French Language Courses | Literature and Culture Courses
Without language, one cannot hope to talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their history or savour their songs.
—Nelson Mandela, 1995
French Language Courses
The goal of all French language courses is to develop your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in French in a low-stress, dynamic classroom. Lessons are conducted in French in order to immerse you in the language. One of the primary objectives of the course is to increase your awareness of the multicultural nature of the French-speaking world. For example, we typically watch a film in French, learn songs, and enjoy food from Francophone countries.
The goal of each lesson is to provide maximum contact with the French language and numerous opportunities to express yourself in French. Our textbook provides interactive peer activities, readings, and grammatical explanations (in English), as well as authentic cultural materials (photos, brochures, pictures, menus, etc.). A typical lesson will consist of comprehensible teacher presentations, question and answer interactions, and communicative activities, often done in pairs or in groups. Every effort is made to help create a close-knit classroom environment, where you will feel comfortable trying out new things in order to experience the language in a tangible, personal way.
FRE 101 Elementary French I
This course gets you hearing and speaking French from the first day! An introductory course with emphasis on development of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills. For students who have had no French or one year of high school French. 4 CR
FRE 102 Elementary French II
Continuation of FRE 101. Emphasis on development of listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing skills. Prerequisite: FRE 101 OR a minimum score of 70% on the French Placement Test OR permission of instructor. 4 CR
FRE 103 Conversational French for Everyone
This course is a favorite for a wide range of speakers, because it is a small time commitment and a lot of fun! We meet once a week for an hour. This informal, multilevel course seeks to connect UMA students with French speakers in the broader Augusta community. The syllabus is tailored to the interests, needs, and abilities of the class members: it doesn't matter if you are just putting two words together or if you are well on your way to learning French (or re-awakening your French)! Your language skills are reinforced while you learn more about Francophone culture. There are no tests or quizzes; it simply is a class for the joy of learning French. Authentic cultural materials, such as art, film, food, advertising, websites, travel guides and music are incorporated into the curriculum to highlight aspects of Francophone cultures. The content for this course changes each semester, and it can be taken more than once for credit. 1 CR
FRE 203 Intermediate French I
An intermediate course for further development of speaking fluency, listening comprehension, and reading and writing skills. Includes a review of grammatical structures, literary and cultural readings, and discussions in French. Prerequisite: FRE 102 OR 2 years of high school French. 4 CR
FRE 204 Intermediate French II
Continuation of FRE 203. An intermediate course for further development of speaking fluency, listening comprehension, and reading and writing skills. Includes a review of grammatical structures, literary and cultural readings, and discussions in French, with a focus on cinema. Prerequisite: FRE 102 OR 3 years of high school French. 4 CR
FRE 305 Intermediate French III
Continuation of FRE204. An intermediate course for further development of speaking fluency, listening comprehension, and reading and writing skills. Includes a review of grammatical structures, literary and cultural readings, and discussions in French. Prerequisite: FRE204 or POA. 4CR
FRE 306 Intermediate French IV
Continuation of FRE305. An intermediate course for further development of speaking fluency, listening comprehension, and reading and writing skills. Includes a review of grammatical structures, literary and cultural readings, films, and discussions in French. Prerequisite: FRE305 or POA. 4CR
Independent studies can be arranged for students who wish to undertake service-learning projects or for students who are preparing to teach French.
Literature and Culture Courses
HUM 350W Franco-Americans: Cultural Identity in Context
This course offers the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of Franco-American New England from sociolinguistic, historical, and literary perspectives. Students will be encouraged to think about cultural identity in general, and to personalize the course by reflecting on their own background and identity. Prerequisite: ENG102 OR permission of instructor.
ENG 340 Francophone Literature
Students will explore the historical and aesthetic evolution of Francophone literature. In the past, we have read works from of North Africa (Algeria), the Caribbean (Guadeloupe and Martinique), and North America (Canada). The class will examine the socio-political framework of colonization and decolonization for each work as well a variety of literary traditions. The role of France and its relationship with the people and countries of the Francophone world will also be discussed. This course is taught in English. Prerequisite: ENG 102 or POI.
