Summer in Montpellier 2016 Course Offerings & Descriptions All Courses
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Summer in Montpellier 2016 Course Offerings & Descriptions All courses are worth a total of 4.5 credits Students take a total of 3 courses on this program for 13.5 credits. FMST T380: French Culture in Film – required for all Drexel students The Development of Western Cinema-A Historian’s Perspective-French Culture in Film. What is France? What is French Culture? How is French Culture represented in Film? These will be the central questions of this course. We will view and analyze French films centering on aspects of French Culture. The presentations will consist of classical and contemporary productions in order to discuss the changing nature of culture and social norms. MUS T380 Music Appreciation This course is an overview of the history of Western Art Music. The course will consist of lectures, discussion, listening, outside assignments, and attendance at live musical events. Students will learn the basic elements of music and acquire knowledge of the periods of music history, including major composers, styles, and selected works. Special emphasis will be placed on the music of France. No previous knowledge of or about music is required. An appreciation and analysis from the viewpoint of the listener of the history of Western musical tradition through an overview of the style periods of music, composers, and representative works in each era. For example, selected masterworks of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Berlioz, Bartok, Ravel, Mahler, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg will be presented. MUS T380 American Music Genres and Its Influence on European Music France provides the backdrop for various musical experiences, such as formal concerts, jazz concerts, outdoor festivals, as well as local musicians playing at festival and outdoor events. We will discuss current and past trends in music including but not limited to jazz, classical music, hip hop, and other various forms of music. We will look at composers, artists and performers in the genres and discuss how American music, including jazz, may or may not influence music of France. We will also discuss the development of musical styles as it relates to French and American music. The summer session will include exploring music in and around the area as well as attending several concerts in the region. Field trips: A concert(s) in the France. No musical background is required but you will need access to a playback device and YouTube. IAS 360 France and Its Regions This course introduces students to the regional diversity of France and life beyond the capital. We will discover various regions of France (both metropolitan and overseas), considering their history, traditions, cuisine, language, geography, climate and art. We will also explore regional issues of socio-economics, politics and identity with the goal of providing students with a rich and varied understanding of French culture(s). Of particular interest will be the reaction to the December 2014 decision of the French Parliament to reduce the number of regions in metropolitan France from 22 to 13, effective January 2016. Each student will become the “resident expert” of one region and will do a final presentation highlighting its uniqueness. During class time students will be expected to actively participate in small group activities and as a whole class. Attendance, participation, and individual preparation outside of class are essential for success. HIST T280: The French Revolution and Napoleon La Révolution française en France! What a fantastic location in which to study and immerse ourselves in this pivotal period in European history. Beginning with an analysis of the state of European and French affairs in the early 18th century, we will progress to the outbreak of revolution in 1789 and the spread of the ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity. The Paris weekend will be a living reflection of the revolution and Napoleonic periods as we visit important sites and discuss their relevance. Montpellier will be our laboratory for the study of the revolution in the south of France and Napoleon’s policies. Pertinent field trips will be scheduled on site. ENGL 310 Major American Writers This course will expose students to the literary world of Paris in the Twenties, the Expatriate Movement, and the Lost Generation. Many writers and artists moved to Europe, Paris in particular, to pursue their art and be part of a culture of like-minded individuals. The works that came from that time is a unique and important contribution to the canon of American literature. Thought there were many expatriate writers, the works of Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and James Baldwin were particularly powerful and representative of the culture of the time. In this class, we will explore the concept of Other as writers live, work, and write from a place not their own. In addition, we will discuss how these texts ‘read’ as we/the students are Other in a place not our own. Topics to be considered: The expatriate movement Themes in expatriate literature Culture of Paris in the Twenties How literature is informed by self-exile Americans as other Expatriate writing style and form ENGL T180 Travel Writing of France This course will expose students to French culture through readings of classic and contemporary travel narratives set in France, many of them specifically in the south of France. In this course, students will study the contrast of American/British and French culture, the concept of the expatriate, and the notions of traveler vs. tourist. We will study the genre of travel writing and will read both book-length and essay-length narratives to discover the details of the craft—setting, character, plot, perspective, etc. We will also explore the concept of Other as people move or travel to France and, immersing themselves in another culture, write about their experiences. Perspective and construction of place will be addressed in the texts as well as purpose and audience. Topics to be considered: types of travel narrative the conventions of the travel narrative as genre the construction of place and French national character focus/content in the travel narrative fictional techniques in non-fiction narrative the depiction of the other the construction of a narrative persona images of the home culture/character in travel narrative the traveler’s expectations and preconceptions FREN T380 Fables et Contes de fées Fables and fairy tales exist in almost every culture and have long served as a source of both entertainment and instruction to children and adults. In this course students will read selected literary fables and fairy tales written in 17th century France. We will explore the historical and cultural context in which these texts were written, their form and styles, their main themes and significant critical approaches to the study of these texts. We will also examine the role these tales and fables continue to play in contemporary French culture and compare and contrast them to their American counterparts. French Language Instruction (FREN T180 or T280 depending on level) Students may choose to take a French Language course in Montpellier, which requires a placement test upon arrival. French language courses offered are as follows: Basic French I Basic French II Intermediate French I Intermediate French II FREN T380 Advanced Practical French (pre-requisite FREN 202) This course offers intensive instruction in the French language, through the use of Montpellier itself as the textbook. Students will read and discuss a pre-prepared packet of cultural readings and will complete a series of practical tasks in the city, (such as getting information at the tourist bureau, going to the grocery, buying public transportation tickets, and interviewing people). Students will also complete brief assignments during excursions outside the city. Particular emphasis will be placed on oral proficiency, socio-linguistic competence, and cultural awareness. The class will be conducted in French. .