Language Studies Course Descriptions

General Information | Language & Your Matrix | Language Minor
Language Studies Home | USNA Home

Show Course Descriptions for

Course Number & Title
FF101-FF102	Basic French I and II
Siskin,Jay, Ann Gascon-Williams, Thomas Field Débuts / Le Chemin du retour, second edition Basic French immerses students in authentic spoken French, using the contemporary film Le Chemin du retour as a basis for speaking, listening, reading and writing in French. The course provides a grammatical foundation in the language as well as an introduction to cultural aspects of France and the Francophone world. One-year sequence: FF101 in fall, FF102 in spring
Prerequisite: None Information Updated: 11/13/2006
FF201	Intermediate French I
Elizabeth Blood and Yasmina Mobarek Intrigue: Language, culture et mystère dans le monde francophone Uses a communicative approach to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency. Coursework includes frequent conversational practice and an introduction to cultures of the French-speaking world. Offered in the fall only.
Prerequisite: FF101-102 or validation of Beginning French Information Updated: 11/21/2006
FF202	Intermediate French II
Elizabeth Blood and Yasmina Mobarek Intrigue: Language, culture et mystère dans le monde francophone Continues development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency. Coursework includes frequent conversational practice, writing tasks, and continued study of French-speaking cultures through multi-media, on-line, and print materials. Offered in the spring only.
Prerequisite: FF201 Information Updated: 11/21/2006
FF301	Advanced French I: Civilization Readings nd Composition
Steel, Ross, Susan St. Onge, Ronald St. Onge La Civilisation francaise en evolution II Loriot-Raymer, Vialet, Muyskens A vous d'ecrire (textbook and cahier d'exercices) Denise Rochat Contrastes: Grammaire du francais courant This course focuses on speaking, reading and writing skills, with an emphasis on stylistics and vocabulary enrichment. Grammar review is based on the needs of the students. The three major components of this course are: 1. Practice in writing (essay, description, narration, reviews); 2. Readings, discussion and oral presentations on topics related to contemporary French Culture; 3. Guided oral and written discussions on several contemporary French feature films. Entirely conducted in French. Offered in the fall only.
Prerequisite: FF201-202, or validation of Intermediate French Information Updated: 1/17/2006
FF302	Advanced French II: Introduction to Francophone Cultures and Literatures
Denise Rochat Contrastes: Grammaire du français courant Conde, Maryse Traversée de la Mangrove Dib, Mohammed La grande maison The course has the same emphasis on reading, writing and speaking as FF301. Readings are taken from the literature of other French-speaking countries: Quebec, Belgium, francophone Switzerland, Algeria, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique, and include a novel by the Algerian writer Mohammed Dib as well as a novel by the Guadeloupean writer Maryse Conde. Representative feature films and documentaries from several francophone countries are viewed and analyzed. Grammar review is based on the needs of the students. Entirely conducted in French. Offered in the spring only.
Prerequisite: FF202 Information Updated: 11/9/2006
FF411	Development of French Civilization
Steele, Ross, Susan St. Onge, Ronald St. Onge La Civilisation française en évolution, I Survey of all aspects of French civilization from its origins to World War II: history, science, art, architecture, literature, and daily life. Conducted entirely in French. Active participation in class discussions is required. Emphasis is both on the form and the content of written and oral assignments. Offered in the fall only.
Prerequisite: FF302 or approval of department chair. Information Updated: 1/26/2004
FF412	Modern France
Wylie, Laurence, & Jean-François Brière Les Français Modern France is a study of contemporary French society: attitudes and values, political life, economy, social and cultural institutions, art and literature, the regional movement, the European Union, and other Francophone cultures. Offered in the spring only.
Prerequisite: FF302 or approval of department chair Information Updated: 1/26/2004
FF421	Representative Readings in French Literature I
Analysis and discussion of literary works of various genres, including epic, poetry, romance, novel, and theatre, from the Middle Ages through the eighteenth century/Enlightenment. Film versions of selected texts are included. The course aims to develop midshipmen's understanding of literature and textuality, as well as improve proficiency in French through composition, oral presentations, and discussion. Conducted entirely in French. Offered in the fall only.
Prerequisite: FF302 or approval of department chair. Information Updated: 11/21/2006
FF422	Representative Readings in French Literature II
Analysis and discussion of individual works of leading authors from the 19th and 20th centuries. The course aims to develop an understanding of these works and the society, culture, and human values they reflect, as well as to improve midshipmen's ability in speaking, understanding, reading and writing French. Film versions of some works are also represented. Coursework includes informal writing and essays, oral presentations, and class discussion. Conducted entirely in French. Offered in the spring only.
Prerequisite: FF302 or approval of department chair. Information Updated: 1/26/2004

General Information on Languages and Courses Offered

Courses through the fourth-year college level are offered in Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. Course descriptions. Entry into the Arabic sequence is subject to review by the Language Studies Department Chair.

