French and French Studies

French Website: http://www.sewanee.edu/french

Professor Poe

Associate Professor Rung

Associate Professor Ramsey, Chair

Associate Professor Mills

Assistant Professor Glacet

Visiting Lecturer Miannay

The study of French language, culture, and literature provides Sewanee students with a paradigmatic set of tools for a lifetime of cultural exploration and a sympathetic understanding of otherness.

To begin courses in the department, students having taken French at the secondary-school level must take the departmental placement examination. Those who wish to enroll at a level beneath that indicated by the placement examination receive credit only if departmental permission is obtained prior to registration in the course. Through the sequence of courses designed for Sewanee students choosing to meet their language requirement in French, an operative level of oral and written proficiency is obtained, and students are likewise capable of reading important works in French and reacting to them critically.

For those wishing to go beyond the required sequence in French, the department sponsors two major tracks — one in French and one in French Studies, with minors available in both areas. These two programs offer Sewanee students the opportunity, in the former case, to deepen their understanding of French literature and thought through an approach interweaving period with theme, or, in the latter case, to obtain a firm grounding in the evolution of French and Francophone history, culture, and language.

Major in French:  The minimum requirement for a French major is seven full courses beyond French 300.  Along with 314, majors are normally expected to take at least two additional 300-level courses, one of which must be 360, before registering for 400-level courses.  A minimum of three 400-level, French-major courses is expected.  Senior French majors also participate, during their final semester, in the 410 seminar which ties together their upper-level coursework and prepares them for their comprehensive examinations.  In addition, French majors must study in a French-speaking country for at least a semester (the department helps students find appropriate programs).  For double majors only, upon receiving a satisfactory petition explaining the impossibility of studying in a Francophone country for a full semester, the department will then be willing to offer one of the following two alternatives in fulfilling this requirement:  study abroad for a summer (5 to 8 weeks, 2 course credits) and take one additional 400-level, French-major course in the department;  or take two additional 400-level, French-major courses in the department.

Minor in French:  The requirement for a French minor is six full courses beyond French 300.  For these six courses, 314 is required, along with at least one additional 300-level course and two 400-level literature courses.  For the other two courses, minors may choose either to participate in a summer-abroad program in a French-speaking country for 5-8 weeks for 2 course credits (Sewanee’s own summer program when offered, or a similar program approved by the department in off-years) or to take two additional 400-level courses at Sewanee.

Major in French Studies:  The French Studies major is an interdisciplinary program combining substantial core work of six courses in the department of French and French Studies and abroad on the language, history, culture, and society of France and of other Francophone countries, with complementary coursework in at least two related fields outside of the department (four courses);  acceptable courses in related fields are specified in the program layout below.  Senior French Studies majors also participate, during their final semester, in the 420 seminar which ties together their upper-level coursework and prepares them for their comprehensive examinations.  Study abroad for at least a semester is required of students majoring in French Studies.  For double majors only, upon receiving a satisfactory petition explaining the impossibility of studying in a Francophone country for a full semester, the department will then be willing to offer one of the following two alternatives:  study abroad for a summer (5 to 8 weeks, 2 course credits) and take one additional 400-level, French Studies-major course in Sewanee;  or take two additional 400-level, French Studies-major courses in the department.

—Six core French courses at Sewanee (and one advanced French language course abroad; any other core coursework proposed to be taken abroad must be approved by the Department of French prior to departure):

—The following three courses:

  • FREN 311: Composition, or FREN 312: Conversation, or FREN 313: Contemporary Language (With another advanced language course abroad)
  • FREN 314: Introduction to Literature of the French-Speaking World
  • FREN 420: French Studies Senior Research Tutorial

—Three of the five following courses:

  • FREN 411: Culture through History
  • FREN 413: Modern France through Films and Other Texts
  • FREN 415: History of French Cinema
  • FREN 417: Topics in Francophone Studies
  • FREN 419: Introduction to French Linguistics

—One advanced French language course abroad, as approved by the Department.

—Four related courses in at least two of the following departments at Sewanee, with at least one course below in art history, music, or theatre (Fren 415 can count for this fine arts expectation). Courses proposed as substitutes to be taken abroad must be approved by the Department of French prior to departure.

  • ANTH 303: Peoples and Cultures of Europe
  • ANTH 304: Peoples and Cultures of Africa

  • ArtH 320: Medieval Art
  • ArtH 332: 17th- and 18th-Century Art
  • ArtH 335: 19th-Century Art
  • ArtH 345: Modern Art

  • HIST 219: History of Africa: Traditional Africa
  • HIST 220: History of Africa: Modern Africa
  • HIST 270: Women in European History Since 1750
  • HIST 272: France Since 1815
  • HIST 303: Constructing Christendom: the West from Constantine to the First Crusade
  • HIST 304: Medieval Europe
  • HIST 305: The Renaissance
  • HIST 306: The Reformation Era
  • HIST 308: The Revolutionary Era
  • HIST 309: Politics and Society in Europe 1815-1914
  • HIST 311: Politics and Society in Europe after 1914
  • HIST 345: The Age of Enlightenment
  • HIST 378:  Sexuality and the Self in Modern Europe
  • HIST 379:  Honor, Shame, and Violence in Modern Europe
  • HIST 380:  Crimes and Scandals in the Historical Imagination, 18th–20th Centuries
  • HIST 384: African Art and Culture
  • HIST 389:  European Cultural and Intellectual History, 1750–1890
  • HIST 395: War and Society in the Modern Period


  • MUS 205: Music of the Baroque Era
  • MUS 207: Music of the Romantic Period
  • MUS 208: Music of the Twentieth Century
  • MUS 225: Music and Drama
  • MUS 301: History of Music I
  • MUS 302: History of Music II

  • PHIL 204: Modern Philosophy from Descartes to Kant

  • POLS 103: Comparative Politics
  • POLS 227: Africa in World Politics
  • POLS 260: European Political Relations
  • POLS 303: Women and Politics
  • POLS 329: Comparative African Politics
  • POLS 356: Diplomatic History of Europe 1813-1914
  • POLS 364: The European Union
  • POLS 401: Research Seminar in European Politics

  • THEA 106: History of Film

Note: One of the department's upper-level French literature courses, or a literature course abroad, may possibly be substituted for one of the four "related courses" above, upon special arrangement with the department, or prior to departure in the case of a literature course to be taken abroad.

Minor in French Studies:  The requirement for a French Studies minor is six full courses beyond French 300.  For these six courses, 314 is required, along with 311, 312, or 313, one 400-level French Studies course, and one related course outside the department.  For the other two courses, minors may choose either to participate in a summer-abroad program in a French-speaking country for 5-8 weeks for 2 course credits (Sewanee’s own summer program when offered, or a similar program approved by the department in off-years) or to take two additional 400-level courses at Sewanee.

All majors (and minors where possible) are expected to try to live in the French House for at least one semester; application forms are obtainable from the department. The French House also serves as the major site for most Cercle Français activity, and majors and minors are likewise expected to participate in the Cercle's cultural program, just as they should come regularly to the weekly Table Française.

Majors in French and French Studies may obtain honors by achieving a 3.5 departmental GPA, including the grade for culminating work done in 410 or 420.

The department also participates in interdisciplinary programs such as International and Global Studies and Women's Studies.