French Major (B.A.)
https://cola.unh.edu/languages-literatures-cultures/program/ba/french-major
The undergraduate major in French offered by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures is centered on the study of the French language and the literatures and cultures of France and the French-speaking world. Students who complete the requirements for the major can expect to become proficient in French at a level that would allow them to communicate with native speakers, to develop an in-depth critical appreciation of French and Francophone cultures and literatures, and to be culturally sensitive members of society.
The program offers courses devoted to authors, works, and literary and cultural movements that span ten centuries and four continents. The curriculum also includes interdisciplinary courses on relations between literature and other areas of study such as history, law, religion, politics and the arts. All courses are conducted in French, and majors are expected to write papers and examinations in that language.
French can be taken either as a primary major or as one of two majors, in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. Appropriate majors to combine with French might include, but are not limited to, international affairs, political science, English, education, film and media studies, history, music, philosophy, theater studies, women’s studies, business and communication.
The French major may interest students desiring a general humanistic education based on the language and literature of the French-speaking world; students planning to teach French at the elementary or secondary level; students who intend to pursue graduate work in preparation for teaching and research at the college level; and students preparing for careers in such areas as international law, business, journalism, international organizations, and public or government service, which require both training in a major foreign language and/or a general background in a humanistic discipline.
A major consists of 40 credits in courses numbered 631 or above, in which readings are in French. Coursework for the French major must be completed with a grade of C or better. Majors are required to take:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FREN 631 | Advanced French: Reading and Writing | 4 |
| FREN 632 | Advanced French: Listening and Speaking | 4 |
| FREN 651 | Love, War, and Power in French Literature | 4 |
| FREN 652 | Greatest Hits of French | 4 |
| FREN 790 | Cultural Encounters: A View from Abroad | 4 |
| Select at least two 700-level literature courses at the Durham campus: | 8 | |
| Rebellion and Upheaval in 18th-Century Literature and Culture | ||
| Les Mis and their World | ||
| Francophonies Plurielles | ||
| Select three other elective courses: | 12 | |
| Topics in Francophone Culture | ||
| France in the European Union | ||
| Rebellion and Upheaval in 18th-Century Literature and Culture | ||
| Les Mis and their World | ||
| Francophonies Plurielles | ||
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Students are required to enroll in at least one course each semester in their major program and to spend at least one semester abroad in a French-speaking country. The UNH-managed program in Dijon is highly recommended and offers year- and semester-long options. Other options are available, but non-UNH programs must be chosen in consultation with a major adviser and the UNH Global Education Center. Students in majors with inflexible curricula (like engineering, some sciences, and health care) who wish to complete a second major in French should consult with a French advisor about possible alternative means of satisfying the study abroad requirement.
Transfer students must earn a minimum of 12 major credits at the Durham campus. Of these 12 credits, one course must be FREN 790 Cultural Encounters: A View from Abroad and at least one 700-level course in French/Francophone literature.
The Discovery Program capstone requirement may be fulfilled by completing FREN 790 Cultural Encounters: A View from Abroad.
The required minimum overall GPA in major coursework is 2.0.
Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. Bachelor of arts candidates must also satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.
French majors may use two major-required courses to satisfy two Discovery category requirements.
Upon completion of the French Major, our students are expected to master:
- SLO 1: Communicative Proficiency Students communicate in the target language, having mastered the four basic communicative skills at the advanced level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. They are able to narrate and describe in past, present and future time, use a variety of communication strategies (such as circumlocution, paraphrasing), support their opinions and hypothesize. They can be understood without difficulty by a native interlocutor and carry conversations on a wide variety of topics. They are able to understand native speakers in a variety of situations (academic, everyday life, radio, television).
- SLO 2: Intercultural Competence During and after their experiences abroad, students are led to reflect on cultural differences and develop cross-cultural competencies. They develop awareness of what it means to interact appropriately and effectively within diverse social and cultural contexts.
- SLO 3: Knowledge and Understanding Students grasp complex or unfamiliar texts (literary, journalistic, etc.), have an awareness of the esthetic properties of language and literary style, and have developed tools to asses and analyze different linguistic registers. They are able to contextualize and have knowledge of a representative selection of figures, works, and tendencies in the literature and other cultural productions from the Francophone world.
- SLO 4: Critical Thinking Students are able to critically analyze texts and other cultural artifacts from various areas of the Francophone world, are able to define a position about them, and to substantiate it using research. They are able to establish connections between different areas of knowledge, and are able to collaborate to answer questions and solve problems through task-based activities.