Unit information: France and Europe in 2012/13

Unit name	France and Europe
Unit code	FREN23013
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Emeritus Professor. Raymond
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of French
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

France and Europe is a unit aimed at providing students of French with an understanding of the impetus behind France's commitment to the creation of, firstly, a European Community, and then a Union. Initially, the unit situates that ambition in a long historical context which takes account of France's status as the first great, unified, modern nation-state in continental Europe. Then the unit focuses on the reality of France's position after World War II and the combination of idealism and pragmatism that led it to define a new beginning for Europe. The theme linking the exploration of France's relationship with Europe over the ensuing decades will be the ways it has attempted to reconcile an enduring sense of national destiny with the creation of a viable supranational body, reflected in numerous areas such as the partnership with Germany, the opposition to Anglo-American influences, French defence policy, and other key issues.

Aims:

• To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to second year level. The content matter will normally include one or more of the following: literature; social, cultural or political history; linguistics; cultural studies; film, television or other media.

• To facilitate students engagement with a body of literature, including secondary literature, texts, including in non-print media, primary sources and ideas as a basis for their own analysis and development. Normally many or most of these sources will be in a language other than English and will enhance the development of their linguistic skills.

• To develop further skills of synthesis, analysis and independent research, building on the skills acquired in units at level C.

• Some options may prepare students for the experience of the Year Abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful students will:

• be knowledgeable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;

• be skilled in the selection and synthesis of relevant material;

• be able to evaluate and analyse relevant material from a significant body of source materials, usually in a foreign language, at a high level;

• be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an high level of complexity;

• be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including study at a foreign university and on work placements during the year abroad.

Teaching Information

1x2 hour slot weekly, comprising a lecture followed by a seminar. Possible times: 09.00-11.00 Wednesday; 12.00-14.00hrs Wednesday; 12..00-14.00hrs Thursday.

Assessment Information

The assessment will be by one coursework essay, written in French, of 1500-2000 words in length, accounting for 25% of the overall mark for the unit, followed by a dissertation, written in English, of 3500-4000 words, accounting for 75% of the overall mark for the unit.