Courses

A comprehensive introductory course in French through the four basic skills: aural comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. Does not count as credit toward a major or minor. Conducted in French.

A continuation in the development of the four basic skills: aural comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. Does not count as credit toward a major or minor. Conducted in French.

Prerequisite(s): FREN 111.

A completion of an overview of the structure of French. Emphasis placed on developing skills in speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Does not count as credit toward a major or minor. Conducted in French.

Prerequisite(s): FREN 112 or placement.

This course explores how Africa has been portrayed in cinema, with a focus on the shift from colonial myths to contemporary African realities. The course will refine students' French language skills, with an emphasis on pronunciation, listening comprehension, and oral communication. Through the analysis of films by African filmmakers, students will discuss a range of themes such as global issues, health, humanitarian crises, and environmental challenges, while actively developing their ability to communicate in French.

Crosslisting: BLST 220.

This course is intended to refine all aspects of your linguistic skills in French (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), as well as to familiarize you with some aspects of Francophone cultures and histories. Since our main focus will be on speech production, we will pay special attention to pronunciation, formal (i.e., speech/debate/play/presentation) and informal oral communication through language immersion.

Prerequisite(s): FREN 211 or placement.

Training and refining of all skills, with an emphasis on pronunciation and oral communication. Conducted in French. The course topic for the fall 2025 term is "Africa on the Screen". This course surveys the evolution of the visual representations of Africa from colonial depictions to contemporary African perspectives. Through the analysis of a selection of films and music clips, students will engage with themes such as 1/ Constructing the Other, 2/ Reclaiming African Stories, 3/ Migration, Belonging, Cultural Identity in Flux, 4/ Youth, Urban Life & Everyday Realities, 5/ Globalization, Conflict, and Family Bonds, 6/ Gender and Liberation 7/ Environmental Advocacy, and 8/ Afro-futurism. The course emphasizes refining French language skills, with particular attention to pronunciation, listening comprehension, and oral communication. Discussions, debates, and oral presentations will help students develop critical thinking and confidence in expressing complex ideas in French. By the course’s end, students will gain a deeper understanding of Africa’s diverse realities and confidently discuss complex ideas in French.

Prerequisite(s): FREN 211 or placement.

This course will survey francophone identities in North America (Acadians, Cajuns, Francos, i.e., French speakers of New England, Quebecois, French-speaking Canadians outside of Quebec) and the Caribbean (Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe). Although a historical focus will first show that all these francophone identities originally stem from French colonization in North America and the Caribbean, we will discuss how they evolved dramatically differently over the centuries. Some, like Acadians, do not have a territorial or national legal existence; others, like Guadeloupeans and Martinicans, are French citizens, whereas Haitians became an independent nation in 1804. Despite radical differences asserted through centuries, migrations have connected all these societies, be it Acadians deported by the British in 1755 who immigrated to Saint Domingue or Louisiana, or planters from Saint Domingue going to Louisiana during the Haitian revolution, Quebecois going to New England to work in factories in the 20th century or Haitians migrating to Canada or the Antillean in the 20 and 21st centuries.

Prerequisite(s): FREN 220-249 or placement.

This course examines African and diasporic literatures as imaginative responses to systems of power, oppression, and struggles for liberation across the Global Black world. Through oral traditions, poetry, fiction, autobiography, theater, and film, students examine how writers confront the historical forces that have shaped Black lives, including slavery, colonialism, racism, patriarchy, migration, economic exploitation, and state violence. Particular attention is given to movements such as Négritude, Panafricanism, Afrofeminism, and postcolonial thought, highlighting how literature becomes a tool for resistance, memory, and collective dignity. Students analyze how literature constructs identity, challenges oppressive discourses, and imagines alternative futures grounded in justice and solidarity. Assignments emphasize close reading (commentaire composé), oral interpretation, and the application of literary insight to contemporary issues. By the end of the course, students understand literature not only as artistic expression but as a medium through which communities articulate rights, humanity, and visions of equitable societies.

Prerequisite(s): one course from the FREN 250- FREN 279 course range or placement.

A student in good standing may work intensively in areas of special interest under the Directed Study plan. A Directed Study is appropriate when, under the guidance of a faculty member, a student wants to explore a subject more fully than is possible in a regular course or to study a subject not covered in the regular curriculum. A Directed Study should not normally duplicate a course that is regularly offered. Directed Studies are normally taken for 3 or 4 credits. A one-semester Directed Study is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Directed Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

A student in good standing may work intensively in areas of special interest under the Directed Study plan. A Directed Study is appropriate when, under the guidance of a faculty member, a student wants to explore a subject more fully than is possible in a regular course or to study a subject not covered in the regular curriculum. A Directed Study should not normally duplicate a course that is regularly offered. Directed Studies are normally taken for 3 or 4 credits. A one-semester Directed Study is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Directed Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

Independent Study engages a student in the pursuit of clearly defined goals. In this effort, a student may employ skills and information developed in previous course experiences or may develop some mastery of new knowledge or skills. A proposal for an Independent Study project must be approved in advance by the faculty member who agrees to serve as the project advisor. Note: Independent Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

Independent Study engages a student in the pursuit of clearly defined goals. In this effort, a student may employ skills and information developed in previous course experiences or may develop some mastery of new knowledge or skills. A proposal for an Independent Study project must be approved in advance by the faculty member who agrees to serve as the project advisor. Note: Independent Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

This course proposes the study of texts of French expression (taken in the broad definition, including the written text, film, music) through a theme such as Childhood Narratives in Francophone Caribbean Literature, Women Voices in Francophone Africa, Literary Children of the French Revolution, French Gastronomy, Maghrebi Immigration to France, Gide, etc. Conducted in French. This course satisfies the upper-level writing requirement.

Prerequisite(s): FREN 320-349.

This one-credit course allows our graduating majors to showcase the knowledge, skills, and growth they have achieved over four years of studying French and various cultures of the French-speaking world. Students integrate academic learning with experiences outside the classroom, such as study abroad, internships, research, tutoring, and community engagement, through a comprehensive portfolio. The course emphasizes professional preparation (CVs, interviews, etc.), critical analysis (literary analytical essay, current news presentation, etc.), and language proficiency (STAMP testing). It concludes with a summative reflection video providing students with an opportunity to articulate their intellectual journey, professional readiness, and future aspirations.

Prerequisite(s): Open to senior FREN majors only or by consent of the instructor.

Students may enroll in Senior Research in their final year at Denison. Normally, Senior Research requires a major thesis, report, or project in the student's field of concentration and carries eight semester-hours of credit for the year. Typically, a final grade for a year-long Senior Research will not be assigned until the completion of the year-long Senior Research at the end of the second semester. Each semester of Senior Research is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Senior Research may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

Students may enroll in Senior Research in their final year at Denison. Normally, Senior Research requires a major thesis, report, or project in the student's field of concentration and carries eight semester-hours of credit for the year. Typically, a final grade for a year-long Senior Research will not be assigned until the completion of the year-long Senior Research at the end of the second semester. Each semester of Senior Research is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Senior Research may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.