Spring 2011

SPRING 2011 EXPANDED COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

 

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LOWER-DIVISION COURSES
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FRENCH 1: Elementary French (5 Units)
Supervisor: Eric Russell Webb, Assistant Professor (&#101russell

@ucdavis.edu)

Description: Presentation of the basic grammar and vocabulary of French as well as cultural information about the French-speaking world (textbook chapters 1 to 6); in-class interactive exercises and out-of-class assignments for practice in using the language for listening and reading comprehension, writing, and speaking. French is the exclusive means of communication in class. The course meets five hours per week, with 20-25 students per section. Course materials (other than the textbook and workbook) and daily homework assignments are available through SmartSite.

Prerequisite: No previous study of French is assumed. Students who have never studied French (or who have had fewer than two years of French in high school and do not place into French 2) should enroll in French 1. Students with two or more years of French in high school may only take this course for a Pass/ No Pass grade.

Course Grade: The final grade for the course will be determined by daily preparation and participation (14%), homework (12%), three quizzes (15%), one major composition (10%), three in-class exams (30%), and a final exam (19%).

Textbooks:

• E. Amon, J.A. Muyskens, and A.C. Omaggio Hadley, Vis-a-vis: Beginning French, 5th Edition (Textbook)
• E. Amon, J. Muyskens, and A.C. Omaggio Hadley, Vis-a-vis: Beginning French, 5th Edition (ONLINE Workbook/Laboratory Manual - requires an access card)

 

FRENCH 2: Elementary French (5 Units)
Supervisor: Eric Russell Webb, Assistant Professor (&#101russell

@ucdavis.edu)

Description: Presentation of the basic grammar and vocabulary of French as well as cultural information about the French-speaking world (textbook chapters 7 to 11); in-class interactive exercises and out-of-class assignments for practice in using the language for listening and reading comprehension, writing, and speaking. French is the exclusive means of communication in class. The course meets five hours per week, with 20-25 students per section. Course materials (other than the textbook and workbook) and daily homework assignments are available through SmartSite.

Course Grade: The final grade for the course will be determined by daily preparation and participation (14%), homework (10%), three quizzes (15%), one major composition (10%), two in-class exams (25%), a final oral exam (6%), and a final written exam (20%).

Prerequisite: French 1 or Language Placement Exam (Any student, regardless of previous experience studying French, may take this course for a letter or Pass/ No Pass grade.)

Textbooks:

• E. Amon, J.A. Muyskens, and A.C. Omaggio Hadley, Vis-a-vis: Beginning French, 4th Edition (Textbook)
• E. Amon, J. Muyskens, and A.C. Omaggio Hadley, Vis-a-vis: Beginning French, 4th Edition(Workbook/Laboratory Manual)

 

FRENCH 3: Elementary French (5 Units)
Supervisor: Eric Russell Webb, Assistant Professor (&#101russell

@ucdavis.edu)

Description: Presentation of the basic grammar and vocabulary of French as well as cultural information about the French-speaking world (textbook chapters 12 to 16); in-class interactive exercises and out-of-class assignments for practice in using the language for listening and reading comprehension, writing, and speaking. French is the exclusive means of communication in class. The course meets five hours per week, with 20-25 students per section. Course materials (other than the textbook and workbook) and daily homework assignments are available through SmartSite.

Course Grade: The final grade for the course will be determined by daily preparation and participation (14%), homework (10%), three quizzes (15%), one major composition (10%), two in-class exams (25%), a final oral exam (6%), and a final written exam (20%).

Prerequisite: French 2 or Language Placement Exam (Any student, regardless of previous experience studying French, may take this course for a letter or Pass/ No Pass grade.)

