French Curriculum

The French program at Gettysburg College offers students an in-depth exploration of the French language and Francophone cultures across the globe. From foundational grammar to advanced seminars in literature, film, and cultural studies, the curriculum is designed to build language proficiency and critical thinking skills through engaging, interdisciplinary coursework. Students are encouraged to broaden their understanding of the Francophone world through courses that examine global perspectives and historical contexts. The program also emphasizes experiential learning, with study abroad opportunities, allowing students to immerse themselves fully in French-speaking environments.

Whether majoring or minoring, students will benefit from a curriculum that integrates linguistic development with cultural analysis, preparing them for diverse careers in international relations, business, education, the arts, and beyond. Below are the core course requirements for both the major and minor in French.

Curriculum

The curriculum features exciting courses that connect language learning with rich cultural exploration. In French and Francophone Contemporary Cinema, students analyze how political and social issues centered around various forms of discrimination are conceptualized and addressed today. Law and Order: Famous French and Francophone Detectives takes students on a journey through the history of the police, famous serial killers, and the daily life of the criminal police. For those drawn to the rich gastronomy of France, Exploring French Foodways investigates the relationship between food and national identity in the French context and build students’ awareness of the role food plays in the construction and expression of individual and group identity. With these courses and the opportunity to study abroad, Gettysburg’s French program offers students an education that is both transformative and consequential, equipping them with language skills and a global perspective that prepares them for a lifetime of meaningful impact.

First Year Advising and Registration recommendations

All students who have previously studied French and wish to continue the language MUST take a placement test and register at the level where they placed. Placement in 102 reflects previous exposure to French; however, this course still covers beginner content. Placement in a 300-level course is reflective of a good level in French language. It is not unusual for First-Year students to be placed in such a course and do very well. Prospective French majors should have completed French 202 by the first semester of their Sophomore year to ensure smooth planning for study abroad. Those who have never taken French before and would like to start at Gettysburg College must register in French 101.

Any questions should be directed to Ms. Robin Oliver.
For complete information consult the First Year Advising and Registration Guide.

French Major

The French major at Gettysburg College offers students an immersive and intellectually rich experience in the language, literature, and cultures of the French-speaking world. Designed to develop advanced proficiency in French, the major also emphasizes critical thinking, analytical writing, and cultural literacy through a diverse and engaging curriculum. Students begin with foundational courses that strengthen their language skills before progressing to advanced seminars that explore topics such as contemporary France, Francophone literature and cinema, and the historical and cultural dynamics of the Francophone world. Courses like French and Francophone Contemporary Cinema, Law and Order: Famous French and Francophone Detectives, and Exploring French Foodways encourage students to engage with global perspectives and examine the intersections of language, power, identity, and art.

A hallmark of the French major is the study abroad semester, during which students can further develop their linguistic fluency and cultural understanding. The major culminates in a capstone experience, allowing students to synthesize their learning through a culmination project. Whether paired with international relations, political science, history, or the arts, the French major equips students with essential skills for careers in education, diplomacy, global business, law, and beyond. Rooted in a deep appreciation for the complexity of the Francophone world, the French major prepares students to become culturally aware, globally engaged citizens.

French Major Requirements
Course Type	Description
French 202 OR French 300-level elective	Intermediate French.
French 305	Methods in French and Francophone Studies.
French 400	Seminar, taken in the Spring of Senior Year.
Seven 300-level French courses	Chosen from the other departmental offerings. May include up to two courses taught in English with an emphasis on France or the broader French-speaking world, subject to department approval.
One semester abroad	At an approved French-speaking program. Up to three courses taken abroad may be counted toward the major requirements, subject to the approval of the French department chairperson.

French Minor

The French minor at Gettysburg College offers students the opportunity to develop strong language skills and cultural awareness while complementing their major field of study. Through a focused yet flexible curriculum, students gain intermediate to advanced proficiency in French and explore the diverse literatures, histories, and artistic expressions of the Francophone world. The minor includes core courses in advanced language and cultural studies, with the option to tailor the experience through electives.

While study abroad is not required of French minors, it is strongly encouraged. Whether paired with international affairs, business, political science, public health, or the sciences, the French minor strengthens students’ communication skills and global awareness—assets that are highly valued in today’s interconnected world.

