French
French courses
French department home page
Director of undergraduate studies:
Acting DUS Fall 08: Edwin Duval, Rm. 316, 82-90 Wall St.
DUS Spring 09: Julia Prest, Rm. 324, 82-90 Wall St.
432-4902, dus.french@yale.edu
FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FRENCH
Professors
Ora Avni, R. Howard Bloch, Edwin Duval (Acting DUS Fall 08), Marie-Hélène Girard (Visiting), Alice Kaplan, Thomas Kavanagh (Chair), Christopher L. Miller (Acting Chair Fall 08), Maurice Samuels
Associate Professors
Farid Laroussi, Jean-Jacques Poucel
Assistant Professor
Julia Prest (DUS Spring 09)
Senior Lecturer
Maryam Sanjabi
Lecturers
Diane Charney, Catherine Labio, Alyson Waters
Senior Lectors
Ruth Koizim, Matuku Ngame, Lauren Pinzka, Françoise Schneider
Lectors
Marie-Dominique Boyce, Kathleen Burton, Karen Duval, Soumia Koundi, Uta Reimann, Constance Sherak, Candace Walton, Katrien Wynant
Students who major in French become proficient in spoken and written French, gain firsthand access to the works of influential writers, philosophers, filmmakers, artists, and scientists, and acquire an extensive knowledge of French and francophone literatures, societies, and cultures.
French is spoken by nearly 200 million people in more than fifty countries. It is used as an official working language in dozens of international organizations—including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, NATO, and the Council of Europe—and in nongovernmental organizations such as Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). The French major is of particular relevance to students interested in careers in international law, business, or government, all of which require advanced training in a major world language, in-depth understanding of a foreign culture, and the critical skills a liberal arts major fosters. French majors also pursue careers in fields such as communications, journalism, secondary and higher education, scientific research, medicine, museology, the arts, publishing, translation, fashion, and the culinary arts.
Students are encouraged to create an individual program of study and to take courses in other departments and programs, including African American Studies, African Studies, Film Studies, History, History of Art, Humanities, International Studies, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Renaissance Studies, Theater Studies, and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The department is also committed to working closely with students who wish to complete a second major and those who wish to earn certification as a teacher of French through the Teacher Preparation and Education Studies program.
Students who are contemplating a major in French should consult with the director of undergraduate studies as early as possible in order to plan a coherent program of study that reflects their personal interests and goals.
Study abroad. Students are encouraged to spend a year or a term abroad, for which appropriate course credit is granted. Summer study abroad may also, in some cases, receive course credit. Further information may be obtained from the Office of International Education and Fellowship Programs and from Ruth Koizim, the study abroad adviser for the Department of French. The Kenneth Cornell Charitable Foundation provides limited financial support for majors and prospective majors who undertake research projects related to their work in the major in France or a francophone country. Contact the director of undergraduate studies for details.
Prerequisites. Candidates for the major should take two courses in the FREN 150-159 range during the freshman and sophomore years. Prospective majors are encouraged to take at least one literature course and at least one language course numbered 160 or above before the end of the sophomore year.
The standard major. The standard major consists of twelve term courses numbered 160 or above, including the senior essay. Two courses must be advanced seminars in the FREN 300–449 range (only one of which may be a Group C course). No more than three courses may be in the FREN 160–199 range. Two term courses in Group C may count toward the major. With prior approval of the director of undergraduate studies, a third Group C course may count toward the major for a student with an exceptionally strong background in French. With prior approval of the director of undergraduate studies, up to four term courses taught outside the department but bearing directly on the student's principal interest may be counted toward the major. Exceptions of up to two additional term courses may be made in the case of outstanding students for courses taught in French as part of a Year or Term Abroad program. Relevant freshman seminars may count toward the major, with permission of the director of undergraduate studies. The maximum number of term courses in English that may count toward the major is five.
