University Catalog 2015-2016

University of Colorado Boulder
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French and Italian

    French

    Beyond providing mastery of the language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) of modern French needed for all purposes of daily life, the major introduces students to a central tradition of western and world culture. Since the Middle Ages, French literature, thought, taste and art have helped shape the essential experience and self-understanding of humanity at large. Survey courses and upper-division seminars offer a range of exposures to the French cultural past and the far-flung ethnic and national diversity of the French-speaking present. The major explores distinctively French contributions to world culture, such as Arthurian romance, troubadour poetry and Gothic architecture; the love sonnets of the Pléiade, the comic novels of Rabelais and the essays of Montaigne; the neoclassical theatre of Corneille, Molière and Racine and the critical philosophy of Descartes and Pascal; the Enlightenment philosophies of Voltaire, Diderot and Rousseau; the psychological refinements of French fiction from Mme de La Fayette to Proust; artistic revolutions like impressionism and surrealism; the renewal of artistic conventions in the Theatre of the Absurd, the New Novel and the cinema of the New Wave; the French-language literature of Africa, Canada and the Caribbean; and the vital presence of French writers in major movements of 20th century thought like existentialism, structuralism, feminism, psychoanalysis and contemporary cultural studies and multiculturalism.  

    The undergraduate degree in French emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:

    • the fundamental outlines of the history of French literature from the Middle Ages to the present;
    • significant works of French literature and the literary culture of the French-speaking world;
    • the historical context in which particular works were written and the relation between literature and other forms of cultural expression (e.g., art, philosophy, politics, religion);
    • contemporary French culture, politics and current events;
    • a range of literary genres, their development and reception and relevant critical methodologies; and
    • the grammatical structure of modern standard French.   

    In addition, students completing the degree in French are expected to acquire the ability and skills to:

    • speak and understand modern, spoken standard French sufficient for all purposes of daily life and for intellectual discussion in academic settings;
    • read and write modern standard French with sufficient fluency and correctness for successful literary or linguistic analysis of French texts;
    • analyze and interpret literary texts in terms of style, plot, structure, characters, themes and the use of literary devices;
    • communicate such analyses and interpretations simply in French or at a more sophisticated level in English, and discuss a wide range of topics concerning French culture, civilization and current events; and
    • follow with reasonable comprehension French broadcasts or film.   

    Italian

    The major provides the language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) of modern Italian needed for all purposes of daily life. Moreover, by combining courses offered by the faculty of the Department of French and Italian with courses of Italian interest taught in other units, including film studies, fine arts and history, the program promotes an understanding of the role of the Italian literary and cultural tradition within western civilization at large. As the birthplace of Dante, Petrarca, Boccaccio, Ariosto, Tasso, Marino, Michelangelo, Raphael and Da Vinci, Italy is the cradle of the Renaissance. Italy projects a powerful, formative influence into our own day through the work of 19th- and 20th century writers like Leopardi, Manzoni, Pirandello, Levi and Calvino; operatic composers like Rossini, Puccini and Verdi; phi­losophers and critics like Croce, d’Annunzio, Gramsci and Ginzburg; and filmmakers like Fellini, Pasolini and Bertolucci. Thus, in addition to supplying the necessary background for advanced professional study and specialization, the Italian major introduces students to a rich literary, artistic and intellectual history at the roots of the modern world.

    Students wishing to major in Italian are required to have a thorough advising session with the Italian program advisor. In this session the student program of study is outlined in detail. Students are required to see the advisor in the event that any of their major courses are canceled so that substitutions and revisions in their programs can be made. The department will not approve a major in Italian unless the student has been advised by the program advisor.

    For courses in other departments with an Italian emphasis (e.g., comparative literature, fine arts, history, honors, etc.), see those sections.  

    The undergraduate degree in Italian emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:

    • the fundamental outlines of the history of Italian literature from the Middle Ages to the present;
    • significant works of Italian literature and the contribution to world literature of Italian letters;
    • the historical context in which particular works were written;
    • contemporary Italian culture, politics and current events;
    • a range of literary genres, their development and reception and relevant critical methodologies; and
    • the grammatical structure of modern standard Italian.   

    In addition, students completing the degree in Italian are expected to acquire the ability and skills to:

    • speak and understand modern, spoken, standard Italian sufficient for all purposes of daily life and for intellectual discussion in academic settings;
    • read and write modern standard Italian with sufficient fluency and correctness for successful literary or linguistic analysis of Italian texts;
    • analyze and interpret literary texts in terms of style, plot structure, characters, themes and the use of literary devices;
    • communicate such analyses and interpretations simply in Italian or at a more sophisticated level in English, and discuss a wide range of topics concerning Italian culture, civilization, and current events; and
    • follow with reasonable com­prehension authentic Italian broadcasts or film.

