Skip Navigation | ANU Home | Search ANU | Student Admin | International

Overview | Honours | Summary of Courses

Offered By:	ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Academic Contact:	Dr Louise Maurer

People of many nationalities besides the French themselves speak French; it is one of the languages of the Pacific region, of North America and of much of Africa. France is influential in the European Union and in world affairs and has been home to a great culture since medieval times.  It has produced some of the world's most eminent philosophers, writers, painters and film directors.  France is also a leading industrial nation and has major business interests in Australia, particularly in the mining and viticulture sectors, and increasingly in electronics, banking and finance, while French-Australian collaboration in scientific and industrial research is strong and growing.

In language teaching the French program aims at developing students' ability to understand, pronounce and speak standard French and to read and write French as it appears in newspapers, magazines and works of literature. All our courses, right from the Introductory level, emphasise the importance of culture, including cinema, politics and society. The aim is to have students combine fluency in French with an understanding of France, both in the European context and overseas, particularly the Pacific.  To this end, we use a variety of material drawn from written, audio-visual and electronic sources.  

We encourage students to study for part of their degree at a French-speaking university, once they have reached a sufficient level of linguistic competence. It is standard for Honours students to spend a semester abroad. The ANU has exchange agreements with several French universities, including in the Pacific (Noumea, Tahiti). We also have exchanges with Canada: McGill University, Montreal; the bilingual University of Ottawa; and with Switzerland: the University of Geneva.  Scholarships are available on a competitive basis.  

On graduation, our students find employment in a broad range of fields, including international organisations, the public service, particularly DFAT and AUSAID, the professions, business and economics, education, the media and the arts.

Reading lists of prescribed texts and recommended reference books for all French courses are available from the School.

Prerequisites

There are several points of entry, depending on previous acquaintance with the language, beginning with FREN1003 Introductory French 1, suitable for students who come with no knowledge of French. New students who already have some knowledge of the language are required to sit for a Placement test before enrolling, to determine the level at which they should enrol: Continuing, Intermediate or Advanced.

Native or near native speakers should see the Convener before the start of semester to plan their major.

Requirements

The major consists of a minimum of 42 units (normally seven courses). There are several ways of making up a major in French, including those based on mid-year entry.

The sequence of courses for the French major is dependent on the student's language ability at point of entry. The most common sequences are:

1. Major for beginners (introductory):
   Introductory French 1 FREN1003, Introductory French 2 FREN1004, Continuing French 1 FREN2024, Continuing French 2 FREN2025, Intermediate French 1 FREN3006, Intermediate French 2 FREN3007 plus one thematic* course.
   
2. Major for post-beginners (continuing):
   Continuing French 1 FREN2024, Continuing French 2 FREN2025, Intermediate French 1 FREN3006, Intermediate French 2 FREN3007, Advanced French 1 FREN3008, Advanced French 2 FREN3009 plus a thematic* course.
   
3. Major for the intermediate level:
   Intermediate French 1 FREN3006, Intermediate French 2 FREN3007, Advanced French 1 FREN3008, Advanced French 2 FREN3009, plus 3 thematic* courses.
   
4. Major for advanced level:
   Advanced French 1 FREN3008, Advanced French 2 FREN3009 plus 5 thematic* courses.
   

* There are two kinds of thematic courses: French-specific and common (to the Modern European languages).

For information on Honours in French click here.