Senior requirement. Seniors must submit a senior essay, in French or in English, to the department by November 14 (fall term) or April 20 (spring term). The student normally completes the essay while enrolled in FREN 491a or b and works under the direction of a faculty adviser. A preliminary statement indicating the general area to be addressed and the name of the adviser must be submitted to the director of undergraduate studies by September 19 (fall-term essay) or November 14 (spring-term essay). A one-page prospectus and bibliography are due September 26 (fall term) or January 23 (spring term). A rough draft must be submitted to the adviser by October 24 (fall term) or March 27 (spring term). The senior essay should give evidence of careful reading and research and substantial independent thought. Its length should be about thirty pages.
The intensive major. The intensive major is designed for students who wish to undertake a more extensive project of research and writing during their senior year. Requirements for the intensive major are the same as those for the standard major, except that two of the twelve upper-level term courses in French are devoted to the preparation of a senior essay (FREN 493) written in French or English under the direction of a faculty adviser and presented no later than April 20 of the senior year. Students must select their subject and adviser by the end of the junior year. The senior essay for the intensive major should be about sixty pages in length. Students planning to pursue advanced work in French after graduation are encouraged to write their senior essay in French.
All majors. It is strongly recommended that all majors take at least one term course in the FREN 170–179 sequence. Students who intend to pursue graduate study in French should take courses pertaining to all historical eras, from the Middle Ages to the present. Majors and other qualified undergraduates may enroll in a graduate-level seminar with the approval of the director of undergraduate studies, the director of graduate studies, and the instructor.
Candidates for the major should consult the director of undergraduate studies no later than the fall term of the junior year. Schedules must be approved and signed by the director of undergraduate studies. Students planning to study abroad or to petition for completion of two majors should contact the director of undergraduate studies during the sophomore year. Courses taken Credit/D/Fail may not be counted toward the requirements of the major.
Special Divisional Major. The department will support the application of qualified students who wish to pursue an interdisciplinary course in French studies. Under the provisions of the Special Divisional Major, students may combine courses offered by the French department with subjects elected from other departments. Close consultation with departmental advisers is required; candidates for a Special Divisional Major should consult the director of undergraduate studies in French by the fall term of the junior year. For further information about the Special Divisional Major see under that heading in this chapter.
Group A courses (FREN 100–159) consist of language courses that lead directly to courses counting toward the major. For further details, students should consult the Freshman Handbook or see the director of undergraduate studies.
Group B courses (FREN 160–494, not including Group C courses) are more advanced courses that are taught in French and count toward the major. Courses in the FREN 170–179 range are gateway courses that introduce students to the study of French and francophone literatures, societies, and cultures. Courses in the FREN 180–199 range are advanced language courses. Courses in the FREN 200–299 range make the transition from gateway courses to advanced seminars and introduce time periods, genres, and other key areas of French and francophone studies. Courses in the FREN 300–449 range are typically advanced, limited-enrollment seminars.
Group C courses are taught in English; readings may be in French or English. Two term courses from this group may be counted for credit toward the major.
Group D courses are taught in other departments but may count toward the French major, with permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
Placement. Proper placement is essential for productive language study. All students who have not yet taken French at Yale are expected to take the departmental placement test, with the exception of students who have no previous knowledge of French whatsoever and those whose placement has already been estabished by other means (see chapter II).
Please note that t he departmental placement test is given once a year in the fall. Students who wish to begin taking French in the spring must take the test in the fall. The placement test will be given on Sunday, August 31, at 9 A.M. (last names A–M) and at 1.30 P.M. (last names N–Z) in 101 and 102 LC. Students unable to attend may take a makeup test on Monday, September 1, at 9 A.M. in 102 LC.
Foreign language distributional requirement. Details of the foreign language distributional requirement are contained under "Distributional Requirements" in chapter III under the heading "Requirements for the B.A. or B.S. Degree."
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisites: 2 term courses numbered FREN 150–159 or equivalent if appropriate
Number of courses: 12 term courses numbered 160 or above
Distribution of courses: No more than 3 term courses numbered FREN 160–199; at least 2 term courses numbered FREN 300–449 (one must be taught in French); up to 2 term courses in Group C; maximum of 5 term courses taught in English
Substitution permitted: With prior approval of DUS, up to 4 term courses outside French dept
Senior requirement: Senior essay in French or English (FREN 491a or b)
Intensive major: Two-term senior essay in French or English (FREN 493)
