FREN 285 - Spring Term Topics in French Civilization

Credits: 4

Prerequisites: FREN 162, FREN 164, or equivalent. A study of significant aspects of culture and civilization through direct experience abroad in France and/or Francophone countries. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.

Spring 2018, FREN 285-01: Topic in French Civilization: Contemporary French Society through Film (4). Prerequisite: FREN 162 or 164, or equivalent. Open to intermediate and advanced levels. Taught entirely in the southern French city Toulouse and offering an alternative view of France from what many experience in Paris. During the four weeks, students are introduced to the most important issues in modern French society, including immigration, university life, social justice, art, culture, and gastronomy. The course uses contemporary French cinema as a platform for discussion, debate, and advanced grammar review. Class sessions are conversation intensive and review the most difficult points of French grammar through cultural and conversational contexts. An integral part of the course is connecting the issues examined through film with the urban and social fabric of Toulouse. Students are required to use their French to interact with local non-profit agencies and investigate cultural and social issues on-site. The ultimate goals of the program are to boost students’ confidence in spoken and written French, develop an awareness of social issues in contemporary French society, and learn how to function independently abroad. During their stay in Toulouse, students are also enrolled in an intensive grammar-review course taught by a French professor, accommodating a variety of linguistic levels. Students live with host families and go on two different excursions, to Albi and Carcassonne. McCormick.

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