January, 2018
To the Undergraduate Educational Policies Committee:
Proposal to Redesign the French Program
Summary:
The Department of World Languages and Cultures is proposing to redesign the French program. The modifications include a name change, as well as a few curricular changes. The main objective of the redesign is to allow students with no prior knowledge of French to graduate in four years. The redesign will also make it more feasible for students to pursue interdisciplinary studies by adding a second major or minor. The proposed new major is in line with similar programs at comparable institutions (see Table 5). The proposed changes do not require developing additional departmental courses and they will have no impact on other departments or programs.
In what follows, we will perform three functions. First, we will explain the rationale, implementation, and potential impact of the new track. Second, we will offer a brief description along with two tables comparing the new majorto the existing one. Third, we will propose Catalog language, including learning outcomes.
Rationale for the Redesign
This proposal is an outcome of our department’s last Program Review, wherein we identified a certain inflexibility in our current major. Currently, SMC students with an interest in the culture of the French-speaking world can only major in French if they already have at least three years of high school language study. This puts our students and our program at a considerable disadvantage compared to other majors on campus. A student who has never taken a high school course in psychology, sociology, communication, philosophy or anthropology can begin his or her studies in college at level 1 and still graduate in four years with a degree in that field. Why should this be different for French?
The redesigndoes not entail a lessening of rigor, only a different expectation regarding the level of linguistic mastery to be reached upon graduation. Students completing the new French Studies majorwithout prior language study will likely not reach the same level of linguistic proficiency as students who enter with three or four years of high school study. However, mastering the language is only one component of our major. Language is, after all, but one component of culture. In terms of the other elements of culture(literature, history, arts, politics, etc.), the levels of achievement will be equivalent to those of our current majors.
Many programs across the country have redesigned their traditional, language-centric “French” majors into a “French Studies” major that emphasizes the cultural heritage of the entire Francophone world. French is the official language of twenty-nine independent nations on three continents. Studying the history, culture and linguistic diversity of these territories offers our students a rich cross-cultural perspective. To emphasize this, in recent years, we have been expanding the geographical and cultural breadth of our curriculum. For example, the redesigned French 005 course includes five units on the history of countries that have been under French colonial rule (Haiti, Indochina, Mali, Algeria and Morocco). Thus, the cross-cultural skills and knowledge that our students will acquire in the redesigned major will be equivalent to that of our current majors.
Implementation
First, we willrequire three fewer upper-division courses (full units) than the existing major. (See Table 1 and 2 in Part 2.)Currently, a French major has to complete 6.5 lower divisions (3.75 of these are “prerequisites”) and 10.25 upper divisions. This makes it one of the most demanding majors on campus with a total of 16.75 courses. Those who arrive on campus with three or four years of high school study of French can of course get credit for a certain number of lower-division courses. However, no student who begins at level 1 in college can pursue a French major.
In order to rectify this, we propose to require 7.25 upper-division courses instead of 10.25. This will bring the total major requirements to 13.75 (6.5 plus 7.25). If rigor is, to be defined by the number of courses required for the major, as is commonly the case, then new French Studies major with 13.75 courses will still be among the more rigorous majors on campus. This will also bring the French Studies major in line with the Spanish (SaLAS) major, which requires the same number of upper division courses, i.e. 7.25.
We will now explain ourcalculations in detail:
Lower Division
According to the Catalog, we require 2.75 lower-division courses [French 4 and 5, (each being 1.25), plus French 15 (0.25)]. This, however, is in addition to the three or four years of high school preparation (the equivalent of French 1-3, each being 1.25, for a total of 3.75). Note that French 1, 2 and 3 are not listed in the Catalog as requirements for the major, so it looks as if the lower-division requirements were only 2.75, but in reality, French 1, 2 and 3 are prerequisites, so they should also be counted. Technically, we require 2.75 plus 3.75, that is, a total of 6.5 lower-division units. We do not plan to change these lower-division requirements.
Upper Division
We propose to change, however,the number of required upper division courses. Please note that there is a mistake in the 2016-17 Catalog, which we just noticed.[1]We propose to lower the required number of upper divisions from 10.25 to 7.25. This will account for the longer linguistic preparation expected of our students, while still ensuring that our majors gain sufficient cross-cultural skills and knowledge.
Honors Option: There will of course still be students, like our current majors, who arrive on campus with three or four years of high school study of French, in which case they can get credit for a certain number of lower-division courses. These students can choose the Honors option (Option B in the Catalog), which will require 9.25 instead of 7.25 upper-division units.
Second,we propose that students be able to take lower-division language and upper-division culture and civilization courses concurrently. As seen in Table 2 below, the current course of study does not allow for this possibility. The redesigned major will allow students in the second half of their sophomore year to begin their upper-division coursework in English, which means that they will no longer have to wait until after they have completed all their lower-division requirements by the middle of their junior year to begin their upper-division coursework.[2]
Third, we propose that students be able to complete twoof their upper-division courses in English, if needed. The current requirement that all upper-division coursework be done in French seriously limits the number of students who can overcome this obstacle, and it also limits students’ opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary studies.Note also: a minimum of three upper divisions have to be taken on campus, and one upper-division credit can be completed by taking French 106 (Advanced Conversation) four times.
