The University of Manchester
Faculty of Humanities
School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures
French Studies
Directory of Undergraduate
Course Units
2007-2008
This issue of the French Studies Directory supersedes and replaces all previous issues
1
2
Introduction
4
Essential Information
4
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.5.1
2.5.2
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.8.1
2.8.2
3
Student Feedback and Representation
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
4
Head of French Studies
Programme Director
French Studies contact details
Semester dates
Staff in French Studies
Permanent teaching staff and their academic interests
Administrative Support Staff
Communication Arrangements within French Studies
Advice
Acquiring texts
Prescribed texts
Further reading
4
4
4
5
5
5
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
Course and Programme Evaluation
Student Representatives
Staff-Student Committee
French Studies Academic Committee
Channel for Complaints
8
8
8
8
9
A note on non-specialist language courses (LEAP)
Degree programmes
9
10
French Studies
Modern Languages
English and French
History of Art and a Modern Language (French)
Middle Eastern Studies with a Modern European Language (French)
History and French
Latin with French
French and Linguistics
Undergraduate Master of Modern Languages (MML) [French as Language 1]
Undergraduate Master of Modern Languages (MML) [French as Language 2]
European Studies with French
Combined Studies
Biological Sciences with French
Mathematics with French
English Law/French Law
A Modern Language (French) and Business and Management
International Management with French
10
10
11
12
13
13
14
14
15
16
17
18
18
19
19
19
20
An important note on language core courses
21
Course unit descriptions and course codes
22
Level 1 Course Units
23
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context
FREN10050 French for a Modern Language and Business and Management
FREN10060 Research in French Studies
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language
FREN10210 French Language I
LALC10001 Introduction to World Cinema 1
LALC10002 Introduction to World Cinema 2
Level 2 Course Units
23
24
26
27
28
30
32
34
36
FREN20050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
FREN20131 Translating Early French Texts
2
36
38
FREN20132 Medieval and Renaissance Narrative
FREN20142** French Cinema to 1980
FREN20162 Understanding Meaning
FREN20171 Language Structure and Language Function: an Introduction to Linguistics
FREN20182 Text and Context: Linguistic and Pragmatic Tools for Analysing Literary Texts
FREN20210 French Language II
FREN20230 Racine: Tragedy and Tragic Performance
FREN20242 French Art
FREN20250** Contemporary France
FREN20342** French Presence: the Colonised and the Colonies
FREN20352** Representing the Holocaust in French Film and Text
FREN20450** Contemporary French Culture
FREN20491 Female Voices I
FREN20492 Female Voices II
FREN20521 High and Low Culture in France
FREN20530** Medium and Message
FREN21002 Writings and Rewritings: Fairy Tales and After
ULFR20360 Further Business French
HIST20182 European Intellectual History: Rousseau to Freud
LALC20002 Trends in European and Postcolonial Cinema
LALC20302 Introduction to Translation
ULTD20011 Introduction to TEFL Part 1
ULTD20012 Introduction to TEFL Part 2
Level 3 Course Units
39
41
42
43
44
46
47
48
50
51
52
54
55
56
57
59
60
62
63
63
63
63
63
64
FREN30000 Dissertation in French Studies
64
FREN30002 Protest in Contemporary French Popular Music
66
FREN30030 Molière: Comedy as Performance, Comedy in Performance
67
FREN30050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
68
FREN30051 Crime and Mystery in the Roman-Feuilleton (1870-1910)
70
FREN30062 Painted Tales: Three French History Painters
71
FREN30091 France and Algeria: Film, Video and Photography
73
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
74
FREN30210 French Language III
75
FREN30251** French National Identity
77
FREN30261 Modern French Poetry
78
FREN30322 Meaning and the Translator, with Reference to French and English
79
FREN30330 Aspects of French Theatre
81
FREN30490** Occupied France
82
FREN30502 Argumentative Strategies
83
FREN30521 Post/structuralist thought in Barthes and Derrida
84
FREN30540 Revolutions in 20th-Century Dance
86
FREN30640 French Theatre in the Eighteenth Century
87
FREN30672 The Literature and Philosophy of Simone de Beauvoir
88
FREN30700 Variation across Spoken and Written French
89
FREN30721 French Popular Music
91
FREN30862 Other Ideas: France and the Outside World, 1720-1800
92
FREN30900 Saints, Sinners, and Psychopaths: Subversion and Transgression in Medieval French and Occitan
Literature
94
FREN31500** Instruction and Amusement in Early European Children’s Literature
95
ULFR30360 Advanced Business French
96
POLI30152 The French Left and the Fifth Republic since 1968
98
LALC30011 Topics in Translation Studies
98
Provisional timetable for content courses convened in French Studies 2007-8
3
99
1 Introduction
This Directory of Course Units is to be read in conjunction with the relevant School Undergraduate
Programmes Handbook, which contains full information on all aspects of the degree programmes
provided within the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures.
The Directory contains a range of information concerning French Studies, including, in particular,
the course units available. It details part of the regulations governing compulsory and optional
course units in French for the degree programmes listed on the contents page.
Please note that the Directory is prepared well in advance of the new academic session, and that the
information that it contains is subject to change at short notice. All courses are offered on the
assumption that they will be available as described, but circumstances may arise which prevent
some courses being offered as planned, while others may become available which are not listed in
this Directory. All students are asked to bear this point in mind, particularly when selecting their
options for next year. Furthermore, course codes (e.g. in pathways) may change subsequent to
publication of this document.
While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this document, it may contain errors and
omissions. If you wish to verify any details, please contact the appropriate member of the teaching
or administrative staff.
2
Essential Information
2.1 Head of French Studies
Professor David Adams
The Head of French Studies is responsible for maintaining the academic standards of each
programme involving French as a named Honours subject. The Head is available to meet any
students who wish to discuss academic or personal matters during his office hours, which are
indicated on his office door. An appointment may be made via the French office (S.3.5), or,
preferably, by email using the list of addresses provided below.
2.2 Programme Director
Dr Daron Burrows (Semester 1) / Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen (Semester 2)
The Programme Director’s role is to ensure the smooth running of degree programmes involving
French Studies. This involves input to the Undergraduate Programmes and Curriculum Committee
of the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, overseeing the student course evaluation
process, considering changes and improvements to the courses offered, and ensuring adherence to
the guidelines set out in the University’s Academic Standards Code of Practice.
The Programme Director is available to meet any student registered for relevant programmes to
discuss pertinent issues during his/her office hours, which are indicated on the door of his/her
office.
2.3 French Studies contact details
French Studies,
Room S.3.5,
School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures,
Simon Alexander Building,
University of Manchester,
Oxford Road,
Manchester,
M13 9PL
United Kingdom
4
Introductory information
Telephone: (0161) 275-3209/3183
Fax: (0161) 275-3031
Email: french@manchester.ac.uk
2.4 Semester dates
The academic year at Manchester is divided into two Semesters, each comprising approximately
fifteen weeks. The provisional dates for the academic year 2007-2008 are:
Semester 1
17 September 2007 - 27 January 2008
Registration and induction week 17-21 September 2007
Reading week
29 October - 2 November 2007
Christmas vacation
15 December 2007 - 13 January 2008
Semester 1 examinations
14 January - 25 January 2008
Semester 2
28 January - 6 June 2008
Easter vacation
15 March - 6 April 2008
Semester 2 examinations
19 May - 6 June 2008 (provisional)
Resit examinations
18-29 August 2008 (provisional)
2.5 Staff in French Studies
Please note that some members of staff may be on research leave during the academic session
2007-8, and will not necessarily be available in Manchester during their period of leave. As a
result, some of the courses listed in this handbook may be withdrawn after it has been printed.
Please check with the French office before the start of the session.
2.5.1 Permanent teaching staff and their academic interests
Professor David Adams
Specialisms: 18th-century studies, especially the novel; philosophical thought; bibliography; French
illustrated books of the 18th century
Email: david.adams@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Adrian Armstrong
Specialisms: Medieval and Renaissance studies, literary theory, visual studies
Email: adrian.armstrong@manchester.ac.uk
Mrs Penny Brown
Specialisms: Comparative literature; women’s writing; 18th- and 19th-century writing for children
Email: penny.brown@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Siobhan Brownlie
Specialisms: Translation theory
Email: S.Brownlie@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Daron Burrows
Specialisms: Medieval French language and literature; text editing; manuscript studies
Email: daron.burrows@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Burrows is on research leave during Semester 2 of the 2007-8 session, and can be contacted
only in exceptional circumstances, via the French office.
Dr Peter Cooke
Specialisms: 19th-century aesthetic thought; history painting, the relationship between literature and
painting; Gustave Moreau, post-Romantic poetry
Email: peter.d.cooke@manchester.ac.uk
5
Introductory information
Mrs Gaelle Flower
Specialisms: Modern French language
Email: gaelle.flower@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Catherine Franc
Specialisms: Medieval women’s history and hagiography; contemporary French culture and society;
modern French language
Email: c.franc@manchester.ac.uk
Mlle Sylvie Janin
Specialisms: Modern French language
Email: Sylvie.janin@manchester.ac.uk
Mrs Julie Lawton
Specialisms: Occupied France; modern French language
Email: Julie.a.lawton@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Barbara Lebrun
Specialisms: Contemporary French culture and popular music; national identity and
multiculturalism; cultural institutions and public discourse
Email: barbara.lebrun@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen
Specialisms: Semantics, pragmatics, verbal interaction, spoken vs. written French, language change
Email: Maj-Britt.MosegaardHansen@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Joseph McGonagle
Specialisms: Ethnicity in French and Francophone visual culture, French photography and film,
cultural relations between France and Algeria
Email: joseph.mcgonagle@manchester.ac.uk
Ms Annie Morton
Specialisms: Modern French language
Email: annie.l.morton@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Thanh Nyan
Specialisms: Linguistics; pragmatics
Email: t.nyan@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Nyan is on research leave during Semester 1, and possibly Semester 2, of the 2007-8 session,
and can be contacted only in exceptional circumstances, via the French office.
Mr Olivier Perez
Specialisms: Modern French language
Email: Olivier.perez@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Henry Phillips
Specialisms: 17th-century literature; history of ideas; Racine; theatre and performance
Email: henry.phillips@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Floriane Place-Verghnes
Specialisms: Literature and paralittérature from 1870 to the present day; text / image studies
Email: floriane.place-verghnes@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Place-Verghnes may be on research leave during Semester 2 of the 2007-8 session, and can be
contacted only in exceptional circumstances, via the French office.
6
Introductory information
Mlle Joanna Porcu
Specialisms: Modern French language
Email: MANABIPBIP@aol.com
Professor Dee Reynolds
Specialisms: Modern dance; feminist and post-structuralist theory; modernist poetry and painting
Email: dee.reynolds@manchester.ac.uk
Mlle Anne Simonin
Specialisms: Modern French language
Email: anne.e.simonin@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Ursula Tidd
Specialisms: Simone de Beauvoir; gender studies; modern French literature, especially
autobiography; cultural representations of the Holocaust
Email: ursula.tidd@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Darren Waldron
Specialisms: French film; representations of gender and sexuality in contemporary French cinema;
audience study
Email: darren.waldron@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Waldron is on research leave during Semester 1, and possibly Semester 2, of the 2007-8 session,
and can be contacted only in exceptional circumstances, via the French office.
Details of staff room numbers can be located via the SLLC notice-boards. Staff can be contacted in
their rooms during their ‘office hours’, the times of which are indicated on their office doors, or via
email. Should you encounter difficulty in contacting a tutor, you should leave a message for him/her
in the French Studies Office and check your pigeonhole/e-mails regularly for a reply. Please include
your email address or telephone number in your message.
2.5.2 Administrative Support Staff
The Administrative Support offices are situated on the third floor of the south wing of the
Humanities Lime Grove Building. The support staff responsible for French are:
Gill Worrall
Responsibility: All matters relating to 1st- and Final-Year undergraduate support
Room: S.3.5
Email: gill.worrall@manchester.ac.uk
Tel: 0161-275-3209
Wendy Howat
Responsibility: All matters relating to 2nd-Year and Year Abroad undergraduate support
Room: S.3.5
Email: wendy.howat@manchester.ac.uk
Tel: 0161-275-3183
2.6 Communication Arrangements within French Studies
Communication with students normally takes place via e-mail or via the folders in filing cabinets
situated at the end of the corridor on the third floor.
Students are asked to check their folders and e-mails at regular intervals for messages from tutors.
2.7 Advice
If you need help, advice or clarification on any academic matter, seek help straight away.
7
Introductory information
All members of staff are willing to help, but you should initially make use of the formal channels:
your personal tutor, your programme director, or your student representatives. Additionally, staff
and student reps value your input and opinion.
2.8
Acquiring texts
2.8.1 Prescribed texts
Students are normally expected to be in possession of copies of the primary texts prescribed for
study in the course units listed in the Directory. Prescribed texts can be purchased from Blackwell’s
in the University Precinct, or they may be ordered, for example, via the Internet. Sites that you may
wish to use include:
http://www.amazon.fr [especially useful for French texts]
http://www.fnac.com [especially useful for French texts]
http://used.addall.com [excellent for locating used copies of English and foreign language texts]
http://www.grantandcutler.com
2.8.2 Further reading
Further reading of secondary literature specified in the course guides supplied for course units is
an essential part of your education.
While the John Rylands library will fulfil your requirements during term-time, you may well wish
to access material when not in Manchester (e.g. during vacations). If the material is not accessible
remotely via JRULM’s electronic resources, you are advised to visit your nearest university library
(ensuring that you ascertain what identification the library would require for admission). The
holdings of the UK’s major research university libraries can be consulted via COPAC:
http://www.copac.ac.uk.
3
Student Feedback and Representation
3.1 Course and Programme Evaluation
Questionnaires will be distributed to students at various times concerning specific Course Units and
the programme in general. You are required to complete and return these forms, which are
considered by the Head of French Studies, the Programme Director, and the relevant course tutor.
Discussion of overall assessment will take place in the Staff-Student Consultative Committee.
Action will be taken, where appropriate and feasible, as a result of your evaluation.
3.2 Student Representatives
Student representation and feedback is vital to the continued development of French Studies.
Student representatives are elected from each year to the following committees:
3.3 Staff-Student Committee
This deals both with academic and with non-academic matters, and reports to the French Studies
Committee. Student members represent their year and are expected to be proactive in bringing ideas
and problems to the notice of the Committee, the Secretary of which can be contacted via the
French support office. Further action may be taken in addition to that outlined in 3.1 as a result of
representations to the Committee.
Chair: Professor David Adams
3.4 French Studies Academic Committee
The French Studies Committee is constituted in accordance with the University’s regulations, and
consists of all permanent members of the academic staff of French Studies and Language Teaching
Assistants working in French Studies, together with two student representatives from each
undergraduate year, an MA student, and a research student. The Committee advises the Chair on all
matters affecting French Studies. Requests for nominations for student membership are made at the
beginning of each academic year.
8
Introductory information
Chair: Professor David Adams
3.5 Channel for Complaints
Minor problems may be brought to the attention of the lecturer or to the personal tutor; more serious
complaints will normally be reported via the student representatives to the Programme Director. If
no satisfactory action is taken, the Head of the Subject Area should be approached. The nature and
outcome of any complaint is recorded by the Programme Director and made available for the annual
programme review.
A student who is dissatisfied with the response should consult the School Handbook for information
about what further action might be taken.
4 A note on non-specialist language courses (LEAP)
The courses administered collectively under the LEAP scheme are not provided directly by French
Studies. Please contact LEAP for further details:
http://www.langcent.manchester.ac.uk/
9
DEGREE PROGRAMMES
Students following degree programmes not listed below should have been provided with separate
handbooks/guides for these programmes and should make their choices on the basis of the
information given there.
NB: Students usually take a total of 120 credits in each year of study
FRENCH STUDIES
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Units:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10060 Research in French Studies (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
One Level 1 Course Unit or equivalent worth 20 credits from outside French Studies, chosen from a
list approved by the Faculty of Humanities, which can be found on the Humanities Course Unit
Database: http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 80 credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
A further 20 credits. Students may choose a Level 2 course unit from French Studies, but in the
interests of a broader education, they are strongly encouraged to choose a Course Unit from outside,
selected from a list approved by the Faculty of Humanities, detailed on the Humanities Course Unit
Database: http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent in France or another French-speaking country in conditions approved by French Studies
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 80 credits of Level 3* Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
A further 20 credits, either in French or from a list of Course Units outside French Studies approved
by the Humanities Faculty, detailed on the Humanities Course Unit Database:
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
*Students are permitted to take Level 2 course unit(s) worth up to 20 credits only in Year 4
(included within the total of 120 credits)
MODERN LANGUAGES
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
10
Degree Programmes
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
60 credits in other language
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
40-60 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-60 credits in other language
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus
40-60 further credits of Level 3* Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-60 credits in other language
*Students are permitted to take Level 2 course unit(s) worth up to 20 credits only in Year 4
(included within the total of 120 credits
NB: In Year 4, up to 20 credits out of the total 120 may be taken in a subject other than French or
the second subject of study, provided that there is a minimum of 40 credits in each of these two. The
list of course units approved by the Faculty of Humanities can be found at
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
ENGLISH AND FRENCH
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
60 credits in English
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
20-60 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
11
Degree Programmes
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in English
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus
20-60 further credits of Level 3* Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in English
*Students are permitted to take Level 2 course unit(s) worth up to 20 credits only in Year 4
(included within the total of 120 credits
NB: In Year 4, up to 20 credits out of the total 120 may be taken in a subject other than French or
the second subject of study, provided that there is a minimum of 40 credits in each of these two. The
list of course units approved by the Faculty of Humanities can be found at
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
HISTORY OF ART AND A MODERN LANGUAGE (FRENCH)
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
60 credits in Art History
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
40 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
60 credits in Art History
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus
40 further credits of Level 3* Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
60 credits in Art History
NB: A dissertation in History of Art is compulsory even if one is also chosen in French
12
Degree Programmes
* Students are permitted to take Level 2 course unit(s) worth up to 20 credits only in Year 4
(included within the total of 120 credits
NB: In Year 4, up to 20 credits out of the total 120 may be taken in a subject other than French or
the second subject of study, provided that there is a minimum of 40 credits in each of these two. The
list of course units approved by the Faculty of Humanities can be found at
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES WITH A MODERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGE (FRENCH)
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
60 credits in Middle Eastern Studies
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
20-60 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in Middle Eastern Studies
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus
20-60 further credits of Level 3* Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in Middle Eastern Studies
* Students are permitted to take Level 2 course unit(s) worth up to 20 credits only in Year 4
(included within the total of 120 credits
NB: In Year 4, up to 20 credits out of the total 120 may be taken in a subject other than French or
the second subject of study, provided that there is a minimum of 40 credits in each of these two. The
list of course units approved by the Faculty of Humanities can be found at
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
HISTORY AND FRENCH
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
13
Degree Programmes
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
Level 1 Course Units totalling 60 credits in History
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
20-60 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in History
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus
20-60 further credits of Level 3* Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in History
NB: The chosen combination of course units in French and History must be such as to include
either a dissertation in French, or a dissertation in History, but not both.
