French Undergraduate courses
Note: Not all courses listed are offered every semester Students should check the current class schedule for current offerings
FR 101-102 Elementary French 1st Semester, 2nd Semester (5-5)
FR 101 prerequisite: none
FR 102 prerequisite: FR 101
Language as heard and spoken; development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing; five class hours weekly plus regular drill in the language laboratory. LEC
FR 104 Transitional Elementary French (5)
Students who have completed FR 101 and/or 102 should not register for FR 104 as no credit will be given for duplicate courses
One-semester review course designed for students who have taken the Regents exams, but who are not yet able to go into the second year of language study. Involves development of all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and, to some extent, writing), emphasizing the grammatical structures and vocabulary fundamental to simple, everyday conversation. LEC
FR 151-152 Intermediate French 1st Semester, 2nd Semester (3-3)
FR 151 prerequisite: FR 102 or FR 104
FR 152 prerequisite: FR 151 or permission of the director of undergraduate studies
Continuing study of the language, including brief review of basic elements and the introduction and practice of more precise linguistic features. Students further their listening and speaking skills through in-class activities, as well as independent work with language tapes. The course also seeks to develop students' reading and writing skills through the use of literary and cultural texts. LEC
FR 211-212 Studies in French Language and Culture I-II (3-3)
FR 211 prerequisite: FR 152 or permission of instructor
FR 212 prerequisite: FR 211
These courses combine grammar review with reading, discussion, and analysis of films and texts which offer a window on culture and civilization. French 211 introduces poetry and prose (the essay and the short story); French 212 offers theatre and cinema. The aim of these courses is to develop students' awareness of French-language cultures and civilizations and well as their language skills through close analysis of the texts and films; these analyses in turn provide a starting point for a review of grammar and stylistics. Students improve their writing through a series of papers which allow them both to reinforce grammatical structures and to practice analytical strategies from the French tradition (such as the explication de texte). Taught in French, these courses are designed both to prepare students for courses in French at the 300-level and to offer an introductory elective for non-majors.
FR 270 Intermediate Conversation (3)
For majors and nonmajors who wish to enhance their spoken French by intensive listening and speaking activities. The course develops understanding and speaking ability, and knowledge of contemporary France. No credit toward French major. LEC
FR 271-272 Business French (6)
FR 271 prerequisite: FR 152
FR 272 prerequisite: FR 271 or permission of instructor
Builds on the language proficiency acquired in 100-level French courses by introducing students to the vocabulary, idiom, and social conventions they must master to function in a business setting in the French-speaking world. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency both in the language skills taught in the course and in knowledge of the European and non-European business context. Among the anticipated assignments are completion of oral comprehension exercises based on French news broadcasts, drafting of several business letters in French, and short business-related papers.( This course does not count towards the 30 required hours for the major, because it is a 200-level course.) LEC
FR 301 Survey of French Literature I (3)
Prerequisites: FR 211-212, or permission of instructor
The course, the first half of a year-long survey, is designed to introduce students to the major moments of French culture from Middle Ages to Enlightenment. Attention will be given to those forms which had perpetuated themselves during this long period of time (narrative forms, theatrical representation and treatise format) although changing with every new attempt. Starting from a list of selective readings, we will establish correspondences between forms of writing and painting, architecture, lead glass, book illustration and treatises of allegory. We will thus explain the common function of arts and the specificity of their mode of expression. On this foreground it will appear how early modern texts gave up the old paradigm of representation based on visual perception. LEC
FR 302 Survey of French Literature II (3)
Prerequisites: FR 211-212, or permission of instructor
This course is the second half of the year-long survey of French-language literature from the 19th century to today. The object of the course is two-fold: to expose the student to a variety of French-language authors, all "French" in one way or another but not all from France; and to discuss the different yet interrelated literary trends of French-language literature, including Romanticism, Realism, Surrealism, negritude, Theatre of the Absurd, and the nouveau roman. All readings, coursework, and discussions will be done in French. In-class time will be spent on a combination of material from lectures, discussions, occasional videos or film excerpts, and some reading aloud/acting out of the texts in question.
