FRENCH IN SPRING 2008

Course                                    Title                                                     Instructor                     Time

FREN 317-01              French Conversation                        Loft                        MW 4:30-5:20

          French language practice in every possible topic with films and short readings as well.  This is a course you will enjoy and will never forget!  Pre-requisite: FREN 216 or equivalent.

FREN 341                           Le Grand Siècle                              Goetz                       TR 2:00-3:20

            For the French, the 17^th century is Le Grand Siècle. During the brilliant reign of Louis XIV, French taste, in literature, art, architecture, decoration, music and the dance, imposed itself on the rest of Europe.  The literature of that period is known as the classical literature of France.  Focus will be on the three great playwrights of French classicism, Corneille, Racine and Molière while at the same time situating them within the larger issues of political and social representation.  Prerequisite: FREN 315 or FREN 316.

FREN 421                           Advanced French Pronunciation & Diction        Antosh                     MWF 1:00-1:50

We study the basic principles of French pronunciation, which is generally quite predictable if the students know the rules.  The course will provide a good foundation of those rules and plenty of practice in class and in the language lab, as well as individualized feedback.  Prerequisite: FREN 215 or FREN 216.   

FREN 424                           Stylistics                                              Loft                        MW 3:00-4:20

          This course continues the work begun in French composition, including more extensive work on translation and stylistic control in written skills.  Prerequisite: FREN 318.

Minicourses in FRENCH:

FREN 400-01   French Topics for Conversation                      Loft                        MW 8:30-9:50

            This mini-course is an advanced conversation course.  Students will discuss films and will choose a topic and a group to work with.  Each group will lead the rest of the class in activities and discussions related to the chosen topic.  Prerequisite: FREN 317 or 421 or permission of the instructor.  From January 28 til February 27, 2008.

FREN 400-02   Contemporary Quebec                                 Antosh                     MWF 9:00-9:50

The course will examine the Quiet Revolution, the great period of social and cultural upheaval in Quebec when the independence movement was born.  We will focus on present-day Quebec: its culture, politics and society.  At the center of this course will be the question of Quebec identity.  Prerequisites: FREN 315 or 316.  From March 3 til April 11, 2008.

FREN 400-03   French Society in Films                              Goetz                       MWF 9:00-9:50

            The documentaries and films studied in this course will provide a fresh and in-depth exposure to some of the challenges facing contemporary French society: from a sensitive portrait of life in an idyllic, small school in rural France followed by the social drama of a schoolteacher’s efforts to bring change to his impoverished community coupled with an intimate inquiry into French life as lived by the country’s poor and the story of a young woman who rejects society to pursue her dream of living free in the France she loves.  Prerequisite: FREN 315 or 316.  From April 14 til May 19, 2008.