Academic Programs
The Department offers five majors, French Language and Literature; French Language, Society and Culture; Romance Languages; Francophone Studies; and French and Linguistics. The requirements for these majors are set forth in the College
of Arts and Science Bulletin. Qualified students may take part
in the Department's honors program, which culminates in the writing
of a senior thesis under the supervision of a faculty member.
Students majoring in French are encouraged to spend time studying
in France. Students are also encouraged to seek out internships
that would allow them to use their knowledge of French in a professional
setting.
Admission to the program: The prerequisite for admission to the program is a satisfactory
knowledge of the French language. This is normally interpreted
as the satisfactory completion of V45.0030 with the grade of C
or better. In addition, students planning to major in French studies
(program 1 or 2) must have successfully completed V45.0115 or
V45.0163 prior to being admitted to the program. Independent studies
and internships do not count toward the French major, except when
taken as part of the honors program in French studies, or with
special permission of the department. Transfer students must complete
at least five of the nine courses required for the French major
at the College or at New York University in Paris. All majors
must register with the department and consult a departmental adviser
prior to any registration.
Note: No grade lower than C may be counted toward the major. The overall
grade point average in French courses must be 2.5 or above.
Programs of study: Qualified students may choose one of five programs of study.
They may concentrate in French language and literature; French language, society, and culture; Francophone studies; Romance languages; or French
and linguistics.
Program 1. Emphasis on French language and literature: Nine courses beyond V45.0030. This plan of study normally consists
of three courses in advanced language (e.g., V45.0101, V45.0102,
V45.0105, V45.0106, V45.0107, V45.0109, V45.0110); four courses
in literature (including V45.0115 and at least one advanced course
in literature prior to 1800); one course in civilization; and
the senior seminar. With departmental approval, a student may
substitute one cognate course appropriate to his or her plan of
study. Such cognate courses may be drawn from among the advanced
undergraduate courses offered by the department or from the list
of French graduate courses open to seniors. For general requirements,
please see Graduate Courses Open to Undergraduates, under Courses.
Program 2. Emphasis on French language, society, and culture: Nine courses beyond V45.0030. This plan of study normally consists
of three courses in advanced language (e.g., V45.0101, V45.0102,
V45.0105, V45.0106, V45.0107, V45.0109, or V45.0110); four courses
in civilization (including V45.0163 and V45.0164); one course in literature;
and the senior seminar. With departmental approval, a student
may substitute one cognate course appropriate to his or her plan
of study. The cognate course may be drawn from among the advanced
undergraduate courses offered by the department; from departments
and programs such as anthropology, economics, fine arts, history,
Medieval and Renaissance studies, music, politics, and sociology;
or from the list of French graduate courses and the courses offered
in the Institute of French Studies open to seniors. For general requirements, please see Graduate
Courses Open to Undergraduates under Courses.
Program 3. Emphasis on Francophone studies: Nine courses beyond V45.0030. This plan of study normally consists of three courses in advanced language (e.g. V45.0101, V45.0102, V45.0105, V45.0106, V45.0107, V45.0109, V45.0110); four courses in Francophone studies; one course in French literature or civilization; and the senior seminar. With departmental approval, a student may substitute one cognate course appropriate to his or her plan of study. Such cognate courses may be drawn from anong the advanced undergraduate courses offered by the department or from the list of French graduate courses open to seniors. For general requirements, please see Graduate
Courses Open to Undergraduates under Courses.
Program 4. Romance language major: Nine courses distributed between two languages-a combination
of either French-Spanish, French-Italian, or Spanish-Italian.
The major consists of (1) and (2) one conversation course in each
of the two languages (V45.0101 or V45.0102 and V95.0101); (3)
and (4) one composition course in each of the two languages (V45.0105
or V45.0106 and V95.0106); (5) and (6) one masterpieces of literature
course or one civilization course in each of the two languages
(V45.0115, V45.0163, or V45.0164 and V95.0811, V95.0815, V95.0762,
or V95.0261); and (7), (8), and (9) three upper-level language
or literature courses in a combination of the two languages.