FR 331 Pre-Romanticism and Romanticism (3)
Prerequisites: FR 211-212, or permission of instructor
Begins with the study of Madame de Stael's De l'Allemagne and Châteaubriand's René and Atala for a sense of the origins of French Romanticism. The study of texts by Stendhal, Balzac, and Hugo focuses on the Romantic search for inspiration in the subject's emotional life, in exotic settings, and in the wealth of national legend. LEC
FR 334 Poetry from Baudelaire to Surrealism (3)
Prerequisites: FR 211-212, or permission of instructor
Surveys French poetry from 1857 -- date of the publication of Les Fleurs du mal -- to the years immediately following World War II when surrealism is on the decline. The period is characterized by a series of schools, movements, and tendencies that constitute the historical frame of reference for the course, in which the works of poets who dominated the period are particularly emphasized. LEC
FR 338 Women Writers of Francophone Africa (3)
Prerequisites: FR 211-212, or permission of instructor
Explores feminine writing-écriture féminine-as it has developed starting in the late 1970s in Francophone Africa. Of particular interest are the differences between the concerns and themes voiced by African women writers and those raised by their male counterparts. Issues to be discussed include religion, marriage, polygamy, education, the workplace, urban and rural life, love, and family life. LEC
FR 341 The French Film (3)
Examines the evolution of French film since WWII and the works of some of the major movie directors of France since 1960. Emphasis will be placed on the directors of the "Nouvelle Vague": Truffaut, Duras, Godard, Chabrol; the directors of the "realist" generation, Rohmer, Tavernier, Annaud, Beineix, Besson. The last part of the course is devoted to a selection of more recent socially oriented works, such as Ridicule, Amélie, Indigènes, Viens chez moi, J'habite chez une copine, Le placard, etc. LEC
FR 343 Advanced Grammar and Composition (3)
The aim of this course will be to attain a more sophisticated understanding of French syntax and to improve skill in fluent, written self-expression. Brief weekly compositions will serve as a basis for the discussion of points of syntax and style. Students will also become familiar with reference works which will be of continuing use.
FR 345 French Phonetics (3)
Prerequisites: FR 211-212, or permission of instructor
Provides a practical and theoretical introduction to the contrastive differences between American English and French (including, when possible, characteristics of other major dialect areas of the French-speaking world, principally Canada and Africa). Through transcription exercises, oral presentations and corrections, as well as evaluative critiques, students analyze their pronunciation problems and work to improve identified weak spots. LEC
FR 349 Stylistics and Translation (3)
Prerequisites: FR 211-212, or permission of instructor
Introduces the objectives, techniques, and difficulties of translation to and from French. At the theoretical level, and through a number of explications de texte, students reflect on such issues as the distinction between an author and a narrator, the "voice" in a text, textual "intentions" vs. reader response. In practical terms, weekly translations of selected short texts should foster the development of respect for the linguistic, stylistic, and occasional cultural differences between English and French. LEC
French 350 Modern French Short Story (3)
FR 351 French Literature in English Translation (3)
French 351 is an upper-level literature course offered to non-majors who have an interest in literature but little or no training in the language. Organized by topic, the course sometimes focuses on an author (e.g. Montaigne, Flaubert) and sometimes on critical perspectives (e.g. French feminism). LEC
FR 355 Contemporary France (3)
The purpose of the course is to present aspects of Contemporary French and Francophone Cultures through the discussion of a variety of authentic materials, including recent movies, popular novels, TV magazines, newspapers articles, video clips and interviews of personalities in politics and the arts.
As 21st Century France is rapidly changing in the context of the European Community, it also retains and sometimes rediscovers aspects of its tradition and history. In order to understand the evolution of this complex culture, it is crucial to maintain a direct contact with its current productions.
For students who already have spent some time in France and in the Francophone world it will be an opportunity to deepen their understanding, for others it will help them better perceive cultural differences. For all, it will be an opportunity to improve their spoken and written French. Each student will have to present at least one oral presentation and a "dossier" on a topic of their choice.
