Columbia University’s Directory of Classes
Current (and future) class schedules are accessible here: Directory of Classes.
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Undergraduate Course Descriptions Spring 2013
French 3333 INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES II
Sylvie Lefèvre
A survey of major literary works from the XIIth Century to 1700. The goal of this course is to train students in literary analysis, and to make them comfortable speaking and writing on literary topics. Authors include Chretien de Troyes, Rabelais, Moliere, Corneille, Madame de Lafayette.
French 3334 INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES II
TBA
A survey of major literary works since 1700. The goal of this course is to train students in literary analysis, and to make them comfortable speaking and writing on literary topics. Authors include Montesquieu, Rousseau, Chateaubriand, Balzac, Baudelaire, Proust, Sarraute.
French W3600 FRENCH PAST AND PRESENT: An Introduction to French Civilization
Emmanuelle Saada
Based on readings of short historical sources, the course will provide an overview of French political and cultural history since 1700
French W3506 FRENCH CULTURAL STUDIES: Cultural Diversity in France
Madeleine Dobie
French W3820 THE AUTHOR AS LAWBREAKER
Sylvie Lefèvre
A study of writers presenting themselves as "bad boys" or outcasts from the Middle-Ages to the Twentieth Century. Authors include Rutebeuf, Villon, Tristan l'Hermite, Rimbaud, Vallès, Genet, Sagan.
FRENCH W3995 SENIOR SEMINAR
Philip Watts
Required of all French majors. This course serves as a capstone for French majors. Content of course varies, but will include discussions of major literary and cultural works.
Undergraduate Course Descriptions Fall 2012
French W1107 ELEMENTARY FRENCH ONLINE 1 FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS
Evening Web-Based Class - Wednesdays 6:10-7:30 PM
Sophie Queuniet
This class meets once a week with peers in class, and once a week individually with the instructor. French Online is a carefully chunked and highly interactive presentation of French language and culture; a media-rich course environment based on videos shot in France and Quebec. http://oli.web.cmu.edu/openlearning/forstudents/freecourses/french
Elementary French Online 2 meets in the spring.
French W3333 INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES I
TBA
A survey of major literary works from the XIIth Century to 1700. The goal of this course is to train students in literary analysis, and to make them comfortable speaking and writing on literary topics. Authors include Chretien de Troyes, Rabelais, Moliere, Corneille, Madame de Lafayette.
French W3334 INTRO TO LITERARY STUDIES II
Vincent Debaene
Reading and discussion of major French literary works from 1700 to the present.
Authors include Montesquieu, Diderot, Rousseau, Chateaubriand,
Lamartine, Balzac, Baudelaire, Proust, Apollinaire, Sarraute, Djebar.
French W3420 INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE LITERATURE
Emmanuelle Saada
Examines conceptions of culture and civilization in France from the Enlightenment to the Exposition Coloniale of 1931, with an emphasis on the historical development and ideological foundations of French colonialism. Authors and texts include: the Encycloplédie; the Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen; the Code noir; Diderot; Chateaubriand; Tocqueville; Claire de Duras; Renan; Gobineau; Gauguin; Drumont.
French W3498 FRENCH CULTURAL WORKSHOP
Vincent Aurora
Designed (though not exclusively) for students contemplating a stay at Reid Hall, this course will foster a comparison of the French and American cultures with readings from sociological sources and emphasis on in-class discussion in an attempt to comprehend and avoid common causes of cross-cultural communication.
French W3544 FRENCH LYRIC POETRY
Sylvie Lefèvre
A study of lyric poetry from the Middle-Ages to the Nineteenth Century, with
a focus on the changing uses of poetic form. Authors include Christine de Pizan, Charles d'Orléans, Clément Marot, Bensérade, Voiture, Musset, Hugo, Banville, Mallarmé.
French W3578 PROUST
Elisabeth Ladenson
In this course we will attempt to read the whole of Proust’s monumental In Search of Lost Time, discussing along the way its genesis and importance in the history of literature, as well as its thematic and stylistic challenges. Students will be asked to choose the aspect that most interests them early on in the semester, and concentrate on it for an oral presentation that will form the basis for their final paper (c. 20 pages). All readings and discussion will be in English (we will use the Modern Library Moncrieff-Kilmartin-Enright translation). French majors may take the course for major credit.
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Columbia University’s Directory of Classes
Current (and future) class schedules are accessible here: Directory of Classes.
