This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2023-2024 VCU Bulletin. This edition includes all programs
and courses approved by the publication deadline; however we may receive notification of additional program
approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available
in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
In today’s world, language learning is more important than ever. The ability to navigate across diverse language, ethnic, racial and cultural borders allows connection with others, helping create a more inclusive and mutually respectful society. Additionally, employers the world over value the communication skills, cultural competence and practical experiences language students acquire through course work, internships, service learning and study abroad. Proficiency in a second language offers special practical benefits: VCU graduates with language skills are among the more qualified candidates for jobs in international businesses, nonprofits and government agencies. They also qualify for jobs as language teachers in schools, where they often serve as role models, mentors and leaders.
VCU’s B.A. in Foreign Language curriculum allows students to focus on either one or two languages, including the option to combine their major with other disciplines as they work with advisers to plan for their future careers. VCU course work leads majors to explore cultural traditions and historical developments in various parts of the world, and to pursue applied vocabulary and practices that they can use in real-world situations locally, nationally, globally and virtually. Special effort is made to develop intercultural communication competence.
Becoming a language major is one of the best decisions a student can make! Most will find a seamless transition to VCU from high school or community college programs. Placement testing and the transfer of Advanced Placement, IB and other college-level courses from high school or from a community college can shorten time to degree completion and make it easier for students to pursue dual or double majors and build on minors or certificate programs from across VCU.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know how to do the following:
Foreign language program core outcomes
- Demonstrate oral and aural communication skills in context
- Demonstrate written communication skills
- Demonstrate critical and analytical reading skills
- Demonstrate literary and cultural competency
French concentration-specific outcomes
- Demonstrate proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing in French
- Demonstrate historical, literary and cultural competency in the Francophone world
Experiential learning and study abroad
Each student completing a degree program within the School of World Studies is required to complete a World ePass as part of their experiential learning requirement; students are also encouraged to participate in a study abroad program. For more information on the ePass portfolio and study abroad opportunities, students may visit the overview page for the School of World Studies.
Special requirements
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language, students must complete 39 credits within the major, 33 credits of which must be upper-level (300-level or above), with a minimum major GPA of 2.25.
All foreign language majors, students transferring credits from study abroad and transfer students who major in a foreign language must include in their target-language course work a minimum of 12 VCU credits. Both credit and distribution requirements (minimum of 11 courses in target language) for the concentration must be satisfied.
Foreign language majors who plan on becoming language teachers in the K-12 school system are required to complete a total of 30 credits of upper level (300- and 400-level) course work in one target language to meet certification requirements.
Degree requirements for Foreign Language, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a concentration in French
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| WRLD 302 | Communicating Across Cultures | 3 |
| WRLD 490 | Seminar in World Cultures and Languages | 3 |
| • Additional major requirements | ||
| FREN 201 | Intermediate French I (or higher level based on placement test score) 1 | 3 |
| FREN 202 | Intermediate French II (or higher level based on placement test score) 1 | 3 |
| or FREN 205 | Intermediate Conversation | |
| FREN 300 | Communication and Composition | 3 |
| FREN 301 | Self and Society: Effective Writing | 3 |
| FREN 305 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| or FREN 307 | French Conversation and Film | |
| FREN 320 | French Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| FREN 321 | Francophone Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| FREN 330 | Survey of Literature | 3 |
| FREN 331 | Survey of Literature | 3 |
| • Major electives | ||
| Select FREN courses (400 level or higher); may include up to three credits of FRLG 493 | 6 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| WRLD 495 | World ePass Portfolio | 0 |
| Experiential fine arts (course offered by the School of the Arts) | 1-3 | |
| • Experiential learning | 0-3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
Major-specific service-learning course | ||
Study abroad program | ||
| • Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement) 2 | 0-6 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course | 38-49 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Higher level placement score for these 200-level courses determines the starting point of the degree. Students who test above the course level fulfill the surpassed course credits with 300- or 400-level electives.