    Course codes for these programs are FREN and ITAL. 

    Bachelor's Degree Program(s)

    Bachelor of Arts in French

    Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below. Students wishing to pursue an Honors major should also consult the Honors requirements listed below.

    Note: Students undertaking a major in French should expect to have regular conferences with a college advisor to ensure that they are making adequate progress and that requirements are being met in a timely way. The department will not certify majors for graduation when a failure to satisfy requirements is the fault of the student.

    A minimum of 30 upper-division hours in French must be completed (see below for specific courses). FREN 2120 or its equivalent is the prerequisite for admission to courses required for the major.

    Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours

    • FREN 3010 French Phonetics and Pronunciation—3
    • FREN 3050, 3060 French Composition 1 and 2—6
    • FREN 3100 Critical Reading and Writing in French Literature—3
    • FREN 3110, 3120 Main Currents of French Literature 1 and 2—6
    • Four or more other courses at the 3000 or 4000 level, of which 9 hours must be at the 4100 level or above (6 of which must be completed at CU)—12
    • FREN 4990 Senior Seminar (including a senior essay and oral presentation, except where a student elects to present a senior honors thesis)
    • Note: The seminar runs concurrently with one of the three courses taken at the 4100 level or above. See departmental brochure for details.—3

    Honors Requirements

    Honors candidates must meet all of the regular requirements for the major plus the following:

    • FREN 3200 Introduction to Literary Theory—3
    • One semester of independent study. 
    • NOTE: The semester of independent study is taken concurrently with FREN 4980, and is devoted to one-on-one work on the senior honors thesis with a faculty advisor. See department for details—3

    Graduating in Four Years with a BA in French

    Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of “adequate progress” as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in French, students should meet the following requirements:

    • Declare French major by the beginning of the second semester of study.
    • Complete FREN 3010, 3050, 3060 and 3100 by the end of the second (sophomore) year.
    • Complete FREN 3110 and 3120 and two other 3000- or 4000-level courses (including one at the 4100 level or above) by the end of the third (junior) year.

    Note: Completion of French requirements includes the successful written and oral presentation of a senior essay or honors thesis by the end of the fourth (senior) year.

    Minor Program in French

    A minor program is offered in French. Declaration of a minor is open to any student enrolled at CU-Boulder, regardless of college or school. 

    • A total of 18 upper-division hours is required for the minor. All courses counted for the minor must be numbered 3000 or above. Courses taught by the department in English, do not, in general, apply to the minor, with the exception of FREN 3200.
    • Prerequisite for admission to courses for the minor is completion of Level IV French, second-year college French (FREN 2120 at CU-Boulder) or equivalent.
    • A maximum of 6 hours upper-division credit may be transferred from other universities or non-CU-Boulder study abroad programs. Courses taken on CU-Boulder study abroad programs are considered to be CU credit, and not subject to this limitation.
    • All courses for minor credit must be taken for a grade. The only exception to this rule is course credit, which although taken for a grade, is recorded pass/fail on the student’s transcript (this includes transfer credit from accredited universities and courses taken on CU study abroad programs).
    • Students must earn a minimum grade of C- in all courses counted for the minor.

    To declare a French minor, please go to www.colorado.edu/advising.

    Bachelor of Arts in Italian

    Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below. Thirty-six hours beyond the first year with a 2.00 (C) grade point average or better are required, as listed below.

    Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours

    Italian Lower-division—9

    • ITAL 2110 Intermediate Italian Reading, Grammar and Composition 1
    • ITAL 2120 Intermediate Italian Reading, Grammar and Composition 2
    • ITAL 2130 Introduction to Literary Analysis

    Italian 3000-level—12

    • ITAL 3015 Advanced Composition 1 
    • Choose one from the following three courses:
      ITAL 3025 Advanced Composition 2 
      ITAL 3030 Storia Dell’Arte
      ITAL 3040 Italian Conversation through Cinema
    • Choose two from the following three courses (prereq. ITAL 2130):
      ITAL 3140 Readings in Italian Literature: 20th and 21st Centuries
      ITAL 3150 Readings in Italian Literature: 19th Century
      ITAL 3160 Readings in Italian Literature: Medieval/Renaissance

    Italian 4000-level—9

    • Students must take at least three 4000-level courses in the Italian department, of which one will be ITAL 4990, the Senior Seminar. Before registering for ITAL 4990, students must meet with the Italian advisor

    Upper-division Electives—6

    • Electives may be chosen from courses outside the Department of French and Italian, the content of which is consistent with the goals of the Italian major, and always in consultation with the major advisor. It is recommended that students select courses in diverse disciplines and time periods.

