Publication: 
Departmental Advising and Registration Suggestions

French:

 
All entering students who have previously studied French are required to take the French Department's Placement Test during New Student Orientation. (It is not administered at any other time.) The department uses the results of the Placement Test to recommend the appropriate starting point for each student.

Students who have never taken French before should register for 101 and should plan on taking at least one full year of French and preferably two, in order to develop effective use of the language. Students who take 101 in their first semester will be able to complete a French major at Grinnell and/or study off campus in a French-speaking country.

The lower-level sequence is as follows:

FRN 101 (fall) and FRN 102 (spring) or
FRN 103 (fall) 1st year intensive French (covers content of 101 and 102)

FRN 221 (4 credits) offered both semesters
FRN 222 (4 credits) offered both semesters

French 101, 102 and 103 use a set of intensive instructional materials aimed at promoting the acquisition of written and oral language skills. The fall semester 103 (Accelerated Introduction to French) is designed as a complete review of introductory French for incoming students who have already taken some French.  French 221 and 222 provide a grammar review at the intermediate level and introduce students to reading and to basic literary analysis in French. French 222 emphasizes reading and analyzing literary and historical texts and films of greater length and complexity. All courses are conducted in French.

Students at the 200-and 300-level are also eligible for the one-credit 201: French Speaking. This course conducted by the French Assistant is designed to develop oral communication skills in an informal conversational setting. It may be taken once for credit and it must be taken concurrently with a 200- or 300-level course in the French department.

Students placed into the 300 level may choose from among the following courses: (Numbering does not reflect level of difficulty.)

FRN 303 or 304   4 credits (fall)   French Civilization I and II (offered in alternate years)
FRN 305   4 credits (spring)   Contemporary Francophone Cultures
FRN 313   4 credits (fall)   Introduction to French Literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries
FRN 312   4 credits (spring)   Introduction to French Literature from the Middle Ages to the Revolution
FRN 301   4 credits (spring)   Advanced Oral and Written Expression

Arabic:

All entering students who have previously studied Arabic are required to meet with Prof. Mervat Youssef during New Student Orientation. During this meeting, Professor Youssef will assess each student's level of Arabic and recommend the appropriate course.

Students just beginning study of the Arabic language should plan for at least one full year of work and, preferably two, in order to develop effective use of the language.

The regular Arabic sequence is four semesters as follows:
ARB 101 (5 Credits, Fall)
ARB 102 (5 Credits, Spring)
ARB 221 (4 Credits, Fall)
ARB 222 (4 Credits, Spring)

Arabic 101 and 102 use a set of intensive instructional materials aimed at promoting the acquisition of written and oral language skills. Arabic 221 emphasizes grammar (written and oral skills) and provides an introduction to the analysis of literary and cultural texts. ARB 222 focuses on the development of written and oral skills through the exploration of literary texts and contemporary media materials.

Students at the 200-and 300-level are also eligible for the one-credit ARB-295-01: Egyptian Arabic Speaking. This is a conversational unit designed for both free and structured oral exchange in Egyptian colloquial Arabic. Prerequisite: prior exposure to dialectical Arabic.