In order to begin upper-level course work in any foreign language, students must have consecutively completed these courses or must prove the equivalent proficiency level through placement testing.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| FREN 101 | Beginning French I | 3 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course (select quantitative foundations) | 3-4 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15-16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| FREN 102 | Beginning French II | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| FREN 201 | Intermediate French I | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| FREN 202 | Intermediate French II | 3 |
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| WRLD 302 | Communicating Across Cultures | 3 |
| Experiential fine arts (course offered by the School of the Arts) | 1-3 | |
| Open electives | 5-7 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| FREN 300 | Communication and Composition | 3 |
| FREN 305 or FREN 307 | Oral Communication or French Conversation and Film | 3 |
| FREN 320 | French Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| On-campus or study abroad semester | ||
| FREN 301 | Self and Society: Effective Writing | 3 |
| FREN 321 | Francophone Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| FREN 331 | Survey of Literature | 3 |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| Study abroad (recommended): | ||
| Upper-level FREN courses that meet concentration, elective or experiential learning requirements | 0-6 | |
| (Note that credits completed during study abroad will decrease open electives needed in subsequent semesters.) | ||
| Term Hours: | 0-6 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| FREN 330 | Survey of Literature (if not taken abroad) | 3 |
| FRLG 493 | World Languages Internship (or other experiential learning opportunity) | 3 |
| FREN elective (400 level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| World ePass site creation | ||
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| FRLG 493 | World Languages Internship (or FREN elective at 400 level or above) | 3 |
| WRLD 490 | Seminar in World Cultures and Languages (capstone) | 3 |
| WRLD 495 | World ePass Portfolio | 0 |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120-127 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Accelerated B.A. and M.S.
The accelerated B.A. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.A. in Foreign Language with a concentration in French and M.S. in Business with a concentration in marketing management in a minimum of five years by completing up to 12 credit hours of approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to three credit hours of graduate courses toward both the B.A. and M.S. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 147 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.
In their senior year students would also take up to nine credit hours of graduate-level foundations courses, which are prerequisites for the graduate program.
Students holding these degrees will be very competitive due to the combined knowledge and skills in language, culture and business and will be well prepared for success in an increasingly global marketplace.
Entrance to the accelerated program
Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.
Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including WRLD 302 and 21 credits earned at the 300-level in FREN; an overall GPA of 3.25; and a GPA of 3.0 in the major course work. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements may submit GRE scores to receive further consideration. Students who are interested in the accelerated program should consult with the faculty adviser to the M.S. in Business with a concentration in marketing management program before they have completed 90 credits. Successful applicants would enter the program in the fall semester of their senior year.
Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate School of World Studies adviser and the faculty adviser to the graduate program.
Admission to the graduate program
Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin.
Degree requirements
The Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits will apply toward open elective credits for the undergraduate degree. Three of these credits, MKTG 672, are shared with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Nine credits are foundation courses for the graduate program and apply to the undergraduate degree only.
The graduate business courses that may be taken as an undergraduate once a student is admitted to the program — and how they apply — are shown in the table below.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 507 | Fundamentals of Accounting (graduate foundation; satisfies open elective in undergraduate program) | 3 |
| MKTG 672 | Influencing Consumer Behavior (shared between undergraduate and graduate programs) | 3 |
| FIRE 520 | Financial Concepts of Management (graduate foundation; satisfies open elective in undergraduate program) | 3 |
| SCMA 524 | Statistical Fundamentals for Business Management (graduate foundation; satisfies open elective in undergraduate program) | 3 |
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| FREN 300 | Communication and Composition | 3 |
| FREN 305 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| or FREN 307 | French Conversation and Film | |
| FREN 320 | French Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| ECON 300 | Contemporary Economic Issues | 3 |
| ECON 301 | Microeconomic Theory | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester (on-campus or study abroad semester) | ||
| FREN 301 | Self and Society: Effective Writing | 3 |
| FREN 321 | Francophone Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| FREN 331 | French for Health Care and the Environmental and Natural Sciences | 3 |
| ECON 302 | Macroeconomic Theory | 3 |
| Open electives | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ACCT 507 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| FREN 330 | FRENCH FOR THE PROFESSIONS & SOCIAL SCIENCES | 3 |
| FRLG 493 | World Languages Internship (or other experiential learning opportunity) | 3 |
| SCMA 524 | Statistical Fundamentals for Business Management | 3 |
| FREN elective (400-level) | 3 | |
| World ePass completion | 0 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| FIRE 520 | Financial Concepts of Management | 3 |
| MKTG 672 | Influencing Consumer Behavior | 3 |
| FRLG 493 | World Languages Internship (or 400-level or higher FREN elective ) | 3 |
| WRLD 490 | Seminar in World Cultures and Languages | 3 |
| Elective (any subject, 400-level or higher) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Fifth year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| MKTG 671 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| MKTG 675 | Digital Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 679 | Brand Strategy | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| MKTG 657 | Market Planning Project | 3 |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
FREN 101. Beginning French I. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Enrollment requires any student with previous exposure to French to take the placement test to determine eligibility. For students with no prior knowledge of French. Beginning grammar, reading, writing and oral skills.
