THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures : European Languages and Cultures - French

Undergraduate Course: French 1B (ELCF08006)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Literatures, Languages and Cultures CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits40 ECTS Credits20
SummaryThe French 1B course is divided into two equally-weighted halves: the LANGUAGE course, and the LITERATURE & CIVILISATION course.

Written language classes enable students to establish a sound foundation of grammatical knowledge. Practical (i.e. oral) tutorials with native language tutors complement the written language course by giving students the opportunity to develop their skills in spoken French.

The Literature and Civilisation course examines a number of key issues relating to the Literature, Film and Politics of France since 1940.

Students who are qualified for admission to French 1B are not admissable to French 1A. Transfers by such students from French 1B to 1A are not permitted.
Course description LANGUAGE COURSE

1. Written language tutorials

The emphasis is placed on work that helps students establish a sound foundation of grammatical knowledge, in order to allow for the development of the capacity for autonomous expression on a very wide range of subjects. Working towards this aim involves preparation and classwork activities. Students work on written production exercises as well as translate short texts. The written language course concentrates on formal registers of French - mainly journalistic and literary. These provide varied and authentic contexts in which to study the language in depth.

2. Practical (i.e. oral) tutorials

Practical tutorials with native language tutors complement the written language course by giving students the opportunity to develop their skills in spoken French through group discussion on a variety of topics relating to contemporary France and the Francophone world.
Regular attendance, regular preparation and class participation are essential for the achievement of the learning outcomes on this programme.

LITERATURE & CIVILISATION COURSE

The lectures and tutorials of the course examine a number of key issues relating to the literature, film and political history of France since 1940. Using an integrated approach, the course examines the interaction among the three principal areas studied. Particular attention is paid to a number of common themes which recur in the literature, cinema and political discourse of the period. These common themes include the following: World War II, collaboration and the Holocaust; ideology; colonialism and post-colonial experience; childhood and adolescence; political and personal identity; history, memory and knowledge; gender, race and society; mechanisms of repression, persuasion, and subversion. The literary component of the course will approach the study of literature via the genres of autobiography and the novel. The literary texts studied will explore issues such as representing the self, narrative perspective, temporality, cross-genre experimentation, societal norms, and the role of the media. The film component of the course will provide an introduction to the study of film and will examine the respective contributions of dialogue, framing, editing and lighting to the development of narrative and theme. The politics component will provide an overview of some of the main historical events and political developments of the period (including decolonisation, the foundation of the 5th French Republic, and the challenge to that Republic of the unrest or events of May 1968) and will promote reflection on the social, moral and ideological issues raised by those events and developments.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements French Higher (SQA), grade A or B (SCE);

French A level, grade A or B;

EITHER 50% in Foundation French 4;

OR equivalent.

If your entry qualification for French is a Scottish Higher, you will automatically be admitted to 1B. Entrants with SQA qualifications (or A-level) should hold at least a 'B' pass.

Students with a 'crash' Higher OR a Higher awarded more than 1 year ago will be registered on French 1B, but may take a Diagnostic Test to gauge their ability. Depending on the results, course registration would be changed to French 1A.

Other students whose qualifications in French are more than 3 years old may also take the Diagnostic Test to determine whether French 1A or 1B would be more appropriate.

The diagnostic test for French 1A and 1B will be open to students in Welcome Week and information will be given via the Course Learn site.

The test should be done in Learn, in the folders "Course Materials", "Fr1A/Fr1B Diagnostic Test" (scroll down to the bottom of the page to find this folder).
Further details on the Online Diagnostic Test will be provided by the Course Organiser in the First Class Meeting.

For entry qualifications other than a Scottish Higher:
If your qualification entitles you to admission to 1B but is over three years old you may take our Diagnostic Test. If this tells us that you are better suited to 1A than to 1B, you will be given the option of switching to 1A. (We recommend that you take the test if you have not engaged in language learning activities since you gained that entry qualification.)

To take the Diagnostic Test, please contact your 1B Course Organiser as soon as possible.

Please note that changing from 1B to 1A is not allowed in any other circumstances, and is not possible after week 2 of semester 1.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  200
Course Start Full Year
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 400 ( Lecture Hours 27, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 66, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 22, Summative Assessment Hours 3, Other Study Hours 12, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 262 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 20 %, Coursework 80 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Oral Presentation 20%
Written Language coursework 10%
Written Language exam (1.5 hours) 20%
Literature/Civilisation Essay (sem 1) 25%
Literature/Civilisation Essay/Commentary (sem 2) 25%
Feedback Feedback opportunities
» In-class feedback and active learning: each contact hour will provide opportunity for class discussion and feedback on the development of ideas and comprehension.

» Continuous/formative feedback: students will regularly be divided into groups and asked to work on specific tasks during the tutorials or in preparation for the tutorials, and via the discussion boards and wikis. These discussions, online contributions and group activities will provide the opportunity for in-class and/or online feedback on a weekly basis.

» Summative feedback: the language and lit/civ assignments, the discussion board/wiki activities, and the oral presentations will provide an opportunity for students to display their knowledge of the topics studied and their level of written and/or spoken French. The coursework will be marked and will include feedback from the tutors.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)French 1B:90
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. demonstrate the attainment of a solid level of competence in language and intercultural skills: (i) a sound grasp of spoken and written French, making accurate use of a wide range of French vocabulary, grammar and syntax; (ii) a sound intercultural awareness and understanding of post-war and contemporary French society and culture, acquired through the study of political history and cultural artefacts, including literature and cinema.
  2. analyse and evaluate spoken and written information produced in both French and English effectively: (i) the ability to analyse French-language material from a variety of audiovisual and text-based sources, including cultural artefacts from French literature and cinema, identifying both general messages and specific details; (ii) the ability to analyse the content of scholarly publications in English treating specific topics relating to French society, culture and cultural artefacts, including literature and cinema.
  3. communicate effectively in both French and English, orally and in writing, with a reasonable level of accuracy and drawing on analyses, research and/or study previously undertaken in order to comment effectively on familiar topics and cultural artefacts. In French, this will involve expressing personal opinions where appropriate, and comparing and contrasting those of others; in English, this will involve using an appropriate academic register to discuss and comment on French-language material.
  4. demonstrate effective research, communication, presentation and social interaction skills using a range of media and learning tools, including the development of skills in academic writing.
  5. demonstrate self-reliance, initiative, organisational and problem-solving skills and the ability to work flexibly with others as part of a team.
Reading List
Please search for your course on the following resources list:
http://resourcelists.ed.ac.uk
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsDELC French 1B
Contacts
Course organiserDr Lillian Fontaine
Tel:
Email: lillian.fontaine@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Lina Gordyshevskaya
Tel:
Email: pgordysh@ed.ac.uk
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