French Minor Requirements
Course Type	Description
French 201 OR French 300-level elective	Intermediate French.
French 202 OR French 300-level elective	Intermediate French.
French 305	Methods in French and Francophone Studies.
Three 300-level French courses	Chosen from the other departmental offerings. May include up to two courses taken abroad in an approved French-speaking program.

Courses

Jump to level: 100 • 200 • 300 • 400

Fundamentals of French grammar, composition, and pronunciation. Emphasis on oral comprehension, verbal communication, reading, and writing in the broader context of French and Francophone culture. Classroom interaction stresses the oral-aural method of language learning. Enrollment limited to those with no previous study of French or placement based on the Departmental Placement Examination
Continuation of French 101. Focus on grammar, composition, and pronunciation, with ongoing emphasis on oral comprehension, communication, reading, and writing within French and Francophone contexts. Classroom interaction continues to stress the oral-aural method of language learning. Prerequisite: successful completion of French 101 or placement into 102 based on the Departmental Placement Examination

Grammar review and practice in oral French, with stress on reading and written expression in the spring. Contact with French culture is maintained throughout. Enrollment limited to those who have previously studied French and who have completed 101-102, or who are enrolled according to achievement on the Departmental Placement Examination. Successful completion of 201 is a prerequisite for entry into 202, unless student is placed there according to the placement examination.
Grammar review and practice in oral French in the fall semester, with stress on reading and written expression in the spring. Contact with French culture is maintained throughout. Enrollment limited to those who have previously studied French and who have completed 101-102, or who are enrolled according to achievement on the Departmental Placement Examination. Successful completion of 201 is a prerequisite for entry into 202, unless student is placed there according to the placement examination.
This course examines how sports in contemporary France both reflect and reshape struggles over race, power, and equity. From Zinedine Zidane’s rise from an Algerian-immigrant family to national icon, to debates over Muslim women athletes wearing headscarves, sports reveal the tensions of belonging in a society that officially denies racial categories. Students will explore how colonial history, immigration, class, gender, and religion intersect in French sporting culture. Case studies include the 1998 and 2018 World Cups, suburban football academies, parkour in banlieue housing projects, and the Tour de France as a national myth. Comparative analysis with the United States and other countries will highlight different models of multiculturalism, universalism, and exclusion. Offered in English. No previous knowledge of French required.