First- and second-year courses help midshipmen acquire proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing the language of their choice.

Third-year courses continue building language proficiency while introducing midshipmen to the culture and literature of the language area.

Fourth-year courses presuppose a significant level of linguistic competence and concentrate on more specialized topics in the history, contemporary society, and literature of the countries where the language is spoken.

At all levels, classes are conducted and written work is done in the target language. Acquisition of language and culture is supported extensively by technologies like video and computer-based multimedia wherever appropriate.

Unless otherwise noted, courses with odd numbers are offered only in the fall term, those with even numbers only in the spring.

Language courses are taken 3 hours per week for 3 credits, except for 1-credit seminars.

Thanks to major funding from various sources, midshipmen who have demonstrated outstanding promise in foreign language courses have unparalleled opportunities to learn and practice languages in the countries where they are spoken. Each year over 100 midshipmen study abroad under the Language Study Abroad Program at minimal cost to the individual student.

Language Studies in Your Matrix

Divisions I and II. Midshipmen majoring in Engineering, Mathematics or Science are not required to take a foreign language, but language courses fit into their matrices in several ways:

French, German and Spanish one 200-level course and all 3-credit 300-/400-level courses count toward the two-course Humanities and Social Sciences requirement. An additional course at any of these levels counts as a Free Elective.

Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian Only the FL101 course counts as a Free Elective, and the FL102 Chinese / Japanese course can be applied toward the Humanities and Social Sciences requirement. A special provision enables some Division I & II majors to complete the minor without overloading. If they satisfy all these conditions:

validate the entire sequence of FL101 - FL102 - FL201 - FL202 in one language

cannot complete the minor without overloading

have a CQPR of 3.0 or better

must have a B average in HH106, HE111, HE112, FP130 and HH205

Division I & II majors may apply to the Language Studies Chairman for a waiver from taking HH206. Waivers are granted on a case-by-case basis, contingent upon completion of the minor.

Division III. Midshipmen majoring in English, History, Economics or Political Science are required to take two years' coursework in a foreign language or to demonstrate equivalent proficiency by validation. Language courses at 300- / 400-level count toward the Humanities and Social Sciences Core Requirements (HUM/SS). Division III majors who validate at least 2 courses can complete the Language Minor without overloading.

Requirements for the Language Minor

French, German, Spanish 12 credits at the 300- / 400-level.

Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian 12 credits at the 200-level and above

An average grade of 3.0 or better must be earned in all courses in the language of specialization for the minor.

Midshipmen who meet these requirements receive the minor automatically; there is no application procedure or designated adviser. The minor is noted in midshipmen's transcripts by Registrar.

USNA does not offer a foreign language major.

Information Technology Major Second Discipline. For specialization in Language Studies as a second discipline, IT majors complete the Language Minor, take FL220 "Principles of Language and Linguistics" in the spring of the third-class year, and carry out a capstone course project in Natural Language Processing or related technologies in the spring of the first-class year.

Arabic

Arabic joined the USNA Language Studies course offerings in Fall 2004. Select "Arabic" from the dropdown box above to read course descriptions.

Related Links

Validation Exams: Description and Policy

Foreign Language Proficiency Pay in the Navy and Marine Corps

General Information | Language & Your Matrix | Language Minor
Top | Language Studies Home | USNA Home

Edited by AssocProf William H. Fletcher

Revision: 9 November 2006

URL: http://languagestudy.usna.edu/courses/courseDescriptions.asp

Language Studies Course Descriptions

Show Course Descriptions for --> Select Language to Display All Languages Arabic Chinese French German Japanese Linguistics / Anthropology Russian Spanish English for Non-Natives

General Information on Languages and Courses Offered

Language Studies in Your Matrix

Arabic

Show Course Descriptions for