 |
| FREN 262 | Intercultural Communication | .5 |
| FREN 301 | Advanced French Conversation I | .5 |
| FREN 302 | Advanced French Conversation II | .5 |
These must include:
| Select at least one Pre-Revolution France literature and/or civilization course in French at the 200 or 300 level. All topics must be Pre-Rev subject matter. | ||
| FREN 220 | Women in the Middle Ages and Renaissance | 1 |
| or FREN 230 | French Literature I | |
| or FREN 295 | Topics in French Studies | |
| or FREN 322 | Medieval and/or Renaissance Studies | |
| or FREN 323 | Sixteenth-Century Studies | |
| or FREN 324 | Seventeenth-Century Studies | |
| or FREN 325 | Eighteenth-Century Studies | |
| or FREN 330 | Topics in Literature | |
| or FREN 370 | Topics in Civilization | |
| or FREN 371 | Topics in the Arts | |
| or FREN 395 | Seminar in French Studies | |
| Select at least one Post-Revolution France literature and/or civilization course in French at the 200 or 300 level. All topics must be Post-Rev subject matter. | ||
| FREN 231 | French Literature II | 1 |
| or FREN 250 | Introduction to French Comics & Graphic Novels | |
| or FREN 255 | Introduction to French Cinema | |
| or FREN 270 | La France actuelle | |
| or FREN 271 | La France artistique | |
| or FREN 275 | French Economy and Business Culture | |
| or FREN 295 | Topics in French Studies | |
| or FREN 326 | Nineteenth-Century Studies | |
| or FREN 327 | Twentieth-Century Studies | |
| or FREN 330 | Topics in Literature | |
| or FREN 370 | Topics in Civilization | |
| or FREN 371 | Topics in the Arts | |
| or FREN 395 | Seminar in French Studies | |
| Select at least one Francophone literature and/or civilization course in French at the 200 or 300 level. All topics must be Francophone subject matter. | ||
| FREN 236 | Topics in Francophone Literature and Culture | 1 |
| or FREN 295 | Topics in French Studies | |
| or FREN 330 | Topics in Literature | |
| or FREN 336 | Francophone African Spaces | |
| or FREN 370 | Topics in Civilization | |
| or FREN 395 | Seminar in French Studies | |
| At least two courses at the 300 level. | 2 | |
| Students may elect to take one course outside of the French & Francophone Studies program (e.g. in history, English, anthropology, etc.) on a French/Francophone subject. See list of preapproved courses on the French & Francophone Studies webpage. Students must obtain approval to "count" a course not on the list from the French & Francophone Studies program director. | ||
All majors will complete a culminating experience: During the senior year (or second semester of the junior year with permission of their adviser and the program director), majors in French & Francophone Studies will designate as their culminating experience one 300-level seminar on a French or Francophone topic taught by a faculty member in the French & Francophone Studies Program (FFSP). As part of the learning activities in that seminar, majors will undertake a paper or research project related to French or Francophone literature or culture. At the end of the semester, they will present the result, both in its final written form and as an oral presentation in French based on their research, preferably at a symposium organized by the FFSP on campus. These two components of the culminating experience (paper and presentation) must provide evidence of: 1) competency in written and oral communication through structured arguments using appropriate forms of textual, cultural, and visual analysis and evidence, and 2) familiarity with critical approaches, academic research and methodology in the field of French and Francophone studies. A committee of French & Francophone Studies faculty will evaluate these culminating experiences to determine whether they meet both of these two learning objectives and thus satisfy the requirement. With the permission of the French & Francophone Studies adviser, students who are taking an independent study or pursuing honors in French & Francophone Studies may satisfy the culminating experience requirement through the successful completion of an independent study project or an honors thesis. However, in such cases, these students will still be required to do an oral presentation in French based on their research project or thesis to provide evidence for the two learning outcomes under examination, as stated above.
French & Francophone Studies Minor
The minor in French & Francophone Studies consists of five courses taught in French at the FREN 101 Discovering French level and beyond, excluding:
| FREN 201 | Intermediate French Conversation I | .5 |
| FREN 202 | Intermediate French Conversation II | .5 |
| FREN 262 | Intercultural Communication | .5 |
| FREN 301 | Advanced French Conversation I | .5 |
| FREN 302 | Advanced French Conversation II | .5 |
All learners of French are strongly encouraged to study abroad in France in our own Bucknell en France (BEF) program, as we believe this immersion experience to be an integral part of their language acquisition and the development of skills as culturally-competent citizens in an increasingly globalized world. Indeed, since its inception in 1987, the BEF program features rich, immersive, home-stay experience grounded in a strong academic program targeting students at all levels of language proficiency, and has become a defining feature of the academic and personal experiences of most of our students, both majors and minors. Through BEF, the French & Francophone Studies Program is able to graduate highly qualified majors who are proficient in spoken and written French, who are able to understand and articulate positions on social, literary, or cultural topics in a manner understandable to native speakers, and who have attained the linguistic and cultural proficiency necessary to function in a French-speaking academic or professional environment. Through courses offered at Bucknell and abroad, our majors and minors further develop transferable skills such as critical thinking, active learning, information literacy, writing, and presentation skills. Students are encouraged to develop an appreciation for and sensitivity to cultural differences and the socio-cultural logic informing them in order to develop the basis for a self-reflexive approach to their future engagement in professional and communal life.