FREN 102. Beginning French II. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 101 or a satisfactory score on the VCU Language Placement Test within the one-year period immediately preceding the beginning of the course. Continuation of beginning grammar, reading, writing and oral skills.
FREN 110. Intensive French I. 8 Hours.
Semester course; 10 lecture and laboratory hours. 8 credits. This intensive course combines FREN 101 and 102 into a single semester.
FREN 201. Intermediate French I. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 102 or a satisfactory score on the VCU Language Placement Test within the one-year period immediately preceding the beginning of the course. Conducted in French. Building toward intermediate-level cultural competence and proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing through authentic materials.
FREN 202. Intermediate French II. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 201 or a satisfactory score on the VCU Language Placement Test within the one-year period immediately preceding the beginning of the course. Conducted in French. Increasing intermediate-level cultural competence and proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing through authentic materials.
FREN 205. Intermediate Conversation. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 201. Designed to increase the student's proficiency in the spoken language through audio-oral exercises, dialogues and free conversation.
FREN 210. Intensive French II. 6 Hours.
Semester course; 6 lecture and laboratory hours per week. 6 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 101 and 102, or FREN 110. This intensive course combines FREN 201 and 202/205 into a single semester.
FREN 300. Communication and Composition. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, FREN 205 or a satisfactory score on the VCU Language Placement Test within the one-year period immediately preceding the beginning of the course. Conducted in French. Building toward intermediate-high proficiency in the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal and presentational. Authentic materials enhance intercultural competence and communication skills.
FREN 301. Self and Society: Effective Writing. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, FREN 205 or FREN 300. Conducted in French. Students advance their knowledge of the French language and French-speaking cultures while developing their reading and writing skills. Students examine a variety of texts and media and gain strategies for interpretation and discussion, with a focus on effective writing.
FREN 305. Oral Communication. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, FREN 205, FREN 300 or a satisfactory score on the VCU Language Placement Test within the one-year period immediately preceding the beginning of the course. Conducted in French. Practice in the spoken language with emphasis on discussions relating to topics of current interest.
FREN 307. French Conversation and Film. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, 205 or 300. The course is designed to develop the student's conversational skills, oral comprehension ability and knowledge of contemporary culture through discussion of selected French films. Emphasis is also placed on vocabulary development and writing practice.
FREN 320. French Civilization and Culture I. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, 205 or 300. Conducted in French. A survey of French civilization and culture from its origins to the French Revolution. Introduction to and analysis of the most important aspects of Gallo-Roman society and of the Merovingian, Carolingian and Capetian dynasties which influenced the institutions of the Ancien Regime and still serve as cultural archetypes and icons in contemporary French culture.
FREN 321. French Civilization and Culture II. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, 205 or 300. Conducted in French. A survey of French civilization and culture from the Napoleonic era to the present. This course retraces important cultural and social traditions found during the first Empire, the Restoration, the Second Republic, the Second Empire, the Commune, the Third and Fourth Republics which influenced and continue to shape contemporary French civilization and culture of the Fifth Republic.
FREN 330. Survey of Literature. 3 Hours.
Semester courses; 3 lecture hours. 3, 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, 205 or 300. Conducted in French. First semester: through the 18th century. Second semester: 19th and 20th centuries.
