FRENCH 120 (sec 2) FRENCH CIVILIZATION - Syllabus

Description of French 120 Section 2

As stated in the course description of French 120, the purpose of the class is to clarify “Formative cultural achievements of the French World from its origins to the present…with contributions to modern Western Culture.

Students will be exposed to the geography of France, and its cultural heritage. They will be introduced to France’s civilization, through its own social cultural perspectives

Course Objectives

A. The course promotes an understanding of French civilization:

1. Identifying French Civilization

Through a social-historical, cultural perspective, the course surveys the geography of France, French cultural landmarks, from prehistory to contemporary time.

2. With its own social cultural method, the course investigates various esthetic concepts, always illustrated through literature excerpts, movie clips, painting, sculpture, architecture, music and performance arts.

B. The course enhances French Contribution to Western Civilization by:

1. Highlighting various French cultural contributions such as ethnic diversity, individualism, human respect and rights, democracy, freedom and tolerance.

• Incorporating these cultural French responses to the Western attitude, by:
• Developing critical thinking and comparing authentic French cultural documents.
• Analyzing diverse and various cross-cultural French and American contemporary responses.
• Enlarging a broader sense of tolerance.

The course develops critical thinking, and promotes social cultural perspectives, and personal wisdom.

Skills developed in the Course

1. Experiencing authentic French cultural documents.

2. Critical thinking:

The students develop their cultural understanding, their own critical skills through the reading and the debating of authentic cultural documents.

3. Defining, analyzing, and appraising comparative cultural documents.

• Comparing various cross-cultural French and American contemporary responses.
• Participating to class discussions, formulating questions, debating, and sharing their oral and written personal and cultural experience.
• Writing and monitoring the creation of a scholarly essay.

Verification, testing of information and performance

Report on Monet Show with a 1000 word- essay.

• Three Multi-choice tests verify control of reading required material in The French Experience, A Cultural Anthology.
• Five Cultural Quizzes, which verify the understanding of important cultural concepts and identities.
• Organization required: Work preparation must be done in a timely manner, with required reading, and organized material notes.
• Presence for all required tests, cultural quizzes, and class attendance are required. A three-unit course requires that you count to spend 6 to 9 hours of work per week.

Grading Requirements

1. One Monet report (10%)
2. Completion of three (3) periodic tests based on the reading of anthology. No make-ups allowed. (50%)
3. Five (5) Cultural quizzes based on scheduled lectures. No make-ups quizzes or CPT allowed. (40 %)
4. Being in class is your responsibility. Attendance participation is required. Attendance points are already incorporated in the points earned during the semester. Therefore, two (2) unexcused absences, or/and four (4) lateness will be penalized, and will downgrade your grade. The instructor penalizes an extensive unexcused absence of 2 weeks with an automatic F final grade.
5. Being aware of Course Schedule. Students must pay attention to report dateline schedule: M/C reading tests, Cultural quizzes, and report dates are listed in the schedule. No made-up are allowed in any testing, quiz situation, or report writing.

Academic Behavior

CSUS expect all students and faculty to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity. High academic standards inside and outside the classroom are the norm. Plagiarism and cheating violate our academic ethics. Penalties for these violations will range at the discretion of the instructor from failing the course to an appearance before the Dean.

Syllabus and Schedule Changes:

The instructor reserves the right to alter the Syllabus and the dated class lectures, tests, quiz Schedule at any time.
Changes to the schedule and syllabus will be announced in class time, will be written, dated, and distributed in class.
The new written version of the syllabus, and the new schedule are authoritative and take precedence over any previous older printed version.

updated July 12, 2006