French (BA)
This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2018–Spring 2019 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.
Bachelor of Arts in French (FREN BA)
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (AS)
Department: Classical and Modern Languages
Program Information
Beyond France, there are more than 50 countries in the world, spread over five continents, where French is regularly used in government, business and, of course, in everyday life.
The French program at UofL offers a wide range of classes from beginning French to classes in literature, culture, media, linguistics and film.
Completion of this degree requires work to be submitted for the department’s Learning Outcomes Measurement. For details, contact the department.
Degree Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements 1 | 31 | |
| College/School Requirements | 22 | |
| Program/Major Requirements 1 | 68 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 121 | |
| 1 | Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. See the Degree Requirements tab for specific coursework. |
Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.
Accelerated BA/MA Program in French
Students interested in completing both the BA and the MA in French can do so in a combined program, which will allow them to apply up to nine (9) hours of undergraduate coursework taken at the 500-level towards the graduate degree. An additional twenty-one (21) hours of graduate coursework taken in addition will constitute the minimum number of credit hours for obtaining the non-thesis MA in French.
Full-time students working diligently will be able to obtain their MA in three semesters (summer not included) instead of four.
The guidelines for this combined program are as follows:
- Prior to applying for admission into the program, students must consult with the French Undergraduate advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies in French. They will then submit their application through the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies. It is strongly recommended that at least one of the supporting letters submitted with the application be from a French faculty member.
- Students must:
- Application will be reviewed by the French faculty. A 3.35 overall grade point average will be required for admission to the program.
- Students may take a maximum of nine (9) hours for graduate credit, which will also apply to the requirements for the baccalaureate degree in French. The nine hours must be from the following list: FREN 523, FREN 524, FREN 531, and FREN 552.
- Students who enroll in the accelerated program will be non-thesis students and must adhere to all policies pertaining to Graduate Students in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages.
Departmental Admission Requirements
Admission to the BA in French requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on courses in the major.
The Application for Major form can be found on the Arts & Sciences Advising Center website: louisville.edu/artsandsciences/advising/apply.
Accelerated BA/MA Program in French
- Prior to applying for admission into the program, students must consult with the French Undergraduate advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies in French. They will then submit their application through the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies. It is strongly recommended that at least one of the supporting letters submitted with the application be from a French faculty member.
- Students must (A) apply for admission to this program no later than the end of the Junior year (a total of 90 degree applicable hours) and, (B) must have completed French 320, 321, 322 with grades of B or better.
- Application will be reviewed by the French faculty. A 3.35 overall grade point average will be required for admission to the program.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements * | 31 | |
| The following courses are required by the program and can satisfy the respective General Education Requirement: | ||
| Introduction to the French-Speaking World - AH, D2 | ||
*All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above). Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.
College/School Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Arts & Sciences Requirements | ||
| GEN 100 | Student Success Center Orientation | 1 |
| or GEN 101 | Arts and Sciences Orientation | |
| Foreign Language 1 | 12 | |
| Electives in Social Sciences or Natural Sciences 2,3 | 9 | |
| WR—two approved courses at the 300 level or above 4 | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 22 | |
Program/Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| French Department | ||
| FREN 320 | French Skills Overview | 3 |
| FREN 321 | French Conversation | 3 |
| FREN 322 | Written Expression - WR 5 | 3 |
| FREN 331 | French Civilization | 3 |
| FREN 332 | France Today | 3 |
| FREN 455 | Reading in French | 3 |
| FREN 523 | Advanced Communication Skills | 3 |
| FREN 524 | Theory and Practice of Translation | 3 |
| FREN 590 | Senior Capstone - CUE | 3 |
| French electives at the 300 level or above | 6 | |
| Supporting Courses | ||
| M L 250 | Introduction to the French-Speaking World - AH, D2 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Perspectives on Ancient Culture - WR | ||
| Perspectives on Medieval Culture - WR | ||
| Perspectives on Early Modern Culture - WR | ||
| Perspectives on Modern Culture - WR | ||
| Principles of Cultural History - WR | ||
| Selected Perspectives in Humanities - WR | ||
| Electives in Humanities disciplines, other than French, at 300 level or above 6 | 6 | |
| Minimum Electives 7 | 23 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 68 | |
No more than 40 hours in French may be applied toward the Bachelor of Arts degree.
FREN 121-FREN 123 do not count toward the 40 hour maximum in French.
At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Culminating Undergraduate Experience (Graduation requirement) | ||
| Requirement fulfilled by completing: | ||
| Senior Capstone - CUE | ||
| 1 | Completion of the intermediate level of a single foreign language |
| 2 | Additional 3 hours of Arts and Sciences programmatic requirement in Natural Sciences or Social Sciences is met in supporting coursework. |
| 3 | In addition to courses counted toward General Education; 6 hours must be at the 300 level or above |
| 4 | May be incorporated into other degree requirements |
| 5 | Fulfills WR requirement. |
| 6 | Majors in one foreign language may count courses at the 300 level or above in another foreign language toward this requirement. |
| 7 | Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree. |
Flight Plan
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| GEN 100 or GEN 101 |
Student Success Center Orientation or Arts and Sciences Orientation |
1 |
| ENGL 101 | Introduction to College Writing - WC | 3 |
| FREN 121 | Basic French I | 4 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Quantitative Reasoning - QR | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences with Lab - B | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 102 | Intermediate College Writing - WC | 3 |
| FREN 122 | Basic French II | 4 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences - S | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences US Diversity - SBD1 | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication - OC | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| FREN 123 | Basic French III | 4 |
| M L 250 | Introduction to the French-Speaking World - AH, D2 | 3 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences Historical Perspective - SBH | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities-AH | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| FREN 320 | French Skills Overview | 3 |
| Humanities Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Social Science or Natural Science Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| FREN 321 | French Conversation | 3 |
| FREN 331 | French Civilization | 3 |
| French Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Humanities WR Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Social Science or Natural Science Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FREN 322 | Written Expression - WR | 3 |
| FREN 332 | France Today | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Social Science or Natural Science WR Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| FREN 455 | Reading in French | 3 |
| FREN 523 | Advanced Communication Skills | 3 |
| French Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FREN 524 | Theory and Practice of Translation | 3 |
| FREN 590 | Senior Capstone - CUE | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Perspectives on Ancient Culture - WR | ||
| Perspectives on Medieval Culture - WR | ||
| Perspectives on Early Modern Culture - WR | ||
| Perspectives on Modern Culture - WR | ||
| Principles of Cultural History - WR | ||
| Selected Perspectives in Humanities - WR | ||
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 121 | |
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan. What-if reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan. For both reports, please consult with your advisor before editing your course schedule.
To create either report:
- Log into your ULink account.
- Click on the Student Services tab.
- Next, click on "View my Academic Advisement Report" to run a Degree Audit report in the Undergraduate Advising area.
- To create a What-if report, click on "Create a What-if Advisement Report."
Click here to run a Degree Audit report, or create a What-if report.