The class will be taught in French. There will be two exams: one mid-term and one final.
FR 382 Introduction to Secondary Language Acquisition Theory (3)
In this course we will examine what contemporary research has to say about second language acquisition, how it differs from first language acquisition and what factors facilitate it or impede it. Since the course is not language-specific, all readings are in English. Course format will be a flexible combination of lecturing, small-group discussion, and student presentations. There will be one objective test taken in class without notes or materials and several take-home tests emphasizing problem solving and critical thinking. You will also have to write a short paper on your experiences as a second language learner. There will be no final exam.
FR 383 Problems of the French Novel (3)
Examines the evolution of the narrative genre (centered on the novel with reference to a few short stories) from La Princesse de Clèves to the "New Novel." The course offers a close reading of some of the major works of Mme. de Lafayette, Prévost, Balzac, Stendhal, Aurevilly, Camus, and Cl. Simon. LEC
FR 393-394 Study in Absentia (1-16)
For students enrolled in the Study Abroad Program sponsored by the University at Buffalo (see Study Abroad). TUT
FR 404 Introduction to the Structure of Modern French (3)
Describes present-day French from a modern linguistic standpoint. Phonology, morphology, and syntax and lexical change are successively covered to give the student a better understanding of the structure of French and a broader comprehension of the function of language in general. Weekly travaux pratiques enable students to apply the analytical theory to real language problems. LEC
FR 420 History of the French Language (3)
The objective of this course is to acquaint students with the internal, technical linguistics changes which characterize the emergence of French from Latin, as well as the external, historic events which influences this development. The nature of language change, the development of dialects and the emergence of national standards will be discussed. The course will consist of two lectures and one lab/discussion period per week involving linguistic problem sets and brief translations of early French Texts.
FR 429 Advanced Business French (3)
This course, which may be applied to the French major, seeks to familiarize students with both the cultural and professional aspects of doing business in France. The course will cover thorny international topics such as tariffs and quotas, the role of the European Union and the euro, genetically-modified foods, the environment and globalization. We will approach French domestic issues as well, including socio-cultural flashpoints like the 35-hour work week, the strained retirement system, domestic political wrangling, the French press and activist trade unions. However, we will also take an objective look at France's strengths and weaknesses in the global marketplace, covering sectors (like services, agriculture, manufacturing) and institutions (like banking and the stock and the futures and commodities markets). This course also stresses practical skills like business correspondence, how to read reports and other documents, how to follow the news (both written and televised) with full knowledge of its bias (national, political), and how to interview or give a business presentation. We will be reading texts as diverse as annual reports, news articles, advertisements and political cartoons. SEM
FR 475 Literature and Society: Framing Freaks, Naming Norms (3)
Two-headed men, castrati, phantoms, prostitutes, immigrants, hunchbacks. Who are they? Why are they freaks? Who defines them as "freaky"? In this class, we will discuss representations of such freaks - how they are framed in text -- in the works of 19th- and 20th-century French and Francophone authors. More specifically, we will explore how different texts reveal the various constructions of freaks, or social pariahs, as part of a socio-cultural agenda for reinforcing norms and order. In naming these norms, we will also decide how agency (through character development and point of view) as well as appearance and ability (through description) make le monstre culturel. Readings and discussion will put particular emphasis on how age, class, gender, race, and sexuality can factor in to such constructions. The course will be conducted in French and will be fed from various contributions, such as lectures, discussions, student presentations, and film/video clips where possible. To share their discoveries, students will complete a journal, 1 short paper (3-5 pages), 1 research paper (7-9 pages), and a final take-home exam. Readings may include: La fille aux yeux d'or by Honoré de Balzac, Ourika by Claire de Duras, "Boule de suif" and "Le Horla" by Guy de Maupassant, Gigi by Colette, "Les mamelles" by Birago Diop, and Les Têtes à Papineau by Jacques Godbout.