Majors in French & Francophone studies will be able to:
1. Speak, read, write and understand French at an “advanced-low” level as defined by the proficiency criteria of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (“ACTFL guidelines”) or the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages level B1 or higher. (7, 9)
2. Demonstrate an ability to analyze and interpret a wide variety of Francophone literary and cultural works, drawing on the disciplinary tools and critical methods of French & Francophone studies. (1, 2, 3, 7)
3. Demonstrate competency in written and oral communication through the production of persuasive texts and presentations supported by structured arguments that respect disciplinary norms for evidence and citation. (7)
4. Demonstrate research competency in French & Francophone literatures and cultures, through the application of appropriate academic research methodologies and the use of pertinent bibliographical and other sources related to coursework. (8)
5. Demonstrate the ability to synthesize learning across courses in French & Francophone studies in order to develop a global view of the discipline and to apply the knowledge and skills it promotes beyond the discipline. (2, 9)
Minors in our program will be able to:
1. Speak, read, write and understand French at an “intermediate-high” level as defined by the proficiency criteria of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (2, 3, 7, 9)
Numbers in parentheses reflect related Educational Goals of Bucknell University.
Courses
FREN 101. Discovering French. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Beginning language skills. Practice in listening, speaking, reading, and writing; elementary grammar; and introduction to French civilization. Prerequisite: no more than two years of secondary school French or permission of the instructor.
FREN 102. Exploring French. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Continuation of language skills. Practice in listening, speaking, reading, and writing; grammar; readings in literature and civilization. Prerequisite: FREN 101 or one year of secondary school French.
FREN 103. Building Proficiency in French. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
A review of basic grammar emphasizing all four language skills and culture. Prerequisite: FREN 102 or equivalent (three years of secondary school French).
FREN 104. Communicating in Context. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Continuing review of basic grammar emphasizing all four language skills and culture. Prerequisite: FREN 103 or four years of secondary school French.
FREN 1NT. French Non-traditional Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall, Spring, Summer; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:3
Nontraditional study in French.
FREN 201. Intermediate French Conversation I. .5 Credits.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:2; Repeatable
Concentration on development of speaking skill. Conducted entirely in French by native speaker. Not open to students who have studied in France or other French-speaking countries. Intended for students enrolled in 200-level courses. Prerequisite: FREN 104 or equivalent. (Cannot be applied toward the French major or minor).
FREN 202. Intermediate French Conversation II. .5 Credits.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:2; Repeatable
Concentration on development of speaking skill. Conducted entirely in French by native speaker. Not open to students who have studied in France or other French-speaking countries. Intended for students enrolled in 200-level courses. Prerequisite: FREN 104 or equivalent. (Cannot be applied toward the French major or minor).
FREN 210. Building Bridges in French. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
Application of major linguistic functions and acquisition of skills essential for 200-level courses through a series of contextualized writing and reading assignments. Prerequisite: FREN 104 or five years of secondary school French.
FREN 215. Advanced Intermediate French I. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:Varies
Intensive French language study during the student's first month in Tours. Offered only in Tours, required of all students their first semester there. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 216. Advanced Intermediate French II. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:Varies
Guided practice for the improvement of written and spoken French at the advanced intermediate level, and preparation for the DELF French proficiency exam. Offered only in Tours, required of all students their first semester there. Prerequisite: FREN 215.
FREN 217. Advanced French I. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:Varies
Intensive French Language study during first month of second semester in Tours. Offered only in Tours. Prerequisite: FREN 215.
FREN 218. Advanced French II. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:Varies
Guided practice for the improvement of written and spoken French at the advanced intermediate level, and preparation for the DELF French proficiency exam. Offered only in Tours. Prerequisite: FREN 216.
FREN 220. Women in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. 1 Credit.
Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Introduction to history of French literature from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution with an emphasis on women writers and women's lived experiences and/or literary representations. Provides an introduction to literary history and methods of critical reading. A comprehensive survey. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 230. French Literature I. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to history of French literature prior to the French Revolution (1789). Provides an introduction to literary history and methods of critical reading. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 231. French Literature II. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to history of French literature of the 19th century to the present and to methods of literary analysis. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 236. Topics in Francophone Literature and Culture. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Study of the literature, language, geography, history, music, and film of a particular Francophone region (French Caribbean, Quebec, West Africa, Maghreb, etc.). Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 250. Introduction to French Comics & Graphic Novels. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
This course serves as an introduction to comic books and graphic novels in French from the 19th century to the present. Students will examine the socio-historical contexts in which this popular medium was born and how it has evolved thematically and stylistically into a recognized but contested art form.
FREN 255. Introduction to French Cinema. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to French cinema from a cultural and historical perspective. Students will familiarize themselves with major cinematic movements and with methods of critical reading. The course also includes discussions of the relationships between film, literature and other visual arts. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 261. Traduction. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to translation. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 262. Intercultural Communication. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This course is intended to provide a foundation in intercultural communication theory with specific application to the French and American cultures. Offered only in Tours.
