Skip to main content
Department of French and Italian

Bachelor of Arts in French

Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements FRENBA

The Bachelor of Arts in French provides comprehensive training in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in French—one of the fastest-growing languages in the world—as well as exploring the literature and culture of France and the French-speaking world. After the basic language sequence, students take courses from a wide range of offerings in French and Francophone literature, civilization, cinema, media studies, contemporary culture, advanced grammar and writing practice, and French linguistics. For students with an interest in international business, the Department offers a course in Business French.

A major in French can open doors to many different careers. In addition to language proficiency, French majors acquire advanced skills in general communication, analytical reasoning, and multicultural understanding, among others, that are highly valuable in a variety of professions.

Requirements

The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Introductory Course in French/Francophone Studies. Must be taken on the Bloomington campus. One (1) course:
    • FRIT-F 300 French and Francophone Studies: Introduction
    • FRIT-S 300 French and Francophone Studies: Introduction-Honors
  2. Advanced Grammar. One (1) course:
    • FRIT-F 313 Advanced Grammar
  3. French/Francophone Literature and Culture.
    1. French. One (1) course:
      • FRIT-F 305 Stage and Page
      • FRIT-F 306 Fiction and Poetry
      • FRIT-F 361 La France médiévale (jusqu\'à 1500)
      • FRIT-F 362 Renaissance et Révolution
      • FRIT-F 363 La France Post-Révolutionnaire
      • FRIT-F 364 La France Actuelle
      • FRIT-F 375 Thèmes et perspectives littéraires et culturels
    2. French Literature and Culture. One (1) additional course:
      • Courses taught in French
        • FRIT-F 305 Stage and Page
        • FRIT-F 306 Fiction and Poetry
        • FRIT-F 361 La France médiévale (jusqu\'à 1500)
        • FRIT-F 362 Renaissance et Révolution
        • FRIT-F 363 La France Post-Révolutionnaire
        • FRIT-F 364 La France Actuelle
        • FRIT-F 375 Thèmes et perspectives littéraires et culturels
      • Courses taught in English
        • FRIT-F 222 Media Studies in the Francophone World
        • FRIT-F 225 French Culture: Topics
        • FRIT-F 226 French Society: Topics
        • FRIT-F 227 French Style: Topics
        • FRIT-F 310 Francophone Culture: Topics
        • FRIT-F 311 French/Francophone Studies Through Film
  4. Additional Requirements.
    1. Advanced Courses Taught in French. 11 credit hours:
      • FRIT-F 401 Structure and Development of French
      • FRIT-F 402 Introduction to French Linguistics
      • FRIT-F 410 French Literature of the Middle Ages
      • FRIT-F 413 French Renaissance
      • FRIT-F 423 Seventeenth-Century French Literature
      • FRIT-F 424 Ideas and Culture in Seventeenth-Century France
      • FRIT-F 435 Enlightenment Narrative
      • FRIT-F 436 Voltaire, Diderot, and Rousseau
      • FRIT-F 443 Nineteenth-Century Novel
      • FRIT-F 445 Nineteenth-Century Drama
      • FRIT-F 446 Nineteenth-Century Poetry
      • FRIT-F 450 Culture and Society in French Studies
      • FRIT-F 451 Literature and the Arts in French Studies
      • FRIT-F 455 Le Roman au 20e siècle
      • FRIT-F 456 La Poésie au 20e siècle
      • FRIT-F 459 Le Théâtre au 20e siècle
      • FRIT-F 460 La francophonie nord-américaine
      • FRIT-F 461 Cinéma et Culture: La France/la Francophonie contemporaine
      • FRIT-F 463 Civilisation française
      • FRIT-F 467 French Beyond the Hexagon
      • FRIT-F 474 Thème et version
      • FRIT-F 475 Le Français oral: cours avancé
      • One (1) of the following:
        • FRIT-F 499 Reading for Honors (maximum of 3 credit hours can apply toward the requirement)
        • FRIT-X 490 Individual Readings in French (maximum of 2 credit hours can apply toward the requirement)
    2. 400-Level Residency. Six (6) credit hours from the Advanced Courses Taught in French list must be taken on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. FRIT-F 499 and FRIT-X 490 do not count toward this requirement.
  5. Electives. Additional credit hours, as needed, to fulfill remaining requirements for the major.
    • Additional courses from the lists above
    • Courses Taught in French
      • FRIT-F 200 Second-Year French I: Language and Culture
      • FRIT-F 250 Second-Year French II: Language and Culture
      • FRIT-F 265 Accelerated Second-Year French
      • FRIT-F 296 Foreign Study in France
      • FRIT-F 314 Creative and Critical Writing in French
      • FRIT-F 315 The Sounds and Rhythms of French
      • FRIT-F 316 Conversational Practice
      • FRIT-F 317 French in the Business World
      • FRIT-F 396 Foreign Study in French
    • Courses Taught in English
      • FRIT-F 230 French and Francophone Culture in Context: Short-Term Study Abroad
  6. Courses Taught in French. At least 27 credit hours for the major must be completed in courses taught in French.
  7. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    5. College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.

Major Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course at the 100–499 level with the FRIT-F or FRIT-S subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
Exclusions

The following courses cannot be applied toward major requirements or the College Breadth requirement (unless otherwise noted) :

  • FRIT-F 100 Elementary French I
  • FRIT-F 102 Beginning French Conversation I
  • FRIT-F 115 Accelerated Elementary French
  • FRIT-F 150 Elementary French II: Language and Culture
  • FRIT-F 152 Beginning French Conversation II
  • FRIT-F 100 Elementary French I*
  • FRIT-F 115 Accelerated Elementary French*
  • FRIT-F 150 Elementary French II: Language and Culture*
  • FRIT-F 202 Intermediate French Conversation I
  • FRIT-F 252 Intermediate French Conversation II
  • FRIT-F 491 Elementary French for Graduate Students
  • FRIT-F 492 Readings in French for Graduate Students
  • FRIT-G 275 Thematic Studies
  • FRIT-X 270 Service Learning Practicum in French Teaching
  • FRIT-X 471 French Teaching Internship

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) will count toward the College Breadth requirement.

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Certificate in Global French (GLBFRNACRT)
  • Minor in French (FRENMIN)
  • [Name unavailable] (FFGSACRT)

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.