French
Major
Majors take 11 to 15 courses beyond the introductory level, including junior and senior Independent Study.
All majors are required to take:
Students interested in language should include Applied Linguistics and
Translation and Stylistics in their major. Students who prefer the
civilization and literature focus should take courses from the
historical studies sequence - the Middle Ages and Renaissance and the
seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries - that
focus on the relationship of literature to its cultural context and of
the past to contemporary concerns. Those interested in graduate study
in French should include courses in several periods.
A major in French should be complemented by courses concerning France, Western Europe, Canada, or West Africa in other departments. The department also supports students who wish to double major or to combine a minor in French with a major in another related area. In recent years, students have combined a French major with majors in Anthropology, Art History, Comparative Literature, English, History, International Relations, Political Science, Religious Studies, Sociology, Spanish, and Studio Art.
The department also provides a range of electives which offer each
student the opportunity to pursue individual interests within the
program of the major. Recent courses of particular interest include
Studies in the Eighteenth Century: Reading, Writing, and Viewing
Revolution; Twentieth Century Fiction and Film; and Standard and
Variation in French Dialects.
For those who are interested in French as preparation for careers in international business, Wooster offers an integrated program of study that combines a French major with the interdisciplinary minor in International Business Economics. In alternate years, French 224 is taught as "Le Française des Affaires" with a focus on business operations and the language of business in France. Contact the chair of the French Department for more information.
Students who wish to prepare for careers teaching French at the secondary level may obtain licensure to teach in Ohio through the College's Education program.
Student Learning Goals (Major)
- Language Proficiency: Students will demonstrate proficiency in speaking, reading, writing, and listening comprehension.
- Content Knowledge: Students will demonstrate historical, linguistic, and literary knowledge of France and the Francophone world.
- Cultural Awareness: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the social and cultural traditions of France and the Francophone world.
- Critical Thinking: Students will demonstrate the ability to develop, organize, and articulate a critical analysis within areas of content and cultural knowledge.
As an initial step toward the establishment of a Major Portfolio to assist with departmental assessment, in the semester in which the major is declared, students will write a one-page statement in French stating why they have chosen to major in French; whether they have a particular interest within the field of French Studies; and how they think knowledge of French language and culture might be useful in the future.