__________________________________________________________________________
Previous Course Offerings
FALL 2011
FREN W3333 MAJOR LITERARY WORKS TO 1700
Reading and discussion of major works from the Middle Ages to 1700.
FREN W3334 MAJOR LITERARY WORKS SINCE 1700
Reading and discussion of major works from 1700 to the present.
FREN W3420 INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES I
Examines conceptions of culture and civilization in France from the Enlightenment to the Exposition Coloniale of 1931, with an emphasis on the historical development and ideological foundations of French colonialism. Authors and texts include: the Encycloplédie; the Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen; the Code noir; Diderot; Chateaubriand; Tocqueville; Claire de Duras; Renan; Gobineau; Gauguin; Drumont (MD).
FREN W3498 FRENCH CULTURAL WORKSHOP
Vincent Aurora
Designed (though not exclusively) for students contemplating a stay at Reid Hall, this course will foster a comparison of the French and American cultures with readings from sociological sources and emphasis on in-class discussion in an attempt to comprehend and avoid common causes of cross-cultural communication.
FREN W3529 FRENCH THEATER IN PERFORMANCE
Joanna Stalnaker
This course will combine reading, interpretation and performance of a small selection of short French plays from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, in preparation for a public performance at Columbia University’s Maison Française at the end of the semester. Class size is limited to 15, and students must have done advanced coursework in French (3405, 3333, 3334 or the equivalent) to register for the course.
FREN W3xxx THE AVANT-GARDES IN FRANCE: FROM BAUDELAIRE TO SITUATIONISM
Vincent Debaene
In this course, we will study the main movements of 19th and 20th-century literary history: symbolism, modernism, dada, surrealism, existentialism, Nouveau Roman, situationism... We will pay particular attention to the emergence of the notion of avant-garde and to its theoretical implications. Although centered on literature, the course will also consider some musical and visual pieces (paintings, collages, sculptures, photographs, short films…).
FREN W3995 SENIOR SEMINAR
Antoine Compagnon
Required of all French majors.
Usually taken by majors during the fall term of their senior year. Critical discussion of a few major literary works along with some classic commentaries on those works. Students critically assess and practice diverse methods of literary analysis.
FREN W3996 SENIOR TUTORIAL IN FRENCH LITERATURE
Prerequisite: the permission of the director of undergraduate studies. Required for majors wishing to be considered for departmental honors. This course may also be taken at Reid Hall. Recommended for seniors majoring or concentrating in French and open to other qualified students. Preparation of a senior essay. In consultation with a staff member designated by the director of undergraduate studies, the student develops a topic within the areas of French language, literature, or intellectual history.
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Columbia University’s Directory of Classes
Current (and future) class schedules are accessible here: Directory of Classes.
__________________________________________________________________________
Undergraduate Course Descriptions SPRING 2012
FREN W3200 ADVANCED TRANSLATION WORKSHOP
A practical introduction to translation from French to English (and vice versa), to translation theory and to comparative stylistics. The course will emphasize stylistic issues through close reading and frequent individual and group work on both prose and poetry (JS).
FREN W3333 MAJOR LITERARY WORKS TO 1700
Reading and discussion of major works from the Middle Ages to 1700.
FREN W3334 MAJOR LITERARY WORKS SINCE 1700
Reading and discussion of major works from 1700 to the present.
FREN W3421 INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES II
Universalism vs. exceptionalism, tradition vs. modernity, integration and exclusion, racial, gender, regional, and national identities are considered in this introduction to the contemporary French-speaking world in Europe, the Americas, and Africa. Authors include: Aimé Césaire, Léopold Sedar Senghor, Frantz Fanon, Maryse Condé.
FREN W3600 FRANCE PAST AND PRESENT: AN INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH CIVILIZATION
Emmanuelle Saada
Based on readings of short historical sources, the course will provide an overview of French political and cultural history since 1700.
FREN W3666 MOLIERE
Prerequisites: Completion of FREN W3333 or W3334 and W3405, or permission of the director of undergraduate studies. Study of Molière's major plays, including Tartuffe, Dom Juan, and Le Misanthrope, focusing on key concepts such as naturalness and convention, value and exchange, and the relationship between ethics and comedy. Special attention will be paid to the connections between critical approaches of the text and the various ways in which the plays can be staged.