*Students are permitted to take Level 2 course unit(s) worth up to 20 credits only in Year 4
(included within the total of 120 credits
NB: In Year 4, up to 20 credits out of the total 120 may be taken in a subject other than French or
the second subject of study, provided that there is a minimum of 40 credits in each of these two. The
list of course units approved by the Faculty of Humanities can be found at
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
LATIN WITH FRENCH
Please consult Classics and Ancient History for guidance:
FRENCH AND LINGUISTICS
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
60 credits in Linguistics
14
Degree Programmes
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
20-60 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in Linguistics
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus
20-60 further credits of Level 3* Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits in Linguistics
*Students are permitted to take Level 2 course unit(s) worth up to 20 credits only in Year 4
(included within the total of 120 credits
NB: In Year 4, up to 20 credits out of the total 120 may be taken in a subject other than French or
the second subject of study, provided that there is a minimum of 40 credits in each of these two. The
list of course units approved by the Faculty of Humanities can be found at
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ug/
UNDERGRADUATE MASTER OF MODERN LANGUAGES (MML) [FRENCH AS
LANGUAGE 1]
YEAR 1
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
60 credits in Language 2
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
40 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
60 credits in Language 2.
NB: Students in Year 2 may be permitted to take not more than 20 credits deriving from nonlanguage courses at Level 1, in order to extend the breadth of their academic experience at
foundation level as a preparation for years 3 and 4.
15
Degree Programmes
NB. Between the second and third year of the course, students are required to spend 8 weeks under
approved conditions in a country where language 1 is spoken. Alternatively, a whole academic year
(32 weeks) can be spent in the country under approved conditions. Successful completion of the
residence abroad requirement, whether for 8 weeks or for 32 weeks, carries the award of 30 special
credits, which cannot be used to replace 30 credits needed for the completion of any academic
course taken in Manchester.
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
1. Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2. Plus:
40 further credits of Level 3 Course Units offered by French Studies
3. Plus:
40 credits of other compulsory course units at Level 3:
LALC30100 MML (Language 1) Dissertation (20 credits)
LALC30000 Research Methods (MML) (20 credits)
4. Plus:
20 credits at Level 3 (non-language) chosen from course units available in Language 2
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
No course units in French as this side of programme will have been completed in Year 3. Please
verify requirements with Language 2 subject area
UNDERGRADUATE MASTER OF MODERN LANGUAGES (MML) [FRENCH AS
LANGUAGE 2]
YEAR 1
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
60 credits in Language 1
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
40 credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
60 credits in Language 1
NB: Students in Year 2 may be permitted to take not more than 20 credits deriving from nonlanguage courses at Level 1, in order to extend the breadth of their academic experience at
foundation level as a preparation for years 3 and 4.
16
Degree Programmes
NB. Between the second and third year of the course, students are required to spend 8 weeks under
approved conditions in a country where language 1 is spoken. Alternatively, a whole academic year
(32 weeks) can be spent in the country under approved conditions. Successful completion of the
residence abroad requirement, whether for 8 weeks or for 32 weeks, carries the award of 30 special
credits, which cannot be used to replace 30 credits needed for the completion of any academic
course taken in Manchester.
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
1. Option
20 credits (non-language) in French
2. Plus:
60 credits in Language 1
3. Plus:
40 credits of other compulsory course units at Level 3:
LALC40300 MML (Language 1) Dissertation (20 credits)
LALC40200 Research Methods (MML) (20 credits)
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1. Compulsory course unit:
FREN30210 French Language I (20 credits)
2. Plus:
40 further credits of Level 3 Course Units offered by French Studies
3. Plus
60 credits of compulsory course units:
LALC40100 MML (Language 2) Dissertation (30 credits)
LALC40000 Critical Theory (MML) (30 credits)
EUROPEAN STUDIES WITH FRENCH
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
A second language (20 credits)
4 Plus
60 credits specified by European Studies
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
A second language (20 credits)
4. Plus
60 credits specified by European Studies
17
Degree Programmes
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus:
40 further credits of Level 3 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
60 credits specified by European Studies
COMBINED STUDIES
Please consult Combined Studies for guidance:
http://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/combinedstudies/
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES WITH FRENCH
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
80 credits in Biological Sciences
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
80 credits in Biological Sciences
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad under approved conditions
NB: Students should consult the School of Biological Sciences in respect of the requirements and
arrangements for the Year Abroad
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 3 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
80 credits in Biological Sciences
18
Degree Programmes
MATHEMATICS WITH FRENCH
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10210 French Language I (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus:
80 credits in Mathematics
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20210 French Language II (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
80 credits in Mathematics
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad under approved conditions
Students should consult Mathematics in respect of the requirements and arrangements for the Year
Abroad.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN30210 French Language III (20 credits)
2 Plus:
A further 20 credits of Level 3 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
80 credits in Mathematics
ENGLISH LAW/FRENCH LAW
Please consult Law for guidance:
http://www.law.manchester.ac.uk/
A MODERN LANGUAGE (FRENCH) AND BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
YEAR 1 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN10050 French for a Modern Language and Business and Management (20 credits)
2 Plus
A further 40 credits of Level 1 Course Units offered by French Studies, chosen from the following:
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context (20 credits)
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance (20 credits)
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language (20 credits)
3 Plus
60 credits from Business and Management.
19
Degree Programmes
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management (20 credits)
OR
ULFR20360 Further Business French (20 credits)
2 Plus
20-60 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits from Business and Management
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN30050 French for Modern Languages and Business and Management (20 credits)
OR
ULFR30360 Advanced Business French (20 credits)
2 Plus:
20-60 further credits of Level 3 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-80 credits from Business and Management
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT WITH FRENCH
YEAR 2 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN20050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management (20 credits)
OR
ULFR20360 Further Business French (20 credits)
2 Plus:
40-60 further credits of Level 2 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-60 credits from Business and Management
YEAR 3 (120 CREDITS)
To be spent abroad in approved conditions.
YEAR 4 (120 CREDITS)
1 Compulsory Course Unit:
FREN30050 French for Modern Languages and Business and Management (20 credits)
OR
ULFR30360 Advanced Business French (20 credits)
2 Plus:
40-60 further credits of Level 3 Course Units offered by French Studies
3 Plus:
40-60 credits from Business and Management
20
Degree Programmes
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON LANGUAGE CORE COURSES
According to Paragraph 28 of the University's Regulations for Undergraduate Awards, following
resit examinations, students may be allowed by the Board of Examiners to progress to the next year
of study taking additional course units of the same credit value and at the same level (or a higher
level if the programme specification allows) as the failed credits, in addition to the full set of course
units for that year, up to a maximum of 20 credits. It is possible for certain course units to be
excluded from this provision, and the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures has decided
that failure in the core language courses will not be permitted. This has two consequences. First,
automatic compensation cannot be applied, so students who have received a mark below 40% in a
core language course unit will have to resit it, even if the mark is 30% or above. Second, a student
who fails a core language unit in the resit examination will not be able to carry the credits into a
subsequent year of study.
This ruling means that students taking FREN10210, FREN10050, FREN20210, and FREN20050
must pass the course unit with a minimum of 40% in order to proceed to the next year of study.
21
COURSE UNIT DESCRIPTIONS AND COURSE CODES
The following information applies to all courses convened by French Studies:
Transferable skills
On successful completion of course units in French Studies, students will have developed their
ability to:
 manage time, and work to deadlines;
 use information and communications technology (ICT);
 undertake independent learning and reflect upon their achievements;
 participate constructively in group/team work and group discussions;
 assess the relevance and importance of the ideas of others;
 present information, ideas and arguments orally with due regard to the target audience;
 demonstrate powers of analysis;
 display good literacy skills in English and French;
 show an awareness of and a responsiveness to the nature and extent of intercultural diversity.
Content courses taught wholly or partly in French
Learning outcomes are specified for each course. Content courses which involve teaching or
assessment in French have additional learning outcomes, as follows:
 content courses in which lectures are delivered wholly or partly in French are intended to
improve students’ ability to understand standard spoken French;
 content courses in which seminars are conducted wholly or partly in French
are intended to improve students’ ability to understand and to use standard spoken French;
 content courses in which all or part of the assessment is conducted in French are intended to
improve and to test students’ ability to produce standard written French. In such cases, linguistic
performance will usually account for 25% of the mark awarded for the element assessed in
French.
For transferable skills relating to course units listed in this Directory which are offered by other
disciplines, please check with the originating discipline.
Set texts will usually be studied in the order given in the Directory, although this cannot be
guaranteed. If in doubt, please check with the course convenor or the course tutors.
For each course unit students will be given a course unit guide which will include:
 all the information for individual course units given in the Directory;
 a weekly schedule of activities;
 a sample examination paper;
 a bibliography.
22
LEVEL 1 COURSE UNITS
FREN10040 French Civilisation and Culture in Context
Credits: 20
Level: 1
Compulsory course unit for Single Honours French. Optional for other degrees involving French.
Prerequisite:
A-Level French
Taught during:
Both Semesters
Timetable:
Lectures: Tuesday 16:00-17:00
Seminars: Tuesday 15:00-16:00 or 16:00-17:00
Description:
This course is designed to provide a broad introduction to the development of French civilisation
and culture from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. As such, it is the foundation for all your
studies in French, because it will enable you to situate events and individuals in relation to their
historical and cultural context, and show how and why France has changed over the centuries.
Learning outcomes:
On completion of this course students should:
 be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the diversity of French civilisation, history and
culture;
 have acquired the knowledge and expertise to analyse relevant material;
 be able to construct arguments as applied to the history, civilisation and culture of France.
Teaching and learning methods:
One contact hour per week
Language of teaching:
English and French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (50%)
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (50%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor David Adams (david.adams@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor David Adams and others
Max. entry:
N/A
Set text:
Labrune, Gérard and Toutain, Philippe, Histoire de France (Paris: Nathan, 1986)
Recommended reading:
A handbook containing a detailed reading list will be distributed at the start of the course.
23
Level 1 Course Units
Pathway:
This course offers suitable preparation for all course units at subsequent levels relating to French
culture, society, and history
FREN10050 French for a Modern Language and Business and Management
Credits: 20
Level: 1
Compulsory course unit for students registered for the degree programme A Modern Language and
Business and Management. This course is only available to students registered on this degree
programme.
NB: This course must be passed with a minimum overall mark of 40% in order to progress into the
next year of study.
Pre-requisite:
A-level French or equivalent
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Business language hour: Thursday 12:00-13:00
Oral and grammar classes: to be arranged (joining FREN10210 classes)
Description:
This course is designed to help students achieve a common standard of competence in spoken and
written French, by means of language exercises, varied linguistic materials, and French grammar.
The emphasis will be placed on acquiring a good understanding of the French business world as
well as business terminology in the written class. Students will learn about the internal functioning
of a French company and they will develop the professional know-how encountered within the
company.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 analyse and respond to a variety of situations encountered in the business world;
 show an understanding of the French business world;
 compose documents in the designated areas of business French;
 write grammatically accurate French, showing precise knowledge of the aspects of grammar
covered in seminars and by the independent learning grammar programme;
 understand quite complex authentic French texts, with the aid of a dictionary, and simpler French
texts without the aid of a dictionary;
 demonstrate an improvement in their aural and spoken French;
 demonstrate an understanding of the basis of pronunciation in French and a sound knowledge of
the International Phonetics Alphabet;
 make structured presentations in French;
 undertake group projects;
 undertake guided research in the context of Enquiry Based Learning projects.
Teaching and learning methods:
1 business language class, 1 oral class, and 1 grammar class per week
Independent language learning plays an important part in this course.
Language of teaching:
French
24
Level 1 Course Units
Assessment:
Assessed coursework (50%) (see details below)
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (25%)
Oral assessment (25%) [consisting of: class participation during the 2 semesters (2.5%); one 10minute group presentation at the end of Semester 1 (2.5%); one EBL project during Semester 2
(2.5%); one 10-minute oral examination at the end of Semester 2 (10%); one 1-hour listening
examination at the end of Semester 2 (7.5%)]
Language of assessment:
French
Deadlines for assessed coursework:
Semester 1:
Assessed coursework 1 (based on work covered in the business language class in Semester 1), done
in class in week 12 (10%)
Assessed grammar test 1, on the afternoon of the Wednesday of Week 12 (10%)
Independent learning portfolio to be handed to Reception on the Wednesday of Week 12 (5%)
Semester 2:
Assessed coursework 2 (based on work covered in the business language class in Semester 2), to be
handed in on the last Wednesday before the Easter vacation (10%)
Assessed grammar test 2, on the afternoon of the Wednesday of Week 11 (10%)
Independent learning portfolio to be handed to Reception on the Wednesday of Week 11 (5%)
Convenor:
Mrs Gaëlle Flower (gaelle.flower@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Various tutors
Max. entry:
All MLBM students
Set texts:
Béatrice Tauzin and Anatole Bloomfield, Affaires à suivre (Hachette)
Mary Coffman Crocker, French Grammar, 4th edition (McGraw-Hill)
Roger Hawkins and Richard Towell, French Grammar and Usage (Arnold)
La Conjugaison pour tous (Bescherelle)
Collins-Robert French Dictionary or the Oxford Hachette French Dictionary
Recommended texts:
A monolingual dictionary, such as the Petit Robert or even the Micro-Robert
Oxford Business French Dictionary
Pathway:
Level 2:
FREN20050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
OR
ULFR20360 Further Business French
Level 3:
FREN30050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
OR
ULFR30360 Advanced Business French
25
Level 1 Course Units
FREN10060 Research in French Studies
Credits: 20
Level: 1
Open ONLY to students taking BA (Hons) French Studies
Pre-requisite:
A-Level French or equivalent
Taught during:
Both Semesters
Timetable:
Lectures: Monday 14:00-15:00
Meetings with tutors: to be arranged
Description:
Studying French at university level involves not simply learning, but also research: providing new
interpretations, making unexpected connections, even finding out undiscovered facts. This course
unit grounds students in the theory and practice of research in the discipline. By attending
fortnightly seminars and completing associated tasks, you will find out what research involves, and
how to initiate, frame, document, and present a research project. Through individual meetings with
your Personal Tutor, you will identify and develop a proposal for a research project on an approved
subject of your own choice.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate:
 understanding of the concept of academic research in the field of French Studies;
 understanding of the use and importance of concepts in research;
 the ability to identify and contextualize a subject for research;
 the ability to document and present research appropriately;
 the ability to reflect on the research process, and to take account of reflection and feedback;
 improved skills in analysis, communication, and time management.
Teaching and learning methods:
1 hour-long seminar per fortnight (a total of ten sessions); six individual 20-minute meetings with
Personal Tutor.
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
A portfolio of exercises:
a) An appropriately formatted bibliography of at least 20 publications, of different kinds, relevant
to the selected research topic (10%);
b) An account of a piece of secondary literature in French (chosen from a list of three),
summarizing the author’s statements about the piece’s research context and value, and
evaluating these statements in the light of at least one later piece of research in French on the
same subject (to be located independently) (500-600 words) (15%);
c) A report (400-500 words), identifying a possible subject of a research proposal, outlining the
context and value of research on this topic (10%);
d) A summary (80-100 words) of a 1500-word research proposal provided by the course convenor,
and an outline (180-220 words) of the aims and objectives which it is intended to accomplish
(10%);
e) A report (500-600 words) summarizing and critically evaluating the methodology employed in a
piece of secondary literature in French (chosen from a list of three) (15%);
26
Level 1 Course Units
f) A reflective report (400-500 words) outlining how and why the project proposal has developed
since its initial inception (10%);
g) A structured proposal for the selected research project, including a summary of between 80 and
100 words; a set of aims and objectives of between 180 and 220 words; a description of the
research’s context and value of between 400 and 500 words; and a description of the
methodology to be used, of between 400 and 500 words (30%).
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Deadlines for assessed coursework:
 a, b: Wednesday, Week 7, Semester 1;
 c, d: Wednesday, Week 10, Semester 1;
 e, f: Wednesday, Week 8, Semester 2;
 g: Wednesday, Week 9, Semester 2.
Convenor:
Professor Adrian Armstrong (adrian.armstrong@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Adrian Armstrong and all Personal Tutors
Max. entry:
N/A
Set texts:
Recommendations for reading will be contained in the supporting materials
Pathway:
All courses involving the study of French
FREN10070 Text, Image and Performance
Credits: 20
Level: 1
Compulsory course unit for single honours French. Optional for other degrees involving French.
Pre-requisite:
A-Level French or equivalent
Taught during:
Both Semesters
Timetable:
Lectures: Monday 11:00-12:00 and Thursday 11:00-12:00
Seminars: Monday 11:00-12:00 or Thursday 11:00-12:00
Description:
This course unit aims to introduce students to a range of cultural discourses and their modes of
evolution in the French-speaking world from the medieval period to the present day. Through a
critical examination of a range of cultural forms (fabliau; book illustration; short story and novel;
painting; theatre; song; photography; contemporary dance and performance) thematically united in
their concern with visuality and spectacle, students will consider how the meanings and modalities
of ‘le regard culturel’ have developed across a variety of historical periods and aesthetic contexts.
The unit also aims to equip students with the requisite skills of cultural analysis and their expression
appropriate to Level One study.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
27
Level 1 Course Units
 demonstrate knowledge of how ‘le regard culturel’ has evolved in a variety of historical periods
and aesthetic contexts in the French-speaking world;
 show awareness of the requisite analytical skills in working with a range of cultural media;
 express the results of that knowledge and awareness in written assessment exercises.
Teaching and learning methods:
26 hours in total during the course of both Semesters; a combination of tutor-led and student-led
activities
Language of teaching:
English and French
Assessment:
One 1500-word commentary (40%)
One 1 hour and 45 minutes exam at the end of Semester 2 (60%)
Deadlines for assessed coursework:
The final Wednesday of the Semester 1 examination period
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenors:
Dr Ursula Tidd
Taught by:
Professor David Adams
Mrs Penny Brown
Dr Daron Burrows
Dr Peter Cooke
Dr Barbara Lebrun
Dr Joseph McGonagle
Dr Floriane Place-Verghnes
Professor Dee Reynolds
Dr Ursula Tidd
Max. entry:
N/A
Set texts:
Berger, John, Ways of Seeing, London: British Broadcasting Corporation; Harmondsworth:
Penguin, 1972
Joly, Martine, Introduction à l’analyse de l’image, Paris: Nathan, 1993.
Pathway:
All courses involving the study of French
FREN10080 The Development of the French Language
Credits: 20
Level: 1
Compulsory course unit for single honours French. Optional for other degrees involving French.
