French

A major in French allows students to study French language, literature, and culture either as beginners or advanced learners. Students who enter the major at post-HSC (or advanced) level, will be exempted from some language subjects.

The French major aims to provide a course of study which will enable students to:

− comprehend normal spoken and written French in any situation;

− speak and write clearly and accurately in French in everyday situations;

− use their increasing knowledge of the structure of the foreign language to move from dependence on formal instruction to ongoing independent acquisition of linguistic proficiency;

− gather and synthesise information on topics of current interest from different French-language sources and in different media;

− recognise and respond personally to culture-specific information and cultural suppositions in French source material, and to differences between French culture and their own cultural heritage;

− make effective use of linguistic resources such as bilingual dictionaries, Web searches, and descriptive grammars;

− better understand the structure and the communicative resources of their own language;

− accurately translate non-specialist French documents into English;

− apply their foreign language skills to a contemporary French workplace environment;

− gain a broad overview of French cultural and literary traditions;

− take the opportunity to include a semester of study abroad at an exchange university in France as part of their Wollongong undergraduate degree.

Major Study

A major in French for beginners or near beginners consists of 66 credit points, and must include 18 credit points at 100-level, 24 credit points at 200-level and 24 credit points at 300-level, as set out below. Students who have achieved a strong 2 Unit HSC pass or equivalent may choose to enter the language sequence at the level of FREN251, and complete a 54 credit points major comprising 6 credit points (civilisation) at 100-level, 24 credit points at 200-level and 24 credit points at 300-level, as set out below.

All students wishing to enter the French major at the level of FREN251 must obtain formal approval from the French co-ordinator.

Subject to the pre-requisites listed in the subject database, language and literature/civilisation subjects may be taken independently of one another, e.g. French 1A Language may be taken without also taking FREN110. However, students wishing to complete a major in French must complete the sequence set out below.

Native or near-native speakers, whose major also consists of 54 credit points, may be granted waivers for FREN251 and FREN252. Such waivers will be granted only at the time of first enrolment in French, in accordance with the Program's policy and with the formal approval of the French co-ordinator or the Convenor of Program. Replacement subjects to make up the 54 credit points for the major are to be chosen from the additional subjects listed below. Credit may be granted for language courses taken at University level in accordance with established University of Wollongong guidelines.

Minor Study in Languages Other Than English (LOTE): French

A Minor in French consists of four sequential language subjects in French. Students beginning at 100-level will take 28 credit points and students beginning at upper levels will take 32 credit points. Students may not cross-count any subjects from the minor in any other minor or major study.

Example: A student beginner could take a Minor by studying FREN151, FREN152, FREN251 and FREN252.

A student who had studied French to HSC level and was commencing University French at second year level could take a minor by studying FREN251, FREN252, FREN351 and FREN352.

Whilst the minor will not be stipulated on the student's testamur at graduation, it will be recorded on the academic transcript.

Honours

See Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Study Program

Last reviewed: 6 November, 2007