Bachelor of Arts in French
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts in French the student will satisfy the following outcomes:
- Language and Linguistics: Speak, write, and understand the French language; analyze the language in its morphology and syntax.
- Culture: Understand historical and cultural development of French and Francophone culture, especially in its international context. They will engage in cultural analysis not only of historical and geographical terms, but also as part of a debate about the very notion of culture.
- Literature: Primarily through the study of complex literary texts, students will develop critical thinking by identifying issues and problems associated with their object of study.
- Writing skills: Write coherent, engaging, and rigorous critical essays in French that conform to accepted academic standards.
French (B.A.) — 27-44 units
Lower-Division Requirements (0-14 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| FR 101 | First Semester French | 4 |
| FR 102 | Second Semester French | 4 |
| FR 215 | Intermediate French I | 3 |
| FR 216 | Intermediate French II | 3 |
Upper-Division Requirements (15 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select One: | 3 | |
| Advanced Grammar | ||
| Advanced Conversation | ||
| La Chanson Française/French Chanson | ||
| Linguistics for Foreign Languages | ||
| Select One: | 3 | |
| French Composition | ||
| Creative Writing in French | ||
| Select One: | 3 | |
| French for the Business World | ||
| Press and Social Media in French | ||
| Translating Themes: English/French | ||
| Select One: | 3 | |
| French Culture - GWAR | ||
| Contemporary French Civilization | ||
| Social Movements in the Francophone World | ||
| Doing and Undoing Gender in French Culture | ||
| Select One: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Literary Texts | ||
| Contes et Poemes | ||
GWAR (0-3 units)
In order to fulfill the GWAR Requirement, French Majors are encouraged to take FR 400GW (if not taken to fulfill the upper-division requirements), MLL 400GW, or CWL 400GW, yet any GWAR course taken in the college of LCA will satisfy the requirement.
French Electives (12-15 units)
Select enough upper-division FR courses not taken to satisfy an upper-division requirement to meet the minimum units required for the major. Any additional courses taken in the requirement categories count as electives once the requirement is satisfied.
Note 1: A minimum of 30 upper-division units must be completed for the degree (including upper-division units required for the major, general education, electives, etc.). A student can complete this major yet not attain the necessary number of upper-division units required for graduation. In this case, additional upper-division courses will be needed to reach the required total.
Note 2: A maximum of 15 upper-division units can be transferred from study abroad. Both FR 500 and FR 501 have been designated as the “capstone courses” in French, meaning that students must take at least one in residence at SFSU. They cannot be replaced by study abroad coursework.
Complementary Studies
Required of all candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in French are 12 units of Complementary Studies, which must come from courses bearing a prefix other than FR and that are not cross-listed with FR. Complementary Studies for the French major can be satisfied via four possible routes:
- 12 units in any foreign language other than French (may include up to three units of MLL prefix courses);
- 12 units of coursework taken in an approved study abroad program;
- 12 units of coursework taken as partial completion of a single second major, a minor or a certificate;
- 12 units of coursework in related disciplines with the approval of a French Program advisor.
Related disciplines typically include linguistics, literature, philosophy, history, education, and any aspect of greater French and Francophone Study.
Where a course with a non-FR prefix is taken as a core requirement or elective for the French major, the said course may also (double) count towards Complementary Studies only via the Study Abroad option or the 2nd Major, Minor, or Certificate option listed above. Students satisfying Complementary Studies through the Foreign Language option are allowed a maximum of three units of overlap of MLL-prefix courses between French major and Complementary Studies units. Students satisfying Complementary Studies through the Related Subjects option are not allowed to double-count major and Complementary Studies units.
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.