French

Degree Type: 

Bachelor of Arts

Department: 

Department of French

Programme Duration: 

4 years (Standard Entry)

Modes of Study: 

Regular

Entry Requirements: 

  • SSSCE/WASSCE Holders

  • Mature Candidates

Candidates must have six (6) passes with overall aggregate of twenty (20).

Three of the six subjects must be core subjects (including English Language, Integrated Science & Mathematics) and three must be in History, Literature in English, French, Ghanaian Language (Akan, Ewe/Ga). Government and Christian or Islamic Religious Studies or African Traditional Religion. A good pass in Social Studies will be an advantage

MATURE CANDIDATES

Candidates applying for admission must be at least 30 years old by the 31st December of the year immediately preceding that of the application and must pass the

University’s Mature Students’ Exanimation and Interview.

Programme Structure

Level 100

First Semester

CMS 107: Communicative Skills I
3 Credit(s)

Engaging in academic work at the university is challenging. This course is aimed at equipping fresh students to make the transition from pre-university level to the university level. It assists them in engaging and succeeding in complex academic tasks in speaking, listening, reading and writing. It also provides an introduction to university studies by equipping students with skills that will help them to engage in academic discourse with confidence and fluency.
FRE 103: Language Structure and Usage (Spoken)
3 Credit(s)

This course develops the oral competence of students through the use of simple texts. Attention is given to the study of aspects of grammar such as parts of speech, and conjugation.

Emphasis is placed on spoken competence. Conversation and speech drills are conducted in the language laboratory.

 

Second Semester

CMS 108: Communicative Skills II
3 Credit(s)

This is a follow-up course on the first semester one. It takes students through writing correct sentences, devoid of ambiguity, through the paragraph and its appropriate development to the fully-developed essay. The course also emphasizes the importance and the processes of editing written work.
FRE 104: Language Structure and Usage (Written)
3 Credit(s)

This course complements FRE 101. It develops the written competence of students through the use of simple texts. This is done through exercises in grammar, comprehension,

exercises on conjugation and construction of the basic sentence. Students are then helped to use the grammatical structures they have learnt in writing simple narrative essays.

Level 200

First Semester

FRE 203: Introduction to Literature
3 Credit(s)

This course lays a solid foundation in literature in the students. It explains elementary notions of art and the various branches of art and art forms. It then deals with literature as

an art form with its own resources, limits and justification. It further explains and discusses the three main literary genres – Prose Fiction, Poetry and Drama – their nature, differences

and similarities using illustrative examples. This will develop in the students a systematized sensitivity to literature and prepare them for more advanced literature courses.
FRE 207: Language Structure and Usage (Fluency)
3 Credit(s)

This course develops in students the fluency of expression and adequacy in their verbal reaction to basic communication situations in both the local and international contexts; implying that equal attention is given to both oral and written expressions. Areas covered include grammatical structures related to direct and indirect speech and expressions used in various oral communicative situations. 
FRE 211: Introduction to Translation
3 Credit(s)

This course introduces the students to the elementary notions of translation such as what, how and why we translate, the types or levels of translation and the qualities of a good translation. The practicum consists mainly of many exercises of translation of “units of translation” (phrases, clauses, simple individual sentences); then progressively of longer, more complex sentences, and then short passages.

Second Semester

FRE 208: Basic French Composition
3 Credit(s)

This course teaches students the techniques of essay writing related to letter writing and narrative essays. The emphasis is on the accurate use of grammatical structures (i.e. direct and indirect speech and tenses) and the various forms of expressions relevant to the writing of narrative essays and informal letters. Students will be taught to vary the structure and length of their sentences in order to avoid monotony.
FRE 210: Introductory Secretarial Expression
3 Credit(s)

The course introduces students to the functions of a secretary. It then focuses on the teaching of language used mainly in correspondence in corporate business organisations, civil administration and commerce. Model correspondences are studied and analysed; exercises in class, assignments and quizzes are given to ensure effective assimilation of appropriate use of technical language and practice.
FRE 212: Francophone African and French Literature
3 Credit(s)

The course gives a deeper understanding of literature as an art and, in the process, equips the student with the necessary skills and sensitivity for literary analysis, appreciation and interpretation.

Representative French and Francophone literary texts are selected to exemplify the various genres. Background study of the chosen texts relates them to their background of time, space and thought.

