French, B.A.

Objectives

The French curriculum is designed to enhance students’ understanding of the French/Francophone world by exposing them to French/Francophone cultures and perspectives. It also responds to the increasing demand for a more practical emphasis in language learning after the lower division level and allows students to tackle the professional world immediately beyond graduation. LMU’s Summer Study Abroad Program in Paris, France, may complement the French program.

French Placement Exam

Any student who has knowledge of or has had prior instruction in French in high school or at a college or university other than LMU must take the French Placement Exam.

This requirement includes students who have taken the AP French Exam in high school. Generally, a student who receives a score of 5 or 4 on the AP French Exam (Language or Literature) places in FREN 2103 French 3. Final placement is conditional upon the instructor’s consent in consultation with the French coordinator. Course credit will be given for FREN 2101 French 1 and FREN 2102 French 2 once the student’s official scores have been received from the College Board. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that the official AP scores have been sent to Loyola Marymount University.

To know when and how a student should take a language placement exam in French, please refer to the guidelines provided under Modern Languages and Literatures.

French courses in lower division (FREN 2102 French 2, FREN 2103 French 3, FREN 2104 French 4) can be waived without credit if students placed in upper division courses in their placement exam. Waived no-credit classes do not have to be made up to complete the French major.

In the event that there are no courses in the language, students may take MDLG 3400 Linguistics, MDLG 4400 Applied Linguistics, or FNLT 4200 Comparative Cultures (provided it is related to language concentration). If additional classes are not available in the Modern Languages and Literatures Department, students may fulfill those credits with courses in the appropriate cultural studies areas, with pre-approval from the Program Coordinator and the Department Chair.

Study Abroad

Students considering study abroad in France or a francophone country can attend the LMU Summer Study Abroad Program in Paris, France, or are advised to go for a semester either during their sophomore year (Spring semester) or junior year (Fall or Spring semester). Consult the Study Abroad Office or the French language professors for information about the LMU Summer Study Abroad Program in Paris, France, or the semester or year-long programs offered by universities that the French program endorses.

Prior to departure, students must obtain transfer credit approval for any French courses that they plan to take outside of LMU from the French Program Coordinator and the Department Chair.

Although most lower-division French language courses (2000-level) will transfer to complete French major or minor pre-requisites, no more than one (1) French course will transfer for the upper-division (3000 or 4000- level) major or minor courses.

French Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes will be assessed through a Senior Capstone Project (FREN 4990 Senior Capstone Project), which consists of a portfolio during the last semester of the senior year. The portfolio is a collection of multiple samples usually compiled over time accompanied by a personal reflection essay, which would show that the student has met the objectives of the French program.

Majors in French will know:

• The variety and nature of linguistic practices of French-speaking populations
• The variety and nature of cultural texts of French-speaking populations
• The variety and nature of cultural perspectives in the Francophone world at large
• The representative literary works and cultural texts of Francophone cultures and civilizations, and other diasporic French-speaking populations
• The principal aspects of cultural expressions such as literature, art, social practices, gender, and media of the Francophone world at large
• Theoretical terminology and concepts essential to analyze literary and cultural products.

Majors in French will be able to:

• Understand spoken French at the appropriate level
• Speak French at the appropriate level
• Read French at the appropriate level
• Write French at the appropriate level
• Use acquired theoretical and critical skills to textual analysis and scholarly research
• Demonstrate an informed knowledge of literary works developed by French-speaking populations
• Demonstrate an informed knowledge of cultural works developed by French-speaking populations
• Demonstrate an informed knowledge of linguistic varieties developed by French-speaking populations.

Majors in French will demonstrate an appreciation for:

• The evolution and variety of perspectives in French-speaking cultures
• The mission of our University
• Transcultural similarities and differences.

Major Requirements (25-37 semester hours)

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
Prerequisite
FREN 2101	French 1	4
Subtotal		4
Lower Division Requirements 1
FREN 2102	French 2 2	4
FREN 2103	French 3 2	4
FREN 2104	French 4 2	4
Subtotal		12
Upper Division Requirements 3
FREN 3240	History of Ideas	4
FREN 3450	Stylistics and Translation	4
FREN 3850	Writing Workshop in French	4
Select three courses in the FREN 4000-level electives		12
FREN 4990	Senior Capstone Project	1
Subtotal		25
Total Semester Hours		41

¹

For majors, a minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in all lower division French courses.

²

French courses in lower division (FREN 2102 French 2, FREN 2103 French 3, FREN 2104 French 4) can be waived without credit if students placed in upper division courses in their placement exam. Waived no-credit classes do not have to be made up to complete the French major.

³

A minimum grade of C (2.0) must be maintained in all upper division French courses.

French Model Four-Year Plan

The normal course load is 16 semester hours (4 classes). By following the model below, a student will complete all lower division core requirements by the end of the sophomore year as well as most major prerequisites. Note that core areas are suggested to provide a distribution of various disciplines every semester. Please be flexible implementing these suggestions, given your own interests and course availability. In four years, this plan meets all common graduation requirements.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Semester Hours
FREN 2102	French 2	4
FFYS 1000	First Year Seminar	4
University Core		3-4
University Core		3-4
	Semester Hours	14-16
Spring
FREN 2103	French 3	4
RHET 1000	Rhetorical Arts	3-4
University Core		3-4
University Core		3-4
	Semester Hours	13-16
Sophomore Year
Fall
FREN 2104	French 4	4
University Core		3-4
University Core		3-4
Elective		3-4
	Semester Hours	13-16
Spring
Select one of the following:		4
FREN 3240	History of Ideas
FREN 3450	Stylistics and Translation
FREN 3850	Writing Workshop in French
University Core		3-4
Elective		3-4
Elective		3-4
	Semester Hours	13-16
Junior Year
Fall
Select one of the following:		4
FREN 3240	History of Ideas
FREN 3450	Stylistics and Translation
FREN 3850	Writing Workshop in French
University Core		3-4
University Core		3-4
University Core		3-4
	Semester Hours	13-16
Spring
Select one of the following:		4
FREN 3240	History of Ideas
FREN 3450	Stylistics and Translation
FREN 3850	Writing Workshop in French
FREN 4000-level Elective		4
University Core		3-4
Upper Division Elective		3-4
	Semester Hours	14-16
Senior Year
Fall
FREN 4000-level Elective		4
University Core		3-4
Upper Division Elective		3-4
Upper Division Elective		3-4
	Semester Hours	13-16
Spring
FREN 4990	Senior Capstone Project	1
FREN 4000-level Elective		4
Upper Division Elective		3-4
Upper Division Elective		3-4
Upper Division Elective		3-4
	Semester Hours	14-17
	Minimum Semester Hours	107-129