Program Overview - Bishop's University

The Département d’études françaises et québécoises puts the emphasis on the acquisition, and the improvement of the French language at all levels, and intends to serve beginner, intermediate, and advanced students as well as native speakers. The program is composed of five levels, each of which contains a minimum of two grammar and writing courses, combined with a course focusing on oral comprehension and expression. This provides the students with a coherent and logical learning process by the end of which they can understand, read, speak, and write French correctly.

The Department also offers a number of inter- and multidisciplinary courses designed for both native and advanced non-native speakers. These courses allow students to progressively master the French language, and to become acquainted with a variety of cultural movements that are significant to the francophone world. Through the study of the works of meaningful francophone artists, students will better understand and appreciate the history and the evolution of the francophonie, particularly in a Quebec and Canadian context.

Regulations regarding the Minor, Major, or Honours in French

French as a Second Language courses (“FRE”) taken by students prior to their first semester at Bishop’s University cannot count for a Minor, a Major, or an Honours in French (other French courses can). French as a Second Language courses taken outside of Bishop’s University (such as an immersion course) during the students’ stay at Bishop’s University must have received the departmental approval before they are undertaken. Students might be requested to take an evaluation test upon completion of those courses in order to receive Bishop’s University credits.

Independent Studies

Only students in their last year in the Majeure/Honours in Études françaises et québécoises are entitled, upon proposal of a detailed study plan and with a minimum average of 70% in their area of specialization (including cognates), at the end of the previous semester, to request an independent studies with the professor of his/her choice.

Departmental Policy regarding FRE and FRA Courses

FRE courses are French as a Second Language courses and are therefore designed and reserved for non-francophone students. We consider to be francophone a student whose parents (one or both) are native French speakers, and/or a student who has studied full-time, at any moment during his/her schooling, in a francophone institution (aside from immersion programs). If it is discovered, when studying at Bishop’s, that a francophone has received credits for one or many FRE course(s), he or she will lose all corresponding credits without reimbursement. Exceptions can be made with a mandatory written permission from the Chair of the Department to register and to obtain credits for an FRE course. Francophone students are allowed to take, without any restrictions other than specific prerequisites, any of the FRA courses offered by our department.