The modern languages department offers capable and highly motivated students two options to pursue a major in French with departmental honors: (a) an individual research/thesis project under the direction of a French faculty member, or (b) an advanced French language diploma followed by completion of a service-learning program in a French-speaking country through the university’s International Development Internship Program (IDIP).
Application to the major: To be accepted to either program, students must have a 3.50 or higher cumulative grade point average and major grade point average of at least 3.50 in their previous French courses. Interested students should apply to the French Honors Coordinator in spring quarter of the junior year or fall quarter of the senior year. Upon acceptance, a change of major degree, or specialization form will be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Completion of the major: Option (a): Research project and honors thesis. During the senior year, departmental honors students who opt for the research/thesis option will complete the departmental honors sequence FREN 4770 Departmental Honors Directed Reading (5 credits) and FREN 4790 Departmental Honors Thesis (5 credits). The focus of this option will be a substantial thesis written under the direction of a department faculty member. The thesis will be subject to approval by the department faculty and will be presented orally in a setting to be determined by the thesis supervisor. Students who commit to this option must complete both courses with a grade of A or A-.
Option (b): French language diploma and service learning. The departmental honors language/service option will require that students pass the Diplôme Avancé de Langue Française (DALF) examination as part of their study abroad requirement for the major in French. (The DALF examination is an internationally recognized proficiency test for advanced students in French.) Upon their return to Seattle University, these departmental honors candidates will apply for and be accepted to the IDIP program and do their field internship in a French-speaking country. After successful completion of the IDIP field internship (INIP 4010 ), and the International Internship Seminar II (INIP 4020 ), students will give an oral presentation, in French, describing their work and experience abroad and summarizing their INIP 4020 thesis. In addition, students will write a 10-page summary, in French, of their INIP 4020 research project and will include an annotated bibliography, also in French. Candidates for honors in French must receive a grade of A or A- in INIP 4020 . See International Development Internship Program of the Catalog for further details of the IDIP program.