Advanced Courses and Majoring and Minoring in French
We invite all students interested in French and Francophone Studies to consider declaring a minor or a major.
The Department of French recently updated its program requirements, which will begin to take effect in Fall 2025.
Advanced courses can be divided into several main categories:
Courses numbered 3000-3069 are primarily devoted to applied language (Translation, Phonetics, Conversation, or Business French, for example) or the creative arts (Filmmaking, for example). Students having completed FREN 2020 or its equivalent can enroll directly in these courses without any other prerequisites.
FREN 3031 is distinct from other courses in the 3000-3099 sequence because it is the gateway into more advanced courses. FREN 3031 is designed to hone our students' language skills, priming them for success moving forward. All majors and minors are required to take (or place out of) FREN 3031, which is a prerequisite for all courses numbered 3070 or above.
Courses labeled FREN 3070-3099 are also generally more advanced applied language or creative courses. As such, courses in this tranche (like FREN 3071, French for Global Development and Humanitarian Action) require FREN 3031 as a prerequisite.
Courses numbered between 3100-3999 tend to be surveys or special topics courses that give students broad exposure to works of French culture (literature, cinema, art, philosophy...) from several different periods. At this level you will also find series of courses on the history of France, the history of French colonialism, and other courses (like Loving Words) that cover vast swaths of French and francophone literary and artistic culture. Again, FREN 3031 is a prerequisite for all courses above FREN 3070.
FREN 3140, Introduction to French Studies, is designed to acquaint students with the kind of work they will encounter in courses above 3100. That said, FREN 3140 is not required for courses "above" it. (Note that FREN 3140 will replace FREN 3040 in Fall 2026. Students who have already taken FREN 3040 should not enroll in FREN 3140).
Courses numbered 4000-4999 are devoted to more focused topics, like Medieval Saints' Lives, The Enlightenment, the Nazi Occupation of France, or Life in Colonial Cities, among many others. 4000-level courses are designed for students who have already taken FREN 3031 and at least one other literature/culture course beyond 3100.
For the Minor in French, students must successfully complete 5 courses in addition to FREN 3031 or its equivalent (for a total of 6 courses, or 18 credits). Of those courses, one must be taken at the 4000 level.
For the Major in French, students must successfully complete 9 courses in addition to FREN 3031 or its equivalent (for a total of 10 courses, or 30 credits). Of those courses, three must be taken at the 4000 level.
Period Requirement: For both the major and the minor, students must take at least 1 course in literature/culture of the pre-Revolutionary period (Medieval to 1800) AND 1 course in literature/culture of the post-Revolutionary period (1800 to the Present). Students may satisfy this requirement with courses at the 3000 or 4000 level. For a list of sample courses that satisfy these respective requirements, see here.
A note on double majors: The College allows students majoring in two disciplines to count up to 6 credit hours, including courses taken while studying abroad, to meet requirements for both of their majors. Certain French courses, then, may count for credit toward the major in other departments, notably History and Global Studies (among others). Students interested in using one course to count toward two majors must, however, seek approval from the DUP in BOTH departments. This rule ONLY applies to courses for the major; it does NOT apply for courses that count toward a student's minor.
Feel free to consult the Director of Undergraduate Programs for any questions you have, or if you would like more information.
When you are ready to declare either a major or a minor, please use the online form available here. The Declaration of Major/Minor Contact (DMC) for the Department of French is Ms. Pimonwan Kamjan (wdd2vc@virginia.edu).
