Senior ePortfolio
In addition to satisfying the course requirements, all department majors are required to compile an ePortfolio and to submit it electronically to the department during the last semester of their senior year. Seniors away from campus during their last semester should make prior arrangements with the department while on campus. When students declare a major, they should seek a faculty advisor in the department who will advise them on the compilation of their ePortfolio. It is the students’ ultimate responsibility to ensure the completion of the ePortfolio. The ePortfolio is due by April 15 for May graduates or November 15 for December graduates. Each departmental faculty advisor will certify that the ePortfolio fulfills the department’s standards for graduation. If a departmental faculty advisor is unavailable, another faculty member in French and Francophone Studies may certify the ePortfolio’s completion. Completed ePortfolios will be created using the university ePortfolio platform at pugetsound.digication.com. To ensure proper notification of the registrar for your graduation clearance, students must submit the ePortfolio by the specified deadlines. All material must be submitted electronically.
Goals of the Senior ePortfolio
Senior ePortfolios serve as an opportunity for graduating seniors in French and Francophone Studies to synthesize and document their personal and intellectual experience and reflect on their growth and development as a major. The Senior ePortfolio should consider coursework, papers written, study abroad, internships, research projects, activities, etc.
Requirements for the Senior ePortfolio
- A landing page that includes a photograph of the student and a written “About me” introduction to the ePortfolio (minimum 200 words).
- A minimum of three papers at different levels demonstrating progress during the student’s coursework at Puget Sound or elsewhere. These papers should be "clean" copies, i.e., without professor’s written remarks on the paper. Each paper should have a short commentary (minimum 100 words for each paper) that briefly describes the assignment and includes a self-assessment of language strengths and weaknesses, a discussion of how the paper reflects the student’s intellectual development, insights into the target culture, etc.
- Reflections on various learning experiences such as study abroad, internships, departmental activities participation, research experiences, etc. Content may vary. Examples include study abroad photographs, final projects from summer research, evidence of internship experience, a curriculum vitae (CV), materials that illustrate integration of interdisciplinary majors, and/or any other documentation or digital media that highlights the student’s academic progress as a French and Francophone Studies major. Each component of this section must include explanatory text that demonstrates reflection about the significance of the experience (minimum 200 words total).
- The senior paper. All departmental majors except FLIA majors must include their senior paper in the e-portfolio in addition to the three papers mentioned in (2.) above, with reflective comments (at least 100 words) that describe the paper and may include an explanation of the value of the experience of writing the senior paper, reflections on what you learned, etc.
- Final Thoughts. The last page of the ePortfolio must include a summative reflection about the student’s experience through all stages of their time in the department and at the university. Reflections on how the French and Francophone Studies major complemented other majors, minors or experiences are strongly encouraged (at least 300 words).
Requirements for the Senior Paper
In addition to satisfying the course requirements and completing a senior ePortfolio, all French and Francophone Studies majors (except FLIA) are required to write a senior paper as per the requirements below.
Topic: The senior paper in French and Francophone Studies is necessarily a work of literary analysis. For interdisciplinary or double majors, this paper ideally allows the student to explore an interface between different academic areas of interest as expressed in the literary world. The topic should be determined in consultation with the advisor for the senior paper.
Process and Method: The senior paper is a process project written under the guidance of a faculty member in French and Francophone Studies either for a class or as a guided independent study project.
Students should choose their advisor for the senior paper during the semester prior to their final semester at Puget Sound and with that faculty member determine a topic and establish a plan for the completion of the senior paper. The senior paper must demonstrate the ability to do literary analysis appropriate to the undergraduate level in French, as well as facility with and awareness of critical method, and must draw upon a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. It will showcase a student’s abilities to think critically, research and express a strong argument in French.
The professor of the upper-division course or independent study may establish additional criteria for the senior paper within the parameters of the course or independent study. The senior paper will be included in the senior ePortfolio (see above).
Length: A minimum of 3,000 words, double-spaced, 12 font.
Due date: Determined in consultation with the faculty member teaching the upper‐division course or supervising the independent study option, but no later than April 15th for May graduates, or November 15th for December graduates.
Language: French
Format: Consistent with the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers guidelines.
Evaluation: The faculty member of the course in which the paper is written will evaluate the paper, and a copy of the final version will be available to the remaining faculty in French Studies, and retained in the department electronic files.