Specialization in French Literature with a Bachelor's Thesis

Undergraduate course

ECTS credits: 15
Teaching semesters
Course code: FRAN256
Number of semesters: 1
Teaching language: French
Resources: Schedule; Reading list

Select course description for semester

Objectives and Content

The objective of this seminar in French/Francophone literature is to investigate a specific literary problem, for instance connected to a genre, period, authorship, literary theory or something of the like.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the course, the student is expected to:

Knowledge

have a solid understanding of the selected syllabus texts and the issues related to the literature and literary theory that have been covered.

Skills

be able to utilize terms learned in independent analyses of the curriculum texts
discuss orally and in writing issues related to the curriculum
be able to analyze the texts thematically and through theoretical perspectives that have been covered

General competence

be able to transmit knowledge in French within the academic field orally or in writing
be equipped to work independently with an issue and find relevant background material
can conduct under supervision a reasoning, analytical, and critical work equivalent to a BA thesis
know the norms of academic language
be able to further develop knowledge and skills in the discipline in an independent manner

ECTS Credits

Level of Study

Bachelor

Semester of Instruction

Spring

Place of Instruction

Bergen

Required Previous Knowledge

No official requirements, but all the teaching is conducted in French and presupposes high level of French.

Recommended Previous Knowledge

FRAN256 builds on FRAN122">FRAN122 and FRAN123">FRAN123. Students' language proficiency should be equivalent to those having completed course work on the 100 level.

Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap

Due to academic overlap, credits awarded for completing FRAN256 are reduced by 15 ECTS if combined with FRAN203, FRAN253 or FRAN206 and 10 ECTS if combined with FRAN204 or FRAN254.

Access to the Course

The course is open to all students admitted to the University of Bergen.

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching is normally conducted in the form of three-hour lectures, seminars and supervision over a twelve-week period. Teaching can be conducted digitally.

If less than five students sign up for the course, the teaching may be adjusted to fit the number of students, e.g. by making lectures into seminars or other forms of individually suited teaching. If this should be the case, students will be notified on the nature of the alternative teaching arrangements before the registration deadline 1 Feb/1 Sep.

Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

Students must attend at least 75 % of the lectures/seminars (including digital teaching) in order to be eligible for assessment in this course.

In consultation with the course instructor, students determine an individual reading list contributing to the textual foundation of the semester assignment.

During the semester the students must write a French-English word list (minimum 50 words) based on a given text from the curriculum to be published on the platform for the use of the group.

No later than four weeks prior to the exams, students are required to get approval of an approximately 15 minute oral presentation on a topic related to the curriculum. The presentation is prepared in collaboration with the instructor, and the manuscript must be submitted at the same time as the presentation.

Students are required to have at least one session of academic advisement with a supervisor while writing the term paper.

Mandatory assignments are valid for one additional semester following the semester of instruction.

Forms of Assessment

The exam is a term paper on French or Francophone literature of approx. 4000 words, written in the course of the semester. The paper is written in French, and fulfills the requirement for independent research as part of a BA degree.

At the end of the course, there is an oral examination approx. 20-30 minutes in the literature curriculum. The test is also meant to show the candidates proficiency in oral French.

The written exam counts 70% and the oral exam counts 30 % of the final grade in the course. The grades are announced shortly after the oral exam. Both tests must be taken in the same semester.

Students are not eligible to receive more supervision if the term paper is deferred to the following semester.

Grading Scale

The grading scale is A-F, where F is a fail.

Assessment Semester

Spring. Students with valid approvals on their mandatory assignments may also be assessed in the fall semester.

Reading List

The curriculum consists of one literary component (3-5 literary works), and one theoretical component (50 - 100 pages).

The reading list will be ready by July 1st for the fall semester, and December 1st for the spring semester.

Any subsequent changes to the reading list will be announced at the beginning of the semester.

Course Evaluation

Evaluation of the course is carried out in accordance with the University of Bergen quality assurance system.

Examination Support Material

Not relevant