Degree Requirements
Information presented from the 2026 - 2027 Academic Catalog.
Departmental Guidelines and Mission Statement
The Department of Modern Languages brings the world to our students and offers opportunities for them to forge human connections, engage with difference, and develop cultural and linguistic competency. In doing so, students fundamentally transform their relationship to the world around them by learning to think and speak from another viewpoint. By studying the languages and cultural production of other global societies, students develop skills for critical analysis, unlock creative potential, and discover new possibilities within themselves. Sustained study in one of our languages helps students maximize their study abroad experience so their acquired linguistic and cultural competency enhances the breadth and depth of options in their professional portfolio. Modern Languages prepares students to connect, work, and thrive in a global world.
Our basic courses offer the opportunity to begin acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary for the eventual mastery of a language. When students take full advantage of that opportunity, they can use the target language in all subsequent courses. The department emphasizes the use of the target language in most of its courses because students can best appreciate another culture from within its own mode of expression.
With a view toward career opportunities, the department encourages integrating language study with a variety of other academic areas, such as history, philosophy, international studies, sustainability and environmental studies, biology, economics, politics and public affairs, global commerce, global health, and English. Courses in cultural studies and literature, aside from their intrinsic worth, also present multiple perspectives on other cultures and areas of intellectual experience.
A student who wants to spend a summer, a semester, or a year abroad with programs approved by Denison should consult members of the department and the Center for Global Programs (see Off-Campus Programs). On-campus opportunities to improve command of the language are provided by language tables, international films, club meetings, and similar activities sponsored by the department. There are also subsidized field trips to museums and pertinent activities in cities across the country, and in some cases, international travel.
French Major
Major Requirements
Students majoring in French must take a minimum of nine courses.
Core
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 211 | Intermediate French |
Conversation and Pronunciation (fulfill ONE)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 220-229 Francophone Film in Africa: French Conversation and Pronunciation | |
| FREN 230-239 Francophone Film in the Americas: French Conversation and Pronunciation | |
| FREN 240-249 Cinema for French Conversation and Pronunciation | |
Introduction to Culture (fulfill ONE)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 250-259 Intro to Francophone Cultures: Africa & Le Monde Noir | |
| FREN 260-269 Intro to Francophone Cultures: North America & the Caribbean | |
| FREN 270-279 Intro to Francophone Cultures: Europe & French Overseas Departments | |
Engaging with the Francophone World (fulfill TWO)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 320-329 Francophone Africa & Le Monde Noir | |
| FREN 330-339 Francophone North America & The Caribbean | |
| FREN 340-349 Francophone Europe and French Overseas Departments | |
Electives (fulfill THREE)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 350-359 Special Topics in Francophone Africa & Le Monde Noir | |
| FREN 360-369 Special Topics in Francophone North America & The Caribbean | |
| FREN 370-379 Special Topics in Francophone Europe & French Overseas Departments | |
Directed and Independent Studies (361-364) will not be applied as electives without prior permission from the French Language Department Chair.
Senior Experience
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 400 | Senior Experience |
Minor Requirements
Students minoring in French must take six courses.
Core
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 211 | Intermediate French |
Conversation and Pronunciation (fulfill ONE)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 220-229 Francophone Film in Africa: French Conversation and Pronunciation | |
| FREN 230-239 Francophone Film in the Americas: French Conversation and Pronunciation | |
| FREN 240-249 Cinema for French Conversation and Pronunciation | |
Introduction to Culture (fulfill ONE)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 250-259 Intro to Francophone Cultures: Africa & Le Monde Noir | |
| FREN 260-269 Intro to Francophone Cultures: North America & the Caribbean | |
| FREN 270-279 Intro to Francophone Cultures: Europe & French Overseas Departments | |
Engaging with the Francophone World (fulfill TWO)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 320-329 Francophone Africa & Le Monde Noir | |
| FREN 330-339 Francophone North America & The Caribbean | |
| FREN 340-349 Francophone Europe and French Overseas Departments | |
Electives (fulfill ONE)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FREN 350-359 Special Topics in Francophone Africa & Le Monde Noir | |
| FREN 360-369 Special Topics in Francophone North America & The Caribbean | |
| FREN 370-379 Special Topics in Francophone Europe & French Overseas Departments | |
Directed and Independent Studies (361-364) will not be applied as electives without prior permission from the French Language Department Chair.
Additional Points of Interest
The Language Lab
An important asset of the department is the Language Lab with its 27 Macs, zone-free Blu-ray player and document camera. It also has a VIA Connect PRO which is a wireless collaboration and presentation solution that makes sharing and presenting easier for all computers in the room. The lab provides support for learning activities outside and inside the classroom, ranging from grammar drills to research and collaborative writing projects, as well as discussions of authentic materials published on the Internet. The area is designed not only for individualized instruction but also for group work and small seminars that use a variety of digital materials for class discussion.
General Department Regulations
Students planning to major in the department are advised to begin course work in the first year. Those who wish to fulfill the basic requirement in language by continuing one begun in secondary school will find it advantageous to begin their course work in the first year. Whether students satisfy the language requirement by continuing with their secondary-school language or by taking up a new language, the Department of Modern Languages strongly recommends that students complete their language requirement by the end of their sophomore year.
Cultural Enrichment
Each semester the department offers students exceptional opportunities for cultural enrichment in language study. These opportunities include, for example, off-campus trips to target-culture plays, movies and performances, as well as campus visits by native scholars and performers. In that way, experiences in target cultures become more readily available to our students. These opportunities are made possible through a most generous endowment bestowed on the Department of Modern Languages by the Patty Foresman Fund. The department maintains a Modern Languages Facebook page where Denison community members can view upcoming events.
The Foresman Lounge
Located in the central hub of the department, the lounge provides the Denison community with a space for a wide range of activities such as receptions, classes, and informal gatherings. This area has a kitchenette with a table and chairs for sharing lunch or a coffee with our faculty as well as mobile soft seating for easy reconfiguration of the space. It is also equipped with a wide range of technological devices to enrich our students’ learning experiences. This room has a 52-inch flat screen TV connected to a webcam, zone-free Blu-ray player and a document camera. The lounge also has a ceiling-mounted laser projector that connects to a networked Mac computer, the Blu-ray player and a VIA for wireless connection to the data projector.
