French Minor

FRC 103 Introductory French I 3 Credits

Reading, writing, listening and speaking. Introduction to French and francophone cultures. Almost exclusive use of French in class.

Offered: every fall.

FRC 104 Introductory French II 3 Credits

Reading, writing, listening and speaking. Introduction to French and francophone cultures. Almost exclusive use of French in class.

Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in FRC 103 or equivalent (generally two to three years of high school French) or permission of the Chair.

Offered: spring.

FRC 215 Intermediate French 3 Credits

This course is designed as a thorough review of grammatical structures. Also emphasized is the building of vocabulary, increasing competence in the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) and gaining an overview of Francophone cultures. Exclusive use of French in class.

Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in FRC 104 or two or three years of high school French.

Offered: fall.

FRC 217 Intermediate French II 3 Credits

This course is designed to thoroughly develop the four skills necessary for proficiency in French: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Also emphasized is the building of vocabulary in authentic cultural and literary contexts. Students will be introduced to the discussion of a full-length novel. The class is conducted in French.

Offered: Spring.

FRC 300 Intermediate Internship 3 Credits

Is an internship designed to provide a six-week immersion experience at the intermediate, low-advanced level. Students who participate in this program will serve as teaching assistants for English at the Ecole Nouvelle Meudon in a suburb of Paris. They will enhance their knowledge of French language and French culture through a homestay with host families and through their attendance in art and history classes delivered at the school. Students will be assessed on their involvement in the assistantship program at La Source and on the weekly reports that they will submit via a D2L platform dedicated to this program.

Prerequisites: min grade of C in FRC 217.

FRC 323 Topics in Conversation I 3 Credits

Contemporary communication skills emphasized in general exploration of contemporary culture of the Francophone world. Exclusive use of French in class. Phonetics included.

Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in FRC 217 or equivalent or permission of department chair.

Offered: fall.

FRC 324 French Composition through Literature 3 Credits

Distinguishing and producing effective and personal writing of different types - essays, correspondence, descriptions, self-portraits, and reports - through the analysis of the major literary currents of French literature, its canons, techniques and major contributions. Selected works of prose, poetry, and theater are discussed. Exclusive use of French in class.

Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in FRC 217 or equivalent or permission of department chair.

Offered: Spring

FRC 325 Déjà vu, lu, entendu! News and contemporary issues in the Francophone media 3 Credits

FRC325 is an intermediate level course aimed at developing effective communication skills and targeting fluency in oral expression and verbal comprehension. The class is based on discussion of contemporary issues in the francophone world and is conducted entirely in French. Traditional (radio, newspaper, television) and digital media will be closely analyzed to comprehend foreign policies, environmental matters, civil rights, economics, and family structures, as well as the scientific and technological changes brought about by the integration of francophone societies into a globalizing world. Through a broad range of topics, students will be invited to develop not only their language skills, but also their curiosity for the place of news in the francophone world.

Prerequisite: grade of C or better in FRC 217 or permission of instructor.

Offered: spring of odd-numbered years.

FRC 400 French Internship 3 Credits

Professional Internship. Open to ALL majors, though intermediate French knowledge expected. Internships require an application and approval by the associate dean.

Prerequisite: permission of the department chair & associate dean.

FRC 417 The French and Francophone World at Work 3 Credits

This course will embark on a study of French and francophone working society at large. The practical approach will lead students to develop a series of written and oral artifacts, designed to simulate a realistic experience working in a French context. Interviews, cover letters, CVs, goals and objectives, and negotiation will be practiced. In parallel, the course, which will be conducted entirely in French, will discuss the French and francophone work force in its wide-ranging social and economic facets. The major questions of working time, innovation, legislation, life-work balance, as well as integration in global competition, will be considered.

Prerequisites: minimum grade of C or better in FRC 217 or FRC 332, and C or better in FRC 323 or FRC 324, or permission of instructor.

Offered: fall, every 3 years.

FRC 427 Identities and Globalization 3 Credits

In the broader context of a globalized world, this course will examine the integration and resistance of identities through a discussion of the institutions of post-war France and the technological developments, and evolution of political structures, with a particular emphasis on current events and contemporary media. This class is entirely conducted in French.

Prerequisites: minimum grade of C or better in FRC 217 or FRC 332, and C or better in FRC 323 or FRC 324, or permission of instructor.

Offered: occasionally.

