Undergraduate

Courses 

Studying French at the University of Adelaide
First-Year French
After First-Year
Constructing a Major in French
Extended Major
Diploma in Languages
Constructing a Minor in French
Study in France
Summary of 2012 Courses

Studying French at the University of Adelaide

French at the University of Adelaide offers two suites of courses, running from first year through to third year. The beginners' stream is for students who have little or no previous knowledge of French; the continuers' stream is for students who have passed Year 12 French (or equivalent). All courses in both streams aim to develop proficiency in the French language and to give students the opportunity to explore various aspects of French culture, past and present. In first year, the study of language and culture is combined, but in second and third years, separate language and culture courses are offered in order to allow more in-depth study (see the table of courses below).

Students may study French within the normal requirements of the Ordinary Degree of Bachelor of Arts or as part of another degree program, such as the Bachelor of International Studies. Students can study French for just one semester or one year, but in order to develop their language skills, most students will choose to complete a major (24 units) or a minor (18 units) in French. For maximum benefit, students should consider taking all of the language and culture courses on offer, thereby completing an extended major (30 units). Students who choose to enrol in the Diploma in Languages will need to complete a major (24 units) in their chosen language. More information on compiling a minor or a major in French can be found below. Anyone wishing to study French as part of a Diploma in Languages or as part of a degree program other than the Bachelor of Arts should consult the HUMSS Faculty Office in order to plan their course choices before proceeding to second year.

Note that all courses are semesterised, so students will receive a result at the end of each semester. As is the case with all language courses at university, the progression requirements for French are such that students must successfully complete one semester of language work before proceeding to the next semester course. From semester to semester and year to year, students build on their knowledge and skills as they become more confident in understanding, speaking and writing French.

Students who wish to pursue their interest in French beyond third year can do so by enrolling in Honours, provided they have a major in French with a Credit average. It is also possible to combine Honours in French with Honours in another discipline in the Faculty. After Honours, research degrees at both Masters and PhD levels can be undertaken in areas of French Studies that correspond to the research interests of staff (see the French Studies handbook for a list).

First-Year French

French courses at first-year level are organised in two streams: the beginners' stream and the continuers' stream.

The beginners' stream comprises the following courses in first year:
FREN 1002: French IA (Semester 1) and FREN 1003: French IB (Semester 2)
This stream is designed for students who have no previous knowledge of French, but also caters for students who have done some French at school but not to Year 12 level.

The continuers' stream comprises the following courses in first year:
FREN 1011: French ISA (Semester 1) and FREN 1012: French ISB (Semester 2)
This stream is designed for students who have completed Year 12 French (or equivalent) with a grade of B- or higher (15/20 or higher in the previous SACE).

If you are unsure about your eligibility for either of the above streams, or simply want further information, you should contact the Discipline Advisor, Associate Professor John West-Sooby, via email (john.westsooby@adelaide.edu.au) or by telephone (8313 5634).

In both streams, the focus is on the acquisition and development of language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The study of French culture is also incorporated into the study of first-year French in both streams.

After First-Year

In second year and third year (in both streams), there are separate language and culture courses in each semester, as follows (note that the "S" indicates the continuers' stream while "A" corresponds to first semester and "B" to second semester):

All courses are of 3 units in value. The topics for the culture courses will vary from year to year, and cover a wide range of areas from mediaeval France to 21st-century French cinema. Consult the French Studies handbook for current culture topics.

Clearly, the division between language and culture is an artificial one: the study of language is itself a window into another culture; and all the culture courses are designed to improve language skills (classes are all conducted in French).

Constructing a Major in French

As for all other disciplines or interdisciplinary areas within the Faculty, a major in French comprises 24 units, or 8 x 3 unit courses. Unlike most other subject areas, however, there are specific progression requirements in French.

Firstly, you obviously need to pass each language course before moving on to the next semester of language study. Secondly, you need to pass 9 units at second year (ie two language semesters plus one culture course) and 9 units at third year, as follows:
 
6 units in first year
9 units in second year (2 language courses + 1 culture course)
9 units in third year (2 language courses + 1 culture course or 1 language course + 2 culture courses)

Extended Major

To derive maximum benefit for your French skills, we strongly recommend that you consider completing an extended major of 30 units by taking all 10 courses (if you have enough elective slots - 6 units), as follows:

6 units in first year
12 units in second year (2 language courses + 2 culture courses)
12 units in third year (2 language courses + 2 culture courses)

This is particularly important for anyone considering enrolling in Honours French in their fourth year.

Diploma in Languages

If you are enrolled in the Diploma in Languages, you need to complete a major in your chosen language (ie 24 units). If you choose to do French for your Diploma, simply follow the instructions for completing a major in French.

Constructing a Minor in French

As for all other disciplines or interdisciplinary areas within the Faculty, a minor in French comprises 18 units, or 6 x 3 unit courses. Unlike most other subject areas, however, there are specific progression requirements in French.

Firstly, you obviously need to pass each language course before moving on to the next semester of language study. Secondly, you need to pass a minimum of 6 units at second year (ie two language semesters) before enrolling in any of the third year courses.

This means you have two ways of constructing a minor in French:

Either
6 units in first year
12 units in second year (2 language courses + 2 culture course)

or
6 units in first year 
6 units in second year (2 language courses + 1 culture course)
6 units in third year (2 language courses or 1 language course + 1 culture course)

Study in France

Exchange

The University has established exchange agreements with a number of French universities to enable students to spend a semester (or two) in a French-speaking country as part of their studies. If you are interested in study abroad programmes, you should contact the University's International Office in the first instance. For course advice, you should contact either the Head of French or the French Course Advisor to discuss options (especially if you want to gain credit towards your major or Diploma in French). The current exchange partners are:

Université d'Avignon - generalist study, all courses conducted in French
Université Pierre Mendès-France (Grenoble II) - history, politics, international studies, social sciences, economics, all couses conducted in French
Université Stendhal (Grenoble III) - humanities, languages, all courses conducted in French
Sciences Po (Paris) - politics, international studies, courses available in English (options for French language study also available)
Université de Strasbourg - generalist study, most courses conducted in French, some courses avaiable in English

In addition, the Law School has a long-standing exchange agreement with the Université de Poitiers - Law students should consult that School for further information on this exchange scheme.

Intensive Summer Course in France

Students can earn 3 units of credit by completing the intensive summer course conducted in January by an organisation called Cpéderf. This summer course has been running over 25 years and involves a combination of formal language study (at the Audio-Visual Centre in Vichy) and project work (in Nevers), with some time in Paris at the beginning and end of the programme. Students are billetted with families during part of the course. Information on this intensive course is usually provided to French students during first semester (May). A winter school option (July) is also sometimes organised by Cpéderf.

 Full details are available in our French Studies Handbook.

Summary of 2012 courses