Pre-requisite:
A-Level French or equivalent
Taught during:
Both Semesters
28
Level 1 Course Units
Timetable:
Lectures: Tuesday 11:00-12:00 and Thursday 14:00-15:00
Seminars: Tuesday 11:00-12:00 or Thursday 14:00-15:00
Description:
If you have ever wondered why and how modern French has come to be spoken and written as it is,
this course will provide some answers. It takes as its focus the external and internal history of the
language; in other words, the multiple factors (social, cultural, political, geographical…) which
caused people to change the way in which they spoke and wrote French, and the various forms that
these changes assumed.
We shall trace the history of French from its earliest origins to the present day, considering the
principal milestones in its development: the emergence of a distinct vernacular language from the
languages spoken in Gaul after the fall of the Roman Empire; the rise of Old French as a literary
language during the High Middle Ages, and the steps by which the dialect spoken around Paris
became the language of a nation; the gradual simplification but simultaneous innovation and
experimentation which proceeded in Middle and Renaissance French; the codification which
transpired during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; and the process of diffusion and
maintenance of an established standard which has continued to the present day in France and the
wider French-speaking world. For each of these periods, we shall explore some of the principal
developments in the sound-system (phonology), spelling (orthography), form (morphology),
structure (syntax), and vocabulary (lexis) of the language, studying features of representative texts
to illustrate the issues at stake.
Favouring breadth of coverage over depth, the course does not presuppose knowledge of linguistics,
history, or the languages which contributed to the development of French. It complements
FREN10210 by sensitising students to the significance of aspects of the language in its modern
form, and serves as ideal preparation for future, more detailed study of particular aspects or periods
of the French language, or of texts composed therein.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 demonstrate knowledge of the most important events in the external history of the French
language;
 identify and discuss with appropriate terminology and in a manner appropriate to Level 1 study
some of the most important developments in the phonology, orthography, morphology, syntax,
and lexis of French from its beginnings to the present day;
 use appropriate reference works.
Teaching and learning methods:
30 hours across the year; a mixture of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English and French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (50%)
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (50%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Daron Burrows (daron.burrows@manchester.ac.uk) (Semester 1)
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen (Maj-Britt.MosegaardHansen@manchester.ac.uk)
(Semester 2)
29
Level 1 Course Units
Taught by:
Professor Adrian Armstrong
Dr Daron Burrows
Dr Catherine Franc
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen
Max. entry:
N/A
Set text:
Mireille Huchon, Histoire de la langue française, Livre de Poche (Paris: Librairie Générale
Française, 2002)
A dossier of texts representing the principal stages in the development of the language will also be
made available
Recommended reading:
The following texts are highly recommended, and will have to be consulted at various points in the
course, but need not necessarily be purchased:
Wendy Ayres-Bennett, A History of the French Language Through Texts (London: Routledge,
1996)
Anthony Lodge, French: From Dialect to Standard (London: Routledge, 1993)
Jacqueline Picoche and Christiane Marchello-Nizia, Histoire de la langue française (Paris: Nathan,
1989)
Glanville Price, The French Language: Present and Past (London: Arnold, 1971)
Peter Rickard, A History of the French Language, 2nd edn. (London: Unwin Hyman, 1989).
Pathway:
All courses involving the study of French
FREN10210 French Language I
Credits: 20
Level: 1
Compulsory course unit for all students for whom French is a part of their honours programme,
with the exception of Modern Language and Business and Management and International
Management with French.
NB: This course must be passed with a minimum overall mark of 40% in order to progress into the
next year of study.
Pre-requisite:
A-level French or equivalent
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Written, grammar, and oral classes to be arranged
Description:
This course is designed to help students achieve a common standard of spoken and written French,
by means of language exercises, varied linguistic materials, and French grammar.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 write an argumentative text in French, taking into account more than one point of view and
including the appropriate argumentative markers (e.g. enumeration, cause, concession, etc.);
30
Level 1 Course Units
 respond to arguments contained in the texts;
 write grammatically accurate French, showing precise knowledge of the aspects of grammar
covered in seminars and by the Independent Learning grammar programme;
 write idiomatic French of an appropriate register, showing awareness of stylistic and structural
differences between French and English;
 understand quite complex authentic French texts, with the aid of a dictionary, and simpler French
texts without the aid of a dictionary;
 demonstrate an improvement in their aural and spoken French;
 demonstrate an understanding of the basis of pronunciation in French and a sound knowledge of
the International Phonetics Alphabet;
 make structured presentations in French;
 undertake group projects;
 undertake guided research in the context of Enquiry Based Learning projects.
Teaching and learning methods:
1 written class, 1 oral class, and 1 grammar class per week
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
Assessed coursework (50%) (see details below)
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (25%)
Oral assessment (25%) [consisting of: class participation during the 2 semesters (2.5%); one 10minute group presentation at the end of Semester 1 (2.5%); one EBL project during Semester 2
(2.5%); one 10-minute oral examination at the end of Semester 2 (10%); one 1-hour listening
examination at the end of Semester 2 (7.5%)]
Language of assessment:
French
Deadlines for assessed coursework:
Semester 1
Assessed coursework 1 to be submitted by Wednesday of Week 12
Assessed grammar test 1 will take place in Week 12
Semester 2
Assessed coursework 2 to be submitted by Wednesday of Week 9
Assessed grammar test 2 will take place in Week 11
Convenor:
Ms Annie Morton (annie.morton@manchester.ac.uk)
Professor David Adams
Taught by:
Various tutors
Max. entry
No limit
Set texts:
Mary. E. Coffman Crocker, French Grammar (McGraw-Hill)
R. Hawkins and R. Towell, French Grammar and Usage (Arnold)
Recommended texts:
The Collins Robert French Dictionary or the Oxford Hachette French Dictionary
The Micro-Robert or Petit Robert monolingual dictionary
31
Level 1 Course Units
Pathway:
Level 2:
FREN20210 French Language II
Level 3:
FREN30210 French Language III
LALC10001 Introduction to World Cinema 1
Credits 20
Level 1
This is a compulsory course unit for First-Year students in the Film Studies pathway in Combined
Studies. It is available as an option for Second-Year students in the School of Languages,
Linguistics and Cultures. It is available as a free-choice course unit for First-Year and Second-Year
Single-Honours Students in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, and for First-Year
Students in Drama and Screen Studies.
Prerequisite:
None
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Lecture: Friday 12:00-13:00
Film Screenings: Friday 14:00-17:00
Seminars: Tuesday 12:00-13:00, 13:00-14:00, 15:00-16:00; Wednesday 10:00-11:00, 11:00-12:00,
13:00-14:00
Description:
This course unit will provide students with an introduction to the language of film and to key
aesthetic movements and concepts in cinema from its early days to the 1950s with an initial focus
on Europe. Lectures and seminar sessions will lay the foundations for the technical analysis of
classic films. They will then proceed to explore the importance of montage, Surrealism and
Expressionism within the particular national contexts in which they arose, as well as the prevailing
impact of these movements on film makers worldwide. Integrated Web CT materials support the
learning experience and offer students guidance on cross-disciplinary learning.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course unit, students will:
 be able to apply basic analytical skills to a range of cinema production;
 have a fundamental grasp of the textual and contextual analysis of films;
 have a critical understanding of the aesthetic, historical and ideological dimensions of European
Cinema;
 have begun to form strategies for working in a cross-disciplinary manner.
Teaching and learning methods:
A weekly lecture, a weekly seminar, and a weekly screening, generally of 3 hours, for which
preparatory reading is necessary
Language of teaching:
English. All films are subtitled, but students studying modern languages are expected to study films
in the original language, as appropriate
32
Level 1 Course Units
Assessment:
One 2,000-word essay (50%)
One 1 hour 30 minute written examination at the end of Semester 1 (50%). 2 questions to be
answered; students will not be permitted to answer questions relating principally to material treated
in the coursework essay.
Language of assessment
English
Deadline for assessed coursework
Friday of Week 11, Semester 1
Convenor:
Dr Núria Triana-Toribio
Taught by:
Dr Núria Triana-Toribio and others
Max. entry:
100
Set films:
October. Dir. Sergei Eisenstein. Sovkino (USSR). 1928
Ivan the Terrible I. Dir. Sergei Eisenstein. Alma Ata Studio (USSR). 1944
Ivan the Terrible II. Dir. Sergei Eisenstein. Mosfilm (USSR). 1945
Un Chien Andalou. Dir. Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí. (France). 1929
L’Age d’or. Dir. Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí. Vicomte de Noailles (France). 1930
Last Images of a Shipwreck. Dir. Ernesto Subiela (Argentina) 1985
Alice. Dir. Jan Svankmajer. Condor Features (Switzerland). 1988
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Dir. Robert Wiene. UFA (Germany). 1919
Nosferatu. Dir. Friedrich Murnau. UFA (Germany). 1922
The Third Man. Dir. Carol Reed (UK). 1949
Recommended texts:
David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art, 5th edn (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997)
Pam Cook and Mieke Bernink, eds., The Cinema Book, 2nd edn (London: BFI, 1999)
Susan Hayward, Key Concepts in Cinema Studies (London: Routledge, 1996)
John Hill and Pamela Church-Gibson, The Oxford Guide to Film Studies (Oxford: OUP, 1998)
James Monaco, How to Read a Film (New York: OUP, 1977)
Amy Villarejo, Film Studies: The Basics (London: Routledge, 2007)
Pathway:
Level 2:
GERM20351 Gender, Sexuality, Race
IT20381 Modern Italian Culture: Cinema
Level 3:
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
GERM30432 Ost-West-Geschichten
RUSS30320 Soviet Cinema and Society
SPAN30260 Spanish Drama and Film
MA:
Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary French Cinema
Issues in French Film History I: The Fifties
Representing the Holocaust
Italian Cinema I and II
Soviet Cinema and Society
33
Level 1 Course Units
LALC10002 Introduction to World Cinema 2
Credits 20
Level 1
This is a compulsory course unit for First-Year students in the Film Studies pathway in Combined
Studies. It is available as an option for Second-Year students in the School of Languages,
Linguistics and Cultures. It is available as a free-choice course unit for First-Year and Second-Year
Single-Honours Students in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, and for First-Year
Students in Drama and Screen Studies.
Prerequisite:
None
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Lecture: Friday 12:00-13:00
Film Screenings: Friday 14:00-17:00
Seminars: Tuesday 12:00-13:00, 13:00-14:00, 15:00-16:00;Wednesday 10:00-11:00, 11:00-12:00,
13:00-14:00:
Description:
This course unit will provide students with an introduction to key aesthetic movements and
concepts in world cinema from the 1940s to the present across a range of cinemas. Lectures and
seminar sessions will explore the importance of Neo-Realism and New Wave Cinema in Europe
and beyond. It will explore “new” cinema movements in Latin America, North Africa and other
countries and areas whose languages and cultures are studied in the School. Integrated Web CT
materials support the learning experience and offer students guidance on cross-disciplinary learning.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course unit, students will:
 Apply basic analytical skills to a range of world cinema production;
 have a fundamental grasp on in the textual and contextual analysis of films;
 have a critical understanding of the aesthetic, historical and ideological dimensions of World
Cinema;
 developed informed strategies for working in a cross-disciplinary manner.
Teaching and learning methods:
A weekly lecture, a weekly seminar, and a weekly screening, generally of 3 hours, for which
preparatory reading is necessary
Language of teaching:
English. All films are subtitled, but students studying modern languages are expected to study films
in the original language, as appropriate
Assessment:
One 2,000-word essay (50%)
One 1 hour 30 minute written examination at the end of Semester 2 (50%). 2 questions to be
answered; students will not be permitted to answer questions relating principally to material treated
in the coursework essay.
Language of assessment
English
Deadline for assessed coursework
Friday of Week 11, Semester 2
34
Level 1 Course Units
Convenor:
Professor Chris Perriam
Taught by:
Professor Chris Perriam and others
Max. entry:
100
Set films:
Roma città aperta/Rome, Open City. Dir. Roberto Rossellini. Excelsia film (Italy). 1945
Ladri di Biciclette/Bicycle Thieves. Dir. Vittorio De Sica. De Sica Productions (Italy). 1948
Les Quatre Cents Coups/The 400 Blows. Dir. François Truffaut. Les Films du Carosse (France).
1959
Á bout de souffle/Breathless. Dir. Jean-Luc Godard. Rome-Paris Films (France). 1960
Short Sharp Shock. Dir. Fatih Akin (Germany). 1998
Y tu mamá también/And Your Mother Too. Dir. Alfonso Cuarón (Mexico). 2001
Divine Intervention. Dir. Elia Suleiman (Morocco/France). 2002
Recommended texts:
David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art, 5th edn (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997)
Pam Cook and Mieke Bernink, eds., The Cinema Book, 2nd edn (London: BFI, 1999)
J Dudley Andrew, The Major Film Theories (Oxford: OUP, 1976)
Susan Hayward, Key Concepts in Cinema Studies (London: Routledge, 1996)
James Monaco, How to Read a Film (New York: OUP, 1977)
Pathway:
Level 2:
GERM20351 Gender, Sexuality, Race
IT20381 Modern Italian Culture: Cinema
Level 3:
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
GERM30432 Ost-West-Geschichten
RUSS30320 Soviet Cinema and Society
SPAN30260 Spanish Drama and Film
MA:
Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary French Cinema
Issues in French Film History I: The Fifties
Representing the Holocaust
Italian Cinema I and II
Soviet Cinema and Society
35
LEVEL 2 COURSE UNITS
While we try to ensure that all students are able to take the course units which they prefer, it is not
always possible to guarantee that this will happen. In previous years, a number of options have
been heavily over-subscribed, and some students have consequently been unable to obtain a place
on them. This year, to ensure fairness as far as possible, students are requested to choose NO
MORE THAN TWO of the options which are indicated below by **. If you fail to comply with this
request, we reserve the right to remove you from one or more of your chosen options and to require
you to enrol in a different course unit, which may be selected by us.
FREN20050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
Credits: 20
Level: 2
This course is not available as a free option. Open only to students registered for a degree
programme in A Modern Language and Business and Management or International Management
with French.
Students eligible to take this course may prefer to choose ULFR20360 Further Business French.
NB: This course must be passed with a minimum overall mark of 40% in order to progress into the
next year of study.
Pre-requisite:
FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Business language hour: Tuesday 09:00-10:00
Grammar and oral classes: to be arranged (joining FREN20210 classes)
Description:
This course is designed to develop further students’ ability to understand spoken and written French
and to express coherent ideas and arguments in spoken and written French. Emphasis is placed on
appropriate use of syntactic structures in the production of texts, as well as grammatical accuracy.
Written components:
Building on the work undertaken at Level 1, this course aims to consolidate and to enhance
argumentative writing skills as well as commercial letter writing. In conjunction with the grammar
hour, it is designed further to emphasize links between grammar and writing.
Oral components:
The oral classes will reinforce work done in the written course and will complement the written
course through emphasis on vocabulary acquisition, preparation for the year abroad, and work on
less formal syntax and register. Independent learning also plays a vital role in vocabulary
acquisition.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course students will be able to:
 read and understand business-related texts at a more sophisticated level;
 demonstrate improved technique in letter writing, translation from English to French,
composition of résumés, and argumentative writing;
 demonstrate improvement in their aural and spoken French;
 produce a basic phonetic transcription of simple sentences in modern French using the IPA;
 make structured presentations;
 undertake group projects;
36
Level 2 Course Units
 undertake guided research projects using the French-speaking media.
Teaching and learning methods:
One 1-hour business language class, one 1-hour grammar class, and one 1-hour oral class per week.
Classes are a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities.
Independent learning.
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
Oral assessment (25%) [class participation during the 2 semesters (2.5%); one 15-minute group oral
press review during Semester 1 (2.5%); a 10-minute individual ‘réaction orale’ during Semester 2
(2.5%); one 10-minute oral examination at the end of Semester 2 (12.5%); and one 1-hour listening
examination at the end of Semester 2 (5%)]
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (comprising a résumé and a piece of
argumentative writing) (25%)
Assessed coursework (50%), comprising:
Semester 1
Assessed coursework 1 (a commercial letter and a translation from English into French) (15%)
Assessed grammar test 1 (10%)
Semester 2
Assessed coursework 2 (a résumé) (15%)
Assessed grammar test 2 (10%)
Deadlines for assessed coursework:
Semester 1:
ACW1 to be done in class in Week 12, Semester 1
Grammar test 1 to be done on the afternoon of the Wednesday of Week 12
Semester 2:
ACW2 to be handed to Reception by Wednesday of the last week before Easter vacation
Grammar test 2 to be done on the afternoon of the Wednesday of Week 11
Convenor:
Mrs Gaëlle Flower (gaelle.flower@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Various tutors
Max. entry:
All MLBM and IMF students who choose this option
Set texts:
A. Akyuz et al., Exercices de Grammaire en contexte, niveau avancé (paris : Hachette livre, 2001)
M. Coffman Crocker, French Grammar, 4th edn. (NewYork: McGraw-Hill, 1990)
R. Hawkins, and R.Towell, French Grammar and Usage (London: Arnold, 2001)
Oxford Hachette French Dictionary
Collins-Robert French Dictionary
Micro-Robert or Petit Robert
Oxford Business French Dictionary
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
OR
ULFR30360 Advanced Business French
37
Level 2 Course Units
FREN20131 Translating Early French Texts
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Tuesday 12:00-13:00 and Thursday 12:00-13:00
Description:
This course is designed to improve students’ practical skills in reading and translating medieval and
Renaissance French. The prescribed texts illustrate some of the typical problems raised by trying to
understand works from this period, such as unfamiliar linguistic constructions and cultural concepts.
At the same time, the tales of epic valour, romance, tragedy, and comic deceit studied in the course
offer an insight into the enticing and exciting literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 demonstrate a degree of comprehension of the syntax, morphology, and vocabulary of Old and
Middle French appropriate to Level 2 study;
 demonstrate an awareness of issues relating to the translation of the prescribed texts appropriate
to Level 2 study.
Teaching and learning methods:
17 contact hours in Semester 1; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities.
For each text studied, after introductory sessions, the weekly contact hours will normally consist of
group presentations by students. In these sessions, students will present their translations of
specified portions of the texts. Some of these translations will be annotated, i.e. accompanied by
commentaries upon the translation decisions made. Full guidance on presentation and
documentation will be supplied. Students will have the opportunity to use appropriate electronic
resources.
