ELEMENTARY FRENCH I
The aim of the beginning French sequence (French 1101 and French 1102) is to help you to develop an active command of the language. Emphasis is placed on acquiring the four language skills--listening, speaking, reading and writing--within a cultural context, in order to achieve basic communicative proficiency.
- TRF 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
- MTWR 8:50 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
- TRF 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
- MTWR 11:40 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
- MTWR 1:10 p.m.-2:15 p.m.
- TRF 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
- MWR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
- MWR 6:10 p.m.-7:25 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Ariel S Joslain
Info - 4 points
ELEMENTARY FRENCH II
The aim of the beginning French sequence (French 1101 and French 1102) is to help you to develop an active command of the language. Emphasis is placed on acquiring the four language skills--listening, speaking, reading and writing--within a cultural context, in order to achieve basic communicative proficiency.
- MTWR 8:50 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
- TRF 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
- TRF 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
- TRF 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
- TRF 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
- 4 points
INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I
This course will further your awareness and understanding of the French language, culture and literature, provide a comprehensive review of fundamental grammar points while introducing more advanced ones, as well as improve your mastery of oral, reading, and writing skills. By the end of the course, you will be able to read short to medium-length literary and non-literary texts, and analyze and comment on varied documents and topics, both orally and in writing.
- TRF 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
- MTWR 9:10 a.m.-10 a.m.
- MTWR 10:10 a.m.-11 a.m.
- MTWR 1:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
- TRF 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
- TRF 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
- MWR 6:10 p.m.-7:25 p.m.
- 4 points
INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II
Prerequisites: FREN UN2121 Intermediate Conversation is a suggested, not required, corequisite Prepares students for advanced French language and culture. Develops skills in speaking, reading, and writing French. Emphasizes cross-cultural awareness through the study of short stories, films, and passages from novels. Fosters the ability to write about and discuss a variety of topics using relatively complex structures.
- TRF 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
- TRF 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
- TRF 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
- MTWR 1:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
- TRF 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Alexandra Borer
CULPA: 4 Info - 4 points
RAPID READING AND TRANSLATION
The course focuses on reading comprehension and translation into English and includes a grammar and vocabulary overview. It also addresses the differences between English and French syntax and raises questions of idiomatic versus literal translations.
- MW 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Sophie Queuniet
CULPA: 7
Info
- 3 points
INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH I
We will be working on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition, listening comprehension, and oral expression. Activities will include listening comprehension exercises, skits, debates, and oral presentations, as well as discussions of films, songs, short films, plays, news, articles, short stories or other short written documents. Although grammar will not be the focus of the course, some exercises will occasionally aim at reviewing particular points. The themes and topics covered will be chosen according to students’ interests.
- TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
- MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Eric T Matheis
CULPA: 4
Info
- 2 points
INTERMED CONVERSATN FRENCH II
We will be working on pronunciation, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and oral expression. Activities will include listening comprehension exercises, skits, debates, and oral presentations, as well as discussions of films, songs, short films, news, articles, short stories or other short written documents. Although grammar will not be the focus of the course, some exercises will occasionally aim at reviewing particular points.
- TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
- 2 points
THIRD-YEAR CONVERSATION FR I
Prerequisites: completion of the language requirement in French or the equivalent. Conversation on contemporary French subjects based on readings in current popular French periodicals.
- MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
- MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Laurence Marie
CULPA: 3 Info - 2 points
FREN LANG,SOC,CULTRE THRU FILM
Prerequisites: FREN UN2102 French socio-political issues and language through the prism of film. Especially designed for non-majors wishing to further develop their French language skills and learn about French culture. Each module includes assignments targeting the four language competencies: reading, writing, speaking and oral comprehension, as well as cultural understanding.
- TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Heidi Holst-Knudsen
CULPA: 20
Info
- 3 points
Arts in Action
The course is an introduction to the visual arts and art professions in the context of French and
francophone arts and cultural institutions. Students will experience arts through class discussions of artistic production and a familiarization with art history and art criticism in French, presentations, workshops, discussions with art professionals, guest lectures, and visits to art museums and
galleries. Students who take the class can apply for paid internships in an art institution in the
spring following the class. In these internships, students will use some of the French language
skills they have acquired in class.
- MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Pascale Crepon
CULPA: 10
Info
- 3 points
Read, Think, Write in French
UN3405 enables students to hone and perfect their reading and writing skills while improving their ability to express and organize thoughts in French. In this engaging advanced language class, students are exposed to major texts in fields as diverse as journalism, sociology, anthropology, politics, literature, philosophy and history. Stimulating class discussions, targeted reviews of key grammatical points in context, and an array of diverse writing exercises all contribute to strengthen students’ mastery of the French language. This course also works as a bridge class between Intermediate French II and courses that focus on French and Francophone cultures, history and literature (such as 3409 and 3410). Students who take this class will be fully prepared to take advanced content classes or spend a semester in a Francophone country. This class is required for the French major and minor.
- MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
-
Instructor:
Laurence Marie
CULPA: 3 Info - 3 points
Read, Think, Write in French
THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMP
UN3405 enables students to hone and perfect their reading and writing skills while improving their ability to express and organize thoughts in French. In this engaging advanced language class, students are exposed to major texts in fields as diverse as journalism, sociology, anthropology, politics, literature, philosophy and history. Stimulating class discussions, targeted reviews of key grammatical points in context, and an array of diverse writing exercises all contribute to strengthen students’ mastery of the French language. This course also works as a bridge class between Intermediate French II and courses that focus on French and Francophone cultures, history and literature (such as 3409 and 3410). Students who take this class will be fully prepared to take advanced content classes or spend a semester in a Francophone country. This class is required for the French major and minor.
- TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Sophie Queuniet
CULPA: 7
Info
- 3 points
INTRO TO FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE HISTORY
INTRO FREN FRANCOPHONE HI
This class provides an introduction to the history of France and of the francophone world since the Middle Ages. It initiates students to the major events and themes that have shaped politics, society, and culture in France and its former colonies, paying special attention to questions of identity and diversity in a national and imperial context. Modules include a combination of lecture and seminar-style discussion of documents (in French).
This course is part of a two-course sequence and is a core requirement the French and Francophone Studies major.
- TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Thomas Dodman
CULPA: 2 Info - 3 points
Intro French & Francophone Literature
Intro French Francophone
This class offers a survey of major works of French and francophone literature from the Middle Ages to the present. Emphasis will be placed on formal and stylistic elements of the works read and on developing the critical skills necessary for literary analysis. Works will be placed in their historical context.
- MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Joanna R Stalnaker
CULPA: 18
Info
- 3 points
Contemporary Environmental Issues in Fre
This course explores the intersection of the French language, culture, and environmental issues, using readings, discussions, multimedia resources, and projects to enhance language skills. Students will study and debate topics such as climate change, sustainability, and conservation within the Francophone world, while expanding their vocabulary and improving their ability to analyze and discuss complex issues in French.
Students will apply their knowledge through hands-on assignments and projects, engaging with practical environmental challenges. They will also interact directly with environmental professionals through guest speakers, deepening their understanding of these issues and gaining valuable connections. Additionally, the Department of French is exploring the possibility of offering internships in New York during Spring 2026, related to environmental studies, as an extension of the course.
- TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
-
Instructor:
Alexandra Borer
CULPA: 4 Info - 3 points
Asylum/ Asile: Theory and Practice of As
Asylum/Asile
is an experiential learning class conducted in collaboration with Project Rousseau, a holistic non-profit organization that helps young people in communities with the greatest need.
Since migrant youth and families began arriving in New York by bus from the southern border, Project Rousseau has been on the frontlines serving them. A large proportion of these migrants are Francophone asylum seekers who need support with their application. This class will teach the theory and practice of asylum law, the specific sociohistorical, cultural, and political contexts that motivates Francophone asylum seekers, especially in the case of Mauritania and Guinea, and the ways in which translation is critical to this process. The class will culminate in students assisting Project Rousseau’s Francophone clients with their asylum applications.
The class is offered in the Fall. Interested students will be able to apply for internships with Project Rousseau in the Spring Semester.