Fourth, to complement the new French Studies major, we will also offer a French Studies minor, which will replace the current French minor.Currently, the French minor requires 6.5 lower divisions [French 1-5, each being 1.25, plus French 15 (0.25)], plus 5 upper divisions, that is, a total of 11.5 units.[3]This is very high for a minor. We therefore suggest keeping the lower division requirements, lowering the number of upper-division units bytwo (required: French 100, 101 and two electives), while adding one requirement: French 185 (our 0.25 capstone course). This will bring the total number of required units for the French Studies minor to10.75, which is still higher than most other minors on campus.
Fifth, the redesign also involves a name change.To reflect the shift in emphasis within our field towards a greater emphasis on the cultural aspects of the French-speaking world, we propose to add the word ‘Studies’ to the name of our major. See Table 5 for a list of other programs with similar names. One of the reasons to add the word ‘Studies’ to the name is to signal content that is not necessarily dominated by or limited by the language aspect.
Impact
The redesign of the French major does not necessitate any changes to our curriculum; hence, we do not anticipate any extraordinary costs. The change does not affect the workload of our faculty members; nor does it impact other programs or departments.
Description of the Newly-Redesigned French Studies Major
The redesigned French Studies major will allow students to acquire competency in written and spoken French as well as familiarity with the history, literature and culture of the French-speaking world. Studying a foreign language and culture is part of a well-rounded liberal arts education, and in our globalized world the ability to interact with people from other cultures becomes increasingly important. Our program allows our students to be in conversation with more than 230 million French speakers from around the globe. TheFrench Studies majorwill give students the linguistic competency, cultural literacy, writing and research skills, and critical thinking abilities that will benefit them in graduate school and in a variety of professions at home and abroad.
The French Studies major will attract students who have an interest in French language, culture and in international careers. In addition to being the official language of twenty-nine countries, French is also the official language of diplomacy for many international organizations, including the European Union, the International Olympic Committee, the United Nations, and the Red Cross. A strong knowledge of French language and culture is an asset to students seeking careers in education, diplomacy, international business, finance, economics, art and more.Companies, as well as graduate programs, highly value candidates with foreign language proficiency and with cross-cultural experiences. Graduates can choose to apply their knowledge and experience either to more traditional fields, such as teaching, scholarship and translation, or they can use the skills and knowledge they acquire to pursue careers in media, tourism, government, law, medicine, business, etc.
The French Studies major is designed to be completed in four years. For a sample four-year plan, see Table 2. Study abroad is an integral and invaluable part of this major for two reasons. First, because it develops linguistic proficiency. Second, because it allows students to appreciate distinct cultural perspectives. Students also gain a better understanding of themselves and their own culture, and this cross-cultural experience makes them more attractive to future employers.[4]
The French Studies major alsoencourages transdisciplinary studies by supporting double and split majors, interdisciplinary research, independent studies, and study abroad. The major allows for more flexibility and a better alignment with other disciplines, such as Global and Regional Studies, History, Ethnic Studies, English, Justice Community and Leadership, Women’s and Gender Studies, Politics, Philosophy, as well as other Language Programs. For a sample split major with History, see Table 3.
Finally, the French Studies major will serve the mission of the College in many different ways. It is a dynamic and cross-cultural major that contributes to the internationalization of the campus. In redesigning themajor, we made sure that its learning outcomes are developmental and we built assessment tools into several levels of the curriculum. The French Studies major is also aligned with the Core Curriculum. Consequently, our students can satisfy many Core requirements as part of their work for the major (for a list of our Core designations, see Table 4). Note here that the French program is at a disadvantage compared to other majors on campus in that none of our Core-listed upper division courses are taken by non-majors, because non-majors are rarely proficient enough to take an upper-division course in French. Thus, unlike most programs on campus, we simply cannot improve our upper-division enrollments by attracting non-majors to our courses through Core requirements.
Table 1.
New French Studies Major RequirementsLower Division
-French 001 and 081 (1.25)
-French 002 and 082 (1.25)
-French 003 and 083 (1.25)
-French 004 and 084 (1.25)
-French 005 and 085 (Introduction to French Studies) (1.25)
-French 015 (Phonetics) (0.25)
Total: 6.5 credits
Upper Division
-French 100 (1) (French Literary Perspectives)
-French 101 (1) (Advanced French Syntax and Composition, WID)
-five upper-division electives (5x1)
-French 185 (Senior capstone) (0.25)
Total: 7.25 credits
Total major requirements: 13.75 credits
New French Studies Minor Requirements
Lower Division
-French 001 and 081 (1.25)
-French 002 and 082 (1.25)
-French 003 and 083 (1.25)
-French 004 and 084 (1.25)
-French 005 and 085 (Introduction to French Studies) (1.25)
-French 015 (Phonetics) (0.25)
Total: 6.5 credits
Upper Division
-French 100 (1) (French Literary Perspectives)
-French 101 (1) (Advanced French Syntax and Composition, WID)
-two upper-division electives (2x1)
-French 185 (Senior capstone) (0.25)
Total: 4.25 credits
Total minor requirements: 10.75 credits
Table 2.
