Course Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
French and Italian
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 Return to: College of Arts and Sciences, Degree Programs and Requirements
E. Elizabeth Murphy, Associate Professor of French, Chair
Matthew Senior, Ruberta T. McCandless Professor of French
Eunjung Grace An, Associate Professor of French and Cinema Studies
Thomas Chevrier, Lecture in French
Adrianne Barbo, Visiting Assistant Professor of French/Mellon Post Doctoral Fellow
Preeamvada Leelah, Visiting Assistant Professor of French
Atran-Fresco, Laura, Visiting Assistant Professor of French
Ivana Di Siena, Instructor of Italian
The Department of French and Italian offers a major and minor in French and Francophone studies supported by an extensive and distinctive interdisciplinary curriculum. We strongly encourage students to include in their major a semester or year of study abroad in a program suited to their interests. In addition to courses supporting the French major, the department offers courses in beginning and intermediate Italian language and co-curricular activities such as Italian movie nights and an Italian language table.
FRENCH.
Cultural ties between France and America go back to the origin of the American republic, when Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Paine borrowed and shared concepts with French revolutionaries to frame the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Today, French and Francophone literature, philosophy, art, and cinema continue to exert a powerful influence over students and intellectuals around the world. The legacy of French thought reaches back to Descartes, Rousseau, Bergson, Sartre, Camus, and Beauvoir and continues into the present, where the concepts of Derrida, Foucault, Deleuze and others are indispensable to theory in the human and social sciences and real-world struggles related to race, nation, gender, class, and the environment. Writers such as Assia Djebar, Tahar Ben Jalloun, and Maryse Condé, and cinéastes such as Jean-Luc Godard, Claire Denis, and Ousmane Sembène have given world literature and film new faces and voices, while Médecins sans frontières has defined the concept of humanitarian aid beyond national boundaries.
In the image of this engaged, global community of Francophones, the French program offers students the opportunity to integrate classroom learning with study abroad in France, Senegal, and other Francophone countries, on-campus activities at La Maison Francophone and the Table Française, and opportunities to serve the broader community. The program is built on four integrated objectives: mastery of spoken and written French; acquisition of critical appreciation of literature, cinema, and popular culture of French expression; cultural analysis; awareness of the life-changing experiences entailed in the intellectual and personal challenges of learning a different way of being. We encourage majors to live in La Maison Francophone, where they have the opportunity of immersion in the target language and culture in daily contact with native speakers. The French program intersects with other major programs on campus, allowing students to combine their interests in History, Art History, Comparative Literature, Cinema Studies, Creative Writing, Middle-Eastern and North African Studies, Economics, Politics, and other subject areas with a major or minor in French. Departmental advisors are available for consultation in organizing the major program. All FREN courses numbered 301 and higher count toward the major, regardless of the language of instruction, and certain courses offered outside of the French department but with significant French or Francophone content can be applied as partial major credit.
LANGUAGE LABORATORY.
The Paul and Edith Cooper International Learning Center, located on the third floor of Peters Hall, is a state of the art facility designed for both class and individual use at all levels of language learning. A staff of experts helps students develop their language skills and connect with French speakers around the world. Multi-media practice is encouraged for all students who wish to improve their speaking and oral comprehension.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT.
Students who have received a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement (AP) exam in Frenchj Language or French Literature will be automatically awarded credit for one course toward graduation, but not toward the major. They should enroll in one of the gateway courses for the French major (French 301, 309, or 321).
PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT STUDENTS.
It is the department’s policy to advance students as fast as achievement warrants. Students who have taken the SAT II Exam in French should enroll in courses according to their score:
550-625 French 203 or 205, 206
626-800 French 301, 309, or 321
Students with previous study of French who have not taken the SAT II exam should take the Oberlin French Placement Test online to determine their appropriate level.
SUGGESTED COURSE SEQUENCE.
French 101-102 (or 103), 205-206 (or 203), 301, other 300-level courses in French, followed by 400 level courses. Fench 301, 309, or 321 is the prerequisite for other courses at the 300-level. Two 300-level courses beyond 301 are the prerequisite for 400-level courses. Other prerequisites may be noted: see the course descriptions below.
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Major
The French major consists of at least ten full courses. Any course dealing with the Francophone world, taken at Oberlin or abroad, may count toward the major; two half courses may count as a full course.
- At least seven of the courses have to be French-taught. French-taught Languages across the Curriculum (LxC) sections, which are generally half courses, will count as French-taught credits.
- Courses that dedicate at least 30% of the syllabus to the Francophone world may, with the Chair’s approval, be counted as partial major credit.
