Program Overview

Program Overview

The French Studies program at the University of Waterloo offers students a comprehensive education in the French language and culture. The program is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the French language, literature, and culture, as well as the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a variety of careers.

Program Structure

The program is structured to provide students with a well-rounded education in French Studies. The program includes a range of courses that cover topics such as French language, literature, culture, and history. Students can also choose to specialize in a particular area of French Studies, such as French language and linguistics, French literature, or French culture and society.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the French Studies program, students must meet the university's general admission requirements. These requirements include a high school diploma or equivalent, as well as a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Students must also demonstrate proficiency in the French language, either through a language proficiency test or by completing a French language course.

Course Requirements

The French Studies program requires students to complete a minimum of 20 courses, including a range of core courses and electives. The core courses cover topics such as French language, literature, and culture, while the electives allow students to specialize in a particular area of French Studies.

Research Areas

The French Studies program at the University of Waterloo is committed to research excellence. The program's research areas include:

• French language and linguistics
• French literature
• French culture and society
• French history
• French philosophy

Evaluation

The French Studies program uses a variety of evaluation methods to assess student learning. These methods include:

• Written exams
• Oral presentations
• Research papers
• Class participation

Possible Subjects

The French Studies program offers a range of possible subjects for students to explore, including:

• A survey of a cultural resource in the city where the student is spending their exchange
• The teaching of English in a French Lycée or a secondary school in Québec
• An analysis of newspapers
  ews coverage in Nantes or Chicoutimi
• Politics, world affairs, or relations between France and Europe, France and Canada and the Third World
• Medicine, or crime, or the cinema, or the banking system
• Television in France/Québec
• The year's literary prizes
• Scientific news
• The business world
• Social problems

Essay Guidelines

The French Studies program requires students to complete a research essay as part of their coursework. The essay must conform to normal essay style and must be of high academic quality. The essay must also show evidence of research, organization, and depth.

Essay Requirements

• Length and Style: 12 to 15 pages, double-spaced
• Organization: logical sequence of ideas, well-structured paragraphs
• Documents and Methodology: documents gathered on site should be added to the report and presented at the oral exam
• Original Content: the topic should be original and can be based on personal experience
• Language: the use of varied sentence structure and appropriate level of language, variety of vocabulary appropriate to the subject, flawless grammar and spelling
• The essay must be written in French

Oral Exam Guidelines

The French Studies program requires students to complete an oral exam as part of their coursework. The oral exam will be comprised of two parts: a presentation of the research essay and a question period.

Oral Exam Requirements

• Length and style: maximum of 20 minutes, cue cards and Power Point presentations are allowed
• The presentation must be given in French, the question period will also take place in French

Independent Cultural Study: FR 399A

The French Studies program offers an independent cultural study course, FR 399A, which allows students to explore a cultural aspect of the host university's geographical region. The course requires students to prepare an essay on a cultural aspect of the host university's geographical region and to submit the essay to the Department. Course credit is granted after successful completion of an oral exam and acceptance of the essay by the Department.

FR 399A Requirements

• The student will submit a project proposal of one page to the Department Chair by November 15
• Approval of the proposal will be sent to the student by December 15
• The proposal must be written in French
• The essay, also written in French, is due on or before March 1
• Students are encouraged to keep an electronic and hard copy of their essay
• The essay will be evaluated by the Chair and the coordinators of the third year away program
• The evaluation has multiple steps: the evaluators will read through the essay and offer corrections, comments and suggestions, after which, the essay will be returned to the student for revision
• The revised essay will be re-submitted to the evaluating professors by April 30

Ethics Guidelines

Students are not required to complete a course project ethics application for this course. However, students must obtain a Letter of introduction from the Department of French Studies, which is to be provided to all individuals being interviewed.