• About French at Bucknell
• Faculty and Staff
• Major and Minor Requirements
• ›  Course Offerings

• Facilities and Resources
• Scholarships, Prizes and Awards
• Alumni Stories
• What's Happening

• Bucknell en France
• Fast Facts

French Course Descriptions

101.  Discovering French (Elementary level I) (I; 4, 0)
Beginning language skills. Practice in listening, speaking, reading, and writing; elementary grammar; and introduction to French civilization. Prerequisite: no more than two years of secondary school French or permission of the instructor.

102.  Exploring French (Elementary level II) (I and II; 4, 0)
Continuation of language skills. Practice in listening, speaking, reading, and writing; grammar; readings in literature and civilization. Prerequisite: FREN 101 or one year of secondary school French.

103.  Building Proficiency in French (Intermediate level I) (I and II; 4, 0)
A review of basic grammar emphasizing all four language skills and culture. Prerequisite: FREN 102 or equivalent (three years of secondary school French).

104.  Communicating in Context (Intermediate level II) (I and II; 4, 0)
Continuing review of basic grammar emphasizing all four language skills and culture. Prerequisite: FREN 103 or four years of secondary school French.

150.  ĽEcriture fantastique (I and II; 3, 0)
Application of major linguistic functions and acquisition of skills essential for 200-level courses through a series of contextualized writing assignments. Prerequisite: FREN 104 or five years of secondary school French.

201.  202. Intermediate French Conversation I and II (I and II; R; 2, 0) Half courses.
Not open to students who have studied in France or other French-speaking countries. Concentration on development of speaking skill. Conducted entirely in French by native speaker. Intended for students enrolled in 200-level courses. Prerequisite: FREN 104 or FREN 150 or equivalent. (Cannot be applied toward the French major or minor)

230.  French Literature I (I; 3, 0)
Introduction to French literature from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution. Provides an introduction to literary history and to methods of critical reading. A comprehensive survey. Prerequisite: FREN 150.

231.  French Literature II (II; 3, 0)
Introduction to history of French literature of the 19th century to the present and to methods of literary analysis. Prerequisite: FREN 150.

236.  Topics in Francophone Literature and Culture (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Study of the literature, language, geography, history, music, and film of a particular Francophone region (French Caribbean, Quebec, West Africa, Maghreb, etc.). Prerequisite: FREN 150.

255.  Introduction to French Cinema (I or II; 3, 0)
Introduction to French cinema from a cultural and historical perspective. Students will familiarize themselves with major cinematic movements and with methods of critical reading. The course also includes discussions of the relationships between film, literature, and other visual arts. Prerequisite: FREN 150.

270.  La France actuelle (I or II; 3, 0)
Introduction to contemporary France from historical, sociological, anthropological, and symbolic perspectives. The study of French attitudes, lifestyles, conceptions of society, social and political structures, and of France and French in a post-colonial context. Prerequisite: FREN 150.

271.  La France artistique (I or II; 3, 0)
Introduction to French music, literature, and fine arts from the Middle Ages to the present. Focus on selected artists, writers, and musicians from each period. Provides a comprehensive survey. Prerequisite: FREN 150.

275.  French Economy and Business Culture (II; 3, 2)
In-depth study of the language, culture, politics, and economic climate of business in France. Preparation for further study of management and internships in France. Prerequisite: FREN 150.

295.  Topics in French Studies (I or II) Half to full course.
Topics vary but permit study of one or several subjects in French or Francophone literature, culture, and civilization. Prerequisites: FREN 150 and permission of the instructor.

301.  302. Advanced French Conversation I and II (I and II; 2, 0) Half courses.
Advanced conversation for students who have studied in France or other French-speaking countries. Conducted entirely in French by native speaker. May not be taken by native speakers of French. (Cannot be applied toward the French major or minor)

322.  Medieval and Renaissance Studies (I or II; 3, 0)
Examination of the literature of the medieval and Renaissance periods emphasizing the analysis of themes, ideas, and styles as well as cultural and historical contexts. Prerequisite: FREN 230 or permission of the instructor.

324.  Seventeenth-Century Studies (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Topics deal with aspects of Louis XIV's classical aesthetic. Examination and analysis of its literary, artistic, and cultural manifestations, its socio-political and philosophical underpinnings, and its counter-culture: the salon tradition. Prerequisite: FREN 230 or permission of the instructor.

325.  Eighteenth-Century Studies (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Topics vary, but deal with aspects of the literary, artistic, and intellectual manifestations of the decline of the Ancient Regime and the liberation of thought initiated by the pre-Revolutionary philosophies. Prerequisite: FREN 230 or permission of the instructor.

326.  Nineteenth-Century Studies (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Topics vary, but inevitably focus on the interaction of Romantic imagination and Realist observation that characterizes the 19th century in France. Prerequisite: FREN 231 or permission of the instructor.

327.  Twentieth-Century Studies (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Topics vary and could focus on a period, a genre, a group of writers, or a theme from the 20th or 21st century. Prerequisite: FREN 231 or permission of the instructor.

330.  Topics in Literature (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Advanced study of themes or topics in French or Francophone literature. Prerequisite: FREN 230, FREN 231 or permission of the instructor.

336.  Francophone Africa (AI or AII; 3, 0)
Study of literature, film, politics, and society of Francophone Africa. Prerequisite: FREN 230, FREN 231, FREN 235, FREN 236, FREN 270, or FREN 271.

370.  Topics in Civilization (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Advanced study in themes, topics, or periods in French or Francophone history or civilization. Prerequisite: FREN 270 or permission of the instructor.

371.  Topics in the Arts (I or II; R; 3, 0)
Advanced study in themes, topics, or periods of French art history. Prerequisite: FREN 271 or permission of the instructor.

390.  Independent Study (I and II; R) Half to full course.
Subject to be selected by student in consultation with the instructor. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

395.  Seminar in French Studies (I and II; R; 3, 0)
Topics vary, but permit detailed study of any one of innumerable subjects in French literature and civilization. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.