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English
Convenor:
Dr Daron Burrows (daron.burrows@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Daron Burrows
Professor Adrian Armstrong
Max. entry:
50
38
Level 2 Course Units
Set texts:
La Chanson de Roland, ed. and trans. by Ian Short, ‘Lettres Gothiques’ (Paris: Le Livre de Poche,
1990)
Marguerite de Navarre, Heptameron, ed. by Gisèle Mathieu-Castellani (Paris: LGF 1999)
Pathway:
Level 2:
FREN20132 Medieval and Renaissance Narrative
Level 3:
FREN30900 Saints, Sinners, and Psychopaths: Subversion and Transgression in Medieval French
and Occitan Literature
MA:
The Romance Lyric in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
The Romance Epic in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
Medieval/Renaissance Literature and Modern Theory I
Medieval/Renaissance Literature and Modern Theory II
Medieval/Renaissance Textual Studies I: Vernacular Language
Medieval/Renaissance Textual Studies II: Manuscript Studies and Early Printing
Bodies of Mystery and Imagination: Representations of Gender and Sexuality in Medieval and
Renaissance France
FREN20132 Medieval and Renaissance Narrative
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20131 or FREN10252
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 12:00-13:00 and Thursday 12:00-13:00
Description:
Medieval and Renaissance narratives present an enthralling and often fantastic world, populated by
blood-splattered knights and cavorting couples, all embroiled in an array of fascinating intrigues.
Yet it is not only their content which captivates the modern reader; for minds accustomed to the
conventions of realist fiction, their use of unfamiliar and sophisticated narrative techniques is
equally compelling. Building on the linguistic training provided by FREN20131 and/or
FREN10252, this course offers an introduction to the ways in which stories were told from the 11th
to the 16th century. Students will have the opportunity not only to read some of the most
entertaining and absorbing texts composed during this period, but also to acquire skills of narrative
analysis which will be of great benefit for the appreciation of more recent literature.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 demonstrate an understanding of the basic features and techniques of medieval narrative
appropriate to Level 2 study;
 discuss the major critical issues surrounding the interpretation of the prescribed texts, at a level
of sophistication appropriate to Level 2 study;
39
Level 2 Course Units
 compose well-structured commentaries and reviews which, using a register and terminology
appropriate to academic writing, analyse the structure, style and narrative conventions of the
prescribed texts, and the critical discourse about these texts;
 demonstrate a good knowledge of Old and Middle French;
 demonstrate a good knowledge of medieval and Renaissance French culture;
 demonstrate a good knowledge of the prescribed texts.
Teaching and learning methods:
17 contact hours in Semester 2; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities. For each text
studied, after introductory lectures, contact hours will normally consist of collaborative seminars
and student-led sessions. In the latter sessions, students will deliver formal presentations on subjects
set by the tutor. Full guidance on presentation and documentation will be supplied.
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 750-word critical review of a relevant piece of secondary literature (25%)
One 1-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (75%)
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of the week following the Easter break
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Adrian Armstrong (adrian.armstrong@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Adrian Armstrong
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
La Chanson de Roland, ed. and trans. by Ian Short, ‘Lettres Gothiques’ (Paris: Le Livre de Poche,
1990)
Marguerite de Navarre, Heptameron, ed. by Gisèle Mathieu-Castellani (Paris: LGF 1999)
NB In the examination, students will be required to show knowledge of these texts in the original
language
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30900 Saints, Sinners, and Psychopaths: Subversion and Transgression in Medieval French
and Occitan Literature
MA:
The Romance Lyric in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
The Romance Epic in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
Medieval/Renaissance Literature and Modern Theory I
Medieval/Renaissance Literature and Modern Theory II
Medieval/Renaissance Textual Studies I: Vernacular Language
Medieval/Renaissance Textual Studies II: Manuscript Studies and Early Printing
Bodies of Mystery and Imagination: Representations of Gender and Sexuality in Medieval and
Renaissance France
40
Level 2 Course Units
FREN20142** French Cinema to 1980
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit.
Please note that this course may not run if the tutor is absent on research leave.
Pre-requisite:
FREN10050 or FREN10210 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Wednesday 10:00-11:00 and Friday 11:00-12:00
Description:
Since the Lumière brothers’ L’Arrivée du train en gare de La Ciotat in 1895, France has become
home to one of the world’s most developed cinema industries. Through close textual analysis, this
course will examine some of the key films and movements in French cinema from the 1930s to the
present day. We will concentrate on the two movements that were emblematic of French cinematic
specificity and originality: le réalisme poétique (poetic realism) and la nouvelle vague (the new
wave). The work of some of France’s most important auteurs will be examined through case studies
of some of their most famous and influential films.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will:
 be familiar with film studies terminology in order to be able to analyse and interpret film in
depth;
 have an understanding of the various periods, styles, themes and genres in French film history to
the 1980s;
 have acquired some key concepts of film theory;
 be assured in giving verbal expression to intellectual responses to film viewing.
Teaching and learning methods:
2 contact hours per week for 9 weeks; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities and
screenings
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English
Convenor:
Dr Darren Waldron (darren.waldron@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Darren Waldron
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
5 films will be studied over the year. The list will be confirmed at the start of the year, but they will
include:
41
Level 2 Course Units
Jean Renoir, La Grande Illusion (1937)
Mathieu Kassovitz, La Haine (1995)
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
MA:
Issues in French Film History I: The Fifties
Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary French Cinema
FREN20162 Understanding Meaning
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit.
Please note that this course may not run if the tutor is absent on research leave.
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 14:00-15:00 and Friday 10:00-11:00
Description:
Reading and analysing texts, learning languages, translating, communicating: all involve dealing
with meaning in all its complexity. This course is an introduction to the nature of meaning. The
issues that will be discussed include: the nature of verbal comprehension, the communication
situation, linguistic and extra-linguistic knowledge, meaning as representation, meaning as action.
This course aims:
 to provide students with concepts that will enable them to understand basic aspects of meaning at
the utterance level and how they arise;
 to teach them how to use these concepts in identifying those aspects of meaning, as encoded in
utterances.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 explain what the above concepts refer to and how the corresponding aspects of meaning arise;
 identify these various aspects of meaning as encoded in utterances.
Teaching and learning methods
16 contact hours in Semester 2: tutor-led seminars
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2, consisting of various types of linguistic
analysis (100%)
Language of assessment:
French
42
Level 2 Course Units
Convenor:
Dr Thanh Nyan (t.nyan@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Thanh Nyan
Max. entry:
50
Recommended reading:
P. Grice, ‘Logic and Conversation’ in The Philosophy of Language, edited by A.P. Martinich
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985), pp. 159-170
S. Levinson, Pragmatics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983), chapters 3 and 5
J. Moeschler and A. Reboul, Dictionnaire encyclopédique de pragmatique (Paris: Seuil, 1994),
chapters 1 and 7
J. Searle, ‘What is a speech act?’ in The Philosophy of Language, edited by A.P. Martinich (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1985), pp.125-135.
A handbook will also be supplied
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30322 Meaning and the Translator, with Reference to French and English
FREN30502 Argumentative Strategies
MA:
Translation Studies
FREN20171 Language Structure and Language Function: an Introduction to
Linguistics
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit.
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Thursday 10:00-11:30
Description:
This course will introduce students to some of the central problem areas and theories of modern
linguistics, with a focus on language as a means of communication, and on the connections between
language, human cognition, and the construction of social relationships.
Specific topics to be covered are: Structuralism, Sociolinguistics, Politeness and Intercultural
Communication, Implicature, Speech Act Theory, and Functional/Cognitive linguistics. The course
favours breadth over depth, and does not presuppose any knowledge of linguistics. It does,
however, presuppose a basic familiarity with French grammar and phonetics. It will serve as
preparation for future, more advanced study of the structure and functions of the French language,
including its role in social interaction.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
43
Level 2 Course Units
 demonstrate a working knowledge of the central tenets of dominant modern theories of language,
and characterise their respective views on the subject-matter of linguistics;
 identify and characterise central aspects of the interaction between language and the contexts
wherein it is used;
 understand and apply linguistic and pragmatic concepts with precision, and demonstrate the
relevance of these concepts to language comprehension and production;
 identify and characterise cross-linguistically important parameters of linguistic variation;
 identify and characterise central cross-linguistically relevant communicative parameters, and
point out some of the salient ways in which communicative practices may vary between different
speech communities.
Teaching and learning methods:
One 1.5 hour seminar per week, involving a mixture of class discussion and practical exercises.
Language of teaching:
English and French
Assessment:
One 1.5 hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen (Maj-Britt.MosegaardHansen@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen
Max. entry:
50
Recommended reading:
Calvet, Louis-Jean. 1993. La sociolinguistique. Paris: Presses universitaires de France (Coll. Que
sais-je ?). Chapter III: “Comportements et attitudes”, pp. 46-64, Chapter IV: “Les variables
linguistiques et les variables sociales”, pp. 65-91.
Delbecque, Nicole, éd. 2002. Linguistique cognitive. Comprendre comment fonctionne le langage.
Bruxelles: De Boeck/Duculot. Chapter 1: “La base cognitive du langage: langue et pensée”, pp. 1544.
Kerbrat-Orecchioni, Catherine. 1996. La conversation. Paris: Seuil (Coll. Mémo). Chapitre 11: “La
variation culturelle: quelques données”, pp.67-72, Chapitre 12: “La variation culturelle: autres
aspects”, pp. 73-77, Chapitre 13: “Vers une typologie des ‘styles communicatifs’”, pp.78-82.
Moeschler, Jacques & Antoine Auchlin. 1997. Introduction à la linguistique contemporaine. Paris:
Armand Colin. Chapter 2: “Langage, langue et parole”, pp. 18-27, Chapter 15: “Communication
verbale et inférence”, pp. 154-163, Chapter 16: “La pragmatique de Grice”, pp. 164-173.
Yule, George. 1996. Pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Chapter 6: “Speech acts and
events”, pp. 47-58, Chapter 7: “Politeness and interaction”, pp. 59-69.
FREN20182 Text and Context: Linguistic and Pragmatic Tools for Analysing
Literary Texts
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit.
44
Level 2 Course Units
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Thursday 10:00-11:30
Description:
This course will attempt to bridge the gap between the study of linguistics and the study of
literature, by introducing students to a set of tools for analyzing and understanding (primarily
narrative) literary texts, derived from modern theories of linguistic pragmatics. The course aims to
heighten students’ sensitivity to the medium that makes up literary texts, and to equip them with
analytical concepts and skills that allow them to firmly anchor their interpretation of literary texts in
the formal linguistic properties of such texts.
Topics to be covered are: Enunciation theory, polyphony, reported speech, tense and aspect,
adjectives, and text coherence. In as much as the analytical concepts to be discussed are relevant
also to non-literary text types, students will be well-prepared to undertake further study within the
fields of pragmatics and discourse analysis more generally.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 apply, and demonstrate the relevance of, central concepts deriving from linguistic pragmatics to
the analysis of literary texts;
 identify stylistically important linguistic properties of literary texts and point out with precision
how such properties contribute to the interpretation of the texts;
 approach the understanding of literary text as (in part) a matter of problem-solving;
 think critically about their own analysis of literary text.
Teaching and learning methods:
One 1.5 hour seminar per week, involving a mix of class discussion and practical exercises.
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5 hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen (Maj-Britt.MosegaardHansen@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Maingueneau, Dominique. 2003. Linguistique pour le texte littéraire, 4th ed. Paris: Nathan
Université
Maingueneau, Dominique. 2005. Exercices de linguistique pour le texte littéraire. Paris: Armand
Colin.
45
Level 2 Course Units
FREN20210 French Language II
Credits: 20
Level: 2
Compulsory course unit for all students for whom French is a part of their honours programme,
with the exception of Modern Language and Business and Management and International
Management with French.
NB: This course must be passed with a minimum overall mark of 40% in order to progress into the
next year of study.
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Weekly language, grammar, and oral classes: to be arranged
Description:
This course is designed to develop further students’ ability to understand spoken and written French
and to express coherent ideas and arguments in spoken and written French. Emphasis is placed on
appropriate use of syntactic structures in the production of texts, as well as grammatical accuracy.
Written components:
Building on the work undertaken at Level 1, this course aims to consolidate and to enhance
argumentative writing skills and, in conjunction with the grammar hour, further to emphasize their
links with specific aspects of grammar. This will involve, among other things, a greater emphasis on
the techniques for writing introductions, conclusions, and synthèses. This course also takes into
consideration the need for an integrated approach to syntax: where possible, the use of appropriate
syntactic structures (e.g. nominalizations, use of pronouns, demonstratives, etc) will form part of the
instructions given.
Oral component
The oral classes will reinforce work done in the written course and will complement the written
course through emphasis on vocabulary acquisition and its use in appropriate contexts, preparation
for the year abroad, and work on less formal syntax and register. Independent learning also plays a
vital role in these areas.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course students will be able to:
 write introductions, conclusions, and synthèses, as part of well-structured, complex
argumentative texts;
 demonstrate improvement in their aural and spoken French;
 produce a basic phonetic transcription of simple sentences in modern French using the IPA;
 make structured presentations;
 undertake group projects;
 undertake guided research projects using the French-speaking media.
Teaching and learning methods:
One 1-hour written language class, one 1-hour grammar class, and one 1-hour oral class per week.
Classes are a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities.
Independent learning.
Language of teaching:
French
46
Level 2 Course Units
Assessment:
Oral assessment (25%) [class participation during the 2 semesters (2.5%); one 15-minute group oral
press review during Semester 1 (2.5%); a 10-minute individual ‘réaction orale’ during Semester 2
(2.5%); one 10-minute oral examination at the end of Semester 2 (12.5%); and one 1-hour listening
examination at the end of Semester 2 (5%)]
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (consisting of a synthèse) (25%)
Assessed coursework, comprising a résumé and an introduction (ACW1), a synthèse (ACW2) and
two grammar tests (50%)
Language of assessment:
French
Deadlines for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of Week 11, Semester 1
Wednesday of Week 10, Semester 2
Convenor:
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen (Maj-Britt.MosegaardHansen@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Various tutors
Set texts:
I. Chollet et J.M. Robert, Exercises de Grammaire Française, cahier avancé (Paris: Didier, 2000)
M. Coffman Crocker, French Grammar, 4th edn. (NewYork: McGraw-Hill, 1990)
R. Hawkins and R.Towell, French Grammar and Usage (London: Arnold, 2001)
Oxford Hachette French Dictionary
Collins-Robert French Dictionary
Micro-Robert or Petit Robert
Recommended texts:
Price, G., French Grammar (Oxford: Blackwell, 2003)
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30210 French Language III
FREN20230 Racine: Tragedy and Tragic Performance
Credits:20
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN10050 or FREN 10210 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both Semesters
Timetable:
Wednesday 11:00-12:00 and Thursday 15:00-16:00
47
Level 2 Course Units
Description:
This course will be taught in seminars and performance workshops. The seminars will consist of a
collective exploration of a number of themes which are either common to the tragedies to be
discussed, or which raise specific issues in relation to individual works. These will include the use
of myth and history, politics, formal aspects such as time, place and action, the passions, etc. In the
performance workshops students will be asked to play parts in selected scenes. The workshops will
focus on aspects of language, in particular rhetoric, problems of vocal presentation and issues
relating to the listener. The workshops will also offer, in addition to the seminars, the opportunity of
close textual analysis, particularly in relation to the production of a ‘score’.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
 understand the Racinian texts studied;
demonstrate interpretative skills in the reading and performing of texts;
pronounce and deliver a text correctly;
discuss with confidence and assurance literary and dramatic concepts.
Teaching and learning methods:
34 contact hours during the course of both Semesters; a combination of tutor-led and student-led
activities
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (75%)
One ACW essay of 1500 words (25%)
Deadline for assessed coursework
Wednesday, Week 6 of Semester 2
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Henry Phillips (henry.phillips@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Henry Phillips
Max. entry:
25
Set texts:
Andromaque, Bérénice, Phèdre, Athalie (Larousse or Bordas); all editions must have line numbers
Pathway:
MA:
Theatre/Performance Studies
FREN20242 French Art
Credits:10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
None
48
Level 2 Course Units
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 9:00-10:00 and Thursday 14:00-15:00
Description:
This course is designed as an introduction to French art of different periods (from the early modern
period to the twentieth century) for students with little or no previous experience of the subject.
Although the subject-matter will be presented chronologically, the aim of the course is less to give a
comprehensive survey of French art than to stimulate students’ interest in, and enjoyment of, an
important and fascinating field of French (and European) culture and to encourage them to develop
some of the skills necessary to begin to appreciate and understand it.
The course will introduce such different aspects as the far-reaching innovations of the Renaissance;
Poussin’s classical narrative paintings; the ‘realist’ genre painting of the Le Nain brothers and the
religious paintings of Georges de la Tour; the rich and contradictory development of nineteenthcentury art, from classical history painting to art pur and Impressionism, and early twentiethcentury Modernism. Slide lectures will be complemented by seminars in which students will be
expected to give well-prepared talks on individual pictures.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 show a basic knowledge of French art over a period of some five centuries;
 analyse a painting critically, objectively, and with an informed knowledge of the circumstances
in which it was created;
 relate a painting to the larger currents of thought and social development surrounding its
creation.
Teaching and learning methods:
19 hours over Weeks 1-10; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Peter Cooke (peter.d.cooke@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor David Adams
Dr Peter Cooke
Mrs Julie Lawton
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
E. H. Gombrich, The Story of Art (Phaidon)
Recommended reading:
Gardner’s Art through the Ages: the Western Perspective, vol. II: Texts, 11th edn.
49
Level 2 Course Units
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30062 Painted Tales: Three French History Painters
MA:
EL6941 Delacroix and literary painting
FREN20250** Contemporary France
Credits: 20
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit. Students taking FREN20250 cannot take FREN20450.
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during
Both semesters
Timetable:
Lectures: Thursday 9:00-10:00
Seminars: Wednesday 12:00-13:00 or Friday 11:00-12:00
Description:
This course provides an introduction to contemporary politics and society in France, including:
political institutions of the Fifth Republic; growth and recession in national economy; post-colonial
immigration and employment; the education system and its tensions; women and gay rights; and the
politics of Francophonie. This course builds upon the former FREN10231, although the latter is not
a pre-requisite.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will:
 be able to write on selected aspects of social, economic and political change in contemporary
France;
 be able to analyze current affairs by looking at how an event fits into a wider socio-historical
context;
 be acquainted with various French resources;
 have further developed their skills in group work.
Teaching and learning methods:
13 contact hours per Semester; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One group project of 3000 words (50%)
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (50%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Final Wednesday before the Easter vacation
Convenor:
Dr Barbara Lebrun (barbara.lebrun@manchester.ac.uk)
50
Level 2 Course Units
Taught by:
Dr Jill Lovecy (Politics)
Dr Barbara Lebrun
Dr Joseph McGonagle
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Materials will be provided during the course
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30002 Protest in Contemporary French Popular Music
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
FREN30251** French National Identity
FREN30721 French Popular Music
FREN30091 France and Algeria: Film, Video and Photography
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
MA:
MA in French Studies
FREN20342** French Presence: the Colonised and the Colonies
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Monday 14:00-15:00 and Wednesday 12:00-13:00
Description:
A law was recently passed in France requiring the positive aspects of France’s intervention in the
colonies to be emphasised in the teaching of history. The passing of such a law demonstrates clearly
that issues relating to France’s colonial history, and to that of Belgium for example, remain
controversial even today.
