BA in French Language, Literature & Culture

French professor Katherine Kleppinger

The Bachelor of Arts in French fosters deep engagement with cultural production of the French-speaking world and encourages students to hone their critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Many students combine a major in French with fields such as anthropology, political science, fine arts, art history or other languages.

Courses cover a variety of topics including poetry and literature, music, cinema, history, politics and the media, as well as all aspects of language learning. Upper-level courses focus on literature and culture and refine writing and analytical skills.

     


    Departmental Honors in French

    Students interested in earning special honors in French Language, Literature and Culture to be noted on their transcript must meet all requirements:

    • Meet GW’s general special honors requirements.
    • Graduate with a GPA of 3.0 overall and 3.75 in classes for the major.
    • Complete an honors thesis no later than the fall semester of senior year, if invited to do so by the major advisor and proseminar professor.

     


    "The French major is a gem. The proseminar was the course I looked forward to attending every week, and its intimacy made each and every one of us feel special."

    Annabel de Braganca
    BA '11, French and International Affairs


    Course Requirements

    The following requirements must be fulfilled:

    The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

    Program-specific curriculum:

    Prerequisite courses
    FREN 1001Basic French I
    FREN 1002Basic French II
    FREN 1003Intermediate French I
    FREN 1004Intermediate French II
    Required courses for the major
    FREN 3100Introduction to French Literature
    FREN 4910Advanced Studies in French Culture
    Electives
    24 credits in courses numbered 2005 and above*. 12 of these credits must be in French literature and culture. 6 credits must be in FREN courses in the 4000 range. With the approval of the advisor, 6 credits can be taken in a related field.
    Elective courses taken in certain abroad programs transfer to GW with only 2.5 credits. In such cases, the student should confer with the departmental advisor regarding any steps that must be taken.

    *AP credit for FREN 2005 allows students to place into higher-level FREN courses, but those credits do not count toward the total required for the major.