French Studies Major (new, redesigned) – Sample Four-Year Plan (13.75 credits)
Freshman / Sophomore / Junior / SeniorFall / -French 001 and 081 (1.25) / -French 003 and 083 (1.25) / -French 005 and 085 (1.25) / -French 101
-oneupper-division elective
Spring / -French 002 and 082 (1.25) / -French 004 and 084 (1.25)
-French 015 (0.25)
-one upper-division elective in English / Semester Abroad:
-two upper division electives
No Semester Abroad:
-two upper-division electives (one may be in English) / -French 100
-one upper-division elective
-French 185 (0.25)
French Major (existing major) – Sample Four-Year Plan
Freshman / Sophomore / Junior / SeniorFall / -French 005 and 085 (1.25) / -French 101 / Semester Abroad
-threeupper-division electives / -oneupper-division elective
-oneupper-division elective
Spring / -French 100
-French015 (0.25) / -oneupper division elective / -oneupper-division elective / -one upper-division elective
-French 185 (0.25)
Table 3.
Sample Double Major with History
Freshman / Sophomore / Junior / SeniorFall / -French 001 and 081 (1.25)
- Hist 1
- Eng.
- Core / -French 003 and 083 (1.25)
- Hist 17
- Hist 18
-Sem 2 / -French 005 and 085 (1.25)
- Hist u.d.
- Hist u.d.
- Core / -French 101
-one French u.d. elective
- Hist u.d.
- Hist u.d.
Spring / -French 002 and 082 (1.25)
- Hist 2
-Sem 1
- Core / -French 004 and 084 (1.25)
-French 015 (0.25)
-one u.d.French elective in English
-Hist 10 / (Semester Abroad)
- two French u.d. electives
- Hist u.d.
- Hist u.d. / -French 100
-one French u.d. elective
- Hist u.d.
- Hist u.d.
- French 185 (0.25)
Table 4.
French courses fulfilling Core requirements- French 1-3: Language requirement
- French 5: Global Perspectives
- French 100: Artistic Analysis
- French 101: Habits of Mind (WID)
- French 130 (all of our upper division electives): Artistic Analysis
- French 185: Social, Historical and Cultural Understanding
Table 5. Comparable programs at other institutions
The list of institutions featuring a French Studies Program includes the following: Bard College; Brown University; Cornell University; Glendon (Ontario, Canada); the Institute of European Studies (in concert with UC Berkeley’s French Department); Lewis & Clark; Rice University; Scripps College; Sonoma State University; the University of Minnesota, Duluth; Tulane; the University of San Francisco; the University of Toronto, Mississauga; University of Puget Sound; and Wesleyan.
There is quite a bit of variety regarding the number of courses required to complete the Major. The bottom of the range is eight courses. That is the case with Scripps College (plus a Senior Thesis) and Wesleyan most notably. The higher end is fourteen, Bard College being the only one in that category. The sweet spot seems to be 10, which is occupied by Brown University, Rice University, the University of San Francisco, and the University of Toronto, Mississauga. As for the University of Puget Sound, its requirements vary between 10 and 12, depending on the concentration within the Major. Tulane requires 11. As for Lewis & Clark, it requires 9, but is singular in that it also compels Study Abroad during one semester, which might be counted as the tenth required course.
There is also quite a bit of variety regarding the Minor. Typically, the number of course required in order to fulfill the Minor is halved from what is required for the Major. The University of San Francisco, for example, drops from ten courses for the Major to five for the Minor and Wesleyan drops from eight for the Major to four for the Minor. Two outliers are Scripps College and Rice University. The prior drops the requirements from eight to six and the latter drops it from ten to eight. In other words, at both institutions only two additional courses differentiate the Major from the Minor. The University of Toronto, Mississauga is also an outlier, but in a different way: it offers the possibility of several Minors, some of which require four courses while10 is the set number for the Major.
The French Program at the University of San Francisco State University is not called French Studies; yet, what it requires for the Major mirrors those of our redesigned Major. It is earmarked for students who take French 1 the first semester; French 2 the second semester; French 3, or Intermediate French the third semester; French 4, or the second half of Intermediate French the fourth semester; and French Composition and Advanced Conversation the fifth semester. Only the last three semesters are dedicated to upper-division coursework. The Roadmap for their Major is available here:
3.
Proposed Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the French Studies major will be able to
-demonstrate career-ready proficiency in all language modalities (speaking, writing, listening, reading) for a variety of purposes and a range of content and context
-demonstrate knowledge of literary texts and traditions across time, including major literary and intellectual movements, genres, writers and works, and ability to discuss and analyze literary texts from a variety of media
-demonstrate knowledge of several French-speaking cultures across time and geography, and ability to articulate an understanding of global perspectives, practices and products of those cultures
-articulate a critical analysis of artifacts and phenomena within the above-mentioned areas of content and cultural knowledge