FR 480 Seminar for Majors (3)
Variable content. SEM
FR 481 Special Topics: Theater (3)
FR 482 Special Topics: Figures of the Amateur in French Cinema (3)
What is an « amateur » ? It is both a person who engages in an activity as a pastime rather than for a gain (unlike a professional), which is characterized by a love or passion for this activity (« amateur » comes from the Latin "amator", which means lover) but can also be characterized by a certain unskillness in a subject or activity. These different definitions can be found in the practice of the amateur filmmaker. The amateur filmmaker makes movies without wish for a gain, he loves his work, he has a vexed relationship with the issue of mastery. With the new digital opportunities that promote democratic practices, the « amateur » has become the center of film practices.
This course aims at observing how the figure of the amateur is pregnant in French cinema, that is characterized by a dialectical relationship between industry and more experimental practices. The issue of "the amateur" draws a complex frontier between industry and private practices.
The purpose of this course is to scrutinize how this issue divides each division of French cinema : experimental film, auteur's cinema, artist’s film, documentary. We will then analyze some specific historical phenomena like found footage, family film, film diary. We will study some films by Man Ray, Jean Renoir, Jean Cocteau, Joseph Morder, Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette, Alain Cavalier, Adolfo Arrieta. We will observe the actor's in French cinema : Robert Bresson, Laurent Cantet.
This class will be taught in French.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Notes sur le cinématographe, Robert Bresson
Entretiens sur le cinématographe, Jean Cocteau
Le Je filmé, Centre Georges Pompidou, catalogue
Le film de famille. Usage privé, usage public, Roger Odin
« Le cinéma en amateur », Communications n°68, Roger Odin (dir.)
Roland Barthes par lui-même, Roland Barthes
FR 483 Francophone Literature (3): histories, identités, indépendances
In this class, we will trace the history and the development of la francophonie. We will cover poems, prose, and plays from movements such as négritude, decolonization, and the révolution tranquille; we will examine works that explore regional and individual identities (gender, race, sexuality, ability) of the Caribbean, North Africa, Quebec, and Subsaharan Africa; and we will study films from the 1960s until today that represent these and other emerging topics of francophone identités. You will refine your speaking and writing skills through regular participation in class, a journal, one presentation, one short paper (4-5 pages), one research paper (7-9 pages), and a final take-home exam. By the end of this class, you will have a better understanding of how la francophonie represents both individual and collective identity and what it means for a text, a person, and a region to be francophone. Readings include: Diop, Les Contes d'Amadou Koumba; Césaire, Une tempête; Hébert, Le Premier Jardin; Djebar, "Femmes d'Alger dans leur appartement"; Ben Jelloun, L'Enfant de sable. Films include: Sembène, Xala; Hayot, Nord Plage; Chouinard, L'Ange du goudron; Pontecorvo, La Bataille d'Algers.
FR 499 Independent Study (1-16)
Students who have demonstrated the ability to perform upper-level coursework may, on occasion, wish to research a topic not available through regular course offerings. Such students may, with permission of a supervising faculty member and the director of undergraduate studies, enroll in FR 499. TUT
Philosophy 489: The Existentialism of Simone de Beauvoir
Fall 2008 Tue-Thurs 12:30-1:50 Instructor: Professor Carolyn Korsmeyer
Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) was an existentialist philosopher, feminist theorist, and prize-winning novelist. Although her work has long been overshadowed by that of her associate Jean-Paul Sartre, recent scholarship has begun to reveal the extent of her independence and originality of thought. This course will consider Beauvoir's ideas as they appear in her philosophical treatises, stories, and novels. We shall read The Ethics of Ambiguity, the moral philosophy that she developed in response to criticisms of Sartre?s Being and Nothingness; and her most influential book, The Second Sex, which advances a systematic analysis of gender and sexual difference. We shall also read from her fiction to discover how her philosophical and her literary writings are mutually illuminating, concentrating on the novel She Came to Stay and the stories in The Woman
Destroyed. Videotaped interviews with Beauvoir and discussion of her influence on contemporary philosophy will also be considered.