Using a variety of documents and texts, from strip cartoons to autobiography and theory, this course
highlights and explores some of the major questions affecting the populations of France’s former
colonies.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course students should:
 be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the diversity of the issues arising from French
colonialism
 be able to construct a reasoned and coherent argument in French as applied to the colonial
history of France;
 have acquired the knowledge and expertise to analyse relevant material;
 have gained improved presentation skills and techniques.
51
Level 2 Course Units
Teaching and learning methods:
17 contact hours (1 in Week 1, 2 per week in Weeks 2-9); a combination of tutor-led and studentled activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Henry Phillips (henry.phillips@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Henry Phillips and others
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Hergé, Tintin au Congo (Paris: Editions Casterman, 1993)
Franz Fanon, Peau noire, masques blancs (Paris: Seuil, collection ‘Points Essais’; extracts to be
studied)
Albert Memmi, La Statue de sel (Gallimard Folio)
Aimé Césaire, Discours sur le colonialisme (Présence Africaine, 2004)
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30251** French National Identity
FREN20352** Representing the Holocaust in French Film and Text
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
None
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Monday 15:00-17:00
52
Level 2 Course Units
Description:
Since the end of the Second World War, France has had a deeply problematic relationship to the
discussion and representation of the Holocaust (the Nazi persecution and extermination of Jews,
Communists, homosexuals, gypsies and other groups deemed unacceptable to National Socialist
ideology, which took place in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s). Responses to returning
Holocaust survivors ranged from incomprehension to silence. Isolated voices sought to represent
the experience of the concentration camps, yet these were muted by the overriding political
imperatives of post-war Gaullist constructions of France as an heroic nation which had resisted
fascism and the German occupation. Since the 1970s, this resistance myth has not only been
fundamentally challenged but the Holocaust has become a major focus for debate in French
political, philosophical and cultural life. At the heart of such debates lie problematic questions
relating to the act of remembering the Holocaust as a traumatic historical event and the ethics and
aesthetics of its representation. Indeed, a key question to be addressed on this course is how might it
be possible to represent Holocaust experience at all?
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the French experience and representation of the
Holocaust;
 discuss and analyse the set filmic and literary texts by drawing on appropriate debates from
Holocaust and trauma theory and cultural theory more generally.
Teaching and learning methods:
2 contact hours per week over a period of 8 weeks (exclusive of film screenings); a combination of
tutor-led and student-led activities.
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English
Convenor:
Dr Ursula Tidd
Taught by:
Dr Ursula Tidd
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Films:
Alain Resnais, Nuit et brouillard (1955)
Claude Lanzmann, Shoah (1985)
In addition to the timetabled screenings, these films will also be accessible via the Language Centre
Literary texts:
Elie Wiesel, La Nuit (1958)
Charlotte Delbo, Aucun de nous ne reviendra (1970)
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30490** Occupied France
53
Level 2 Course Units
MA:
Trauma and Memory in 20th-Century Life Writing
FREN20450** Contemporary French Culture
Credits: 20
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
NB: Students taking FREN20450 cannot take FREN20250
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Lectures: Monday 11:00-12:00
Seminars: Tuesday 16:00-17:00 or Thursday 11:00-12:00
Description:
Through the study of different themes of French cultural expression, students will gain knowledge
of the development of French society since World War Two. The course will examine the
importance of culture within a larger socio-political context. The following topics will be included
in the course: the notion of culture, the importance of cultural politics, the exception française,
cinema, popular music, high and low culture, the media, language, francophonie, and
multiculturalism.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of different aspects of French culture since the 1950s;
 discuss and analyse issues regarding the development of French society and politics since the
1950s;
 demonstrate a greater ability at organizing and writing essays;
 demonstrate improved skills in spoken and written French;
 practise presenting and leading certain seminars in French.
Teaching and learning methods:
10 lectures and 5 seminars during Semester 1; 8 lectures and 3 seminars during semester 2
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5 hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (50%)
One 1.5 hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (50%)
Language of assessment
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Catherine Franc (c.franc@manchester.ac.uk)
Dr Joseph McGonagle (joseph.mcgonagle@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Catherine Franc
Dr Joseph McGonagle
54
Level 2 Course Units
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Nicholas Hewitt, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Modern French Culture (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2003)
David Looseley, The Politics of Fun (Oxford: Berg, 1997)
A study pack containing a full bibliography and articles relating to the studied topics will be
distributed to students.
Recommended text:
Siân Reynolds and William Kidd, Contemporary French Cultural Studies (London: Arnold, 1997)
Pathway:
Level 3
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
FREN30251** French National Identity
FREN30002 Protest in Contemporary French Popular Music
FREN30091 France and Algeria: Film, Video and Photography
FREN30721 French Popular Music
FREN20491 Female Voices I
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Wednesday 11:00-12:00 and Thursday 9:00-10:00
Description:
This course attempts to answer the question: ‘Why have a course on women writers?’ It begins by
considering the question of the specificity of women’s writing and the notions of gendered language
and authorship. It considers in detail a number of female-authored texts from different periods to
demonstrate the significance of the presence and diversity of women’s writing throughout the
evolution of French literature. The course also explores some of the reasons why these writers,
widely read and admired in their own day, have been subsequently marginalized by the literary
establishment or eclipsed by their better-known male contemporaries. The particular responses of
these writers to contemporary social, moral, religious and literary issues, in particular their stance in
respect of matters relating to gender issues, and the varying degrees to which they appear to endorse
or challenge the assumptions of the day, will be assessed.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 show knowledge and understanding of the work of a range of French women writers;
 show knowledge and understanding of issues concerning the politics of gender in relation to
writing;
 discuss and analyse the attitudes of the writers studied towards both gender issues in general and
the social, moral and literary issues of their day;
55
Level 2 Course Units
 express their ideas in coherently structured and argued oral presentations and written work.
Teaching and learning methods:
3 contact hours per fortnight; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Mrs Penny Brown (penny.brown@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Mrs Penny Brown
Professor Adrian Armstrong
Mrs Julie Lawton
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Louise Labé, Oeuvres poétiques (Gallimard, ‘Poésies’)
Mme d’Aulnoy and Mme Le Prince de Beaumont, La Belle et la Bête et autres contes (Hachette
‘Jeunesse’)
George Sand, La Petite Fadette (Garnier, 1995)
Anne Hébert, Kamouraska (Paris: Seuil, ‘Points’, 1970)
Pathway:
Level 2:
FREN20492 Female Voices II
Level 3:
FREN30672 The Literature and Philosophy of Simone de Beauvoir
MA:
Women in the Nineteenth-Century Novel
Gender, Sexuality, and the Body in Modern French Life Writing
FREN20492 Female Voices II
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Wednesday 11:00-12:00 and Thursday 9:00-10:00
56
Level 2 Course Units
Description:
This course is designed to introduce students to a range of writing by twentieth-century French
women writers. Students will be engaged in analysing a diversity of thematic and narrative
preoccupations, such as the relationship between narrative and voice, the representation of female
subjectivities, and literature as a means to explore gender and class politics. Students will also
consider the impact of women’s evolving roles in twentieth-century France and of second-wave
feminism on the texts studied.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 discuss and analyse issues relating to the set texts and to women’s writing in twentieth-century
France;
 show knowledge and understanding of key issues which have affected the production and
reception of women’s writing in twentieth-century France.
Teaching and learning methods:
2 contact hours per week during a period of 8 weeks; a combination of tutor-led and student-led
activities
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Ursula Tidd (ursula.tidd@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Ursula Tidd
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Colette, La Vagabonde (Paris: Livre de poche)
Simone de Beauvoir, La Femme rompue (Paris: Gallimard ‘Folio’)
Annie Ernaux, La Place (Paris: Gallimard ‘Folio’)
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30251** French National Identity
FREN30672 The Literature and Philosophy of Simone de Beauvoir
MA:
Women in the 19th-Century Novel
The Transgressive Self: Gender, Sexuality and Trauma in Modern French Auto/Biography
FREN20521 High and Low Culture in France
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
57
Level 2 Course Units
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Tuesday 9:00-10:00 and Thursday 2:00-3:00
Description:
This course aims to equip students to understand culture in the widest sense, by examining works
which are traditionally identified as ‘popular’. Definitions of ‘culture’ in general, as well as of
‘high’ and ‘low’ culture, will be examined in order to emphasise both the shifting boundaries and
the complex relationships between these domains. This course will focus primarily on the polar
(detective narrative) so as to demonstrate how this popular genre integrates elements of high
culture, notably though historical and intertextual references (references to other texts). Particular
consideration will be given to generic conventions (how genre affects the plot, characters and
themes), linguistic register (slang), social and intellectual milieu, the production and reception of
works. To this end, two detective novels (Au bonheur des ogres and Meurtres pour mémoire) will
be examined. Students will also have to study a third novel of their choice from a given
bibliography.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 identify what constitutes (‘high’ and ‘low’) culture;
 show an improved knowledge of the French language in a variety of registers, including familiar
French and ‘argot’;
 discuss, analyse and compare a range of popular texts in a coherently-structured literary essay;
 discuss the prescribed texts in seminars, in the form of argued oral presentations;
 demonstrate a better grasp of the wide variety of French culture, including the tensions, crossfertilisations and interdependency of ‘high’ and ‘low’ cultures.
Teaching and learning methods:
14 contact hours (2 hours weekly, weeks 1 to 8); a combination of tutor-led and student-led
activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One essay of 3,000 words to be submitted by Wednesday of Week 12. The ACW will take the form
of a comparative argument. To this end, it will make references to at least two works, one of which
must be the student’s ‘free choice’ title. Candidates may answer in either English or French. The
grade will be awarded in relation to the originality and clarity of the argument, the scope of the
research and the quality of the written language.
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Floriane Place-Verghnes (floriane.place-verghnes@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Floriane Place-Verghnes
Max. entry:
50
58
Level 2 Course Units
Set texts:
Daniel Pennac, Au bonheur des ogres (Paris: Gallimard, 1996).
Didier Daeninckx, Meurtres pour mémoire (Paris: Gallimard, 1998).
A third item chosen from a list to be provided at the beginning of the course (please note that this
third text is compulsory; see ‘Assessment’).
Recommended texts:
Jack Nachbar and Kevin Lause, ed., Popular Culture: An Introductory Text (Bowling Green State
University Popular Press, 1992)
Brian Rigby, ed., Popular Culture in Modern France: A Study of Cultural Discourse (London:
Routledge, 1991)
Yves Reuter, Le Roman policier (Paris: Nathan, 1997)
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30051 Crime and Mystery in the Roman-Feuilleton (1870-1910)
FREN30721 French Popular Music
MA:
ELANXXXX0 Visual Elements in French Popular Culture
ELANXXXX0 Visual and Corporeal Identities in the French-Speaking World
FREN20530** Medium and Message
Credits: 20
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN10210 or FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Tuesday 11:00-12:30
Description:
This course explores how, from the 17th to the 20th century, issues of social and political
controversy have been dealt with through the medium of drama, prose, poetry, film and journalism.
The course will focus on how the possibilities and limitations of different media are used to
transcend the merely polemical, and to present complex historical and social situations in ways
which challenge or involve the reader or spectator. A number of the documents to be studied
provoked vigorous polemics when they first appeared; some of them were banned in their own time
or later, and some were produced by writers forced at some stage to live in exile. The course will
therefore be based on the idea of literature and film produced in opposition to prevailing
orthodoxies.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
 show familiarity with the prescribed works and the themes discussed in lectures, seminars and
secondary texts;
 apply aspects of the discussion of one work to others where appropriate, (e.g. texts associated
with religious issues);
59
Level 2 Course Units
 show detailed knowledge of literary and other appropriate terminology in French and English
through notes made in lectures and seminars, and independent reading;
 discuss issues arising from the prescribed works with regard to the relationship between
literature and society.
Teaching and learning methods:
33 contact hours during the year: a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English and French
Assessment:
One essay assignment of 1500 words at the end of Semester 1 (25%)
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (75%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of Week 1, Semester 2
Convenor:
Professor David Adams (david.adams@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor David Adams
Dr Joe McGonagle
Professor Henry Phillips
Dr Floriane Place-Verghnes
Dr Ursula Tidd
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Molière, Le Tartuffe (Bordas)
Diderot, La Religieuse (Folio)
Driss Chraïbi, Le Passé simple (Folio)
Zola, J’accuse (Folio)
Ian Higgins, ed., Anthology of First World War French Poetry, ed. (Glasgow UP)
Film: Laurent Cantat, Ressources humaines
Pathway:
All Level 3 course units and MA modules involving French literature
FREN21002 Writings and Rewritings: Fairy Tales and After
Credits: 10
Level: 2
Optional Course Unit taught in English
Pre-requisite:
None
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Monday 9:00-10:00 and Tuesday 10:00-11:00
60
Level 2 Course Units
Description:
This course is designed as an introduction to the long and varied history of fairy tales and of their
adaptations and rewritings. Most commonly associated today with children, fairy tales in France
began their literary life in the sophisticated milieu of 17th-century Parisian salons. Many of these
tales were based on traditional folk tales and have become familiar in Europe and beyond to the
extent that they are still frequently evoked in the media for satirical purposes or to sell anything
from cars to perfumes and teabags. The writing and rewritings of these tales throughout the
centuries in different countries tell us a great deal about the social conditions and aspirations in the
prevailing dominant cultures which appropriated them. This course begins by exploring the
implications of the process of transmission and the acculturation of traditional fairytale motifs and,
by studying in class a range of material, considers the range of uses (pedagogical, political,
subversive) to which they have been put in versions for different readerships.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 show knowledge and understanding of a comparative approach to literature;
 assess the implications and effect of translations and adaptations of fairy tales and identify and
analyse examples of the appropriation of key texts by different cultures and media;
 express their ideas in coherently structured and argued oral presentations and written work.
Teaching and learning methods
3 contact hours per fortnight; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Mrs Penny Brown (penny.brown@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Mrs Penny Brown
Max. entry:
50
Set texts:
Charles Perrault, Contes (Livre de Poche: Paris, 1989)
Brothers Grimm, Fairy Tales,(Penguin Popular Classics: London, 1996)
Angela Carter, The Bloody Chamber (Vintage: London, 1995)
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN31500** Instruction and Amusement in Early European Children’s Literature
MA:
Instruction and Amusement in Early European Children’s Literature
Illustrations in 19th-Century Children’s Literature
61
Level 2 Course Units
ULFR20360 Further Business French
Credits: 20
Level: 2
Open only to students taking a degree programme in Modern Language and Business and
Management or in International Management and French.
Pre-requisite:
FREN10050 or FREN10310 (FREN10310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Wednesday 17:30-20:30
Description:
This course aims to further develop language skills within a French business context and to prepare
students for the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris’s Diplôme de Français des Affaires 1er degré examination. While building on previously acquired linguistic skills, emphasis is placed
on establishing sound topical knowledge and communicative know-how in three main areas:
 corporate life (general practices, rules and tasks of the typical workplace, including recruitment);
 manufacturing and commercial activities;
 the socio-economic environment (national, European, and global perspectives).
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 interact orally with native speakers with a degree of fluency, spontaneity and phonetic accuracy
in the main situations of professional life either by taking an active part in discussions of
personal and professional interest or by giving a presentation on a reasonably complex subject;
 produce simple and common professional documents (letters, emails, notes, reports, summaries,
translations, questionnaires, CV, etc.) displaying grammatical accuracy, syntactic and lexical
variety, understanding of context, and awareness of nuance, register, and professional standards;
 demonstrate a sufficient topical and lexical knowledge of the realities, practices and rules of
modern day businesses in France so as to be in a position to take the CCIP’s DFA1 examination
Teaching and learning methods
One three-hour class per week.
Each week focuses on a given business topic introduced by pre-class exercises (set on WebCT) and
consolidated / expanded in a three hour class through mini-lectures, applied activities, case studies
and business simulations. Independent learning is strongly encouraged through follow-up
homework and use of Language Centre facilities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
Assessment for this course unit is designed in line with Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de
Paris’s guidelines and intended as a preparation for the DFA1.
Semester 1:
One in-class reading and writing test in week 9 (15%)
One one-to-one oral presentation in week 11/12 (15%)
Semester 2:
One in-class listening and writing test in week 7 (15%)
One in-class reading and writing test in week 9 (10%)
One one-to-one oral presentation in week 11/12 (15%)
62
Level 2 Course Units
Summer examination:
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (30%)
Language of assessment:
French
Convenor:
Dr. Laurent Semichon (l.semichon@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr. Laurent Semichon (l.semichon@manchester.ac.uk)
Max. entry:
N/A
Set texts:
M. Danilo & J.-L. Penformis, Le Français de la communication professionnelle (Clé International,
2005)
J.-L. Penformis, Vocabulaire progressif des affaires - avec 200 exercices (Clé International, 2004).
Pathway:
Level 3:
FREN30050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
ULFR30360 Advanced Business French
HIST20182 European Intellectual History: Rousseau to Freud
LALC20002 Trends in European and Postcolonial Cinema
LALC20302 Introduction to Translation
ULTD20011 Introduction to TEFL Part 1
ULTD20012 Introduction to TEFL Part 2
For further details regarding these courses, please consult the Humanities course unit database:
http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/
63
LEVEL 3 COURSE UNITS
While we try to ensure that all students are able to take the course units which they prefer, it is not
always possible to guarantee that this will happen. In previous years, a number of options have
been heavily over-subscribed, and some students have consequently been unable to obtain a place
on them. This year, to ensure fairness as far as possible, students are requested to choose NO
MORE THAN TWO of the options which are indicated below by **. If you fail to comply with this
request, we reserve the right to remove you from one or more of your chosen options and to require
you to enrol in a different course unit, which may be selected by us.
FREN30000 Dissertation in French Studies
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
The Wadsworth Fund is an endowment which makes it possible to offer a sum of money to students
in Modern Languages who achieve particularly good results in their examinations. The French
Studies discipline will award a Wadsworth Prize for the best dissertation of the year (Note: MML
students are not eligible for this prize).
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Description:
The Dissertation provides students with an opportunity to develop their research and writing skills
at undergraduate level and to achieve their full academic potential. This experience will also offer
excellent preparation for work at MA level. All students are strongly encouraged to discuss with
their tutors the opportunities available at Manchester for postgraduate work in French during their
final year, and indeed before.
The aim of the dissertation is to foster independent study through:
 the identification of a particular theme or problem;
 the identification of appropriate sources;
 the development of a sustained and balanced argument based on those sources, leading to a
conclusion.