Textbooks:

• E. Amon, J.A. Muyskens, and A.C. Omaggio Hadley, Vis-a-vis: Beginning French, 4th Edition (Textbook)
• E. Amon, J. Muyskens, and A.C. Omaggio Hadley, Vis-a-vis: Beginning French, 4th Edition(Workbook/Laboratory Manual)

 

FRENCH 21: Intermediate French (5 Units)
Supervisor: Julia Simon, Professor (&#106simon

@ucdavis.edu)

Description: Presentation and analysis of the cultures of the French-speaking world (Paris, Quebec, Tahiti, Lyon, Northern Africa) and comparison to home culture; review of the basic grammar presented in first-year French; expansion of vocabulary related to city living, history/geography, the arts, food/cooking, and family life (textbook chapters 1 to 5). In-class presentations and activities, as well as out-of-class assignments, are conducted solely in French and focus on the development of listening and reading comprehension, writing, and speaking skills. The course meets four hours per week, plus an additional hour of independent web-based work, with 20-25 students per section. Course materials (other than the textbook and workbook) and daily homework assignments are available through SmartSite.

Course Grade: The final grade for the course will be determined by daily preparation and participation, homework, and one in-class composition per chapter (5 x 13% = 85%), an oral final exam (5%), and a written final exam (10%).

Prerequisite: French 3 or Language Placement Exam (Any student, regardless of previous experience studying French, may take this course for a letter or Pass/ No Pass grade.)

Textbook:

• M. Oates and J. Dubois, Personnages: An Intermediate Course in French Language and Francophone Culture (4th Edition)

 

FRENCH 22: Intermediate French (5 Units)
Supervisor: Julia Simon, Professor (&#106simon

@ucdavis.edu)

Description: Presentation and analysis of the cultures of the French-speaking world (Senegal, Martinique, Geneva, Strasbourg, Brussels) and comparison to home culture; review of the basic grammar presented in first-year French; expansion of vocabulary related to commerce, tourism, sports and leisure, politics, and modern technology (textbook chapters 6 to 10). In-class presentations and activities, as well as out-of-class assignments, are conducted solely in French and focus on the development of listening and reading comprehension, writing, and speaking skills. The course meets four hours per week, plus an additional hour of independent web-based work, with 25 students per section. Course materials (other than the textbook and workbook) and daily homework assignments are available through SmartSite.

Course Grade: The final grade for the course will be determined by daily preparation and participation, homework, and one in-class composition per chapter (5 x 13% = 85%), an oral final exam (5%), and a written final exam (10%).

Prerequisite: French 21 or Language Placement Exam (Any student, regardless of previous experience studying French, may take this course for a letter or Pass/ No Pass grade.)

Textbook:

• M. Oates and J. Dubois, Personnages: An Intermediate Course in French Language and Francophone Culture (4th Edition).

 

FRENCH 23: Intermediate French (5 Units)
Supervisor: Melissa Stem, Lecturer (&#109stem

@ucdavis.edu)

Description: The goals in this course are to advance your comprehension and use of the French language, with a particular focus on writing skills. Structured reading, analysis, discussion and writing assignments will enable you to increase your vocabulary, improve your oral and aural proficiency, solidify your mastery of grammatical structures, and develop greater ease and sophistication in written and spoken expression.

Prerequisite: French 22 or Language Placement Exam (Any student, regardless of previous experience studying French, may take this course for a letter or Pass/ No Pass grade.)

Text: Materials available through SmartSite.

 

 

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UPPER-DIVISION COURSES
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FRENCH 100: Composition in French (4 Units)

Melissa Stem, Lecturer
(MWF 9:00-9:50, 293 Kerr)
CRN 35036

Description: The primary goal at this level is to introduce you to the study of literature in French, which consists of two related introductions: to literature written in French and also to the critical study of literature. The first consists of reading a variety of texts written in French in different genres over a vast time span. The second consists of giving you certain tools and enabling you to develop interpretative and analytical skills that you use to understand better the texts we are reading (and others!) and to articulate your ideas about the texts in a clear and persuasive manner. This is where French class becomes literature class (i.e., the focus is on the literature and thus its language, but not the foreignness of the language). The guiding focus of the course is the concept of education. What is it? Who needs it? How is it best undertaken? When and how do we learn? What can education accomplish? Why has it been important to so many people for so long?

Prerequisite: French 23.