FRC 433 L’écriture de soi--The autobiography genre in French and Francophone Literature 3 Credits

This course is a survey of the major intellectual and artistic trends of the twentieth century in France and the francophone world through a study of significant poetic, prose, and dramatic works by various authors of the French literary canon. The genre of autobiography is the gate of entry for this advanced course. The book selection will invite students to discover the diverse territories and cultures in rural France, Paris, Congo, Vietnam, Québec, and the Maghreb, among others, through the lens of individual lives. Such a program will lead us to discuss the rich lives, of renowned authors who wanted to share with their readers the story of their voyages. The genre of autobiography opens numerous themes and questions including immigration by choice or obligation, nostalgia, cultural fusion, decolonization, materialism, and exoticism.

Prerequisites: minimum grade of C or better in FRC 217 or FRC 332, and C or better in FRC 323 or FRC 324, or permission of instructor.

Offered: occasionally.

FRC 447 Territories and Cultures of the French & Francophone world: conquest/resistance/dev't & conservation 3 Credits

The territories of the francophone world, spread over four continents, are the legacy of cultural and historical constructions, conflicts and ideals. What were the contributions of travelers such as Chateaubriand, Rousseau or Champlain to our knowledge and perception of Syria, Lebanon or Quebec? How does the colonial past affect the infrastructure of modern-day Asia and Africa? What were the different stages of occupation and transformation of the Bay of Tonkin? What were the sites of the Algerian resistance, and who were the leaders of the Maghreb Awakening? The course will explore these kinds of questions through the writings of francophone authors. Through the work of Maryse Condé, the unique biotope of the mangrove in Guadeloupe and its creole culture will be analyzed together. With the historian Fernand Braudel, the topic of France as part of the greater Mediterranean world will be debated. The course will also include a discussion of the transformation of the territories, their usages and perception, through Michel Houellebecq’s thought-provoking essay, “The Map and the Territory.” Between development and conservation, the changing roles of tourism and agriculture, as former adversaries and new allies, will also be part of this trans-disciplinary study.

Prerequisite: FRC 217.

Offered: spring of even-numbered years.

FRC 457 Rebellion & Belonging in French History & Politics 1789-2017 3 Credits

This course examines the strengths and challenges of national integration and rebellion in France from the French Revolution to the 2017 presidential elections. The French Revolution of 1789 will launch this survey of the major events that led to the construction of Modern France. Since the Revolution’s outbreak, observers have debated several questions: What is the legacy of the French Enlightenment? What were the causes of the French Revolution? How did the Napoleonic conquests create a new social order while also raising fierce resistance among European societies? In what ways were the Haussmann architectural reforms of Paris a response to the revolutionary culture of “the barricade”? Was the “Paris Commune” a pre-communist movement? Who were the heroes of the Résistance during World War II and how did their ideals and struggles shape a new role model for the post-war generations? We will also examine the cultural changes that led to the end of the De Gaulle era, the Mai 68 uprising, the sexual revolution, and the adhesion of France to a new and peaceful European ideal. Was the 2017 presidential election a democratic reaction against the traditional two-party system? The course aims to interrogate over two centuries of French history since 1789, reading across the disciplines.

Prerequisites: C or better in FRC 215 or FRC 217 and FRC 323, FRC 324, FRC 331 or FRC 332.

Offered: every third fall.

FRC 490 French Capstone Project 1 Credit

Graduating majors will collect a portfolio of their work during their time at Canisius. Students will summarize their experience of studying Spanish through a 5-10 page reflective paper (written in the target language) discussing the progress they have made in skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) and knowledge (culture). Students will also summarize how their knowledge of Spanish will impact their futures (graduate school, year of service, career, community, personal life). In this reflection, students should also synthesize the three areas of extracurricular experience and their impact on their skills and cultural knowledge: A) Study Abroad; B) Service Learning, Internships/Volunteer sites; C) Cultural Activities. Students should also critique the program, and suggest improvements to curriculum. The final project will conclude with an oral presentation of the above, with Q&A, for peers and faculty. This course will be required of all graduating majors entering AY 17/18 (graduation 2021 and later). Current students are strongly encouraged to register.

Prerequisite: successful completion of all other requirements in the major (may be concurrently registered in final elective).

Offered: every fall and spring semester.

FRC 499 Independent Study 3 Credits

Independent study requires permission of the chair and associate dean. Independent studies require an application and approval by the associate dean.

Prerequisite: minimum grade of C or better in FRC 217 or FRC 332, and C or better in FRC 323 or FRC 324, or permission of instructor.