CLFR W3830 FRENCH FILM
Phil Watts
In English. A study of landmarks of French cinema from its origins to the 1970s. We will pay particular attention to the relation between cinema and social and political events in France. We will study films by Jean Vigo, Jean Renoir, Rene Clair, Alain Resnais, Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard.
FREN W3xxx FAIRY TALES IN LITERATURE
Sylvie Lefèvre
Once upon a time… Are fairy tales the same for ever ? What is changing in their narratives or their meanings, from the Middle Ages to the XIXth century, through the era of Classicism ? What kind of old knowledge do they convey?
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Columbia University’s Directory of Classes
Current (and future) class schedules are accessible here: Directory of Classes.
__________________________________________________________________________
Courses: FALL 2010/SPRING 2011
FREN W3200 ADVANCED TRANSLATION WORKSHOP
A practical introduction to translation from French to English and vice versa, to translation theory and to comparative stylistics. The course emphasizes stylistic issues through close reading and individual and group work on prose and poetry.
FREN W3333y INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STUDY I
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the instructor. Reading and discussion of major works from the Middle Ages to 1700. Discovery of literary history, genres of writing, and techniques of reading. Authors may include Marie de France, Montaigne, Rabelais, Madame de Lafayette and Racine.
FREN W3334y INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STUDIES II
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the instructor. Reading and discussion of major works from 1700 to the present. Discovery of literary history, genres of writing and techniques of reading. Authors may include Voltaire, Rousseau, Balzac, Baudelaire, Proust, Sarraute.
FREN W3405y ADVANCED GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION I
Prerequisites: Satisfaction of the Columbia University language requirement or the permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. W3405 helps students to improve their grammar and perfect their writing and reading skills, especially as a preparation for taking literature or civilization courses, or spending a semester in a francophone country.
FREN W3420 INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES I
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the instructor. Examines conceptions of culture and civilization in France from the Enlightenment to the 1920s, with an emphasis on the historical development and ideological foundations of French colonialism. Authors and texts include: the Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen; the Code noir; Diderot; Chateaubriand; Tocqueville; Claire de Duras; Renan; Gobineau; Gauguin; Drumont; René Maran.
FREN W3421 INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES II
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the instructor. Introduction to political and cultural movements and major literary currents of the French-speaking world in Europe, the Americas, and Africa since 1930. Topics include decolonization, nationalism, immigration and postcoloniality. Authors include: Césaire, Senghor, Sartre, Fanon, Maryse Condé.
FREN W3517 MONTAIGNE, DESCARTES, PASCAL
Pierre Force
Prerequisites: FREN W3333-W3334 or the permission of the instructor. A study of Montaigne’s Essais and their rewriting by Descartes and Pascal, with a focus on the nature of intellectual and aesthetic innovation in a humanist context.
FREN W3820 THE AUTHOR AS LAWBREAKER
Sylvie Lefèvre
Prerequisites: FREN W3333-W3334 or the permission of the instructor. A study of writers presenting themselves as bad boys and girls or outcasts from the Middle-Ages to the twentieth century. Authors include Rutebeuf, Villon, Tristan l'Hermite, Rimbaud, Vallès, Genet, Sagan.
CLFR W3500 THE MODERN NOVEL: BALZAC, FLAUBERT, PROUST (in English)
Elisabeth Ladenson
This course will examine the genealogy of 19th- and 20th-century realism and modernism through readings of three French novels: Balzac’s Lost Illusions, Flaubert’s Sentimental Education, and Proust’s Swann’s Way. Readings and discussion in English.
FREN W3333 MAJOR LITERARY WORKS TO 1800
Pierre Force, Ana Oancea
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 20. Reading and discussion of major works from the Middle Ages to 1750.
FREN W3334 MAJOR LITERARY WORKS SINCE 1800
Vincent Debaene
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 20. Reading and discussion of major works from 1750 to the present.
FREN W3405 THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMPOSITION I
Sophie Queuniet, Samuel Skippon, Mehammed Mack
Prerequisites: completion of the 4-semester language requirement in French, or an AP French score of 5, or permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. The goal of W3405 is to help students improve their grammar and perfect their writing and reading skills, especially as a preparation for taking literature or civilization courses, or spending a semester in a francophone country. Through the study of two full-length works of literature and a number of short texts representative of different genres, periods, and styles, they will become more aware of stylistic nuances, and will be introduced to the vocabulary and methods of literary analysis. Working on the advanced grammar points covered in this course will further strengthen their mastery of French syntax. They will also be practicing writing through a variety of exercises, including pastiches and creative pieces, as well as typically French forms of academic writing such as “résumé,” “explication de texte,” and “dissertation".