Dissertation subjects may be related either to a course selected from the full range of final-year
options, or to any of the specialist research and teaching areas of a colleague in French Studies, as
listed in the Directory of Course Units. If the subject chosen is related to a final-year option it is not
necessary to take the course unit in order to prepare the dissertation. Students should note that
members of staff may from time to time be away from the University on research leave, or for other
valid reasons. They should therefore ascertain well in advance that the relevant specialist will be
available to supervise the dissertation.
Students should first informally approach an appropriate tutor to ask if s/he will supervise the topic
they have in mind. Students must note that:
 each tutor may supervise no more than 6 dissertations;
 acceptance of the topic is subject to the tutor's academic judgement.
Having secured written (e-mail) provisional agreement from the tutor, the student should submit to
the Undergraduate Support Officer for French a Dissertation Proposal Form which can be obtained
from Reception (together with a copy of the tutor's e-mail of provisional acceptance).
64
Level 3 Course Units
The decision on approving dissertation topics and allocating a supervisor will, where selection is
required, be based on the quality of the proposal and evidence of the extent to which preparatory
work has been undertaken. With this in mind, students will also be asked to indicate a second,
alternative topic which could be supervised by a different member of staff.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the dissertation students will be able to:
 construct a convincing argument, showing logic, consistency and an intelligent handling of
concepts;
 show evidence of independent thought;
 show critical understanding of an appropriate breadth of research;
 make appropriate use of examples, sources, data, etc.;
 show an appropriate level of mastery of formal academic presentation.
Teaching and learning methods:
The dissertation is a piece of independent work written under supervision. The supervisor's role is
an advisory one.
Language of teaching:
English or French
Assessment
One dissertation of 8,000-10,000 words (excluding title-page, table of contents and bibliography,
but including footnotes)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French).
Deadline for submission:
No later than the first Friday in May.
Convenor:
Dr Peter Cooke (peter.d.cooke@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Various tutors
Timetable:
Semester 1
1. When students return to Manchester for the final year, they should make arrangements to meet
with their supervisor during Registration Week or the first teaching week to briefly discuss
initial ideas for the dissertation, based on any research already done.
2. By the end of Week 3, at the latest, students will be required to submit a written statement
(Max. 500 words) confirming the nature of the subject and defining it as precisely as possible.
3. Students should meet the supervisor before Reading Week to discuss aims and progress and
again after Reading Week, by which time they should be in a position to propose a firm topic
and title.
4. By Week 11 at the latest students will present a detailed provisional plan (Max. 500 words),
plus a properly-prepared provisional bibliography which will be discussed with the supervisor
before the Christmas vacation.
Semester 2
5. By Week 2 students will present one draft chapter which the supervisor will read, comment on
and discuss in detail.
6. By Week 4 the draft chapter will be returned and discussed by the supervisor.
7. The dissertation is to be handed in by the first Friday of May.
65
Level 3 Course Units
Examples of dissertation topics:
 To what extent can Richeut be seen as a misogynistic text?
 To what extent can Raoul de Cambrai be said to narrate the death of the epic ideal?
 Trubert: Exemplary Subversion?
 The servant in 18th-century French drama.
 Women and song in the Revolution.
 ‘Delacroix seul sait faire de la religion’: themes and techiques in Eugène Delacroix’s religious
paintings.
 ‘Invitation au voyage’: travel and exoticism in Baudelaire’s poetry.
 Representing the tragic male in contemporary French banlieue cinema.
 Hitchcock’s influence on François Truffaut’s film noirs.
 The representation of motherhood in Simone de Beauvoir's fiction.
 The self-Other relation in Simone de Beauvoir's early novels.
 ‘Asservis, affranchis, assimilés’: a social history of black and métisse French Guiana.
 The British punk movement and its impact on the contemporary French music scene.
 Turn-taking in French and English: a comparative study of overlap and
interruption in radio debates.
 Gender and politeness: men's vs women's use of backchannel markers ('oui',
'mhm', etc.) in conversation between native speakers of French.
FREN30002 Protest in Contemporary French Popular Music
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20050 or FREN20210 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Wednesday 11:00-12:00 and Friday 12:00-13:00
Description:
This course examines various expressions of ‘dissidence’ in French popular music of the 1990s,
with a focus on three music trends: French rap and expressions of social unrest; rock métissé and its
reliance on multiculturalism to challenge the traditional republican discourse; chanson néo-réaliste
and the use of an abstract solidarity to challenge social injustice. After introductory sessions popular
music theory and the implications of ‘protest’ in contemporary French culture, the course locates
each discourse in its historical, political, economic, social and racial context. The lectures
contextualise the success of specific songs through a presentation of secondary materials, including
music criticism, the declarations of artists in interviews and live performance videos. Seminars will
be devoted to the analysis of further music material and provide a platform for the students’ oral
presentations.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
 Show knowledge and understanding of major developments in contemporary French popular
music;
 Discuss and analyse problems arising from the expression of ‘resistance’ in the music industry;
66
Level 3 Course Units
 Discuss and analyse problems arising from the expression of ‘resistance’ in a traditionally
‘dissident’ at the same time as ‘elitist’ culture;
 Write essays and commentaries on specific topics in relation to the themes of the course.
Teaching and learning methods
9 lectures and 8 seminars of one hour each; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5 hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Barbara Lebrun (barbara.lebrun@man.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Barbara Lebrun
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
David Looseley, Popular Music in Contemporary France: Authenticity, Politics, Debate (Berg,
2003)
Pathway:
MA
MA in French Studies
Cultures of Transgression
Performance Studies
FREN30030 Molière: Comedy as Performance, Comedy in Performance
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit.
Pre-requisite:
FREN20050 or FREN20210 or FREN 20310 (withdrawn from 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Both Semesters
Timetable:
Wednesday 9:00-11:00
67
Level 3 Course Units
Description:
Comic characters participate in performance, either as unwitting victims of scenarios designed to
deceive and outwit them, such as authoritative fathers thwarting the wishes of their sons or
daughters, or as actors in the deception itself. Performance of this sort is not without an ethical
component, since lying and deception are normally considered unacceptable. Performance also has
a social dimension in that it explores the necessity or limits of rules. Last but not least, performance
is endowed with an aesthetics, including reference to the ethical and the social, which is both textual
and theatrical, and which leads to the construction and performance of the comic genre. This course
aims to explore the issues of comedy in relation to performance as described above, and the ways in
which these issues are translated into theatre. Molière’s theatre will thus be studied from a textual
point of view through analysis of the plays, but also from the point of view of performance through
analysis of video material.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
 show knowledge and understanding of Molière’s comedy through the concept of performance;
 discuss and analyse texts from the point of view of the concept of performance;
 write assignments relating to the nature of the course
Teaching and learning methods
34 contact hours in total over both Semesters; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English and French
Assessment:
One 1 hour and 45 minutes written examination at the end of Semester 2 (60%)
One 30-minute group presentation on Molière in performance (40%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Henry Phillips (henry.phillips@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Henry Phillips
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
To be listed in course guide
Pathway:
MA
MA in French Studies
FREN30050 French for A Modern Language and Business and Management
Credits: 20
Level: 3
This course is not available as a free option. Open only to students registered for a degree
programme in A Modern Language and Business and Management or International Management
and French.
Students eligible to take this course may prefer to choose ULFR30360 Advanced Business French.
68
Level 3 Course Units
Pre-requisite:
FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Business language classes: Wednesday 09:00-10:00 or Wednesday 13:00-14:00
Grammar classes: Monday 16:00-17:00 or Thursday 12:00-13:00 (in case of a proven clash,
students may apply to join a FREN30210 grammar class)
Oral classes: to be arranged (joining FREN30210 classes)
Description:
This course is designed to develop competence and accuracy in written and spoken French,
including in business contexts, and in translation from French into English. It aims: to foster the
acquisition and production of grammatical and idiomatic French; to increase awareness of current
French usage in a variety of stylistic and linguistic registers and contexts; and to encourage
sensitivity to the points at which current English usage, expression and sentence structure differs
from French, with a view to promoting a better understanding of the two languages as distinct
conceptual systems. Building on the work done at Levels 1 and 2, students will also learn how to
produce well-structured and coherent argumentative discourse, in both written and spoken French,
at an appropriate level of syntactical complexity and using an appropriate range of lexis and
expression.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 write and speak correct and idiomatic French in a way appropriate to the given context;
 apply techniques of translation correctly to a range of modern French texts;
 write and speak complex argumentative discourse with a good range of sentence structure, lexis
and expression;
 understand and respond to a business-related text through complex argumentative discourse with
a range of sentence structure, business and general French lexis and expression;
Teaching and learning methods
1-hour weekly class in writing business French
1-hour weekly class in translation from French into English and in French grammar
1-hour weekly class in oral French
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 3-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2, comprising one translation from French to
English, one translation from English to French, and one rewriting exercise (50%) [the weighting of
the components of the written examination is as follows: 50% for translation into English, 25% for
translation into French, and 25% for rewriting exercise]
One assessed coursework essay in French sat in controlled conditions in the week preceding the
Easter vacation (25%)
Oral assessment (25%) [one 1-hour listening examination at the end of Semester 1 (7.5%) and one
15-minute oral examination at the end of Semester 2 (17.5%)]
Language of assessment:
French
Convenor:
Mrs Gaëlle Flower (gaelle.flower@manchester.ac.uk)
69
Level 3 Course Units
Taught by:
Various tutors
Max. entry:
All MLBM and IMF students who choose this option
Recommended texts:
R. Hawkins and R. Towell, French Grammar and Usage (London: Arnold, 2001)
R. Hawkins, M.-N. Lamy and R. Towell, Practising French Grammar: A Workbook (London:
Arnold)
A booklet containing texts for study and passages for translation will be provided at the start of the
course
FREN30051 Crime and Mystery in the Roman-Feuilleton (1870-1910)
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Monday 15:00-16:00 and Tuesday 10:00-11:00
Description:
Since its birth in the 1840s, the roman-feuilleton has been associated with second-rate literature,
with its opponents often forgetting that the popular is always representative of the sensibility of an
epoch. Through a combination of textual and socio-historical approaches, this course is designed to
introduce students to the study of French popular literature and its contexts so as to shed a new light
on popular French mentalities, obsessions and social fantasies. More particularly, this course will
focus on the turn-of-the-century crime and mystery roman-feuilleton by analysing and comparing
the works of Émile Gaboriau, Maurice Leblanc and Gaston Leroux, whose influence can still be felt
in French popular fiction of the present day.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of major aspects of French popular literature and of
its contexts in the period 1870-1910 (set texts);
 discuss, analyse and compare a range of popular texts in a coherently-structured literary
commentary or essay;
 discuss the prescribed texts in seminars, in the form of argued oral presentations.
Teaching and learning methods:
16 contact hours per week (2 hours per week, Weeks 1-9); a combination of tutor-led and studentled activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One essay of 3,000 words (100%)
70
Level 3 Course Units
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of Week 12, Semester 1
Convenor:
Dr Floriane Place-Verghnes (floriane.place-verghnes@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Floriane Place-Verghnes
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
Émile Gaboriau, Le Petit vieux des Batignolles [1876] (Bibliothèque Gallimard, 2001)
Maurice Leblanc, Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-cambrioleur [1907] (Hachette littérature, 2002)
Gaston Leroux, Le Mystère de la chambre jaune [1907] (J’ai lu, 2003)
Recommended texts:
Pierre Albert, Histoire de la presse (PUF, « Que sais-je ? », 2003)
Marc Angenot, Le Roman populaire: Recherches en paralittérature (PU de l’Université du Québec,
1975)
Lise Dumasy, éd. ,La Querelle du roman-feuilleton (PU de Grenoble, 1999), pp. 5-21
John Lough, Writer and Public in France from the Middle Ages to the Present Day (Oxford UP,
1978)
Yves Olivier-Martin, Histoire du roman populaire en France (A. Michel, 1980)
Lise Queffélec, Le Roman-feuilleton français au XIXe siècle (PUF, « Que sais-je ? », 1989)
Yves Reuter, Le Roman policier (Paris: Nathan, 1997).
Pathway:
MA:
ELANXXXX0 Visual Elements in French Popular Culture
ELANXXXX0 Visual and Corporeal Identities in the French-Speaking World
FREN30062 Painted Tales: Three French History Painters
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Prerequisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 11:00-12:00 and Thursday 10:00-11:00
71
Level 3 Course Units
Description:
Painting is not only able to represent people and things, but can also tell stories and express ideas,
emotions and ideals. This course unit is designed as an introduction to narrative painting, or history
painting, through the examples of three important French painters, Jacques-Louis David (17481825), Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) and Gustave Moreau (1826-1898), who each responded to
the post-Renaissance tradition of history painting in very different ways. The three painters will be
studied in chronological order, but the focus will be less on historical developments than on poetics.
In other words, the central aim of the course will be to explore how meaning is created in narrative
painting and how the three painters in question developed, manipulated and subverted the
conventions of the genre of history painting. To this end seminar activities will focus on the close
analysis of individual paintings, and students will be asked to give presentations comparing and
contrasting two or more pictures, by the same artist, or by different artists. The tutor will provide
some of the necessary contextual knowledge through slide lectures, in which students will be
expected to actively engage with the images shown.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course unit, students will be able to:
 show knowledge and understanding of important aspects of French history painting;
 show knowledge and understanding of major works by David, Delacroix and Moreau;
 discuss and analyse problems involved in the creation of meaning in history painting;
 analyse and compare individual history paintings;
 show some knowledge of the historical context of the paintings studied.
Teaching and learning methods:
18 contact hours (2 per week in Weeks 1-9), comprising a combination of tutor-led slide lectures
and student-led presentations and discussions
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Candidates will be asked to write an analytical commentary comparing and contrasting two history
paintings by different artists. Colour reproductions will be provided.
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Peter Cooke (peter.d.cooke@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Peter Cooke
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
There are no set texts for this course unit, but a full bibliography will be provided and students will
be expected to show an appropriate knowledge of this.
Recommended texts:
P. Cooke, Gustave Moreau et les arts jumeaux. Peinture et littérature au dix-neuvième siècle (Bern:
Peter Lang, 2003), esp. ch. 1 and 2
S. F. Eisenman et al., Nineteenth-Century Art: a Critical History (London: Thames & Hudson,
1994), ch. 1 and 2 (by T. Crow)
B. Wright (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Delacroix (Cambridge: CUP, 2001)
72
Level 3 Course Units
Pathway:
MA:
Delacroix and Literary Painting
FREN30091 France and Algeria: Film, Video and Photography
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20050 or FREN20210 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Tuesday 09:00-10:00 and Thursday 14:00-15:30
Description:
This course will examine how relations between France and Algeria have been represented from the
colonial era to the contemporary period through film, video and photography. Particular areas for
focus include: early twentieth-century photography and 1930s French Algeria on film; the Algerian
War; Algerian migration to France in the 1970s; the birth of a “beur” generation; the lives of
Frenchwomen of Algerian origin; and present-day journeys between the two countries.
Lectures will introduce the set texts by situating them within their political, historical and sociocultural context. Seminars will be devoted to discussion and close analysis of these works.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will:
 be familiar with ways in which relations between France and Algeria have been represented from
the colonial era to the contemporary period within their wider political, social and cultural
context;
 be able to discuss and analyse a range of different visual media that engage with these issues,
using appropriate language in the analysis of still and moving visual texts;
 be able to evaluate such representations with reference to relevant critical theories.
Teaching and learning methods
10 weekly 1-hour lectures and 1.5-hour seminars, incorporating a combination of tutor-led and
student-led activities.
Language of teaching:
English and French
Assessment:
One assessed coursework essay of 3000 words (50%)
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (50%)
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of Week 12 in Semester 1
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Joseph McGonagle (joseph.mcgonagle@manchester.ac.uk)
73
Level 3 Course Units
Taught by:
Dr Joseph McGonagle
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
Books:
Alloula, Malek, Le Harem colonial: images d’un sous-érotisme (Paris: Séguier, 2001)
Garanger, Marc, Femmes algériennes 1960 (Anglet: Atlantica, 2002)
Films:
Pépé le Moko. Dir. Julien Duvivier. Connaissance du Cinéma. 1937
La Bataille d’Alger. Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo. Carlotta Films. 1966
Inch’Allah Dimanche. Dir. Yamina Benguigui. ARP Sélection. 2001
Douce France. Dir. Malek Chibane. Lazennec Diffusion. 1995
Exils. Dir. Tony Gatlif. Pyramide. 2004
DVD-ROM:
Sedira, Zineb, Telling Stories with Differences (Manchester: Cornerhouse, 2004)
Pathway:
MA:
MA in French Studies
FREN30102 Aspects of the French Nouvelle Vague
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20050 or FREN20210 or FREN20140 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as
of 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 12:00-13:00 and Thursday 11:00-12:00
Max. entry:
35
Description:
The nouvelle vague is often seen as the most important movement in French cinema, characterised
by innovative film-making practices and its emphasis on the auteur. This course provides an
overview of the nouvelle vague and situates it within the context of the political, social and
technological changes of the French post-war period. As well as staple nouvelle vague classics,
peripheral films will also be examined to allow an alternative understanding of French film history.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will:
 have consolidated their understanding of film studies terminology and its application in detailed
film analysis;
 have acquired detailed knowledge of the New Wave and the films of the directors covered in the
course;
 be able to analyse critically important film movements;
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Level 3 Course Units
 be able to express intellectual and informed views of films with confidence.
Teaching and learning methods:
2 contact hours per week for 9 weeks; a flexible combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
and screenings
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English
Convenor:
Dr Darren Waldron (darren.waldron@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Darren Waldron
Max. entry:
35
Set films:
A total of 5 films will be studied, including:
François Truffaut, Tirez sur le pianiste (1960)
Agnès Varda, Cléo de cinq à sept (1961)
Jean-Luc Godard, Le Mépris (1963)
Pathway:
MA:
Issues in French Film History I: The 1950s
Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary French Cinema
FREN30210 French Language III
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Compulsory course unit for all students for whom French is a part of their honours programme,
with the exception of Modern Language and Business and Management and International
Management with French.
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Seminars to be arranged
75
Level 3 Course Units
Description:
This course is designed to develop competence and accuracy in written and spoken French and in
translation from French into English. It aims: to foster the acquisition and production of
grammatical and idiomatic French; to increase awareness of current French usage in a variety of
stylistic and linguistic registers and contexts; and to encourage sensitivity to the points at which
current English usage, expression and sentence structure differs from French, with a view to
promoting a better understanding of the two languages as distinct conceptual systems. Building on
the work done at Levels 1 and 2, students will also learn how to produce well-structured and
coherent argumentative discourse, in both written and spoken French, at an appropriate level of
syntactical complexity and using an appropriate range of lexis and expression.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 write and speak correct and idiomatic French in a way appropriate to the given context;
 apply techniques of translation correctly to a range of modern French texts;
 write and speak complex argumentative discourse with a good range of sentence structure, lexis
and expression.
