Bonjour! Join us in learning the global language of diplomacy, culture, cuisine, and commerce! French is spoken on five continents, in approximately 40 countries, and even in Maine and Louisiana. Studying French will deepen your understanding of world history and the relationships between different cultures around the globe and close to home. Studying the language of Les Misérables, Monet, and joie de vivre allows you to access some of the most amazing art, thought, and food on the planet! Beginning French (French 1001) is designed for students with little or no knowledge of the French language. It focuses on developing your intercultural, reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. By the end of this course, you will be able to communicate about family, housing, and school. You will also gain familiarity with French-speaking communities around the world. The course features preparatory and practice activities outside of class designed to encourage analysis of language structure so that class time can be primarily devoted to meaningful interaction in French.

Bienvenue en 1002! Ready to embark on a new journey to further develop your knowledge of the beautiful language of French? If you passed French 1001 or have taken the Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT) and were placed in 1002, this course is for you! While exploring topics such as French holidays and cultural celebrations and traditions, food, and ecology, you will further develop your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. You will also learn about the concept of laïcité, one of the pillars of French society, and the differences and similarities between the school systems in France and the U.S. Preparatory activities designed to encourage students to analyze grammar points need to be completed at home so that class time can be primarily devoted to meaningful interactions in French. prereq: FREN 1001 or equivalent.

Heureux de vous revoir! Because you have studied French before, you already know what a wonderful language it is. This course is designed to return you to studying the language of Les Misérables, Monet, and joie de vivre! French 1022 is an accelerated review of French 1001 followed by the material covered in French 1002. At the end of this course, you will be able to communicate about topics such as food, family, school, the environment, travel and much more. If you have had a gap of more than a year since your last French class, you need to take the EPT to place into French 1022.

Nous vous souhaitons la bienvenue dans le troisième semestre de français. In this course, you will explore current issues such as the role technology plays in today's society and living a healthy lifestyle. Other themes include family, friends, and current social issues such as environment, energy, and immigration. Students will use film, excerpts of literature, and other authentic texts as part of the curriculum. Upon completion of the class, you will have more confidence in expressing past, future, and hypothetical events as well as your own opinions, feelings, and regrets. French 1003 is a five-credit course, so you should plan to spend an additional 10 hours a week on coursework outside the classroom. Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to enroll in French 1004. prereq: C- or better in FREN 1002 or 1022, or EPT (for students taking their first French course at the U)

Vous êtes les bienvenus! Come join us in exploring some of the foundations of cultural identity. What does it mean to be "French?" What does it mean to be "American?" What are some things that people living within a particular culture have in common as a function of living in that culture? Where do personal and cultural identities intersect? We pay special attention to development of intercultural competence, comparing how food, child-rearing practices, elements of national identity, and diversity are treated in France and the US. We revisit many grammar concepts you have seen before, focusing on accuracy and extended language use. This course will allow you to be much more confident in using comparisons, narrating (past and present), linking ideas together into longer discourse, describing, etc. Upon successful completion of this course, you should be solidly in the Intermediate ranges of proficiency in French, able to travel and/or use French for your own goals. You will also be prepared for more advanced study in French here or abroad (FREN 3015 and 3014 are options after this course). prereq: C- or better in FREN 1003, or EPT/LPE (for students taking their first French course at the U)

What key moments in French and Francophone culture can help us understand our world today? What are French and Francophone Studies? This course taught in English answers these questions by letting you discover the diverse cultures of France and French-speaking countries (such as Senegal, Canada or Belgium), and the ways we study them in the humanities. You will encounter texts, visual material, films, music, and historical events from various eras and learn how to make sense of them. Faculty from the French program will come and share with you what they research and why. A portion of the semester will be devoted to one of two role-playing simulations. During these weeks, you will delve deeply into the material, researching your historical character and working with other students whose goals converge with yours to sway the opinions of your other classmates. Along the way, you will enhance your skills in public speaking and writing. (1) The French Revolution. Where did the notion of the social contract and human rights come from? What dilemmas did the people of France face in this turbulent attempt to transition from monarchy to a new form of government? (2) The 1889 Universal Exhibition in Paris, which was a focus of debates about art, esthetics and urbanism. Do you want to be a traditional painter, Van Gogh, an art critic, a woman patron, an anarchist, or a worker on the Eiffel Tower? How did each of these groups or individuals understand the role of art? You can take French 1501 as a freestanding class or at the same time as a language class (FREN 1001-1004, depending on your level). The class is required for new majors and minors in French Studies, but you can take it simply to discover the fascinating cultures of French-speaking communities worldwide! No prerequisites. All materials for French 1501 are in English, and students in all programs are welcome!

What are French and Francophone Studies? What key moments in French and Francophone culture can help us understand our world today? This course taught in English answers these questions by letting you discover the diverse cultures of France and French-speaking countries (such as Senegal, Canada or Belgium), and the ways we study them in the humanities. You will encounter texts, visual material, films, music, and historical events from various eras and learn how to make sense of them. Faculty from the French program will come and share with you what they research and why. A portion of the semester will be devoted to one of two role-playing simulations. During these weeks, you will delve deeply into the material, researching your historical character and working with other students whose goals converge with yours to sway the opinions of your other classmates. Along the way, you will enhance your skills in public speaking and writing. (1) The French Revolution. Where did the notion of the social contract and human rights come from? What dilemmas did the people of France face in this turbulent attempt to transition from monarchy to a new form of government? (2) The 1889 art exhibition in Paris, which was a focus of debates about art, esthetics and urbanism. Do you want to be a traditional painter, Van Gogh, an art critic, a woman patron, an anarchist, or a worker on the Eiffel Tower? French 1502 is taught in English, but it includes some readings in French. In some semesters, it may also include occasional discussions or small group activities in French. You can take French 1502 as a freestanding class or at the same time as a language class (FREN 3015-3016, depending on your level). The class is required for new majors and minors in French Studies, but you can take it simply to discover the fascinating cultures of French-speaking communities worldwide! prereq: FREN 1004 (or equivalent through the LPE)

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.

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.

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