Minor in French Studies
Program Learning Outcomes for the Minor in French Studies
Upon completing the minor in French Studies, students will be able to:
- Communicate fluently in spoken and written French at an advanced level, as indicated by the ability to: understand spoken French, converse in French, critically read and translate French texts, and write in multiple genres in French.
- Achieve the cultural literacy necessary for studying abroad or practicing internationally-based professions by demonstrating an understanding of the major social, cultural, and political stakes of the French and Francophone world, past and present.
- Understand French language and culture not as isolated geographic phenomena, but in the wider context of multicultural exchange and globalization.
Requirements for the Minor in French Studies
Students pursuing the minor in French Studies must complete:
- A minimum of 6 courses (18 credit hours) to satisfy minor requirements.
- A minimum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
- A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this minor. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the minor’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the Program Director. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the minor's Official Certifier). Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Minor in French Studies | 18 | |
Minor Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| FREN 302 | WRITING WORKSHOP | 3 |
| Select 2 courses from the following: 1 | 6 | |
| MIDDLE AGES TO ENLIGHTENMENT | ||
| THE FRENCH REVOLUTION TO WWII | ||
| THE FRANCOPHONE WORLD | ||
| CONTEMPORARY FRENCH SOCIETY | ||
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 3 elective courses from departmental (FREN) course offerings 1, 2, 3 | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Courses not used to fulfill the Core Requirements may be taken to fulfill Elective Requirements. The same course may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement for this minor. |
| 2 | No courses may be taken in English to fulfill minor requirements. Departmental (FREN) course offerings taught in English that will not fulfill minor requirements include the following: FREN 308, FREN 324, FREN 355, FREN 402, and FREN 478. |
| 3 | A maximum of 2 elective courses (6 credit hours) may be taken from coursework at the 200-level (courses numbered 200-299). |
Policies for the Minor in French Studies
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the minor in French Studies should be aware of the following program restriction:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, i.) students may declare their intent to pursue a minor only after they have first declared a major, and ii.) students may not major and minor in the same subject.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the minor in French Studies should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the minor.
Distribution Credit Information
The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.
Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration.
Distribution courses from the Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures are broad in theme and scope and provide students with a substantial inquiry into literature, art, media, history, thought, and/or politics, including specific national traditions, linguistic contexts, and historical periods. Such courses involve a broad and often interdisciplinary spectrum of knowledge, providing students with the tools for thinking critically about the formation of modern culture, its colonial past, and its national and linguistic traditions from antiquity to the present.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website: https://cultures.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the Minor in French Studies
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website: https://cultures.rice.edu/.