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Twin Cities Campus

French and Italian Studies B.A.

French & Italian
College of Liberal Arts
  • Program Type: Baccalaureate
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2014
  • Required credits to graduate with this degree: 120
  • Required credits within the major: 33 to 34
  • Degree: Bachelor of Arts
The French and Italian studies major allows students interested in both cultures and languages to pursue a combined major. Students study specific works in each nation's literature while also exploring the interrelations and cross-cultural exchanges that have contributed to Italian and French literature and culture. This comparative perspective introduces students to a broad range of issues and cultural practices.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Admission Requirements
Complete the introductory 4-semester French and Italian sequences, or their equivalents. Note: these credits do not factor into the overall length in credits of the major. Students must formally declare a major within the department before completing the majority of the major elective requirements.
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the Office of Admissions website.
General Requirements
All students in baccalaureate degree programs are required to complete general University and college requirements including writing and liberal education courses. For more information about University-wide requirements, see the liberal education requirements. Required courses for the major, minor or certificate in which a student receives a D grade (with or without plus or minus) do not count toward the major, minor or certificate (including transfer courses).
Program Requirements
Students are required to complete 4 semester(s) of French and Italian. with a grade of C-, or better, or S, or demonstrate proficiency in the language(s) as defined by the department or college.
The four required semesters of a second language do not factor into the overall length of credits in the major. Majors complete a minimum of 10 upper-division FREN, FRIT and ITAL courses for 32 credits, plus a senior project. At least 4 of the 10 upper-division FREN, FRIT and ITAL courses (not counting the senior project) must be taken in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus. Beginning fall 2012, all incoming CLA freshmen must complete the appropriate First Year Experience course sequence. Specific information about this collegiate requirement can be found at: http://class.umn.edu/degree_requirements/index.html
Major Courses
Take all of the following.
FREN 3015 - Advanced French Grammar and Communication (3.0 cr)
FREN 3016 - Advanced French Composition and Communication (3.0 cr)
FREN 3101W - Methods in French and Francophone Studies [LITR, WI] (3.0 cr)
ITAL 3015 - Reading, Conversation, and Composition (4.0 cr)
Upper-Division French Courses
Take at least 1 additional upper-division French course at the 3xxx-5xxx level for at least 3 credits. FREN 30xx and 37xx courses do NOT fulfill the upper-division French courses sub-requirement.
FREN 3xxx
or FREN 4xxx
or FREN 5xxx
Upper-division Italian Courses
Take 9 or more credit(s) from the following:
· ITAL 3xxx
· ITAL 4xxx
· ITAL 5xxx
Upper-division French & Italian Courses
FRIT 5999 does NOT fulfill the upper-division French & Italian courses sub-requirement.
Take 6 or more credit(s) from the following:
· FRIT 3xxx
· FRIT 5xxx
Senior Project
The senior project is completed in FREN 4109W or ITAL 3459W in the last or next-to-last semester before graduation. Honors students should consult the Honors UHP Program Sub-plan for their senior project requirements. Research topics must be approved by course instructor. Papers are written in consultation with course instructor or other appropriate faculty member. Double majors can complete the senior project in their other CLA major, but are still responsible for taking 32 major credits.
FREN 4109W - Capstone Independent Study in French and Francophone Studies [WI] (2.0 cr)
or ITAL 3459W - Senior Project [WI] (2.0 cr)
Upper-division Writing Intensive within the major
Students are required to take one upper-division Writing Intensive course within the major. If that requirement has not been satisfied within the core major requirements, students must choose one course from the following list. Some of these courses may also fulfill other major requirements.
Take 0 - 1 course(s) from the following:
· FREN 3101W - Methods in French and Francophone Studies [LITR, WI] (3.0 cr)
· FREN 4109W - Capstone Independent Study in French and Francophone Studies [WI] (2.0 cr)
· ITAL 3459W - Senior Project [WI] (2.0 cr)
 