Reading and analysis of representative selections of texts from the global francophone world (literature, essays, film, art). Course introduces students to interpretive strategies and argumentative writing. Students will also acquire knowledge of the context in which specific texts were created (social, geographical, historical, literary, artistic). Prerequisite: French 202. Required of all majors. Course is a prerequisite for all literature and film courses at the 300-level.
Overview of the various literal and figurative revolutions in France following the Revolution of 1789. Course examines the many political changes from the rise of the French Republic to the political, social, demographic, economic, intellectual and artistic developments in the multicultural France of the 21st century, including its place and role in the expanding European Union. Prerequisite: French 300. Required of all majors. Offered in the spring.
This course offers an in-depth study of French political life, covering its historical evolution, current structures, and future challenges. Students will examine key events, influential figures, and the socio-political dynamics that have shaped the nation since the Revolution of 1789. Special attention will be devoted to how France’s political system interacts with and influences social class, race, ethnicity, and gender, reflecting, reinforcing, or challenging these distinctions. The learning experience, facilitated through lectures, discussions, readings, and research projects, aims not only to provide participants with a nuanced understanding of the French political landscape but also, more broadly, the complexities involved in the exercise of power in any setting. Prerequisite: FREN 300 and FREN 305
Study of the relationship between food and national identity in the French context. Through close readings of historical, sociological, and anthropological texts, as well as analysis of debates surrounding recent food controversies (rising obesity rates, genetically modified foods, regionally certified “authentic” foods), this course aims to develop students’ understanding of important anthropological theory in the study of food (taste, consumption, gifts), while building their awareness of the role food plays in the construction and expression of individual and group identity. Prerequisite: FREN 310. FREN 315 and ANTH 217 are cross-listed.
Study of critically-acclaimed contemporary French and Francophone films. The selections for “Contemporary French and Francophone Cinema,” explore how political and social issues centered around various forms of discrimination (unemployment, immigration, illness, gender and sexual identity) are conceptualized and addressed today in France. Major emphasis is placed on cinematography as students learn the vocabulary and visual grammar of film. Literature from the fields of cinema, sociology, history, and literature, as well as excerpts of foundational films, complement film screenings. Prerequisite: FREN 305 or 310.
Study of literary texts from the Francophone world (French-speaking countries in North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, Quebec, and Vietnam). In addition to their intrinsic literary worth, the selections bring to light the changing identities of formerly colonized people in a post-colonial world. Major emphasis placed on the study of the literary texts, but the historical and cultural context is also covered. Prerequisite: French 305 or equivalent.
Study of an emerging body of literature in France written by Beur authors as well as first generation of French African authors. The focus is on the experience of the protagonists who, when trying to mix their cultural heritage to the French culture, encounter a myriad of reactions. Major emphasis is placed on the study of literary texts, but the historical and cultural context is also covered as well as themes such as racism, post/colonialism, women, and religion. Prerequisite: French 305 or equivalent.
Study of how social and cultural differences are understood, used, and managed in contemporary France. Through close readings of historical, anthropological, and sociological works, as well as analysis of literary, philosophical, and political texts, this course aims to shed light on recent polemics concerning headscarves, the banlieue, gay marriage, affirmative action, and the new Paris museums of immigration and “primitive” art. In the process, it invites reflection on the relativity of such notions as race, ethnicity, gender, and national identity. Prerequisite: French 310. Cross-listed with ANTH 233.
Study of a genre often considered minor though a variety of documents: novels, bande dessinée, cinema and TV series both in France and the francophone world. The focus is on the variety of styles and authors throughout time, as well as the analysis of various narrative and aesthetics theories and choices. Major emphasis is also placed on the socio-historical and political context, such as the history of the police, famous serial killers, and the daily life of the criminal police. Prerequisite: FREN 305
This course explores the ideological and aesthetic stakes of tourism and voyage in the French and Francophone world. From Imperial France to the postcolonial world, it interrogates what travel writings tell us about fantasies and anxieties haunting our imagination. Have travel writings, tourism, and voyage served to perpetuate or undermine racial stereotypes? What impact (ideological, economic, environmental) has tourism had on local populations? Prerequisite: FREN 305.
Study of 19th-century Paris as a site of major cultural and social upheavals that have contributed to shaping modernity. Through an examination of figures populating the 19th-century changing Parisian urban space (the flâneur, the prostitute, the department store clerk, etc.), this seminar investigates the evolution of cultural, economic, and political institutions toward modernity. Topics covered include avant-garde literary and artistic movements; photography; urban planning; retail; finance; politics; and shifting paradigms of gender and economic class. Prerequisite: FREN 305 or equivalent
This course considers the French language in its cultural, historical, political, social, and pragmatic dimensions. How has French evolved from the Gallo-Romance languages? How did French emerge as the national language of France? Does it make sense to talk about the French language? What role have institutions, such as the Académie française and the Office Québécois de la langue française, played in shaping French? How, where, and by whom is French used today? This course combines theory and practice in exploring different forms of communication, such as pastiches, slang, memes, blogs, or SMS.
Study of Quebecois identity through careful reading of major literary works by women authors from French Canada. Course focuses not only on the literal periods of unrest as well as on the losses suffered by the Quebecois people but also on the metaphorical turmoil and loss experienced by the characters in the chosen novels. Various aspects of the cultural background are presented (language, religion, music, and art) in an effort to understand the evolution of Quebec's literary tradition and its impact in today's society. A small and accessible body of theory supplements the works of fiction. Prerequisite: French 305 or equivalent.

Intensive study of a particular aspect of French literature, civilization, or culture to be determined by the instructor. Past offerings include The Art of Emile Zola, The Image of Women in French Literature: A Feminist Perspective, The Gaze and Self-Image in French Film, 1959-89 and Postcolonial Immigrations in France. Course is for seniors (in the final semester) to complete undergraduate work in French. Prerequisites: Limited to seniors, except with permission of instructor and approval of department chairperson. Offered every spring.