Level 300

First Semester

FRE 307: Introduction to French Composition
3 Credit(s)

This course lays emphasis on the correct use of tenses, moods, aspects and on the accurate use of grammatical structures and expressions used in descriptive essays.

Particular attention is paid to the logical and chronological ordering of thought and expression.
FRE 309: Intermediate Translation
3 Credit(s)

This course sensitizes students to some difficulties of translation and how to surmount them; difficulties such as the use of the ‘post position’, some uses of tenses, some uses

of the French subjunctive, use of the ‘Expletive Ne’ and some ‘traps’ such as ‘faux amis’ to accord. Exercises and quizzes on these difficulties train students to overcome them.
FRE 313: Introduction to French Literary History
3 Credit(s)

This is an introductory course that studies the notion of “l’Art poétique” in general and “l’Art poétique” of Boileau in particular. It undertakes a survey of literary trends, movements

and schools of the Classical and Enlightenment periods. Attention is focused specifically on literary movements and schools like classicism, neo-classicism or pre-romanticism.
FRE 315: Intermediate Secretarial Expression
3 Credit(s)

This course teaches business, industrial and commercial organisations the functions of the secretariat and of the secretary in general. Its focus, however,

is the most important function of the secretary: correspondence, both within the organisation and with other corporate business organisations or individuals

in business relationships with their organisations. Model correspondences will be studied and analysed; many exercises, assignments and quizzes will be

given to ensure practice and assimilation.
FRE 317: Introduction to French Linguistics
3 Credit(s)

This is an introductory course in French Linguistics, covering such areas as the history of the French Language, French Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology and Semantics.

It also introduces students to the basic concepts in Linguistics with the aim of helping them understand how language works as a complex system of signs.
FRE 319 A: The Négritude Movement and Emergence of African Literature in French
3 Credit(s)

The course introduces students to the emergence and evolution of modern African literature written in French. The historical development of the Négritude Movement is examined. Selected poetic

works of the protagonists and antagonists of the Négritude Movement are studied with due emphasis on their themes and style. Other genres (drama and prose) illustrative of current themes are

studied through representative texts. Works of Sembène Ousmane, Bernard Dadie, Oyono-Mbia, Ferdinand Oyono, Birago Diop, Aimé Césaire, Mongo Beti, Calixthe Beyala, Mariama Bâ are studied.
FRE 321A: Romantic French Literature
3 Credit(s)

The course is designed to expose students to the various literary currents in the 19th and 20th Centuries. It explores the major changes in theme and style in French Literature resulting from new philosophical, political and ideological developments. Some works representative of the two centuries, works of writers like Alphonse de Lamartine, Victor Hugo, Baudelaire, Verlaine, Sartre, Camus and Malraux are studied.

Second Semester

FRE 314: French Classical and Enlightenment Literature
3 Credit(s)

This course focuses on Classical and Enlightenment French Literature. It expands and deepens students’ knowledge of French Literature and Literature in general acquired

during the first two years. Texts that have some bearing on Africa such as Voltaire’s Candid, Montesquieu’s Lettres persanes, Le Barbier de Seville, Le Mariage de Figaro de

Beaumarchais, the philosophical short stories of Voltaire and relevant texts of Jean-Jacques Rousseau are studied.

 
FRE 316: Advanced Secretarial Expression
3 Credit(s)

This course teaches the various registers associated with the corporate world including the banking, marketing, financial and money markets and business organisations and

administration at all levels: local, regional, international and global. Appropriate models are studied; copious opportunities and situations are created for practical application of skills learnt.

 
FRE 318: Intermediate General Linguistics
3 Credit(s)

The course exposes students to linguistic analysis in Phonology, Morphology and Syntax. In addition, students are introduced to prosody, and notions related to the pragmatic functions of language.

 
FRE 320: Advanced French Composition
3 Credit(s)

This course develops competence in the writing of expository and persuasive essays. Procedures used in paragraph cohesion and coherence as well as the structure and

use of specific types of discourse related to the two text types are taught. Particular attention is given to the correct use of words and expressions relevant to the topics treated.
FRE 399: Literary Research Methods
3 Credit(s)

This course offers the student a deeper insight into the essential components of literary writing. It equips the student with the necessary tools and techniques for dealing

with the problems of research and research report writing. It thus prepares the student not only for his final year project but also for research activities for the future.