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· French and Italian Studies B.A.
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FREN 3015 - Advanced French Grammar and Communication
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Fren 3015/Mont 3015
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Taught entirely in French. Prerequisite: French 1004 or LPE. Voilà, c'est fait: You have completed French 1004 or passed the LPE. You are certified as an intermediate speaker of French. Don't lose your momentum! French 3015 allows you to start working toward a new goal: advanced proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing French. Along with this higher proficiency comes a deeper understanding of French and Francophone culture around the world. In this class, you will focus on grammar in context, reading longer, more complex texts in the original language. You will write short compositions that include various genres such as the first-person narrative, the business letter, and the essay. You will learn how to use the correction software Antidote as a means of perfecting your writing skills. In class, you will participate in group work to boost your oral comprehension skills and in writing workshops to boost your writing skills. Listening activities include a film, an audiobook, a song, and videos related to readings. Written exercises include translation, grammar, and vocabulary building. Literary readings include excerpts from a medieval text (La légende de Tristan et Iseut), as well as four 20th-century texts (by Danielle Cadorette, Annie Ernaux, Albert Camus, and Pierre-Jakez Hélias). Journalists include Kamel Daoud (published in the Le Monde) and Fatym Layachi (published in the Moroccan newspaper Tel Quel). Based on these readings and discussions of the themes of friendship, family, education, work, technology, and bilingualism, you will explore notions of identity in the French and Francophone world.
FREN 3016 - Advanced French Composition and Communication
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Fren 3016/Mont 3016
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Taught entirely in French. In this class, you will continue the work you began in FREN 3015, keeping your eyes on the goal of advanced proficiency. You will continue to focus on grammar in context, reading challenging texts in the original language. You will write short compositions that include various genres: a summary of an online article of your own choosing, an argumentative essay, and a film or literary analysis. You will perfect your use of the correction software Antidote as you move toward advanced proficiency in writing. In class, you will participate in group work to boost your oral comprehension skills and in writing workshops to boost your writing skills. Listening activities include several films, a song, and videos related to readings. Written exercises include translation, grammar, and vocabulary building. This course explores identity in the French and Francophone world through the themes of youth, travel, immigration, and colonisation. Literary readings include excerpts from the 18th century (Voltaire and Louis Sébastien Mercier), the 20th century (Ying Chen and Driss Chraïbi), and the 21st century (Tahar Ben Jelloun, Abdellah Taïa, and Mina Oualdlhadj). Newspaper articles include the sociologist Edgar Morin (published in Le Monde) and the columnist Réda Allali (published in the Moroccan newspaper Tel Quel). But French 3016 adds new genres of writing as well. We will read selections from crime novels (René Frégni and Michel de Roy), a graphic novel (Marjane Satrapi), and science-fiction (Pierre Boulle). This course is a good stepping-stone for an advanced course in French and Francophone film as we read about and view samples of Algerian, Canadian, and French films. Prerequisite: FREN 3015.
FREN 3101W - Methods in French and Francophone Studies (LITR, WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Taught entirely in French. In this course, you will delve deeply into original stories, lyrics, plays, and films in French, from around the world and across time. What verbal and visual codes carry meaning in a given culture? How do cultures create a space for the subject or the self? As you discuss these questions, you will become a faster and more independent reader, gain sensitivity to the sonorities and rhythms of the French language and the nuances of sense it makes possible, and learn to perceive implicit meaning in texts. Theoretical readings and lessons in developing thesis statements and organizing arguments will enhance your ability to understand and create complex arguments in French. Each individual section of this course addresses these questions with a different selection of readings and films grouped around a specific theme, so please consult the Class Info page to find out more! nonfiction texts, cultural artifacts, and audio/visual media pertaining to France and Francophone communities across the centuries. prereq: 3016 or equiv
ITAL 3015 - Reading, Conversation, and Composition
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
How can a society manage an aging population? What steps can be taken to promote integration and overcome differences? Is technology helping or hindering our interpersonal relationship? Is history doomed to repeat itself? You are about to embark into a rewarding journey to further deepen your Italian experience while developing your critical thinking skills. This class will increase your appreciation of Italian culture through engagement with articles, short films, and literary extracts (of authors such as Nobel's prize Dario Fo, Salgari, and Natalia Ginzburg) on contemporary cultural topics ranging from social problems to the use and misuse of technology to the impact of historical events on people?s everyday lives. This intensive, intermediate course is designed for students who have passed Italian 1004 and have mastered basic Italian grammar.
FREN 4109W - Capstone Independent Study in French and Francophone Studies (WI)
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Course Equivalencies: Fren 4101W/Fren 4101V/Fren 410
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Completion of research paper based on paper written for previous course or expansion of project undertaken in concurrent course. prereq: instr consent, [completion of most major coursework or permission of DUS]
ITAL 3459W - Senior Project (WI)
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Research/writing on issue/theme in Italian studies. Projects range from scholarly paper to artistic/creative writing or musical composition, photography, poetry, or fiction. Research/analytical component. prereq: completion of pre-requisite for major (3015) and eight electives for the sum of 30 credits
FREN 3101W - Methods in French and Francophone Studies (LITR, WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Taught entirely in French. In this course, you will delve deeply into original stories, lyrics, plays, and films in French, from around the world and across time. What verbal and visual codes carry meaning in a given culture? How do cultures create a space for the subject or the self? As you discuss these questions, you will become a faster and more independent reader, gain sensitivity to the sonorities and rhythms of the French language and the nuances of sense it makes possible, and learn to perceive implicit meaning in texts. Theoretical readings and lessons in developing thesis statements and organizing arguments will enhance your ability to understand and create complex arguments in French. Each individual section of this course addresses these questions with a different selection of readings and films grouped around a specific theme, so please consult the Class Info page to find out more! nonfiction texts, cultural artifacts, and audio/visual media pertaining to France and Francophone communities across the centuries. prereq: 3016 or equiv
FREN 4109W - Capstone Independent Study in French and Francophone Studies (WI)
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Course Equivalencies: Fren 4101W/Fren 4101V/Fren 410
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Completion of research paper based on paper written for previous course or expansion of project undertaken in concurrent course. prereq: instr consent, [completion of most major coursework or permission of DUS]
ITAL 3459W - Senior Project (WI)
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Research/writing on issue/theme in Italian studies. Projects range from scholarly paper to artistic/creative writing or musical composition, photography, poetry, or fiction. Research/analytical component. prereq: completion of pre-requisite for major (3015) and eight electives for the sum of 30 credits