Texts:

• Course materials available through SmartSite
• Alice Kaplan, French Lessons (Univ. of Chicago, 1994)

 

FRENCH 108: Modern French Culture (4 Units)

Guillaume Peureux, Associate Professor
(MWF 11:00-11:50, 101 Olson)
CRN 53106

Description: This course is a survey of modern French culture from the early 20th century to the present day. Topics will include for instance the Dreyfus affair, the First World War, the Front populaire, the Algerian war of independence, May 1968, the condition of women. This course has two different goals: 1) to provide a broad understanding of contemporary France and French culture; 2) to improve analytical skills. Materials will include movies, pictures, literary texts and comic book. There will be two home works (20% + 20%), one in-class test (20%) and a final exam (30%) - attendance and participation (10%).

Prerequisite: French 100.

Texts:

• A Course Reader

 

FRENCH 128: Topics in French Culture: The Francophone World: Language in its Social Context (4 Units)

Eric Russell, Assistant Professor
(TR 10:30-11:50, 1020 Wickson)
CRN 53109

Description: In this course, we will be exploring the French language in its social contexts. Topics include:

• The geographic and political situation of French
• How French came to be used outside of Europe
• The statuses of French (and other language) in the Francophone world
• The functions of French vis-à-vis other languages in the Francophone world
• Regional and social variation

 

Although the course reading is in English (for want of a better text), all discussion and writing will be in French. A secondary goal of the class is to improve writing skills, with a focus on the rhetoric and stylistics in human and social sciences.

Grading:

• Quizzes (P/NP - unannounced; lowest dropped): 20%
• Papers (2; may be redone for increased grade): 40%
• Final Project, preliminary description: 5%
• Final Project, outline + bibliography: 5%
• Final Project, presentation: 5%
• Final Project, paper: 25%

 

Prerequisite: French 100.

Texts:

• Rodney Ball, The French Speaking World: A Practical Introduction to Sociolinguistic Issues (Routledge)
• Course materials available through SmartSite

 

FRENCH 141: Topics in the French Literature: Autobiography and Childhood (4 Units)

Jeff Fort, Assistant Professor
(TR 12:10-1:30, 1038 Wickson)
CRN 35041

Description: This course will explore a selection of autobiographical works (books and films) from the second half of the twentieth century focusing especially on childhood. What are the reasons that drive an author to recount his or her own childhood? What does childhood have to do with the need to write (to recount)? How is it possible to make a fictional film based on one's childhood? What are the politics of childhood? Alongside many of the issues often associated with childhood (conflict and play, rebellion and obedience, freedom from and restriction by the adult world), we will also ask about the importance of guilt, shame, and regret in the production of these narratives.

Films that will be viewed in the class:

• François Truffaut, 400 coups
• Louis Malle, Au revoir les enfants
• Jean Vigo, Zéro de conduite

 

Prerequisite: French 100.

Texts:

• Nathalie Sarraute, Enfance
• Annie Ernaux, La honte

 

 

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GRADUATE COURSES
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FRENCH 204: Topics in Medieval Literature (4 Units)

Noah Guynn, Associate Professor
(T 2:10-5:00, 263 Olson)
CRN 53108

Description: Medieval romance has traditionally been defined as the narrative expression of utopian longings, and therefore as an attempt to escape history through idealization. However, while romances may be fundamentally escapist in nature, they are never actually divorced from the social and political contexts in which they were written and read. This course will examine the emergence of romance in France and England in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries alongside the rise of Anglo-Norman and Capetian ruling families, and will ask questions about the relationship between imaginative literature and state formation in this period. The overarching goal of the course will be to investigate the ways in which romance uses normative codes of behavior, formal literary structures, and fantastic motifs and themes in order to establish and enforce an ethics and politics for the feudal elite.

Readings for the course will include five romances in Old French (or Anglo-Norman) and one in Old Occitan. Students will write a term paper and will do an oral presentation on a recent publication (monograph or edited volume) in romance studies. All texts will be available in English translation, and no knowledge of French is required.

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing.

Texts:

• Aimé Petit, Le roman d'Enéas
• Chretién de Troyes, Cligès
• Collet and Joris, Partonopeu de Blois