- A gateway course is required of all majors. FREN 301 or FREN 309 may serve as a gateway course. For advanced students, FREN 321 may also serve as a gateway course (with consent of the instructor).
- At least three courses must be completed at the 400-level, one of which must be in residence, and two of which may be fulfilled by Honors (FREN 505). Two 300-level courses beyond the gateway course are the prerequisite for 400-level courses.
- Four courses may be counted from approved study abroad programs or an accredited college/university.
- Five courses must be in residence.
- An AP score of 4 or 5 will result in placement in a gateway course but will not replace the gateway course or count as credit toward the major. Passing FREN 301, 309 or 321 is the prerequisite for taking other courses at the 300 and 400 levels.
Minor
The French minor consists of at least five courses. A gateway course (see above) and at least one course at the 400-level are required. Two 300-level courses beyond the gateway are the prerequisite for 400-level courses. At least one 400-level course must be in residence. Courses at the 100 and 200 level are not counted toward the minor. An AP score of 4 or 5 will result in placement in a gateway course, but will not replace the gateway or count toward the minor. Restrictions for the Major and Minor
Courses in which a student has earned a letter grade lower than a C- or P cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major or minor. Transfer of Credit
The department will accept up to 4 courses of approved transfer credit toward the ten courses of the major. Five courses of the major must be taken in residence at the advanced level, i.e., French 301 and above, and at least one at the 400 level. Up to two courses of approved transfer credit may be applied to the minor, but at least three courses must be taken in residence at the advanced level.
Honors
The Honors Program in French provides qualified majors with the opportunity to complete a special project during their senior year. An Honors Project entails independent study in French, in consultation with a faculty sponsor, completed over two semesters (FREN 501-502). Qualified students are invited to apply to the program during the second semester of their junior year. Admission is determined on the basis of faculty evaluation and approval of honors proposals and overall and major GPA. Further information on the Honors Program may be obtained from the departmental website. See also the statement on Honors in the “General Information” section of this catalog. Related Disciplines
Students who major or minor in French are encouraged to discuss with their advisor courses in other departments which will broaden and deepen their studies of French language, and French and Francophone literatures and cultures. Examples might include coursework in comparative literature, in medieval art history, modern European history, literary theory, and cinema studies. Students who major in French often complete a major in a second field. Examples include majors in fields as diverse as Art History, Biology, Comparative Literature, Creative Writing, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, History, Music (both within the College and Conservatory), Neuroscience, Philosophy, Politics, Hispanic Studies and Religion. As students plan their major or minor in French, they should keep in mind the manner in which other disciplines can enrich their major coursework. The International Studies Concentration provides an appropriate grounding in the social sciences for majors interested in international affairs.
La Maison Francophone
An important element in the department’s program is La Maison Francophone, a program house accommodating 35 students. A Faculty-in-Residence is assisted by two French exchange students. Regular programming includes French language dining at La Table Française at Stevenson Dining Hall, films, games, cooking classes and other workshops, discussions on topics relating to French and Francophone cultures, and various other cultural and social activities. Study Abroad
The department expects all majors to study abroad at the appropriate time in their college career. The Office of the Dean of Studies has an approved list of programs and the faculty members of the department advise students in choosing a program that best suits student needs.
Oberlin’s own bilateral exchange with the Institut d’études politiques de Paris, “Sciences Po,” allows students majoring in History, Economics, Politics, and other subjects to study at an elite grande école in Paris. Study Away programs in Paris, Rennes, Aix, Marseille, Brussels, and Dakar offer many possibilities for studying while engaging in community service. The Council on International Educational Exchanges (CIEE) Center for Critical Studies program in Paris is an attractive option for students interested in literature, cinema, and philosophy. Like CIEE-Critical Studies, the Center for University Programs Abroad (CUPA) in Paris allows students to enroll directly in the Université de Paris, taking classes in literature, the humanities, or sciences: Oberlin Conservatory students are able to study with Conservatoire de Paris faculty through CUPA. The American University Center of Provence (AUCP) in Aix and Marseille is attractive to those interested in cultural exchange between France and North Africa, including research trips to Morocco and study of the Arabic language. The School for International Training (SIT) in Madagascar allows students to pursue environmental studies in French. (See a faculty member and student testimonials on the French department website for more information about these programs.)
Winter Term
The department sponsors a number of group and individual projects each year. Projects may take place in the US or overseas. For information on possible Winter Term projects, consult the department website. (See also “Winter Term” in General Information section.)
I. Language Courses (Offered Every Year)
III. Survey Courses (Offered Every Year)
IV. Advanced Courses in French
V. Courses Offered in English
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Return to: College of Arts and Sciences, Degree Programs and Requirements
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