    Honors Requirements

    Honors candidates must meet all of the regular requirements for the major plus the following:

    • FREN 3200 Introduction to Literary Theory. (NOTE: FREN 3200 is taught in English and presupposes no knowledge of French.)—3
    • One semester of independent study or research—3
    • One semester following ITAL 4840 in ITAL 4940 Senior Honors Thesis—3

    Graduating in Four Years with a BA in Italian

    Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of “adequate progress” as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in Italian, students should meet the following requirements:

    • Declare the Italian major by the beginning of the second semester of study
    • Complete 12 credit hours of requirements (including ITAL 2110 and 2120) by the end of the second (sophomore) year
    • Complete 12 of the remaining 24 credit hours by the end of the third (junior) year
    • Complete the remainder of the major requirements in the fourth (senior) year

    Minor Program in Italian

    A minor program is offered in Italian. Declaration of a minor is open to any student enrolled at CU-Boulder, regardless of college or school. 

    • All courses must carry an ITAL prefix.
    • Students may apply credits to the Italian minor which are earned through a CU-Boulder Study Abroad program in Italy. Specific course equivalencies must be determined by the Italian advisor.
    • Students may apply a maximum of 9 transfer credit hours to the Italian minor, and a maximum of 6 hours at the upper-division level, from other study abroad programs of other accredited universities. Specific course equivalencies must be determined by the Italian advisor.
    • Students may apply a maximum of 3 hours from Italian courses taught in English.
    • Students must consult with the Italian advisor during each registration period and before a study abroad program.
    • Students must maintain an overall and Italian grade point average of 2.000 (C). They must earn a grade of C- or higher in ALL courses required for the Italian minor and may not take minor requirement courses pass/fail.

    To declare an Italian minor, go to www.colorado.edu/advising and make an appointment with the Italian advisor.

    Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours

    A total of 18 hours beyond the first year level is to be earned for the minor, as follows: 

    Lower-division—9

    • ITAL 2110 Intermediate Italian Reading, Grammar and Composition 1—3
    • ITAL 2120 Intermediate Italian Reading, Grammar and Composition 2—3
    • ITAL 2130 Introduction to Literary Analysis—3
      NOTE: ITAL 2120 and 2130 may be taken concurrently, see Italian advisor.

    Upper-Division—9

    • ITAL 3015 Advanced Composition—3
    • Choose one of the following courses (prereq. of ITAL 2130 must be met):
      ITAL 3140 Readings in Italian Literature: 20th and 21st Centuries—3
      ITAL 3150 Readings in Italian Literature: 19th Century—3
      ITAL 3160 Readings in Italian Literature: Medieval/Renaissance—3
    • Italian upper-division elective—3

    Study Abroad

    CU-Boulder offers French study abroad programs in Annecy, Paris, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse, France. In addition, students may study in Quebec, Brussels, Geneva and in the Francophone African nations of Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali and Senegal. CU-Boulder offers Italian study abroad programs in Ferrara, Florence and Perugia, Italy. Students may obtain course-credit equivalences for work done while abroad. For further information about study abroad programs, students may visit departmental advisors or the Office of International Education. CU-Boulder also supports a summer program in Italy that focuses on Italian history and culture in Rome. Credits earned on this program may be applied to the Italian major. Students may also take a summer film class in Rome and/or Paris (in alternate years). This class is taught in English. The Ayer Romance Language Scholarship is available for majors who plan to study abroad; it is awarded by the Department of French and Italian.

    Concurrent Bachelor's/Master's Program

    Concurrent BA/MA Program in French

    The department also administers a concurrent undergraduate and graduate degree program in French, offering students the opportunity to graduate with a BA and an MA in French in five years. Students interested in this program should consult a college advisor and the associate chair for graduate studies for details. Students should also read the relevant guidelines available in the main department office.

    Graduate Degree Program(s)

    Graduate Study in French

    Students wishing to pursue graduate work in French leading to candidacy for an advanced degree should read carefully Requirements for Advanced Degrees in the Graduate School section. A graduate teaching exchange at the University of Tours is available to students who have earned a master’s degree.

    Master’s Degree in French

    Prerequisites. The following are prerequisite to graduate study in French: the ability to read, write, speak and understand spoken standard French; general knowledge of French literature and civilization; and ability to read one language in addition to English and French. This last requirement may be fulfilled by passing a reading examination offered by the department. See department guidelines for the specific requirements for the MA in French.

    Doctoral Degree in French

    Prerequisites. Doctoral candidates should possess excellence in reading, speaking, writing and understanding spoken standard French; general knowledge of French literature and civilization; and knowledge of one language other than English and French (see below).

    Required Courses. See department guidelines for PhD candidates.

    Language Requirement. A sound reading knowledge of one modern language other than English and French is required. Such reading knowledge must be certified by the student passing a reading examination in the language. The examination normally consists of a timed translation of a literary text or a text dealing with literature (e.g., literary criticism). A dictionary is permitted. This language should be relevant to the student’s academic program.