FREN 270. La France actuelle. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to contemporary France from historical, sociological, anthropological, and symbolic perspectives. The study of French attitudes, lifestyles, conceptions of society, social and political structures, and of France and French in a post-colonial context. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 271. La France artistique. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to French music, literature, and fine arts from the Middle Ages to the present. Focus on selected artists, writers and musicians from each period. Provides a comprehensive survey. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 274. The Art of Touraine. .5 Credits.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:2
This course will focus on the arts of the Touraine region. Offered only in Tours.
FREN 275. French Economy and Business Culture. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3,Other:2; Repeatable
In-depth study of the language, culture, politics, and economic climate of business in France. Preparation for further study of management and internships in France. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 276. Tours artistique. .5 Credits.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:2
The many faces of Tours as reflected in the arts. Offered only in Tours.
FREN 277. La France au quotidien. .5 Credits.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:1,Other:1
Introduction to the history and literary scene of the Touraine region. Offered only in Tours. Prerequisites: For second semester Bucknell en France students staying for a full year in Tours and who have taken FREN 276.
FREN 282. Patrimoines Gastronomiques. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Introduction to food practices in France from historical, sociological, anthropological, and symbolic perspectives. Studies conceptions of society through gastronomic discourse. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 288. Global Cuisines, Local Contexts: Commensality and Conflict. 1 Credit.
Offered Alternating Spring Semester; Lecture hours:3
We will consider how food both brings people together, and creates divisions between them, through an in-depth examination of the cases of French and Andean (South American) cuisines. Cuisine will be considered through aesthetic, cultural, and economic lenses as a mirror into larger social worlds. Crosslisted as ANTH 288 and UNIV 288 and LAMS 288.
FREN 290. Independent Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:1; Repeatable
Independent study in French for students enrolled in the Bucknell en France program. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
FREN 295. Topics in French Studies. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:Varies; Repeatable
Topics vary but permit study of one or several subjects in French or Francophone literature, culture and civilization. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 301. Advanced French Conversation I. .5 Credits.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:2; Repeatable
Advanced conversation for students who have studied in France or other French-speaking countries. Conducted entirely in French by native speaker. May not be taken by native speakers of French. (Cannot be applied toward the French major or minor.) Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 302. Advanced French Conversation II. .5 Credits.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:2; Repeatable
Advanced conversation for students who have studied in France or other French-speaking countries. Conducted entirely in French by native speaker. May not be taken by native speakers of French. (Cannot be applied toward the French major or minor.) Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 322. Medieval and/or Renaissance Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Examination of the literature of the medieval and/or Renaissance periods emphasizing the analysis of themes, ideas, and styles as well as cultural and historical contexts. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 323. Sixteenth-Century Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Topics vary, but deal with the literature and culture of sixteenth-century France and beyond. Emphasis on the analysis of themes, ideas and styles as well as cultural and historical contexts. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 324. Seventeenth-Century Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Topics deal with aspects of Louis XIV's classical aesthetic. Examination and analysis of its literary, artistic, and cultural manifestations, its socio-political and philosophical underpinnings, and its counter-culture: the salon tradition. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 325. Eighteenth-Century Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Topics vary, but deal with aspects of the literary, artistic, and intellectual manifestations of the decline of the Ancient Regime and the liberation of thought initiated by the pre-Revolutionary philosophies. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 326. Nineteenth-Century Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Topics vary, but inevitably focus on the interaction of Romantic imagination and Realist observation that characterizes the 19th century in France. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 327. Twentieth-Century Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Topics vary and could focus on a period, a genre, a group of writers, or a theme from the 20th or 21st century. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 330. Topics in Literature. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Advanced study of themes or topics in French or Francophone literature. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 336. Francophone African Spaces. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Study of literature, film, politics, and society of diverse Francophone African spaces. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 355. Topics in French and Francophone Cinema. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Advanced study in themes, topics or periods in French or Francophone Cinema.
FREN 370. Topics in Civilization. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Advanced study in themes, topics, or periods in French or Francophone history or civilization. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 371. Topics in the Arts. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Advanced study in themes, topics, or periods of French art history. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 380. Eating Ethics in Translation. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Study of translation theory and practice through contemporary texts dealing with food politics and ethics in the French and Francophone world. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 390. Independent Study. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:Varies; Repeatable
Subject to be selected by student in consultation with the instructor. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
FREN 395. Seminar in French Studies. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Topics vary, but permit detailed study of any one of innumerable subjects in French literature and civilization. Prerequisite: FREN 104.
FREN 3NT. French Non-traditional Study. .5-1 Credits.
Offered Fall, Spring, Summer; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:3
Non-traditional study in French.
Faculty
Professors: Renée K. Gosson, Angèle M. Kingué (Associate Provost for Engagement & Inclusion)
Associate Professors: Nathalie Dupont (Director), John Westbrook
Assistant Professor: Hélène Camille Martin
Visiting Assistant Professors: Esra Arici, Sophie Brunau-Zaragoza, Jacob Ladyga