Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

ST: France through Memoirs (Face-to-Face)

FREN 4640-01

Course: FREN 4640-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: FLPH
CRN: 12397

Course Description

A thorough analysis of a cultural or literary topic in France and/or Francophone countries. May be repeated for up to six (6) credits total. (As Needed) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): FREN 2020 or FREN 2030 or equivalent - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C- Repeatable for Add’l Credit? Yes - Total Credits: 6

Required Texts

Required texts will be provided by the instructor in Canvas. Most assigned films will be available through the SUU Library's databases or shown in class. At most, students may be required to rent 2 to 3 films at a cost of roughly $5 each. 

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes:
Students of FREN 4640 France through Memoirs will be given the opportunity and resources to:
-Develop reading and listening comprehension of French.
-Learn about some important French and Francophone writers, artists, and works; and the genres, history, and cultures they explore in their work. 
-Improve their writing about literature, film, and graphic novels in French. 
-Learn to better express and support opinions and present information verbally, and discuss various forms of memoirs (film, literature, graphic novel) during small or large group discussions. 
-Enhance knowledge of French vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.
-Explore creative self-expression in French through writing (or representing themselves by other means) using only French.  

Course Requirements

Grade components / Course requirements for FREN 3100:
Attendance and participation : 10 % 
Homework : 13%
Reading or viewing quizzes : 10%
Creative auto portraits: 5%
Individual presentations (2): 10%
Exams (2) : 30%
Final creative project: 10%
Short essays (2) 12%

Course Outline

 Course outline:
Attendance and participation : Students should come to class having read (literary texts) or viewed (cinematic texts) assigned material and be ready to actively participate fully in all class activities. To overcome fear of speaking up in class, it can help to prepare a few comments ahead of time and jump in early and often, which builds confidence. 
Homework : Students can expect one to two hours of homework per class period (on an average, perhaps less for Thursday and more for Tuesday considering time in between classes.) Homework will include readings or film viewing with guiding questions to answer in writing. 
Reading quizzes : Occasional reading or viewing quizzes will verify students have prepared the day’s work. 
Creative auto portraits: Self-portraits (written, video or pictures to be narrated in class) will allow the class to practice speaking in the presentational mode. 
Individual presentations (2): Each student will do 2 five-minute presentations, one about an author or artist we are studying in class—their biography in brief—and one sharing some ideas and discussion questions about a work we are studying in class. Both should include a slide show. The first type is presenting material; the second is to generate discussion. 
2 exams: There will be a midterm and a final exam (not comprehensive, just covering the second half of the semester). These will assess knowledge of vocabulary we use to discuss the various genres of memoirs we have studied, authors and artists and their works, and important themes the works explore. 
Final creative project and presentation: The final creative project is an assemblage of works (text, video, captioned photos, etc.) the creation of which allows you to explore aspects of your own self and/or life using French. The project includes a short presentation of some part of the final project shared in class during the final week of classes. 
2 short essays : Students will write two short essays exploring themes or style of works we study in class. Rubrics and a choice of specific topics will be provided. 

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Attendance and participation in class cannot be made up. Written homework will be accepted late, with a loss of 20% of points for work handed in after the due date. Creative auto portraits or presentations which are to be presented in class may still be presented during the subsequent class period in case of illness or other emergency with prior communication with the professor. Reading quiizes cannot be made up, but I will drop the two lowest grades. 
Exceptional additional time for essays or tests may be arranged in cases of illness or other emergencies with prior communication with the professor. Students must be present for one of the two days of the final week of classes to present a part of their final creative project. 


Attendance Policy

Attendance and participation in the class is worth 10% of the final grade. Attendance is vital because much of the course content is delivered through material presented in class and class discussions. 
If a student misses 5 class periods in the course of the semester, they will receive a zero for attendance and participation. (Day 1 of the semester is not included in this accounting.) This policy is meant to inspire success in the class, since past experience has shown that missing classes is detrimental to the student's progress and grades. 

Course Fees

FREN 4640 has a course fee of $12. 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.