FREN - Francophone Studies Major

Francophone Studies Requirements

Plan A majors in Francophone studies are required to have 11 courses beyond FREN 102.

Plan B majors whose primary concentration is Francophone studies are required to have seven courses in Francophone studies beyond FREN 102.

Plan B majors whose secondary concentration is Francophone studies are required to have five courses in Francophone studies beyond FREN 102.

Plan A majors:

Core Courses: All Plan A majors in Francophone studies are required to have 11 courses beyond FREN 102. The following five are required: FREN 241. Advanced Composition and Style; any two of the following four courses: FREN 247. Race and Empire; FREN 248. Revolts and Revolutions; FREN 251. Language and Identity; FREN 252. Creative Writing in French (no more than one of these four may be by transfer credit); at least one 300-level course whose language of instruction is French (to be taken at Trinity College); and FREN 401.

Electives: Six electives are required. Three electives can be taken in English in another discipline (numbered at other than the 100 level), focusing on topics related to the Francophone world. These courses may be found, for example, among the offerings of such departments or programs as English, history, fine arts, international studies, music, philosophy, political science, the other sections of the language and culture studies department, or the equivalents of such offerings in any approved foreign study program.

Plan B majors:

Plan B majors whose primary concentration is Francophone studies are required to have seven courses in Francophone studies beyond FREN 102; the following are required: FREN 241, two courses chosen from FREN 247, FREN 248, FREN 251, and FREN 252, at least one 300-level course conducted in French (to be taken at Trinity College), and FREN 401. Among the remaining two elective courses, one course in English not offered under a Francophone studies rubric (numbered at other than the 100 level) focusing on topics related to the Francophone world may be counted toward the major (see examples under Plan A major above).

Plan B majors whose secondary concentration is Francophone studies are required to have five courses in Francophone studies beyond FREN 102; the following are required: FREN 241, two courses chosen from FREN 247, FREN 248, FREN 251, and FREN 252.

Capstone/senior project:

The Writing Intensive Part II requirement for Plan A majors and Plan B majors whose primary concentration is Francophone studies is fulfilled by FREN 401. Senior Seminar. This course culminates in a 20-25 page research paper. Students double-majoring in Francophone studies and another discipline are encouraged to combine research interests; however, no part of their senior project can be translated material from coursework in another department.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Study away: All Plan A and Plan B majors are encouraged to study in an approved program in some part of the Francophone world.

Honors: Students qualifying for honors in their Francophone studies majors must attain a cumulative average of A- or better in all courses counting toward the major, including FREN 401.

Language and Culture Studies Requirements

Plan A major: Under this plan, students major in a single foreign language (French, German studies, Hispanic studies, Italian studies, or Russian). Please see listings and descriptions of respective majors. Credit acquired through the Language Across the Curriculum program may be applied to the cognate requirements. Students are also required to complete a project synthesizing coursework taken for the major. Except under exceptional circumstances, this project will be undertaken in the language section’s 401. Senior Seminar; it must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.

Plan B major: Under this plan, students may combine any two of the languages taught in the department of language and culture studies and the classical studies department. A minimum of seven courses in a primary language and five in a secondary language is required, as well as two courses in a cognate field or fields. A paper integrating the three fields of study—primary language field, secondary language field, and some aspect of the cognate field(s)—must be completed in one of the primary language upper-level courses. Except under exceptional circumstances this project will be undertaken in the primary language section’s 401 Senior Seminar, which must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.

Course work completed for the major under Plans A or B, or the minor, must receive C- or better, and students must demonstrate oral and written proficiency in the appropriate language(s). First-year students planning to take a language course (other than 101) must take the placement test, administered during first-year orientation.

Upper-level courses are conducted in the foreign language unless otherwise indicated.

Permission to major under Plan A or B or to opt for the language and culture studies minor must be obtained from the department chair.

Any student wishing to enroll for credit in a lower-level language sequence after having been granted credit for a course in the same language at a higher level must first obtain the written permission of the department chair.

All language skill courses may require extra lab or drill sessions at the discretion of the instructor.

Core courses: Please see listings and descriptions of respective majors.

Capstone/senior project: Students are also required to complete a project synthesizing coursework taken for the major. Except under exceptional circumstances, this project will be undertaken in the language section’s 401. Senior Seminar; it must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Study away: Majors and other students are urged to spend at least one semester abroad, or to enroll in a summer study-away program or a recognized summer language institute in North America. Special attention is called to the Trinity College programs in Berlin, Rome, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vienna. The departmental contacts for these programs are, respectively, Professors Evelein, Del Puppo, Shen, Izumi, and Evelein. Brochures describing each of these programs in detail are available both through the department and the Office of Study Away.

Honors: Departmental honors are awarded to seniors who have maintained an A- average in all courses to be counted toward their major (including cognate courses). A minimum grade of A- is furthermore required in the senior exercise (401).

Language Across the Curriculum: In addition to majoring in a language through Plan A or Plan B, or choosing a minor, there is also the opportunity to apply language skills to a wide array of courses across the entire college curriculum through the Language Across the Curriculum Program.

This option is generally open to all students who have completed the intermediate level (fourth semester, or equivalent) in any foreign language currently taught at Trinity and who are enrolled in any course outside the department in which the instructor, in collaboration with a member of the language and culture studies faculty, approves a supplementary reading list in the foreign language. For example, those studying European history, the economy of Latin America, or Freud could do supplementary readings in French, Spanish, or German; those studying art history or modern theater might do further readings in Italian or Russian respectively. There are many other possibilities. Upon satisfactory completion of the assigned work, students will be awarded an extra half credit in the course in question. For further information, see any member of the department.

Courses designated with the LACS department prefix are conducted in English.