- MW 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
- 3 points
The 19-Century French Novel
This course is designed as an introduction to the 19th-century French novel, taught in English. We will read and discuss some of the greatest hits of 19th-century French fiction: Hugo,
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
; Sand,
Indiana
; Balzac,
Père Goriot
; Dumas,
The Man in the Iron Mask
; Flaubert,
Madame Bovary
; Zola,
Pot-Bouille
. Our century will conclude with two scandalous bestsellers of 1900: Octave Mirbeau’s
Diary of a Chambermaid
and Colette’s
Claudine at School
. Discussion in English. Works may be read, and papers written, in English or French.
- MW 5:40 p.m.-6:55 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Elisabeth A Ladenson
CULPA: 13 Info - 3 points
THEORY OF LITERATURE I
- W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Madeleine Dobie
CULPA: 14
Info
- 3 points
PRACTICUM IN FR LANG PEDAGOGY
Designed for new Teaching Fellows. An introduction to the conceptual and practical tools of French language pedagogy.
- R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Pascale Hubert-Leibler
CULPA: 12
Info
- 3 points
What's Left of Enlightenment?
The Enlightenment was a transformative intellectual movement that shaped our modern world. But many of its key tenets—the ideal of a Republic of Letters, the faith in science as a tool to transform society, the fight against prejudice and obscurantism, the principle of religious tolerance, and the cultivation of critical reason through dialogue—are under attack today. In this seminar, we will ask both what the Enlightenment was and what’s left of it today. Special attention will be paid to voices of dissent within the Enlightenment and notably those of women. How might these critical voices help us to understand the fate of Enlightenment values in our current moment?
Authors studied will include Voltaire, Châtelet, Montesquieu, Graffigny, Deffand, Rousseau, Diderot and Gouges.
The seminar will be offered in English, but advanced reading knowledge of French is required. Undergraduates are welcome to enroll with instructor permission.
- W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Joanna R Stalnaker
CULPA: 18
Info
- 3 points
Reading and Rereading Proust
One cannot read Proust, one can only reread him. As a matter of fact, who has not heard of the legendary “Madeleine” before opening the book? However, we will try to read Proust’s novel, as far as possible, before rereading it, to read it afresh, with the naivety of the innocent readers who discovered
Swann’s Way
in 1913, and fell in love. Proust is a classic, but also an innovator, a follower of Balzac and Baudelaire, and a precursor of Barthes and Blanchot. This is why there is so much pleasure – complexity and contradiction – in reading and rereading the
Recherche
, betwixt and between, connecting centuries, coupling genres.
Our goal will be to closely read together at least four of the seven volumes of the
Recherche
, the first and last,
Swann’s Way
and
Time regained
, and two or three from in-between,
Within a Budding Grove
,
Sodom and Gomorrah
and
The Fugitive
.
Major literary critics will be introduced starting week 3.
- T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Antoine M Compagnon
CULPA: 3 Info - 3 points
QUEER MEDIEVAL FRANCE
queer medieval france
What did it mean to be queer in the francophone Middle Ages? Was there such a thing? The term ‘sodomy’ was used in the period to describe a wide variety of acts (not all sexual), and the term would seem to foreclose the possibility of female same-sex eroticism. In an era in which all non-procreative sex was conceived as sinful, does the opposition between homosexual and heterosexual still hold? Was male and female homosexuality conceived symmetrically? Topics include the construction of gender (binary vs. spectral, natural vs. cultural), gender variance (transgender and nonbinary people), sodomy and the contours of “sex,” and sadomasochism. Our readings will take us through a broad range of genres—from penance manuals to lyric poetry to romance. Texts include selected
lais
by Marie de France, troubadour songs, Alan of Lille’s
Plaint of Nature
, the
Roman d’Enéas
(a medieval French rewriting of the
Aeneid
that makes Aeneas gay), Heldris of Cornwall’s
Le Roman de Silence
and selected saints’ lives. Class taught in English, although some readings may be available only in modern French translation (reading knowledge of French required).
- M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Eliza Zingesser
CULPA: 10 h-index: 3 Info - 3 points
Renaissance Culture Religion and Society
Renaissance Cult. Rel. &
Close reading of Rabelais, Marguerite de Navarre, Montaigne and La Boétie, in the context of the Renaissance, the rise of the individual, the religious quarrels, the civil wars, the discovery of the New World, the progress of science.
- M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Antoine M Compagnon
CULPA: 3 Info - 3 points