French Curriculum
Program Overview
The French program at Western Washington University offers courses focusing on language, literature, media, and the diverse cultures of la Francophonie. Through the study of these topics and others, our students acquire the skills required to communicate in French and gain cultural insights that will facilitate future study or work abroad.
Given that cross-cultural communication is essential for a variety of careers, many students pair a major or minor in French with academic interests in fields such as education, international business, music, journalism, linguistics, Canadian-American studies, history, anthropology, sociology, communication, environmental studies, or another language. Students intending to double major should meet with an advisor in their first or second year to create a plan of study that will allow for the timely completion of all requirements.
Major and Minor Requirements
Course Offerings
Visit the WWU Classfinder to view the days, times, and openings for courses offered during the current academic year.
First-Year Courses
To be taken in sequence. Fundamentals of speaking, reading, writing and understanding French.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
To be taken in sequence. Fundamentals of speaking, reading, writing and understanding French.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
To be taken in sequence. Fundamentals of speaking, reading, writing and understanding French.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
Designed for students with two years of high school French or equivalent to prepare them for the intermediate level through review and development of basic structure and vocabulary. Also for students needing a review of the first year.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
Second-Year Courses
To be taken in sequence. Continuation of skill development begun in elementary French, with additional work in vocabulary acquisition and grammar.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
To be taken in sequence. Continuation of skill development begun in elementary French, with additional work in vocabulary acquisition and grammar.
Credits:5
Grade Mode: Letter
To be taken in sequence. Continuation of skill development begun in elementary French, with additional work in vocabulary acquisition and grammar.
Credits:5
Grade Mode: Letter
Third-Year Courses
Study of language and structure, vocabulary building and practice in written expressions of various kinds.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
Emphasizes improvement of pronunciation, contrasts English and French pronunciations and teaches phonetic transcription.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
An introduction to the culture and civilization of France from historical and modern perspectives. Readings, discussions, films, oral and written assignments in French.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 301 or instructor permission.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
An introduction to French Canadian culture and civilization from historical, modern, and linguistic perspectives. Readings, discussions, films, oral and written assignments in French.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 301 or FREN 314 depending on course emphasis.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
An introduction to literary analysis, explication de texte involving poetry, prose and drama from the works of major authors of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 301 or instructor permission.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
An introduction to literary analysis, explication de texte involving poetry, prose and drama from works of major authors of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 301; FREN 340 recommended.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
Introduction to literary analysis, explication de texte involving poetry, prose and drama from works of major authors of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 301 or instructor permission.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
French and Francophone cultures as seen in various media. Discussion of aspects of these cultures. Repeatable (for majors only), with different topics up to 10 credits, including original course.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 301 or instructor permission.
Credits: 5
Fourth-Year Courses
Extensive practice in writing and in analyzing grammatical, stylistic and textual forms.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 301 and one from: FREN 340, FREN 341, FREN 342.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
Introduces students to a variety of texts written by women from the Francophone world (North Africa, Africa, French Antilles, etc.), and explores social, cultural and literary topics such as bi- and multiculturalism, native cultures vs. exogenous cultures, colonization, women's writing and condition, attitudes toward France and the French language, and exile and memory reconstruction.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 401; and one course from: FREN 340, FREN 341 or FREN 342.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
Practicum in course preparation, classroom and language laboratory procedures, materials, evaluation and counseling. Repeatable to a maximum of 4 credits, including original course. S/U grading.
Prerequisites & Notes: Written permission and two upper-division French courses.
Credits: 2
Grade Mode: S/U
Discusses the current developments of French in relation to community identity in times of globalization and late modernity. Examines the sociocultural forces that cause language variation and change, as well as people’s attitudes vis à vis French in the Francophone world. Also introduces students to current sociolinguistic research methods.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 314 and FREN 401; and one course from: FREN 340, FREN 341 or FREN 342.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter
Part I: Historical overview of French cinema from 1895 to 1945. Part II: Historical overview of French cinema from 1945 to present.
Prerequisites & Notes: FREN 401 and one of FREN 340, FREN 341 or FREN 342.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter