Degree Requirements for French & Francophone Studies

In this section

General Requirements for the Major or Minor

General university degree requirements stipulate that 1) at least four units of the major or three units of the minor be taken in residence at Puget Sound; 2) students earn at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken for the major or the minor; and 3) all courses taken for a major or minor must be taken for graded credit. Any exceptions to these stipulations are indicated in the major and minor degree requirements listed below.

Study Abroad and Senior ePortfolio:

All majors in the French and Francophone Studies department are required to:

Complete a semester of study abroad in a French-speaking country where French is the language of instruction. Exceptions to the semester study abroad requirement may be made on case-by-case basis in a petition to the department, and in consultation with a department academic advisor. CIEE-Dakar (Senegal) may count toward the Study Abroad requirement for the French and Francophone Studies majors only if students earn credit for at least 2 courses taught in French while abroad. Approved study abroad options and descriptions are available at the Office of International Programs, and linked on the department home page.
Compile an ePortfolio of their work, submitted to the department by April 15 of their senior year. When students declare a French and Francophone Studies major, they should seek a faculty advisor in the department who will advise them on the creation of their ePortfolio. The ePortfolio serves to assess the student's progress in the curriculum and to synthesize the student's total experience as a major. An explanation of this requirement is available on the department home page.

Senior Paper:

All French Language Studies, French Literary Studies, French Comparative Literature, French Culture and Francophone Culture majors are required to submit a senior paper to satisfy graduation requirements for the major by April 15. An explanation of this requirement is available on the department home page.

Requirements for the Major in French Language Studies (BA)

Eight units in French at the 201 level or above, to include:

Two units at the 300 level and above, one of which must be taken at the Tacoma campus during the senior year. Courses taught in English do not apply to the French Language Studies major. Only one of FREN 300 and FREN 310 can apply to the French Language Studies major.

Requirements for the Major in French Literary Studies (BA)

Ten units in French at the 201 level or above to include:

FREN 300 or 310
Four additional courses at the 300 level or above, one of which must be at the 400 level. One of these courses must be taken at the Tacoma campus during the senior year.

Requirements for the Major in French and Comparative Literature (BA)

Eleven units:

Eight units in French at the 201 level or above, to include:
1. FREN 300 or 310 (only one of these two courses may count toward the French Comparative Literature major)
2. Two additional units of French at the 300 level or higher, one of which must be at the 400 level. One of these courses must be taken at the Tacoma campus during the senior year.
Three units from courses in the following literatures: American Literature, English Literature, German Literature, or Hispanic Literature, to be determined in consultation with a department academic advisor.

Requirements for the Major in French Cultural Studies (BA)

Ten units in French at the 201 level or above to include:

Three courses at the 300 level and above, one of which must be at the 400 level. One of these courses must be taken at the Tacoma campus during the senior year.
At least three of the following French courses: 210, 220, 235, 240, 250, 270, 310. FREN 280, 350, 380, and 480 may count toward this requirement with approval of the department chair.

Requirements for the Major in Francophone Cultural Studies (BA)

Ten units in French at the 201 level or above to include:

Three courses at the 300 level and above, one of which must be at the 400 level. One of these courses must be taken at the Tacoma campus during the senior year.
At least three of the following French courses: 220, 260, 270, 330, 340, 391. FREN 280, 350, 380, and 480 may count toward this requirement with approval of the department chair.

Requirements for the Major in French Language/International Affairs (BA)

Eight units in French at the 200 level or above to include:
1. FREN 240
2. Three units taken at the 300 level and above. Two of the 300-level and above courses must be taken at the Tacoma campus, one during the senior year.
Three units in International Politics
1. PG 103
2. Two units from: PG 311, 321, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 339, 347, 360 or 361 (but not both), 382; 385 (applies to FLIA for Politics and Government majors and minors only); SOAN 318, 340.
Three units in International Business or Economics
1. Three units from: ECON 101, 240, 268, 271; BUS 305, 310, 370, 435 (prerequisite 315), 475; IPE 205, 321. Only one IPE course may count toward the FLIA major.

Refer to home departments regarding prerequisites for all courses having other than the FREN designation. For example, PG 321 has a prerequisite of PG 102.

Requirements for the Minor in French

Completion of a minimum of five units in French at the 201 level or above. One unit must be at the 300 or 400 level taken at the Tacoma campus. No course taught in English may count for the minor.

Students minoring in French may satisfy the university's three (3) unit upper-division requirement by completing French courses 210 or above because such courses have two (2) prerequisite units (201-202).

French Theme Houses and the Michel Rocchi International District

The department supports the learning concept of a living-learning residential atmosphere and encourages students to participate in a living-language program. Students have the opportunity to live in university-owned houses on campus and communicate in French in a small group environment. The International District located in Thomas Hall offers cultural programs and activities to students with varied international experiences and backgrounds. Applications for the Michel Rocchi International District, and for language-based theme houses are available from the Office of Residence Life and on the department home page.

Study Abroad Coursework

The department of French and Francophone Studies is fully committed to the concept of study abroad as a complement to students’ intellectual trajectory as they learn about the culture, history and literature of another country or countries. While all students are strongly encouraged to participate in endorsed study abroad programs in France or a Francophone country, majors in the department are required to complete a semester of study abroad in a French speaking country. Details of these and other Francophone study abroad programs may be obtained from department advisors and the Office of International Programs.

Because not all study abroad programs are suited for French and Francophone Studies majors and minors, only departmentally sanctioned coursework earned through university study abroad programs may be counted towards degrees in the department’s majors and minor.

Credit is accepted from endorsed programs in Dijon, Nantes, and Paris, as well as Senegal and Madagascar. To ensure that credit will transfer, any student who plans to apply study abroad credit to a major or minor should consult with a department academic advisor prior to enrollment.

Transfer of Units and Placement

Students with previous high school French study may enroll in higher-level language courses by estimating that three to four years of high school concentration are approximately equivalent to one year of college work in French. Other factors such as study abroad, living with exchange students or Francophone parents, and other intensive studies may warrant special consideration on a case-by-case basis. To assure proper placement, all students should consult department faculty prior to enrollment.

All transfer students, especially those who have had prolonged periods of time elapse since their last academic coursework, will be evaluated on an individual basis. Their placement will be based on consultation and observation in courses at the Tacoma campus.

Advanced Placement Examinations (AP) with scores of 4 or 5, or International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level Examinations with scores of 5, 6, or 7, apply toward majors or minors for a maximum of one unit at the 200 level. French coursework completed at other accredited institutions may be accepted toward the major or minor subject to the stated requirements for each major or minor.

The university does not give credit for ACTFL exams nor does it accept exams or courses taken via distance learning or hybrid methods toward the foreign language graduation requirement. Similarly, the department does not apply courses taken via distance learning or hybrid methods towards the major or the minor in French.