Current Course Offerings
Upper-division offerings:
FREN 4363 – The Beastly Middle Ages
From a wolf who gets flayed alive as part of a treatment prescribed by a phony fox ‘doctor’ to a lion who decides to commit suicide by balancing a sword against a tree and charging it, the beastly Middle Ages are full of surprises–some funny, some bizarre, others downright horrifying. Through the lens of these unruly beasts and the myriad contexts in which they appear, this course will offer an introduction to medieval culture. No prior knowledge of the Middle Ages is required.
FREN 4565 – Caring in Crisis
Caring in Crisis provides a general assessment of the meaning and place of care in contemporary thought. This course is also an exploration of care in all its different manifestations, as well as its ambivalence through the prism of literature, film and visual arts from the French-speaking world. Students will investigate the complex dynamics contained in the different interpretations of care: caring about, taking care of, caregiving and care receiving. In effect, care has historically and culturally been made invisible, undervalued, and relegated to women and minorities – more generally to economically vulnerable populations – within a capitalist, colonialist and extractivist world economy. By tracing the multiple dynamics of caring along issues of gender, race, class, and ecology, this course asks about the relations of power and structures of inequality the perspective of care reveals.
FREN 4780 – History of the Press in France
This course, Médias et Société: La Presse française face à l’histoire, explores the evolution of the French press and its central role in shaping political, social, and cultural life from the French Revolution to the present day. Students will examine how newspapers, magazines, caricatures, radio, television, and digital media have reflected and influenced key historical events such as the Dreyfus Affair, the World Wars, Decolonization, May 1968, and recent social and political movements in France. Through the analysis of authentic media sources, the course encourages critical thinking about journalism’s ethical responsibilities and ideological impacts, including issues of privacy, public information, and political expression. Conducted entirely in French, the class also aims to strengthen students’ language skills through discussion, writing, and collaborative projects, while deepening their understanding of French society and contemporary media landscapes.
Spring 2026 Courses
FREN 1001 Introductory French I
A. Emmitte
FREN 1002 Introductory French II
A. Emmitte, S. Cohen-Scali, N. Erradi, P. Janssens
FREN 1501 Intermediate French I
L. Iber, S. A Madjlessi
FREN 1502 Intermediate French II
H. Anaye, L. Iber, E. Robinson
FREN 1511 Intensive Intermediate French
S. Cohen-Scali, I. Smorodinsky
FREN 2001 Advanced French I
G. Daumas, N. Erradi
FREN 2002 Advanced French II
T. Din
FREN 2011 Intensive Advanced French
S. Durmelat, J. Sanderson, I. Smorodinsky
FREN 2551 Composition & Style
S. Durmelat, S. A Madjlessi, A. O’Neil-Henry, M. Santoro
FREN 2761 Topics for Oral Proficiency
M. Haffaf, A. Sobanet
FREN 2762 Topics for French Oral Proficiency: Francophone Africa
J. Le Guelte
FREN 3001 Coffee, News, & Conversation
N. Erradi
FREN 3350 Gateway: Text, Image, Culture
J. Boum Make, J. Johnson, M. Santoro
FREN 3590 Louisiana: Language, History, & Culture
A. Emmitte
FREN 3701 Business French
O. Dat
FREN 3702 French Political Thought
T. Din
FREN 4363 The Beastly Middle Ages
J. Johnson
FREN 4565 Caring in Crisis
J. Boum Make
FREN 4780 History of the Press in France
J. Le Guelte