The French major prepares students to live and work in a global society by developing multilingualism and intercultural competency. Students will master French language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) needed for all purposes of daily life and gain diverse perspectives on French and Francophone culture though courses focusing on literature, history, visual arts, film, media and business.
Survey courses and upper-division seminars offer a range of exposure to the French cultural past and the vast ethnic and national diversity of the French-speaking present. The major explores distinctly French contributions to world culture and allows students to familiarize themselves with the history, forms and conventions of a rich literary and artistic tradition. In addition to focusing on a broad range of historical periods, transcultural approaches and topics ranging from Enlightenment political thought to animal studies and Francophone cultures of sub-Saharan Africa, the French curriculum brings far-flung periods and places to life. It links analysis of contemporary cultural phenomena with more distant historical epochs and texts. Medieval epic is studied in tandem with "Game of Thrones," for example, or the history of Caribbean slavery with the figure of the Zombie. All courses for the major and minor are interdisciplinary and associate elements of other disciplines such as media studies, art history, science studies, philosophy, sociology, ecology or anthropology with the study of literary texts and other cultural artifacts.
Recent course topics include:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FREN 1200 | Medieval Epic Through Game of Thrones | 3 |
| FREN 1350 | Introduction to Social Change in the Arts | 3 |
| FREN 1400 | Sexuality and Gender Wars in Italy and France | 3 |
| FREN 1550 | The Power of Fairy Tales in Italy and France | 3 |
| FREN 1610 | How to Be French, 1: The Ancien Regime | 3 |
| FREN 1620 | How To Be French? 2: Modernity | 3 |
| FREN 1700 | Francophone Literature in Translation | 3 |
| FREN 1750 | French Colonialism: North Africa and the Middle East | 3 |
| FREN 1800 | Contemporary French Literature in Translation | 3 |
| FREN 1850 | Introduction to French Society and Culture through Cinema | 3 |
| FREN 1880 | The Zombie in History and Popular Culture | 3 |
| FREN 1900 | Modern Paris in Literature, Photographs, Paintings and Movies | 3 |
| FREN 1950 | French Feminisms | 3 |
| FREN 3500 | French Current Events: Conversation and Composition | 3 |
| FREN 3700 | French-American Cultural Differences | 3 |
| FREN 4250 | Medieval and Renaissance Readings | 3 |
| FREN 4600 | Topics in French Film | 3 |
| FREN 4700 | Encountering Animals: Contemporary Discourse and the Dialog of Species | 3 |
Students must complete the general education requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences. Students wishing to pursue an Honors thesis should also consult the Honors requirements.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing an undergraduate degree in French studies, student will be able to:
Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)
The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).
Because some courses are allowed to double count for both the bachelor's and the master's degrees, students receive a master's degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a stand-alone master's degree program after completion of their baccalaureate degree. In addition, staying at CU Boulder to pursue a bachelor's–accelerated master's program enables students to continue working with their established faculty mentors.
BA and MA in French
The BAM degree program in French is normally a five-year program designed for currently enrolled CU Boulder students.
The BAM program is administered jointly by the Graduate School and the French and Italian Department. The department assumes primary administrative authority and responsibility reflecting the full authority and standards of both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Admissions Requirements
Initial admission to the program typically occurs during the junior year. Any student inquiring should consult a college advisor and the associate chair for graduate studies in the French and Italian Department for details. Students admitted to the BAM program will be admitted at undergraduate status.
In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Have completed all MAPS deficiencies (students admitted to CU Boulder prior to Summer 2023 only).
- Be a full-time CU Boulder student.
- If a transfer student, have completed at least 24 credit hours as a degree-seeking student before applying.
Program Requirements
Students may take up to and including 12 hours while in the undergraduate program which can later be used toward the master's degree. However, only 9 credits may be double counted toward the bachelor's degree and the master's degree. Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor's degree, and apply to continue with the master's degree, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.
If you are interested in the BAM degree program, please contact the graduate program assistant for more information.