FREN 331. Survey of Literature. 3 Hours.
Semester courses; 3 lecture hours. 3, 3 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 202, 205 or 300. Conducted in French. First semester: through the 18th century. Second semester: 19th and 20th centuries.
FREN 420. French Regional Culture. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Course can be repeated with different topics up to a total of 6 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 320 or 321. Conducted in French. Focuses on the culture and civilization specific to each of France's 22 regions. History, culture, architecture as well as sociopolitical, linguistic identities, artisanal trades and folklore are presented for each region. See the Schedule of Classes for the specific topic to be offered each semester.
FREN 421. French Contemporary Culture. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Course can be repeated with different topics up to a total of 6 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 320 or 321. Conducted in French. Focuses on the contemporary culture found in French society. The individuals and events shaping current French social, political, artistic and cultural life are examined. Each theme is illustrated by current audiovisual materials. See the Schedule of Classes for the specific topic to be offered each semester.
FREN 422. French Cinema. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Course can be repeated with different topics up to a total of 6 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 320 or 321. Conducted in French. Tracing French cinema from les Frores Lumiore and Georges Melius through the New Wave to new contemporary directors, this course focuses on the thematic selections and stylistic techniques particular to French cinematographic culture. The class is offered concurrently with the annual VCU French Film Festival, thereby permitting students to directly communicate with French actors and directors participating in the festival. See the Schedule of Classes for the specific topic to be offered each semester.
FREN 425. French Media. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Course can be repeated with different topics up to a total of 6 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 320 or 321 or 330 or 331. Conducted in French. Analysis of the French media: written press, radio and television. Advanced comprehension skills required and stressed through regular exercises pertaining to different journalistic discourses and styles. Proficiency in journalistic writing is developed in class through the creation of an electronic French newspaper on the Internet. See the Schedule of Classes for the specific topic to be offered each semester.
FREN 428. Earth Ahead: Contributions by French Authors, Artists and Activists. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or FREN 307; and FREN 320, FREN 321, FREN 330 or FREN 331. Conducted in French. Explores the theme of the earth, nature, and the environment in the philosophy, literature and art of contemporary Francophone cultures, and the extent to which these intellectual and cultural contributions have entered academic and popular discussions in 21st-century France and elsewhere in the world. Analyzes how these diverse manifestations of environmental discourse inform, shape and articulate Francophone cultural praxes of activism concerned with defending our natural world.
FREN 435. Contemporary French Literature. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 330 or 331. Conducted in French. An overview of French literature from 1900 to the present. Discusses texts that have particular resonance in relation to contemporary issues, including literary works that have contributed most saliently to French culture over this time period.
FREN 440. Commercial French. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Course can be repeated with different topics up to a total of 6 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 320 or 321 or 330 or 331. This course introduces students to the cultural, economic and linguistic dimensions of the Francophone commercial sector. It builds the student's reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiencies through active engagement with business-related materials and activities. See the Schedule of Classes for the specific topic to be offered each semester.
FREN 450. Francophone Literatures and Cultures. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. Course can be repeated with different topics up to a total of 6 credits. Prerequisite: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 320 or 321 or 330 or 331. Conducted in French. Introduces students to the literatures and cultures of the Francophone world. Provides an overview of the Francophone world and an in-depth study of literary works written in French from Africa, the Caribbean, North America, Asia and Europe. Also explores the impact of Colonial history on Francophone literatures and cultures. See the Schedule of Classes for the specific topic to be offered each semester. Crosslisted as: INTL 450.
FREN 491. Topics in French. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; variable hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 9 credits. Prerequisites: FREN 301; FREN 305 or 307; FREN 320 or 321 or 330 or 331. An in-depth study of selected topics in French. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
FREN 492. Independent Study. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; variable hours. Variable credit. Maximum of 3 credits per semester; maximum total of 6 credits for all independent study courses in French. Prerequisite: FREN 301; FREN 320 or 321; Senior standing with a minimum of 85 credits earned toward the degree. Determination of course content and permission of the instructor must be obtained prior to registration of the course. A course designed to give students an opportunity to become involved in independent study in a literary or linguistic area or subject in which they have an interest.