Level 400

First Semester

FRE 403: French Civilisation (Politics & Society)
3 Credit(s)

This course examines the political and social institutions of France and their evolution from the French Revolution to their present state. It studies the division of political

power among the three arms of government: the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. It also examines the functions of the three Councils: the Constitutional Council,

the Economic and Social Council and the Judicial Council. Additionally, it studies the political party organisations, the electoral process and French Trade Unionism.

Finally, it studies the French Educational System. Wherever necessary, parallels are drawn and differences noted between the French and Ghanaian systems.
FRE 411: The Essay in French
3 Credit(s)

The course enhances the student’s knowledge and skills in essay writing acquired during the last three years (Level 100 – 300) by giving him the scope for unguided self-expression

in more complex situations and on more demanding topics/subjects. It also studies some works of some of the great masters of the art of the essay with a view to encouraging students

to develop a sure, mature and personal style of writing.
FRE 415: Advanced Translation
3 Credit(s)

This course lays emphasis on the theory and techniques of translation. It studies and analyses the cultural, temporal and spatial origins of the source texts.

It studies the various levels/types of translation: communicative and semantic translations, the importance and limits of context in translation, punctuation and transcription.

For the practicum: A close study and translation of a variety of texts - literary, cultural, administrative, commercial, political, philosophical is emphasized.
FRE 419: Selected Literary Texts
3 Credit(s)

This course offers an additional opportunity for deepening and widening students’ knowledge and general sensitivity to French and Francophone Literature. Texts studied

are selected from the two major areas of Metropolitan France and Francophone Africa. More advanced exercises in critical essays and literary appreciation are offered here.
FRE 421: Advanced French Linguistics
3 Credit(s)

This course equips students with more advanced techniques in linguistic analysis in French, especially in the areas of syntax, morphology and semantics. 

Students are also exposed to a more advanced study in the field of pragmatics such as the use of modality and speech acts in selected texts.

Second Semester

FRE 408: French Thought
3 Credit(s)

This course provides, in a first part, tools for comprehending the cognitive process in general and its product. In a second part, it studies selected products of the cognitive process

within the Francophone environment. The course further trains and encourages students in the reading of expository writing in order to habituate them to critical reflection.  Works for

study are taken from such writers as Montaigne, Descartes, Condillac, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, Auguste Comte, Sartre, and Beauvoir.
FRE 412: Romantic and Contemporary French Literature II
3 Credit(s)

This course further extends the horizon of the student’s literary experience. Emphasis is laid on literary appreciation and critical essay writing.

Students study selected works of leading writers of the two periods: Lamartine, Victor Hugo, Balzac, Stendhal Flaubert, Musset, Georges Sand,

Baudelaire, Gide, Camus, Malraux, Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, François Mauriac, Verlaine, Valéry, Giono, Céline, and Saint-Exupéry are studied.
FRE 414: Emergence and Evolution of African Literature in French
3 Credit(s)

This course initiates students to the post-colonial African Literature: Literature of disenchantment. The course also gives a deep insight into the relationship between literature and the contemporary African society. Literature is presented as a tool for the apprehension, analysis and criticism of societal realities. The civilisation component conscientizes students to historical, social, cultural and economic contexts of the Francophone African world. Representative texts exemplifying the disillusionment of post-independence writings are used. Works of authors like Sembène Ousmane, Mongo Beti, Alioum Fantouré, Mariama Bâ, Aminata Sow Fall are studied.
FRE 418: Advanced French Literary History
3 Credit(s)

This course treats at a more advanced level a survey of French literary movements and schools in modern and contemporary French and Francophone Literature. Attention is

focused on major movements like Classicism, Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Symbolism and Surrealism. Selection of illustrative texts is guided by relevance to Ghana and Africa.
FRE 420: French Syntax Analysis
3 Credit(s)

This course equips the students with linguistic tools used in French syntax analysis.  In addition, students learn to do syntactic analysis of different types of sentences such

as the complex sentence and its various forms and how these sentences are used by the masters in the organisation of discourse. Areas covered are: subordination, complementation,

apposition and passivation. Other types of sentences as problem areas will also be treated using linguistic methods of analysis.  

 
FRE 499: Project Work
3 Credit(s)

This course takes students through the major phases of research and also the composition of the results of research efforts. This should lead to the production of a long essay of between 20 and 40 A4 type-written double-spaced pages. The essay should have a central thesis preceded by a literature review that establishes the validity of the thesis. The areas of study include French Language and Linguistics, French Thought, French and Francophone African Literature and Civilization.