BA in French Language, Literature & Culture

 

French professor Katherine Kleppinger

 

The Bachelor of Arts in French fosters deep engagement with cultural production of the French-speaking world and encourages students to hone their critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Many students combine a major in French with fields such as anthropology, political science, fine arts, art history or other languages.

Courses cover a variety of topics including poetry and literature, music, cinema, history, politics and the media, as well as all aspects of language learning. Upper-level courses focus on literature and culture and refine writing and analytical skills.

 

Departmental Honors in French

Students interested in earning special honors in French Language, Literature and Culture to be noted on their transcript must meet all requirements:

  • Meet GW’s general special honors requirements.
  • Graduate with a GPA of 3.0 overall and 3.75 in classes for the major.
  • Complete an honors thesis no later than the spring semester of senior year, if invited to do so by the major advisor.

 

"The French major is a gem. The proseminar was the course I looked forward to attending every week, and its intimacy made each and every one of us feel special."

Annabel de Braganca

BA '11, French and International Affairs

Course Requirements

***Please Note: In 2023-2024, FREN 4910 and 4920W will be replaced by alternative courses at the 4000 level. Please contact the major advisor for more details***

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

Program-specific curriculum:

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

Program-specific curriculum:

Prerequisite courses
FREN 1001Basic French I
FREN 1002Basic French II
FREN 1003Intermediate French I
FREN 1004Intermediate French II
Required for the major
30 credits including:
FREN 3100Introduction to French Literature
FREN 4910Proseminar: Readings for the Major
FREN 4920WProseminar II
Seven additional upper-level courses numbered 2005 and above. Four of these courses must be in French literature and culture. Two must be FREN courses in the 4000 range. With approval of the major advisor, two may be in a related field.
FREN 2005Language, Culture, and Society I
FREN 2006Language, Culture, and Society II
FREN 2500Cultural Politics of Food in France
FREN 2600French Culture in Context
FREN 3010WAdvanced French Language, Structure, and Composition
FREN 3020Contemporary France
FREN 3100WIntroduction to French Literature
FREN 3210Medieval and Early Modern French Literature in Context
FREN 3220Modern French Literature
FREN 3300Topics in French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures in Translation
FREN 3400Studies in Genre
FREN 3500Race, Religion, and Identity in France
FREN 3520The Age of Classicism
FREN 3530The Age of Enlightenment
FREN 3550Studies in Twentieth-Century French Literature
FREN 3560Topics in Contemporary Francophone Literature and Cinema
FREN 3600Special Topics in French Literature
FREN 3700History of French Cinema
FREN 4470Writing Women
FREN 4500Studies in Medieval French Literature
FREN 4510French Literature of the Renaissance
FREN 4540Nineteenth-Century French Literature and Culture
FREN 4600Special Topics in French Literature
FREN 4700Race Matters: Literature, Culture, and Identity in Contemporary France