Teaching and learning methods:
1-hour weekly class in writing in French
1-hour weekly class in translation from French into English and in French grammar
1-hour weekly class in oral French
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 3-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2, comprising one translation from French to
English, one translation from English to French, and one rewriting exercise (50%) [the weighting of
the components of the written examination is as follows: 50% for translation into English, 25% for
translation into French, and 25% for rewriting exercise]
One assessed coursework essay in French sat in controlled conditions in the week preceding the
Easter vacation (25%)
Oral assessment (25%) [one 1-hour listening examination at the end of Semester 1 (7.5%) and one
15-minute oral examination at the end of Semester 2 (17.5%)]
Language of assessment
French
Convenor:
Professor Dee Reynolds (dee.reynolds@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Various tutors
Max. entry:
No limit
Set texts:
R. Hawkins and R. Towell, French Grammar and Usage (London: Arnold, 2001)
R. Hawkins, M.-N. Lamy and R. Towell, Practising French Grammar: A Workbook (London:
Arnold)
A booklet containing texts for study and passages for translation will be provided at the start of the
course
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Level 3 Course Units
Recommended texts:
Students are expected to possess a bilingual dictionary (such as The Collins-Robert French
Dictionary or the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary).
Monolingual dictionaries (such as the Micro-Robert or even the Petit Robert) are also
recommended.
Pathway:
MA:
MA in Translation Studies
FREN30251** French National Identity
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit. Please note that this course may run in Semester 2 instead, depending on
research leave.
Pre-requisite:
FREN20050 or FREN20210 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Friday 09:00-11:00
Description:
This course examines the debates relating to the perception of a changing ‘French identity’, with
particular reference to the post-colonial context and North African immigration. The courses
focuses on metropolitan France in the contemporary period, but also traces the evolution of key
concepts such as ‘identity’, ‘the nation’ and ‘otherness’ from the birth of the Third Republic to the
present. In particular, the course highlights the tensions between republicanism, assimilation and
universalism on the one hand, and the perception of ethnic ‘difference’, multiculturalism and
métissage on the other. To this end, such events as the demonstration of 17th October 1961, the
reception of the 1998 football World Cup, and the November 2005 riots are contextualised, while
historical and philosophical texts are introduced which provide a theoretical grounding for debating
the impact of ‘otherness’ in the Republic today.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will:
 be familiar with debates about French national identity and able to locate them in their wider
political, social and cultural context;
 be able to discuss and analyse the set texts;
 have an understanding of the key concepts relating to contemporary French identity (the nation,
Republicanism, secularism, integration, multiculturalism);
 construct a rigorous argument in writing and verbal expression.
Teaching and learning methods
18 contact hours in Semester 1; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (100%)
77
Level 3 Course Units
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Barbara Lebrun (barbara.lebrun@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Barbara Lebrun
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
There is no set text.
Extracts from key works will be included in a study-pack, as well as specific bibliographical
recommendations.
Pathway:
MA:
MA in French Studies
MA in Cultures of Transgression
MA in Performance Studies
FREN30261 Modern French Poetry
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit.
Pre-requisite:
FREN 20210 or FREN 20050 or FREN 20310 (withdrawn from 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Tuesday 11:00-12:00 and Thursday 10:00-11:00
Description:
Lyric poetry is one of the most distinctive and powerful forms of literary expression. In France
there is a strong tradition of poetry, with its own specific conventions and techniques. In the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries major poets such as Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Rimbaud, Apollinaire
and Ponge challenged these conventions in exciting and fruitful ways. The result is a very rich and
varied body of poetry, in which personal and universal themes are expressed in highly individual
styles.
This course will study individual poems in depth, in terms of both technique and meaning. The
poems studied in the seminars will be drawn from a dossier or anthology of texts (including both
verse and prose poems) supplied by the course tutors. Students will be expected to study closely all
the poems in the dossier and will learn how to write analytical commentaries on them.
By means principally of textual analysis the following key aspects will be covered:
 verse techniques, including rhythm, rhyme, sound patterns, arrangement of strophes, etc.;
 the genre of the prose poem;
 rhetorical figures such as simile, metaphor and metonymy;
 poetic images and imagination;
 uses of language and register;
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Level 3 Course Units
 the visual aspects of poems on the printed page;
 the historical and cultural context of works.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 read modern French poetry in all its rich variety;
 analyse verse forms in a technical manner;
 discuss how meaning is created in lyric poetry;
 write commentaries on the set texts.
Teaching and learning methods:
16 hours over Weeks 1-10, comprising a mixture of tutor-led and student-led discussions and
student presentations.
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Peter Cooke (peter.d.cooke@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Peter Cooke
Professor Dee Reynolds
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
There are no set texts. A dossier of prescribed poems and a full bibliography will be provided.
Recommended reading:
P. Broome and G. Chesters, The Appreciation of Modern French Poetry (Cambridge University
Press, 1976).
C. Prendergast (ed.), Nineteenth-Century French Poetry. Introductions to close reading (Cambridge
University Press, 1990).
R. Lewis, On Reading French Verse (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1982).
C. Scott, French Verse-Art: A Study (Cambridge University Press, 1980).
FREN30322 Meaning and the Translator, with Reference to French and English
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit.
Please note that this course may not run if the tutor is absent on research leave.
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20162 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as
of 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
79
Level 3 Course Units
Timetable:
Friday 14:00-15:30
Description:
The course aims to teach students what meaning is about, especially at the text level:
 how to describe it objectively and accurately;
 how to use linguistic tools to increase their semantic awareness and to discuss translations from
English into French and vice versa.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course unit, students will be able to:
 know and understand the linguistic terminology;
 identify the implications which alternative translation options have on the passage as a whole,
the universe of discourse (i.e., the world, the characters, their relationships, as described or
implied by the text), as well as the author’s (expressed) attitude and intention;
 back up their claims by using textual cues and their common sense.
Teaching and learning methods:
1.5 contact hours per week; tutor-led activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2, consisting of an analysis of a passage
and its translation (100%)
Language of assessment:
French
Convenor:
Dr Thanh Nyan (t.nyan@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Thanh Nyan
Max. entry:
35
Essential reading:
P. Grice, ‘Logic and conversation’ in The Philosophy of Language edited by A.P. Martinich
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985), pp.159-170
J. Searle, ‘What is a speech act?’, in The Philosophy of Language edited by A.P. Martinich (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1985), pp.125-135
J. Searle, Expressions and Meaning (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979), chapters 1, 2
and 5.
A handbook will also be supplied.
Recommended reading:
M. Baker, In Other Words (London: Routledge, 1992)
S. Bassnett-Mc Guire, Translation Studies (London: Methuen,1980)
H. Hatim, and I. Mason, Discourse and the translator (London: Routledge, 1990)
S. Levinson, Pragmatics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983)
J. Moeschler, and A. Reboul Dictionnaire encyclopédique de Pragmatique (Paris: Seuil, 1994).
Pathway:
MA:
Translation Studies
80
Level 3 Course Units
FREN30330 Aspects of French Theatre
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Monday 10:00-11:00 and Tuesday 15:00-16:00
Description:
This course considers a number of French plays in terms of both text and performance. Class
discussion will examine the structure, themes, characterisation and images of the plays and explore
different ways of presenting them on stage in terms of movement, gesture, verbal expression, décor,
costume and lighting. Students will be divided into groups for practical sessions: these will involve
the performance of scenes from each text in front of the class and an oral presentation in which
participants will identify the problems involved and explain and defend their interpretation.
Students will not, of course, be expected to achieve professional acting standards in their
performances, and need have no prior experience of theatre work. Workshops will be held on each
text in which advice about acting will be given. The set texts have been chosen to illustrate the
development of French theatre over the centuries and a variety of challenges to actors and directors.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 show knowledge and understanding of the texts studied;
 show confidence in pronunciation, delivery and stage presence;
 discuss and analyse problems related to the performing of texts;
 express their ideas in coherently argued and structured oral presentations and written work.
Teaching and learning methods:
3 contact hours per fortnight; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1 hour 45 minutes written examination at the end of Semester 2 (60%)
One 30-minute practical examination (performance and oral presentation)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Mrs Penny Brown (penny.brown@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Mrs Penny Brown
Professor Henry Phillips
Max. entry:
30
81
Level 3 Course Units
Set texts:
Genet, Les Bonnes (Folio: Paris, 1976)
Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac (Livre de Poche: Paris 1990)
Corneille, Le Cid (Larousse or Bordas)
Ionesco, La Cantatrice chauve (Folio)
Molière, Dom Juan (Larousse)
Racine, Britannicus (Larousse)
Marivaux, Le Jeu de L’amour et du hasard
Sartre, Huis clos (Livre de Poche)
Pathway:
MA:
Theatre and Theatres in 17th-Century France
The French Theatre in the 18th Century
Performance: Dance and the Body.
FREN30490** Occupied France
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Monday 11:00-12:00 and Wednesday 12:00-13:00
Description:
This course aims to provide students with some understanding of the profound (and continuing)
effects for the French of the German Occupation in World War II. The military defeat of France, the
establishment of the Vichy government, collaboration and resistance are among the essential
political and social aspects to be studied during the history lectures every Monday. From time to
time throughout the year, extracts from archive film material or more recent documentary films will
be shown instead of the lectures. Students are also strongly advised to extend their knowledge of the
background situation through extra reading. (A list of suggested material will be made available in
Week 1).
The literary texts prescribed for this course have been carefully chosen to illustrate different
responses to the political situation in France, hence the inclusion of a fascist novel, Gilles, written
just before the outbreak of the war; two of the authors (Vercors and Sartre) were writing during the
time of the Occupation and thus provide truly contemporary viewpoints; Le Grand Voyage, written
after the war but drawing on wartime experiences, offers yet another perspective. Study and
discussion of the set texts will take place in the Wednesday seminars. All texts will be studied in
their original French versions and students will be expected to have read each text beforehand and
to always bring a copy of the text to the seminars.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 show knowledge and understanding of the main political and social factors leading to the defeat
of France in 1940 and of the circumstances pertaining during the Occupation;
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Level 3 Course Units
 show understanding of the ideology of each author studied, including a detailed knowledge and
understanding of the main themes treated in each text and an appreciation of the literary
techniques employed;
 discuss and analyse practical and ideological problems involved both for the public in life under
the Occupation and for intellectuals trying to convey particular messages ;
 participate in group-led research on themes associated with the course and provide group-edited
feedback of that research;
 write essays on the set texts and historical background.
Teaching and learning methods:
3 hours per fortnight; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 15-minute group presentation in week 11 of Semester 1 (15%)
One 1500-word ACW at the end of Semester 1 (25%)
One 1 hour 45 minute written examination at the end of Semester 2 (60%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Mrs Julie Lawton (julie.lawton@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Mrs Julie Lawton
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
Vercors, Le Silence de la Mer (Livre de Poche)
Drieu la Rochelle, Gilles (Folio)
Jean-Paul Sartre, Huis Clos/Les Mouches (Livre de Poche, double edition)
Jorge Semprun, Le Grand Voyage (Folio)
Ian Ousby, Occupation: The Ordeal of France 1940-1944 (Pimlico)
Pathway:
MA in Holocaust Studies
FREN30502 Argumentative Strategies
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit.
Please note that this course may not run if the tutor is absent on research leave.
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20162 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as
of 2007-8 onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 11:00-12:00 and Friday 11:00-12:00
83
Level 3 Course Units
Description:
This course aims to teach students how to analyse a wide range of argumentative texts (including
political discourse and advertisements). The approach, which is semantico-pragmatic, will focus on
forms of justification, as achieved through the use of linguistic elements. A basic assumption
underlying this approach is that context is not given but constructed.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 know and understand the linguistic terminology;
 use it appropriately in analysing texts from an argumentative standpoint, which involves
describing their argumentative structure, the underlying belief systems, the strategies and various
forms of justification used by the author, as well as his or her level of objectivity.
Teaching and learning methods:
1.5 contact hours per week; tutor-led activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 consisting of an analysis of an
argumentative text (100%)
Language of assessment:
French
Convenor:
Dr Thanh Nyan (t.nyan@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Thanh Nyan
Max. entry:
35
Essential reading:
O. Ducrot, Dire et ne pas dire (Paris: Hermann, 1972), chapter 3
O. Ducrot, et alii, Les mots du discours (Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1980), chapters 3 and 6
P. Grice, ‘Logic and conversation’ in The Philosophy of Language edited by A.P. Martinich
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985), pp.159-170
J. Moeschler and A. Reboul, Dictionnaire encyclopédique de Pragmatique (Paris: Seuil, 1994)
D. Sperber and D. Wilson, Relevance (Oxford: Blackwells, 1986), chapter 1
J. Searle, Expressions and Meaning (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979), chapters 1, 2
and 5
Pathway:
MA:
MA in European Languages
FREN30521 Post/structuralist thought in Barthes and Derrida
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
None. This option is open to students in English as well as in French.
84
Level 3 Course Units
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Thursday 14:00-15:00
Description:
This option will familiarise students with some key structuralist and poststructuralist debates in the
writings of Barthes and Derrida. It does not presuppose any background in these issues, but
curiosity and openness to new ideas will be assets. The ideas associated with French
poststructuralist writers have had a major impact on intellectual life throughout the Western world,
challenging many of the foundations upon which philosophical certainties rested hitherto. The
effects have been felt across national and disciplinary boundaries, bringing new ways of looking at
culture, including literature, popular culture and philosophy. Among the topics we shall look at are:
the fate of the ‘individual’ as a free and unified agent; the demise of the ‘author’ as a communicator
of meaning; the role of signs; deconstruction. These issues will be explored through study of the
writings of Barthes and Derrida, and of texts on these major writers. Lectures will cover some of the
intellectual background. Seminars will focus on detailed study of the texts, and students will be
expected to participate actively, and to give group presentations.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 show knowledge and understanding of key themes studied;
 discuss and analyse the texts studied in the light of poststructuralist thought;
 compare the writers in question.
Teaching and learning methods:
1 contact hour per week
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 1 hour 30 minute seen written examination at the end of Semester 2 (50%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Dee Reynolds (Dee.Reynolds@manchester.ac.uk)
Max. entry:
35
Set text:
Catherine Belsey, Poststructuralism: a Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2002)
Essential reading:
Roland Barthes: ‘The Imagination of the Sign’ and ‘Structuralist Activity’ (Barthes, Critical Essays,
Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1972), pp.205-211 and 213-220
‘Soap powders and detergents’ and ‘The New Citroën’ (Barthes, Mythologies, London: Vintage,
1993), pp. 36-8 and 88-90
‘The Death of the Author’ and ‘From Work to Text’ (Barthes, The Rustle of Language, Oxford:
Blackwell, 1986), pp. 49-55 and 56-64
The Pleasure of the Text (New York: Hill and Wang, 1976), pp. 14-15
‘Truth and Power’ (interview in English, in Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and
Jacques Derrida: ‘Structure, Sign and Play’, in Writing and Difference (University of Chicago
Press, 1978), pp. 278-294.
85
Level 3 Course Units
Pathway:
MA modules involving critical theory
FREN30540 Revolutions in 20th-Century Dance
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Prerequisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Monday 12:00-13:00 and Tuesday 14:00-15:00
Description:
This course aims to familiarise students with some key twentieth-century choreographers of
modern/postmodern dance and their socio-cultural and artistic contexts; to introduce students to
methods of analyzing movement and the production of meaning in dance, and to acquaint them with
some particularities of the French ‘paysage chorégraphique’.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 evaluate and situate the contributions of individual choreographers with reference to relevant
contexts and themes discussed during the course;
 compare the choreographers concerned.
Teaching and learning methods:
3 hours per fortnight
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One assessed coursework essay (1,500 words) (25%)
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (75%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of Week 12, Semester 1
Convenor:
Professor Dee Reynolds (dee.reynolds@manchester.ac.uk)
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
Isabelle Ginot and Marcelle Michel, La Danse au xxe siècle (Paris: Larousse 2002)
86
Level 3 Course Units
Essential reading:
The following will be supplied:
Merce Cunningham, ‘Choreography and the Dance’
Isadora Duncan, ‘Excerpts from her Writings’
Martha Graham, ‘A Modern Dancer’s Primer for Action’
Yvonne Rainer, ‘Some Retrospective Notes’
Karine Saporta, ‘Les effets pervers du succès de la danse’; ‘Danse et séduction’
Mary Wigman, ‘Witch Dance’
Pathway:
MA:
Performance, Dance and the Body
FREN30640 French Theatre in the Eighteenth Century
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Monday 14:00-15:00 and Wednesday 12:00-13:00
Description:
This course traces the immense changes which French theatre underwent at many levels between
the end of the 17th century and the French Revolution. By 1789, the French theatre bore little
resemblance to what it had been a century earlier. As a vehicle for what still remained of Classical
practice, for social satire, and for the earliest manifestation of ‘Romanticism’, the theatre takes its
place among the most important genres of the period, and one which shows how the 18th century
bears witness to the emergence of the modern world.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 show knowledge of the major characteristics of the French theatre from the beginning of the
eighteenth century to the Revolution;
 discuss the reasons why the theatre changed substantially during this period, and to relate this
change to wider socio-economic movements;
 discuss and analyse plays written in a variety of genres and in accordance with widely-differing
rules.
Teaching and learning methods:
34 contact hours during the year; a combination of student-led and tutor-led activities
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One ACW essay (1500 words in English) (25%)
One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (75%)
87
Level 3 Course Units
Language of assessment
English and French. At least one question in the examination must be answered in French; 25% of
the mark for this answer will be awarded for the quality of the French
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of Week 1, Semester 2
Convenor:
Professor David Adams (david.adams@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor David Adams
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
Lesage, Turcaret (Bordas or Larousse)
Marivaux, Le Jeu de l’Amour et du Hasard (Bordas or Larousse)
*Diderot, Le Père de Famille
*Sedaine, Le Philosophe sans le savoir
Beaumarchais, Le Mariage de Figaro (Bordas or Larousse)
*Maréchal, Le Jugement dernier des rois
The texts marked * may not be readily available in book form. In each case, the full text can be
downloaded from the following website: http://gallica.bnf.fr/
Pathway:
MA
The French Theatre in the 18th Century
FREN30672 The Literature and Philosophy of Simone de Beauvoir
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional course unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 10:00-11:00 and Thursday 15:00-16:00
Description:
This course is designed to introduce students to a range of literary and philosophical writing by
Simone de Beauvoir, a major figure in twentieth-century French post-war culture and second-wave
feminism. Some of Beauvoir’s key fictional texts will be studied and her contribution to existential
phenomenology and ethics assessed, with a particular focus on Le Deuxième Sexe (1949).
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 discuss and analyse issues relating to a range of Simone de Beauvoir’s literary and philosophical
writing and the post war historical, literary and political contexts in which it developed;
 show knowledge and understanding of key areas pertaining to Simone de Beauvoir’s literary
practice, such as ‘littérature engagée’;
88
Level 3 Course Units
 show knowledge and understanding of key areas of Simone de Beauvoir’s thought, such as
existential phenomenology, existential ethics, the politics of gender relations and of ageing.
