Spring 2026 Upper-Level Course Descriptions

FRH 216: Literature and Culture: “Journeys to the Ends of the Earth, or Encounters with Cannibals”

MWF 9-9:50 / Prof. Murphy / Prerequisite: FRH 212, 213, or 214

In this course we will study texts, fictional and nonfictional, about travels to faraway countries and the contact between very different cultures. We will be interested in literary and anthropological themes such as the concepts of nature, civilization and barbarism, and the polemical uses of cultural comparison. We will read and discuss texts from the Renaissance up to the present day. Students will participate actively in class discussions and write short papers; they will synthesize their ideas for a midterm and a final exams. The skills you develop in this course will prepare you for more advanced classes in French Studies.

*Did you know? You can repeat FRH 216 once for credit when topics vary.

FRH 319: Composition and Review of Grammar

MWF 2-2:50 / Prof. McNelly / Prerequisite: FRH 200-level course or equivalent

This course solidifies your foundation of grammar and supports your integration of rules and structures in your writing. You will gain deeper knowledge of grammar by focusing on topics on a detailed level which, in turn, will afford you greater control over writing skills. At the same time, the writing component in this course is designed to reinforce your control of grammar: putting your ideas into words and creating your own sentences is the best way to memorize and master grammar rules. Whether you are moving towards upper-division courses, preparing for study abroad, or returning from abroad, this course will increase your accuracy in French. 

FRH 322: French Phonetics

TR 2-3:15 / Prof. Pellet / Prerequisite: Any FRH 200-level course

We will work together to improve your French pronunciation and listening skills while gaining a clearer sense of how sounds and spelling connect. We’ll use short, authentic materials—like ads, radio clips, movie previews, and songs—so that your practice is supported by engaging content (textual or other) spanning current events, cultural happenings, or societal trends. Creative speaking assignments will let you record and reflect on your progress, and you will have several opportunities to work one-on-one on your pronunciation during the semester. The goal is to help you feel more confident and expressive when speaking French, no matter your accent background.

FRH 330: French for Management

WF 12:30-1:45 / Prof. Vincent / Prerequisite: FRH 319, 329 or prerequisite override required

What communication skills do you need to become an effective leader or manager in the Francophone context? This class will develop your ability to write and speak in a range of professional contexts with attention to cultural nuance. Through analysis of real-world documents, case studies, and current events, you will hone your ability to analyze information, explicate a point of view, present your ideas, and persuade others. Class topics may include diplomacy and negotiation, entrepreneurship, human resources, marketing, and French for medical and humanitarian purposes.

This course will also prepare you for the Business French Certificate exam (Diplôme de Français Professionnel – Affaires), administered by the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris-Île-de-France. Successful completion of this exam will certify your Business French competency according to internationally recognized European Union standards.

FRH 364: French and Francophone Prose Fiction

WF 11-12:15 / Prof. Tarte / Prerequisite: FRH 216, 315, or prerequisite override required

Prose fiction invites us to discover imaginary worlds, from those closer and more familiar to those distant and unknown. Together we’ll explore the worlds of a wide range of prose fiction in French: shorter and longer texts, from the 17th to the 21st century, by writers from France and the Francophone world. Through our experience of reading and discussing these works together, we’ll come to a shared appreciation of the ways their authors use the French language and a variety of narrative techniques to tell stories. As one of the department’s capstone courses for advanced French Studies students, this class offers the opportunity to join a community of fellow readers interested in discovery and exchange.

FRT 210: French-Language Literature in Translation: “Crossing Borders: Migration and Exile in the Francophone World”

TR 2-3:15 / Prof. Schroth

This course explores how writers across the Francophone world represent migration, exile, and belonging in 20th- and 21st-century French literature. We begin with Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (2000–2001), a graphic memoir that crosses national, cultural, and gendered borders as it traces the artist’s life during and after the Iranian Revolution, when migration becomes both escape and estrangement. Kim Thúy’s Ru (2009) recalls the experiences of Vietnamese refugees in Quebec, evoking exile as both trauma and the foundation of new forms of memory. Tahar Ben Jelloun’s Leaving Tangier (2006) portrays trans-Mediterranean movement as aspiration that gives way to disillusionment, while Fatou Diome’s The Belly of the Atlantic (2003) depicts movements between Senegal and France as shadowed by longing and nostalgia for home. Finally, Dany Laferrière’s The Enigma of the Return (2009) reflects on the complex emotions of the author’s homecoming to Haiti after decades of displacement, transforming exile into a meditation on writing, identity, and belonging. Our discussions will be accompanied by scholarly essays that will provide critical perspectives on immigration, identity, and postcolonial memory.

Please note: FRT 210 fulfills the WFU Division II (Literatures) requirement. All French in Translation courses are taught in English.

*Did you know? You can repeat FRT 210 once for credit when topics vary.