French Studies Major (B.A.)

https://cola.unh.edu/languages-literatures-cultures/program/ba/french-studies

This major gives students a variety of perspectives not only on French and Francophone literature but also on a variety of other issues pertaining to the Francophone world. A major in French studies prepares graduates to negotiate successfully the economic reality of an increasingly international job market, and provides them with a wide range of career prospects after they leave the University.

The major consists of 44 credits in French courses numbered 631 or above and of cross-listed courses in other departments, including the following requirements:

Coursework for the French studies major must be completed with a grade of C or better. 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 study abroad program in Dijon is highly recommended. It offers both year- and semester-long programs. Other options are available, but non-UNH programs must be chosen in close consultation with a major adviser and the UNH Global Education Center. Students in majors with inflexible curricula who wish to complete a second major in French studies should consult with a French adviser about alternate means of satisfying the study abroad requirement.

Transfer students must earn a minimum of 12 credits on 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 studies majors may use two major-required courses to satisfy two Discovery category requirements.

Upon completion of the French Studies 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.