Teaching and learning methods:
2 contact hours per week for 11 weeks; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 3-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Dr Ursula Tidd (ursula.tidd@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Ursula Tidd
Set texts:
L’Invitée (Paris: Gallimard ‘Folio’)
Le Sang des autres (Paris: Gallimard ‘Folio’)
Le Deuxième Sexe (Paris: Gallimard ‘Folio’)
Les Belles Images (Paris: Gallimard ‘Folio’)
Pathway:
MA:
Gender, Sexuality and the Body in Modern French Life Writing
Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary French Cinema
Trauma and Memory in Twentieth Century Life Writing
FREN30700 Variation across Spoken and Written French
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit.
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both Semesters
Timetable:
Tuesday 16:00-17:30
Description:
Most non-native learners will have noticed that (spontaneous) spoken French differs quite
significantly from the written norm, along several dimensions. Indeed, this fact may initially make
communication with native speakers difficult for a learner who has been exposed mainly to socalled ‘standard’ French, a (largely fictive) variety which is based almost exclusively on the written
norm. While some types of variation may be linked to more or less static social attributes of the
language users, many of the most salient oral structures are found in the speech of practically all
native language users, irrespective of their background. In several cases, it may be argued that
spoken and written French are structured by substantially different principles.
89
Level 3 Course Units
In this course, we will study a choice of structures, at the phonological, morphological, and
syntactic levels, which differ more or less sharply from the ‘standard’, but which are nonetheless in
quasi-universal use among French speakers.
We will also discuss the concepts of ‘norm’ and ‘standard language’, the parameters along which to
approach the study of linguistic variation in general, how variation between speech and writing, in
particular, may be explained, and to what extent use of the specific structures studied may be
evidence of on-going language change.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 identify and characterise salient differences between spoken and written French using
appropriate linguistic terminology;
 identify and characterise the extralinguistic factors that are relevant to the choice of
prototypically “oral” vs prototypically “written” structures in contemporary French;
 reflect critically on the notions of “standard” and “sub-standard” language;
 reflect critically on the appropriateness of their own linguistic choices.
Teaching and learning methods:
One 1.5 hour seminar per week, involving a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities.
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 1¼-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (40%);
One 3500-word take-home essay, to be written individually or in pairs, on a topic of the students’
choice, selected in consultation with the tutor, to be submitted by Wednesday of Week 12, Semester
2 (60%).
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen (Maj-Britt.MosegaardHansen@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen
Max. entry:
35
90
Level 3 Course Units
Recommended reading:
Ashby, William J. 1981. ‘The loss of the negative particle ne in French: a syntactic change in
progress’, Language 57(3) : 674-687.
Blanche-Benveniste, Claire. 1997. Approches de la langue parlée en français. Paris: Ophrys (Coll.
Essentiel français). Chapitre VII: ‘Morphologie’, pp. 137-146.
Coveney, Aidan. 1995. ‘The use of the QU-final interrogative structure in spoken French’, Journal
of French Language Studies 5: 143-171.
Coveney, Aidan. 2000. ‘Vestiges of nous and the 1st person plural verb in informal spoken French’,
Language Sciences 22: 447-481.
Gadet, Françoise. 1989. Le français ordinaire. Paris: Armand Colin. Chapitre 13: ‘La relative’, pp.
147-159, Chapitre 14: ‘QUE, subordonnant passe-partout’, pp. 161-168.
Gadet, Françoise. 2003. La variation sociale en français. Paris: Ophrys (Coll. L’Essentiel français).
Chapitre I: ‘La diversité linguistique et la variation’, pp. 7-23, Chapitre VI: ‘Le diaphasique’, pp.
97-112.
Hansen, Anita Berit & Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen. 2003. ‘Le [ə] pré-pausal et l’interaction.’ In
Anita Berit Hansen & Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen, eds., Structures linguistiques et
interactionnelles dans le français parlé. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum, 89-109.
Hansen, Maj-Britt Mosegaard. 1998. The Function of Discourse Particles. A Study with Special
Reference to Spoken Standard French. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Chapter 5:
‘Spoken vs written language’, pp. 91-111.
Hansen, Maj-Britt Mosegaard. 2001. ‘Syntax in interaction. Form and function of yes/nointerrogatives in spoken standard French’. Studies in Language 25(3): 463-320.
Lambrecht, Knud. 1987. ‘On the status of SVO sentences in French discourse’. In Russell S.
Tomlin, ed, Coherence and Grounding in Discourse. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins
(Typological Studies in Language 11), 217-261.
FREN30721 French Popular Music
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional course unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 1
Timetable:
Monday 12:00-13:00 and Tuesday 12:00-13:00
Description:
This course explores the genre of French popular music and how it reflects social, political and
cultural situations from the beginning of the twentieth century to the 1980s. This will be studied
through the ‘chanson réaliste’, the ‘chanson engagée’, the rive gauche existentialist movement,
youth rebellion with rock and yéyé, regional self-assertion of the 70s, gender and the sexual
revolution, nostalgia and finally multiculturalism.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 show a thorough knowledge and understanding of major aspects of French popular music;
 discuss and analyse problems raised in the ‘chanson’ as a reflection on society’s cultural and
political development;
 demonstrate a thorough knowledge of set texts.
91
Level 3 Course Units
Teaching and learning methods:
17 contact hours in Semester 1; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 (100%)
Language of assessment:
French. Candidates may bring and use a single-volume dictionary.
Convenor:
Dr Catherine Franc (c.franc@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr Catherine Franc
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
David Looseley, Popular Music in Contemporary France (Oxford: Berg, 2003)
A study-pack will be distributed to students containing a full bibliography and a series of articles on
the studied topics; these will include extracts from:
P. Bourdieu, La Distinction (Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1979)
Peter Hawkins, Chansons (London: Ashgate, 2001)
D. Looseley, Politics of Fun (Oxford: Berg, 1997)
Les Sixties, ed. by Laurent Gervereau (Paris: Somogy, 1996)
and various song lyrics.
Course CDs will be available for purchase from the Language Centre
Pathway:
MA:
Identities in French Popular Music
FREN30862 Other Ideas: France and the Outside World, 1720-1800
Credits: 10
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Semester 2
Timetable:
Tuesday 14:00-15:00 and Thursday 15:00-16:00
92
Level 3 Course Units
Description:
In the 18th century, France was subjected as never before to the influence of other civilizations,
other customs and other ways of thinking. These ranged from the philosophy of John Locke and the
cosmology of Isaac Newton to the plays of Shakespeare and the sexual customs of Tahiti. The
cumulative effect of these external perspectives was enormous, and ultimately changed the way
French people thought about themselves and their country at many levels. This course studies the
nature and effect of those changes at a crucial period in the development of French civilization. The
aims of this course are to introduce students to the major external influences which shaped French
thought in the Enlightenment; to assess the impact of those influences on the way French writers,
thinkers, theologians and others saw themselves, and their country; and to study in detail a number
of works which bear witness to the influence, both positive and negative, of those ideas at this
period.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the course, students will:
 have acquired a knowledge of the development of French thought during one of the most critical
periods in European history;
 have acquired a critically-informed knowledge of some of the major texts of the French
Enlightenment;
 understand the major developments in French culture and society from the end of the reign of
Louis XIV to the Revolution.
Teaching and learning methods:
17 contact hours in Semester 2; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
French and English
Assessment:
One 1.5-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Language of assessment:
English and French. At least one question in the examination must be answered in French; 25% of
the mark for this answer will be awarded for the quality of the French.
Convenor:
Professor David Adams (david.adams@manchester.ac.uk)
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
Montesquieu, Lettres persanes (1721)
Voltaire, Lettres philosophiques (1734)
Diderot, Supplément au voyage de Bougainville (1796)
All these texts will be read in the latest Garnier-Flammarion editions
A course booklet and other material will be distributed in class
Pathway:
MA:
Diderot
93
Level 3 Course Units
FREN30900 Saints, Sinners, and Psychopaths: Subversion and Transgression in
Medieval French and Occitan Literature
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional course unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Previous study of early French language or literature is recommended
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Tuesday 10:00-11:00 and Thursday 10:00-11:00
Description:
Sex, violence, transvestism, scatology, blasphemy, parody, satire… Early French literature is
teeming with examples of transgression of contemporary social, intellectual, moral, and literary
boundaries. This course unit explores the varying ways in which such subversive behaviour is both
depicted and practised in medieval texts by focussing on three fascinating examples. In the
eleventh-century Chanson de sainte Foy, the heroine successfully fights the cause of Christian
orthodoxy, yet at the same time challenges and transcends the bounds of gender, and in her chastity
and beauty becomes the titillating object of desire for her tormentors and audience alike; the
imbecilic anti-hero of the thirteenth-century Trubert wages an unprecedentedly merciless campaign
of terror against a duke, and through his rampant sexuality and outrageous brutality calls into
question the very essence of the aristocratic society that he violates; and the fifteenth-century
vagabond and thief Villon executes a breathtaking series of literary cut-and-paste operations to
create the spellbinding image of a poète maudit. Through detailed analysis of the texts, informed by
a range of theoretical approaches (Bakhtin, Kristeva, Lacan…), you will begin to appreciate the
subversive qualities of early French literature, and will gain the ability to recognise more generally
the presence and significance of transgressive elements.
Learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of subversion and transgression, both in general
terms and in relation to French literature and culture of the Middle Ages;
 discuss these concepts in appropriate terms, and relate them to the texts studied;
 demonstrate a sound grasp of early forms of the French language;
 demonstrate a good knowledge of medieval French culture;
 demonstrate a good knowledge of the prescribed texts.
Teaching and learning methods:
31 contact hours during the year; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities.
For each text studied, after an introductory lecture, the weekly contact hours will normally consist
of one collaborative seminar and one session led by one or more students, who will deliver a formal
presentation on subjects set by the tutor. Full guidance on presentation and documentation will be
supplied.
Language of teaching:
English and French
94
Level 3 Course Units
Assessment:
One 3-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 (100%)
Students are permitted to take ‘clean’ (i.e. unmarked) copies of the prescribed texts into the
examination room
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Convenor:
Professor Adrian Armstrong (adrian.armstrong@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Professor Adrian Armstrong
Dr Daron Burrows
Dr Catherine Franc
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
La Chanson de sainte Foi d’Agen: poème provençal du XIe siècle, ed. by Antoine Thomas, Les
Classiques français du moyen âge 45 (Paris: Champion, 1974) [freely available to download via the
Gallica website of the Bibliothèque nationale de France: www.gallica.bnf.fr]
Trubert [edition freely available via JRULM’s Corpus de la littérature médiévale CD]
François Villon, Poésies complètes, ed. by Claude Thiry, ‘Lettres Gothiques’ (Paris: Le Livre de
Poche, 1991)
NB In the examination, students will be required to show knowledge of these texts in their original
language
FREN31500** Instruction and Amusement in Early European Children’s
Literature
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Optional Course Unit
Pre-requisite:
FREN20210 or FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8
onwards)
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Wednesday 10:00-11:00 and Thursday 12:00-13:00
Description:
This course unit is an introduction to the history of children’s literature in Europe and will examine
a number of texts which were important landmarks in the genre from the late 17th century. Known
through translations, adaptations and imitations, these texts throw light on contemporary social,
moral and literary concerns. The unit will explore the influence of Rationalism and Romanticism,
the debate about education and the perceived effects (enlightening or corrupting) of fantasy and
fairy tales, the implications of the reception of the texts in other countries and the development of
increasingly sophisticated forms of narrative approach. All the texts will be read in the original
language where possible, with reference to their presentation in English translation.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
95
Level 3 Course Units
 show knowledge and understanding of the different factors affecting the development of
children’s literature in Europe;
 discuss and analyse questions relating to plot, characterisation and the moral and didactic agenda
of the texts;
 show an understanding of issues relating to the acculturation and translation of children’s books;
 show an appreciation of the role of illustrations in children’s books.
Teaching and learning methods:
3 contact hours per fortnight; a combination of tutor-led and student-led activities
Language of teaching:
English
Assessment:
One 2,500 word essay to be submitted at the end January (40%)
One 1 hour 45 minute written examination at the end of Semester 2 (60%)
Language of assessment:
English or French (no extra credit will be given for the use of French)
Deadline for assessed coursework:
Wednesday of Week 1, Semester 2
Convenor:
Mrs Penny Brown (penny.brown@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Mrs Penny Brown
Max. entry:
35
Set texts:
C.Perrault, Coutes (Livres de Poche: Paris, 1989)
H. Hoffmann, Der Struwwelpeter (Loewes Verlag: Stuttgart, 1995 or English translation)
Comtesse de Ségur, Les Malheurs de Sophie (Folio Junior: Paris, 1977)
C. Collodi, The Adventures of Pinocchio (Penguin: London, 1996)
J. Verne, Voyage au centre de la terre (Livre de Poche: Paris 2001)
Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Wordsworth: Paris, 1992)
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Bloomsbury: London, 1997)
V. Dayre, Les Nouveaux Malheurs de Sophie (Médium: Paris, 2001)
Pathway:
MA:
MA in European Children’s Literature
Instruction and Amusement in Early European Children’s Literature
Illustrations in Nineteenth-Century Children’s Literature
ULFR30360 Advanced Business French
Credits: 20
Level: 3
Open only to students taking a degree programme in Modern Language and Business and
Management or in International Management and French.
Pre-requisite:
FREN20050 or FREN20310 (FREN20310 has been withdrawn as of 2007-8 onwards)
96
Level 3 Course Units
Taught during:
Both semesters
Timetable:
Thursday 17:30-20:30
Description:
This course aims to give students an advanced level of competence in French as applied to a
business environment in preparation for the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris’s
Diplôme de Français des Affaires - 2nd degré examination. While building on previously acquired
language skills, the course increases specialist knowledge and communicative know-how as defined
in ULFR20360 Further Business French, but with a higher degree of technicality and complexity,
and with an emphasis on macro-economic or managerial perspectives..
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
interact flexibly and effectively with native speakers in the main areas of professional life, taking
into account social / professional norms and hierarchical constraints, and adapting to the appropriate
linguistic register and situation (lectures, discussions, phone conversations, negotiations,
presentations, etc.);
summarize, translate, compose or answer with linguistic, stylistic, rhetorical and contextual
accuracy any fairly advanced business document;
demonstrate a good knowledge of business terminology, as well as of French contemporary social,
economic, and commercial realities so as to be in a position to take the CCIP’s DFA2 examination;
Teaching and learning methods
One three-hour class per week.
Each week focuses on a given business topic introduced by pre-class exercises (set on WebCT) and
consolidated / expanded in a three hour class through mini-lectures, applied activities, case studies
and business simulations. Independent learning is strongly encouraged through follow-up
homework and use of Language Centre facilities.
Language of teaching:
French
Assessment:
Assessment for this course unit is designed in line with Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de
Paris’s guidelines and intended as a preparation for the DFA1.
Semester 1:
One in-class reading and writing test in week 8 (15%)
One one-to-one oral presentation in week 11/12 (15%)
Semester 2:
One in-class listening and writing test in week 7 (15%)
One in-class reading and writing test in week 9 (10%)
One one-to-one oral presentation in week 11/12 (15%)
Summer examination:
One written test (30%)
Language of assessment:
French
Convenor:
Dr. Laurent Semichon (l.semichon@manchester.ac.uk)
Taught by:
Dr. Laurent Semichon (l.semichon@manchester.ac.uk)
97
Level 3 Course Units
Max. entry:
N/A
Set texts:
M. Danilo & J.-L. Penformis, Le Français de la communication professionnelle (Clé International,
2005)
POLI30152 The French Left and the Fifth Republic since 1968
LALC30011 Topics in Translation Studies
For details of the above courses, please consult the descriptions available via the Humanities
course unit database.
98
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE FOR CONTENT COURSES CONVENED IN FRENCH STUDIES 2007-8
All times shown below are provisional and may be subject to change. Please confirm times at the beginning of the session.
Please also note that, as indicated in course descriptions, some courses may not run if the tutor is absent on research leave.
Level 1
Semester 1
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
09
10
FREN10080
FREN10070
11 FREN10070
FREN10050
(bus. lang.)
12
13
14
FREN10060
FREN10080
FREN10040
(Group B)
FREN10040
(Lecture and Group A)
15
16
Semester 2
Mon
09
10
11 FREN10070
Tue
FREN10080
12
13
14
15
16
FREN10060
Wed
Thu
Fri
FREN10070
FREN10050
(bus. lang.)
FREN10080
FREN10040
(Group B)
FREN10040
(Lecture and Group A)
99
Provisional timetable
Level 2
Semester 1
Mon
09
Tue
Wed
Thu
FREN20050
(bus. lang.)
FREN20521
FREN20250
10
11
FREN20450
FREN20230
FREN20530
FREN20131
13
14
15
16
FREN20450 (B)
FREN20250 (A)
FREN20250 (B)
FREN20131
FREN20450 (A)
FREN21002
10
FREN20450
12
13
14
15
16
FREN20491
FREN20521
FREN20230
Semester 2
Mon
11
FREN20491
FREN20171
12
09
Fri
Tue
FREN20050
FREN20242
(bus. lang.)
FREN21002
FREN20530
FREN20132
FREN20342
FREN20352
Wed
Thu
FREN20250
FREN20142
FREN20492
FREN20162
FREN20182
FREN20230
FREN20492
FREN20250 (A)
FREN20342
FREN20162
FREN20450 (B)
FREN20132
FREN20242
FREN20230
FREN20450 (A)
100
Fri
FREN20142
FREN20250 (B)
Provisional timetable
Level 3
Semester 1
Mon
Tue
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Wed
FREN30091
FREN30330
FREN30490
FREN30540
FREN30030
FREN30051
FREN30900
FREN30261
FREN30721
FREN30721
FREN30490
Thu
Fri
FREN30050
(bus. lang. A)
FREN31500
FREN30261
FREN30900
FREN30640
FREN31500
FREN30050
(grammar B)
FREN30091
FREN30521
FREN30251
FREN30050 (bus. lang. B)
FREN30640
FREN30051
FREN30050 (grammar A)
FREN30540
FREN30330
FREN30700
17
Semester 2
Mon
Tue
09
FREN30030
10
11
FREN30330
FREN30672
FREN30900
FREN30490
FREN30062
FREN30502
12
FREN30540
13
14
FREN30102
FREN30050
(bus. lang. A)
FREN31500
FREN30002
FREN30490
FREN30640
Thu
FREN30062
Fri
FREN30900
FREN30102
FREN30050
FREN31500
(grammar B)
FREN30502
FREN30002
FREN30050 (bus. lang. B)
FREN30640
15
16
Wed
FREN30540
FREN30862
FREN30330
FREN30050
(grammar A)
FREN30322
FREN30672
FREN30700
17
101
FREN30862