FREN W3406 THIRD-YEAR GRAMMAR & COMP II (Stylistics)
Vincent Aurora
Prerequisite: French 3405 or permission of the instructor.
Description and Goals: The aim of French 3406 is to give advanced students an enhanced appreciation and a more accurate and sophisticated command of written French through the stylistic analysis of a variety of texts and frequent writing exercises. The course will examine the vocabulary and techniques of descriptive, narrative, and argumentative writing, as well as explore some particularly advanced grammar points.
FREN W3420 INTRODUCTION TO FRANCOPHONE STUDIES I
Madeleine Dobie
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. Examines conceptions of culture and civilization in France from the Enlightenment to the 1920s, with an emphasis on the historical development and ideological foundations of French colonialism. Authors and texts include: the Encyclopédie; the Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen; the Code noir; Diderot; Chateaubriand; Tocqueville; Claire de Duras; Renan; Gobineau; Gauguin; Drumont; René Maran.
FREN W3421 INTRO-FRANCOPHONE STUDIES II
Madeleine Dobie
Prerequisites: FREN 3405 (Advanced Grammar and Composition) or the permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. Introduction to political and cultural movements and major literary currents of the French-speaking world in Europe, the Americas, and Africa since 1930. Topics include decolonization, nationalism, immigration and postcoloniality. Authors include: Aimé Césaire, Léopold Sedar Senghor, Frantz Fanon, Maryse Condé.
FREN W3498 FRENCH CULTURAL WORKSHOP
Vincent Aurora
Prerequisites: Completion of 1202. Designed (though not exclusively) for students contemplating a stay at Reid Hall, this course will foster a comparison of the French and American cultures with readings from sociological sources and emphasis on in-class discussion in an attempt to comprehend and avoid common causes of cross-cultural communication.
FREN W3544 FRENCH LYRIC POETRY
Sylvie Lefèvre
Prerequisites: FREN W3333-W3334 or the permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. A study of lyric poetry from the Middle Ages to the Nineteenth Century, with a focus on the changing uses of poetic form. Authors include Charles d'Orléans, Christine de Pizan, Voiture, Musset, Banville, Hugo.
FREN W3600 FRANCE PAST AND PRESENT: INTRO TO FRENCH CIVILIZATION
Emmanuelle Saada
Prerequisites: French W3405, or the permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. Based on readings of short historical sources, the course will provide an overview of French political and cultural history since 1700.
FREN W3603 SEXUAL ENLIGHTENMENT
Joanna Stalnaker
Prerequisites: Fren W3333-W3334 or the permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. This course explores the relationship between sex and knowledge in literary and philosophical works of the French Enlightenment. Authors include Montesquieu, Crébillon, Buffon, Condillac, Diderot, Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Laclos and Sade. The course fulfills the pre-1800 requirement for the French major.
FREN W3672 SURREALISM
Vincent Debaene
Prerequisites: FREN W3333 or 3334 or the permission of the Director of undergraduate Studies. Study of one of the main movements of 20th-century literary history, and art history. We will pay particular attention to the evolution of surrealism and to its theoretical implications on such key notions as: the notion of the author, the avant-garde, automatism, the image and the work of art. Although centered on literature, the course will also consider some visual pieces (paintings, collages, sculptures, photographs, short films).
FREN W3810 FREN LANGUAGE, SOCIETY & CULTURE THROUGH FILM
Heidi Holst-Knudsen
Prerequisites: successful completion of 1202 or fulfillment of the CC language requirement through other means. French sociopolitical 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. Note: this course does not count toward the French major or concentration.
FREN W3995 SENIOR SEMINAR
Antoine Compagnon
Required of all French majors. Usually taken by majors during the fall term of their senior year. Critical discussion of a few major literary works along with some classic commentaries on those works. Students critically assess and practice diverse methods of literary analysis.
FREN W3996 SENIOR TUTORIAL IN LITERATURE (Senior Essay)
Faculty
Prerequisites: the permission of the Director of undergraduate studies. Recommended for seniors majoring or concentrating in French and open to other qualified students. In consultation with a staff member designated by the Director of undergraduate studies, the student develops a topic within the areas of French language, literature, or intellectual history. Required for majors wishing to be considered for departmental honors. This course may also be taken as a “Directed Research” at Reid Hall.
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