This module aims to provide students with academic writing skills appropriate to a range of areas in French Studies;

The first half of the module aims to introduce students to the institutions of Francophonie - the community of French speaking nations (fostering critical thinking on those institutions);

The module further aims to provide students with a comprehensive chronological review of French colonial history, introduces them to the French presence and role of French in North Africa, in Sub-Saharan Africa and in the Low Countries;

The second half of the module introduces the students to various French narrative forms, from the historical period to the present day, and to provide them with the necessary skills critically to evaluate such forms.

(LO1) Demonstrate knowledge of the development of the French language and of the extent of its use throughout the world.

(LO2) Demonstrate knowledge of representative examples of French narrative forms and be able to deploy the academic terms used to describe key concepts in these areas.

(LO3) Students will be able to analyse data and read critically both in French and in English. They will be able to select and integrate this secondary material into their essays following the appropriate conventions.

(LO4) They will have some understanding of the language and conventions of scholarly articles. They will be able to write summaries on appropriate secondary sources and use their knowledge and understanding of these sources to construct their own arguments.

(S1) Information skills - Critical reading

(S2) Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the cultures, linguistic contexts, history, politics, geography, and social and economic structures of the societies of the country of the target language and other countries around the world where that language is used.

(S3) Understand a text of the target language within its broader historical, cultural and social context

(S4) Global citizenship - Cultural awareness

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: The module comprises twenty-two one-hour sessions, of which twelve are lectures and eleven are seminars. Lectures provide basic information and orientation on key events and issues.
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 2 - Seminar
Description: The module comprises eleven seminars. Seminars involve a range of exercises in which students will normally work in groups in such a way as to apply, assimilate and anchor what they have learned in lectures and in independent study. Seminars will also provide ample opportunity for students to discuss the two primary texts that will be studied on the module. Primary materials are supported by extensive resources in English and French on VITAL. Two seminars are dedicated specifically to introducing and practising academic writing and presentations skills.
Attendance Recorded: No
Notes: Practice and perfection of academic writing technique, practice and review of content, su pervised and directed peer-to-peer feedback, study of module set text

Topics covered during this module will include the origin and development of the Francophonie - the community of French speaking nations, French colonial history, French in North Africa, in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Low Countries . A variety of texts will be studied in the form of extracts, and at least one longer complete text will be studied.