Undergraduate Program in French
French Studies
The French studies major offers three areas of concentration: linguistics, literature, and culture.
Courses in language and linguistics include history of the French language, structure of the language, sociolinguistics, phonetics, conversation, and business French. Linguistics 3001 (Introduction to Linguistics, offered outside the department) serves as a prerequisite to most French linguistics courses.
Courses in literature and culture focus on topics in three broad historical periods: Middle Ages and Renaissance, Early Modern France, and Modern and Contemporary France. Courses on French cinema are offered, as well as on Francophone literature from Africa, the Caribbean, and Quebec.
Many students combine a French major with another major, or choose to minor in French.
General Requirements and Information for all Majors and Minors
When to Declare
You must formally declare a major within the department before completing the majority of your major course elective requirements.
Grading
A minimum grade of C- is required for all major or minor courses taken as of Fall Semester 1999 (for courses taken previously, the minimum is C), and an overall minimum GPA of 2.00 (C) is required to graduate with the major. Major and minor courses cannot be taken pass/fail (S/N), with the exception of only those study abroad courses referred to as 'integrated' courses.
Equivalency Credit
To receive equivalency credit towards the major or minor for coursework done outside the U of M, you must submit a formal petition to the department.
Courses Taught in English
Courses taught in English are not applicable to the major or minor, with the exception of elective courses for the Italian major or minor and required courses for the combined French-Italian major.
Making Regular Advising Appointments
As a French studies major, you are encouraged to bring a current transcript and meet with your French studies advisor once a semester for a progress check and advice on coursework.
Graduating: Filing a Program Clearance Form
All majors and minors must file an official Program Clearance Form in the appropriate college advising office in order to graduate with a major or minor in French or Italian. You should file it at the college level as soon as you have a specific plan of the courses you will take complete your major or minor.
Preparatory Requirements
- Fren 1001-1004 (Beginning and Intermediate French)
Degree Requirements for the French Studies Major
- Fren 3014 (French Phonetics)
- Fren 3015 (Advanced French Grammar and Communication)
- Fren 3016 (Advanced French Composition and Communication)
- Fren 3101 (Introduction to French Literature)
- One civilization course (Fren 36xx)
- One additional literature course (Fren 31xx-34xx)
- Four electives
- Fren 4101 [Seminar in French Studies (senior project)]
Students must complete a minimum of four upper division major courses in the French department at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Degree Requirements for the French Studies Minor
- Fren 1001-1004 (Beginning and Intermediate French)
- Fren 3015 (French Composition and Communication)
- Fren 3101 (Introduction to French Literature)
- Three additional elective courses
Students must complete a minimum of two upper division major courses in the French department at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Individualized Degree Programs
You may consider creating an individually designed major incorporating components of several major areas through the Individually Designed Interdepartmental Major Program (IDIM) or the Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) Program. For further information, consult with an advisor in the Individualized Degree Programs office (345 Fraser, 612-624-8006, idp@class.cla.umn.edu).
Transfer Credit
If you wish to use credit earned at another institution in the United States or internationally (including study abroad programs) toward your major or minor, you must complete procedures at both college and department levels.
At the college level, you must make arrangements for the credits to appear on a U of M transcript. The Office of the Registrar manages the process for credit transferred from other U.S. institutions; the Office of Admissions is responsible for credit transferred from international institutions. If you studied abroad while enrolled at the U of M, the Learning Abroad Office coordinates procedures for all types of credit.
At the department level, you must petition for courses taken outside the U of M to be used as the equivalent of major or minor requirements. We encourage you to meet with the director of undergraduate studies in the early stages of planning to take courses outside the U of M in order to maximize the likelihood of meeting language or major/minor requirements.
Study Abroad
We strongly encourage all majors and minors to study abroad in a French-speaking area. For program information, visit the Learning Abroad Office.
We sponsor a study abroad program in Montpellier, France that dovetails with departmental requirements. Our on-site program director will provide academic advising. Appropriate courses may be preapproved for the major or minor. This program also offers intensive language courses in a summer session.
Of special interest is an academic-year program for U.S. citizens organized by the French Ministry of Education that offers assistant English-language teaching positions in French schools. Current information is available via the French Embassy.