Note: The same general requirements will be followed for French-Italian
and Spanish-Italian. See Department of Italian listings for specific
course requirements and prerequisites in Italian.
There are six required courses in a combination of conversation,
composition, and a masterpieces of literature or civilization
in each language. The last three upper-level literature or language
courses may be chosen freely. According to these requirements,
the distribution of courses should be four in one language and
five in the other.
Program 5. Major in French and linguistics: Eight courses beyond V45.0030 and V61.0001, respectively. This
plan of study normally consists of the following courses: one
course in Spoken Contemporary French (V45.0101 or V45.0102); one
course in advanced written French (V45.0105, V45.0106, V45.0107,
or V45.0110); and two courses in French literature (in French)
to be determined in consultation with the director of undergraduate
studies. The linguistics part of this major may be satisfied by
taking one course (beyond V61.0001) in each of the following four
areas: phonetics/phonology, syntax, historical linguistics, and
sociolinguistics.
A student who fulfills the French major’s requirements (excluding the romance languages and linguistics tracks) may fulfill the contents area of the requirements for certification to teach French in New York State junior or senior high schools. State certification also requires courses in pedagogy and fieldwork, offered by the Steinhardt School of Education (http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/teacheredportal/).
Minor
All students who wish to minor in the Department of French must
register with the department and consult a departmental adviser
prior to any registration.
Programs of study: Students may choose one of four programs of
study. They may minor in French studies, French literature in
translation, literature in translation, or Francophone studies.
If you wish to declare a French minor but you are not in the College of Arts & Sciences, you must obtain a Minor Declaration Form from your school or major department and bring it to your advisor meeting in the French Department.
1. French studies: Four courses conducted in French. This minor normally consists
of four courses above the intermediate level to be determined
in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. No grade lower than C counts toward this minor.
2. French literature in translation: Four courses in French literature in translation offered by
the department, to be determined in consultation with the director
of undergraduate studies. Not open to French majors. No grade lower than C counts toward this minor.
3. Literature in translation: See under Literature in Translation.
4. Francophone studies: Four courses in Francophone studies, to be determined in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. No grade lower than C counts toward this minor.
Honors Program in French Studies
Eligibility: A student must spend a minimum of three full semesters in residence at the College of Arts and Science. Attendance at New York University in Paris counts toward such residence. The student must maintain a general grade point average of at least 3.65 and a major average of 3.65 or higher.
Requirements:
1. Completion of the major requirements.
2. Honors Seminar, taught in the fall in conjunction with the senior seminar. In addition to weekly senior seminar meetings, honors students meet as a group with the seminar professor every three weeks or so. These meetings are devoted exclusively to their honors thesis. The thesis is a work of scholarship and/or criticism in the field of French literature, culture, or Francophonie. Students are expected to write the thesis in French (25 pages minimum), though occasions may be made in exceptional cases. Students work under the direction of the seminar professor and a faculty advisor whose expertise is closest to their field of interest. Students must complete a substantive précis/bibliography/outline of the thesis by the end of the semester.
3. Honors Thesis, taught in the spring (course number TBA). Students meet collectively with the seminar professor every three weeks or so to critique and improve their thesis.
4. An oral defense of the thesis, in late spring, before the seminar professor and the student's faculty advisor.
See also the Honors Program page.
Career Options
French is an excellent major for those who desire a solid educational
base providing a background with career prospects. French studies
prepare a student for a competitive global environment by teaching
language and the understanding of another culture. In this way,
graduates of the program are better prepared to overcome the barriers
of monolingualism that frequently inhibit participation in an
increasingly multicultural society. The major is also excellent
preparation for those interested in careers in such diverse fields
as business, law, medicine, and the arts.