French is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, with over 350 million daily speakers. It is also one of the official languages of the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, and dozens of non-governmental organizations. Montclair State University’s French program provides courses that develop language skills, literary appreciation, and an understanding of French-speaking people and their cultures. Students may select to be certified in French as a primary or secondary teaching field. Extracurricular activities and study abroad opportunities are available. Students may contact Dr. Lois Oppenheim or Dr. Kathleen Loysen for more information.
Students who wish to pursue P-12 teacher certification in French must apply to and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Once admitted, students will be matriculated into the B.A. in Secondary Education program as a second major.
Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required professional sequence of courses and other important Program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook. French majors must have a "B" average in French in order to apply to and successfully complete the Teacher Education Program. In addition, students must pass the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) prior to the Student Teaching semester. Students should consult with the French Teacher Education Coordinator to prepare for this examination. Courses specific to the French Teacher Certification Program are shown below. Teacher Education Professional Sequence Departmental Methods Course: FREN 419.
120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA. Major GPA requirements differ depending on field of study. Consult the Teacher Education Program Handbook for more information.
Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 36 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 0-3 | |
| Major Requirements | 39 | |
| Teacher Education Program Requirements | 36 | |
| Free Electives | 9-6 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite Courses | ||
| FREN 101, FREN 112, and FREN 121 may be required as prerequisites. | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| Language Category | ||
| FREN 203 | Mastering French | 3 |
| FREN 205 | Perfecting French Pronunciation | 3 |
| FREN 206 | French Conversation | 3 |
| FREN 210 | Reading and Writing about Literature in French | 3 |
| FREN 270 | The Art of Writing in French | 3 |
| Civilization Category | ||
| Complete two courses from the following: | 6 | |
| Inventing France: From the Gauls to the Revolution | ||
| French Civilization from Napoleon to World War II | ||
| France from World War II to the Present | ||
| Literature Category | ||
| Complete one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Seventeenth Century French Theater | ||
| Eighteenth Century French Theater | ||
| Introduction to Women Authors of French-Speaking Africa | ||
| Dada And Surrealism | ||
| Seventeenth Century French Literature | ||
| The French Renaissance | ||
| Eighteenth Century French Literature | ||
| Nineteenth Century French Literature | ||
| Survey of French Poetry | ||
| Contemporary French Drama | ||
| Development of French Novel to 1900 | ||
| Francophone Literature | ||
| Twentieth Century French Literature | ||
| Advanced Language for Educators Category | ||
| FREN 325 | Structure of the French Language | 3 |
| FREN 410 | Advanced French Grammar | 3 |
| FREN 418 | Theories and Approaches to Teaching French as a Second Language | 3 |
| French Major Electives | ||
| Select two courses from the list below. | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
French Major Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Literature Electives | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Seventeenth Century French Theater | ||
| Eighteenth Century French Theater | ||
| Introduction to Women Authors of French-Speaking Africa | ||
| Dada And Surrealism | ||
| Seventeenth Century French Literature | ||
| The French Renaissance | ||
| Eighteenth Century French Literature | ||
| Nineteenth Century French Literature | ||
| Survey of French Poetry | ||
| Contemporary French Drama | ||
| Development of French Novel to 1900 | ||
| Francophone Literature | ||
| Twentieth Century French Literature | ||
| Explication De Texte | ||
| Additional Elective | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Seventeenth Century French Theater | ||
| Mediterranean Civilization and the Origins of French Culture | ||
| Eighteenth Century French Theater | ||
| Introduction to Women Authors of French-Speaking Africa | ||
| French Film | ||
| Francophone Film | ||
| Inventing France: From the Gauls to the Revolution | ||
| French Civilization from Napoleon to World War II | ||
| Dada And Surrealism | ||
| Business French I | ||
| Advanced Spoken Language Practice | ||
| Business French II | ||
| Seventeenth Century French Literature | ||
| The French Renaissance | ||
| Eighteenth Century French Literature | ||
| Nineteenth Century French Literature | ||
| Survey of French Poetry | ||
| Contemporary French Drama | ||
| Development of French Novel to 1900 | ||
| Francophone Literature | ||
| Translation I | ||
| Translation II | ||
| Twentieth Century French Literature | ||
| France from World War II to the Present | ||
| Introduction to Consecutive and Simultaneous Interpreting | ||
| Seminars | ||
| Seminars | ||
| Seminars | ||
| Explication De Texte | ||
| French Study Abroad | ||
| Cooperative Education for the French Major | ||
| Translation III | ||
| Seminars | ||
| French Language Workshop | ||
| Independent Study | ||
Second Major in Secondary Education
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Mathematics course. | 3 | |
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course. | 4 | |
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete EDFD 200 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete SASE 210 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses. | 3-6 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3-9 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar | 1 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication | 3 |
| 4 | 6 | ||
| Total Credits 10 | |||