Bachelor of French at University of California, Berkeley

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The undergraduate major in French is designed to allow students to acquire competence in the written and spoken language as well as a familiarity with the literature and culture of France and the French-speaking world. It aims to develop the student's critical appreciation of texts in French in both literary and cultural contexts. The department thus offers a large selection of courses in different periods and schools of criticism, as well as courses in composition, stylistics, translation, and linguistics. Furthermore, it encourages interdisciplinary studies in French through courses emphasizing the relation between literature and the other arts and between literature, history, and society. Particularly attractive for many students is the opportunity for the historical and critical study of French film. Most courses are conducted in French, and majors are expected to write papers and examinations in that language.

Given the breadth of its program, the French major may interest students desiring a general humanistic education based on the language and literature of the French-speaking world; students planning to teach French at the elementary or secondary level; students who intend to pursue graduate work in preparation for teaching and research at the college level; and students preparing for careers in such areas as international law, business, or government service, which require both training in a major foreign language and/or a general background in a humanistic discipline.

Declaring the Major

Students may declare the major at any point in their French studies, provided they have completed a minimum of 30 units of UCB coursework. To declare a major in French, students complete the departmental application form and submit it in person or via email to the Undergraduate Advisor. The form is also available in the French Department Undergraduate Office in 4209 Dwinelle. Applications to the major are accepted Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.

Students who are considering a major in French are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor before declaring the major for help in deciding whether this major is appropriate for their academic goals, and for referrals to others who can assist in this decision. If a decision to major in French is reached, the undergraduate advisor will aid in planning the undergraduate program. The department strongly urges all majors to establish contact early with the undergraduate advisor to get answers to a broad range of questions regarding the French major and other issues related to completing the bachelor's degree at Berkeley.

Honors Program

Senior French majors with both an overall grade point average of 3.5 and a grade point average (GPA) in French of 3.5 may apply to the honors program in French. Students meeting these criteria may obtain the application from the undergraduate adviser in 4209 Dwinelle Hall. After verification of GPA and proof that the student is in the final two semesters at Berkeley has been submitted to the undergraduate advisor, students prepare and submit a written proposal to both the major advisor and the supervisor of the thesis detailing the subject of the thesis. Upon admission to the honors program, students undertake research on an approved topic of their choice. The results of this research constitute an honors essay.

FRENCH H195A-FRENCH H195B is a two-semester sequence (2 units each semester); credit and grade are awarded upon completion of the sequence. Students should therefore begin the sequence no later than the semester before their final semester at Berkeley

The honors program is taken in addition to the eight upper division course, 32 upper division unit requirement for the major and does not count toward these minimums. The thesis may not be used as a paper or thesis for any other class or department.

Minor Program

The Department of French offers a general minor in French. For information regarding prerequisites and minor requirements, please see the Minor Requirements tab at the top right of this page.

Students who intend to complete the minor in French should submit an Application to the General Minor in French no later than the semester before their Expected Graduation Term. Students should keep in contact with the Undergraduate Advisor in French as they complete coursework for the minor.

To complete the minor, students download and fill out the form called  "Completion of L&S Minor". This petition is necessary for the official notation of the French Minor to appear on students' transcripts. This form must be completed and submitted by Friday of RRR week of a student's Expected Graduation Term. Students are responsible for the timely completion and submission of these forms. All petitions are reviewed and approved by the Undergraduate Advisor in French.

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1. Attain solid (though not flawless) proficiency in reading, writing, understanding, and speaking French.
2. Possess some understanding of the history and sociology of the French language.
3. Be aware of a variety of ways in which the histories of French and Francophone literature and culture have traditionally been accounted for within French studies.
4. Recognize and understand features of a variety of genres and modes in French and Francophone writing (the novel, poetic forms, short fiction, autobiography, film, etc.,), as well as of the vocabulary commonly used to describe them (i.e., narratology, vocabulary of versification or of film studies, etc.,).
5. Have some familiarity with key rhetorical terms.
6. Acquire a basic familiarity with some of the techniques of cultural analysis within French and Francophone studies.
7. Be able to articulate specific connections between texts and cultural, artistic, social, and/or political contexts.
8. Gain an understanding of literature and of other written texts in interdisciplinary and multicultural contexts.
9. Be aware of debates about the nature of literature.
10. Be widely read in French literature.

Skills

1. Develop the ability to interpret and analyze any given text from the French and Francophone domains using a variety of methods, both in isolation and together (such as close reading, linguistic analysis, theoretical analysis, historical and cultural contextualization, etc.,).
2. Be capable of interpreting culture and cultural artifacts in the French and Francophone domains.
3. Formulate a well-organized, well-supported argument both orally and in writing.
4. Write essays in standard academic French, using appropriate vocabulary whenever needed to discuss precise examples in specific texts.
5. Begin to acquire independent research skills on a given topic or text and know how to make use of secondary sources. (For instance, know how to read and analyze a scholarly article or how to compile a bibliography.)
6. Observe ethical, precise, and accurate citation practices in both oral and written work.