French and Francophone Studies Major

Language, Literature and Culture Overview

The Language, Literature and Culture Department aims to promote students’ competency in learning other languages, and to broaden and enrich their education through in-depth study of other cultures. Mastering a language includes listening, speaking, reading and writing proficiency.  Students can easily apply these skills to other disciplines at Clark and to their future professions. 

Students can study Arabic, ASL, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin and Spanish at Clark, and can major in Ancient Civilization, Comparative Literature, French or Spanish. It is also possible, at the department’s discretion, to major in more than one language taught at Clark (the Combined Languages major). Students can also apply skills in Asian languages to an Asian Studies major and skills in Hebrew to a concentration in Jewish Studies.

The Language, Literature and Culture Department is part of the Alice Coonley Higgins School of Humanities.

For more information, please visit the Language, Literature and Culture Department’s website.

French and Francophone Studies Major Requirements

11 courses are required for the major (only course grades of C or better may be counted)

CMLT 130 - The National Imagination  

At least two courses taken in a Clark-sponsored or Clark-approved study-abroad program (this requirement may be waived in special circumstances.)

Of the eight remaining units, four must be taken in residence:

An introductory course in literary analysis, in French  (FREN 131   or FREN 132  )

A course in culture criticism, in French (FREN 137   or FREN 140  )

Five courses taken in French above the intermediate level (FREN 120 and above) or CMLT 160  . Important Note: Credit is only given for FREN 120  or FREN 124  , not both.

A Capstone in French and Francophone Studies (consult with advisor)

• One 200-level seminar offered each Fall is designated as the capstone. The capstone seminar is required for the major and is taken during the senior year. Students will complete general coursework and a research project of their own design related to the course topic. The project showcases students’ analytical capacities while affording them the chance to engage deeply with questions and issues of particular interest to them. The capstone may be taken for credit by non-seniors (without the capstone project requirement).
• A course at the 100-level (FREN 131  or above) is required before taking the capstone. Students who are double-majoring must still take the French and Francophone Studies capstone seminar.

Honors

This honors program is for language, literature and culture majors only. By November 1 of the capstone semester, faculty will identify qualified senior majors (with a minimum GPA of 3.5) and invite them to submit a proposal for a semester-long honors thesis during the spring of their senior year. Other students who wish to take honors should identify an area of interest during the capstone semester, consult with the capstone professor and/or an appropriate honors adviser, and submit a proposal (by December 1) to the professor they would like to direct the project.*

• Proposals will be approved at the discretion of the individual professor.
• The Department Chair must also approve the project.
• The honors candidate and adviser will decide on a work schedule, but a preliminary draft must be completed by the first week of April.
• The final version is due one week before the last day of classes.
• A second faculty reader will participate in the final evaluation of the honors project.
• An honors project counts as one unit of credit.

*Students graduating early and wishing to do an honors project should see their adviser during the fall of their junior year and get approval for the project from the thesis director and the department chair.

Language, Literature and Culture Faculty

Languages, Literature and Culture Courses

Courses offered within the last 2 Academic Years