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Frequently Asked QuestionsFrench FAQsWhat class should I register for? A general rule of thumb: one year of language in high school is roughly equivalent to one semester of college language study. So, if you've studied French for two or three years in high school, you should sign up for French 201. If you've done four years of high school French and believe you have a very solid grasp of all major grammatical concepts (including the subjunctive and relative pronouns), you might well be ready for French 300. See either Christine Renaudin (Stevenson 3016D) or Suzanne Toczyski (Stevenson 3016B) to verify your placement. NOTE: At the Junior College, French 1 is the same as our French 101; French 2, our French 102; French 3, our French 201; French 4, our French 202. Can I get university credit for any of my high school French? If you took the AP French Language exam and scored a 3, credit is given for FR 101, FR 102, & FR 201 for a total of 12 units; if you scored 4 or 5, credit is given for FR 101, FR 102, FR 201 & FR 202 for a total of 16 units. If you took the AP French Literature exam and scored a 3, 4 or 5, credit is given for GE C2 FL 214 at 4 units, plus 2 elective untis for a total of 6 units. Do French classes count for GE credit? Yes! French courses satisfy the requirements for the C4 General Education category. Remember that upper-division French classes count for GE credit only when students have successfully completed 60 units at Sonoma State and are thus have junior-level status. Which are the lower-division courses and which are the upper-division courses? Lower division courses are numbered 100-299; upper-division courses are numbered 300-499. Note that French 202, Oral French, is a lower-division course which is required for the major. Can I take a lower-division class without taking the lab, or a lab without the class? First-, Second- and Third-Semester French all require concurrent enrollment in both the class and the lab. Oral French (FR202) has no lab requirement. Can I challenge a French class? You may earn unit credit for any upper-division French class or for French 202 by successfully completing the instructor's challenge exam. However, you may only challenge courses which are listed in the catalogue and which are offered during the semester you wish to challenge the class. Only students in residence may challenge a course. Your application for credit-by-challenge must be signed by the department chair. When you pass the exam, a CR will be recorded on your permanent record, but will not be posted to your record until 30 units have been earned in residence. No resident credit is earned, and the CR units do not affect the grade point average. Which courses do I need for a minor in French? The French minor presupposes 15 units or the equivalent of French 101, 102, 201 and corresponding labs courses 101L, 102L, and 201L. All or part of these may have been complete elsewhere. Students wishing to minor in French must also take: French 202, Oral French Are all French classes offered every semester? No! So plan carefully. In general, we follow the following rotation:
Can I start in French 101 as a freshman and still do a French major? Yes! In order to finish in four years, a student should do the first two years of French according to the schedule. In the junior and senior years, students should take all upper division courses offered every semester so that they are not lacking at the end of their senior year. Study abroad is strongly encouraged! Can I take Business French at Sonoma State University? No, Business French is not currently offered at SSU. I'm interested in French literature, but I don't speak French. Can I take an upper-division French class? All French courses at Sonoma State University are offered in French only. You might be interested in taking FL 214 (Foreign Literature in English) when it is offered by instructors from the French program; Christine Renaudin, Suzanne Toczyski, or William Guynn. Watch the SSU Course Schedule to see when these are offered. FL classes are often cross-listed with English and count for C2 GE credit. If I want to study abroad, what are my options? Sonoma State University offers established Study Abroad opportunities in France (Paris and Aix-en-Provence), and in Montréal, Québec. Most of these programs are full-year programs run by the California State University International Programs office. Students interested in studying business in France have a special option and should see Christine Renaudin for details. San Diego State University also offers a spring-semester program in Paris. Anyone wishing to study abroad should begin by speaking with the Head of International Programs on campus, Jan Beaulyn, in Salazar 1071. Where can I learn more about opportunities for using my French in the Bay Area? Suzanne Toczyski, one of the French faculty at Sonoma State, publishes a weekly Francophile List which gives ample information on conversation groups, theater, cinema, art exhibits, local French classes, etc. in the Bay Area. To subscribe to this list, e-mail her at suzanne.toczyski@sonoma.edu or visit the list on-line at http://www.sonoma.edu/users/t/toczyskiBAFLHomepage.shtml Whom should I contact if I have other questions? Contact Christine Renaudin (christine.renaudin@sonoma.edu, 664-3159) or Suzanne Toczyski (suzanne.toczyski@sonoma.edu, 664-4177) with any other questions. What class should I register for? A general rule of thumb: one year of language in high school is roughly equivalent to one semester of college language study. So, if you've studied German for one year in high school, you should sign up for German 102. See Michaela Grobbel (Stevenson 3016E) if you have any questions about your placement. Are first- and second-semester German classes offered every semester? Starting Spring 2002, we will offer German 101 and German 102 every semester. Do German classes count for GE credit? Yes! Intermediate (200 level) German courses count for General Education credit if you took German in high school. German 101 and 102 apply to the C4 General Education category as long as you used a different language to satisfy your CSU language entrance requirement. If I want to study abroad, what are my options? Sonoma State University offers established Study Abroad opportunities in German-speaking counties. Most of these programs are full-year programs run by the California State University International Programs office. Anyone wishing to study abroad should begin by speaking with the Director of International Programs in Salazar 1071. Where can I get to know other people who are interested in German? Join us for our weekly "Kaffeestunde" or informal lunch hour in the University Commons Cafeteria. Please check flyers outside 3016E Stevenson for the specific day and meeting times. This is a great opportunity to practice and keep up your German skills even if you do not take German. Keep your eyes open for activities and events organized by the German Club "Gemütlichkeit." For example, you may be interested in the German Film Series on campus. Watch for flyers and other announcements on the club's bulletin board outside the Department. Feel free to talk to the German instructor for more information. Can I take a German class without taking the lab, or a lab without the class? No, German courses require concurrent enrollment in both the class and the lab. Can I complete a German minor or major program at SSU? German courses offered at SSU may be counted towards a minor in German. Other minor requirements may be completed abroad, or at another American university. SSU does not offer a German major. Whom should I contact if I have other questions? Contact Michaela Grobbel (michaela.grobbel@sonoma.edu, 664-2637) with any other questions. What class should I register for? If you had any Spanish in high school, you probably do not belong in Spanish 101. The general tendency is that each year of language in high school is equal to one semester at the University; i.e. if you took two years in high school, you are ready for Spanish 201. NOTE: At the Junior College, Spanish 1 is the same as our Spanish 101, Spanish 2, our Spanish 102; Spanish 3, our Spanish 201; Spanish 4, our Spanish 202. How can I be sure that I am registering for the class which most accurately measures my level of proficiency? It is a good idea to take the Department's Placement Test to help you identify the level where you will be the most comfortable. The Spanish Placement Test is scheduled on the third Tuesday in April and the second Tuesday in November each year. NOTE: If you place into a higher-level Spanish course, you move ahead faster so that you can do a major or minor (which are all upper-division classes, i.e. they are at the 300-level). What is the difference between lower-division and upper-division classes? The courses numbered through 299 are lower division; courses numbered from 300-499 are upper-division. Can I substitute a Spanish class in the G.E. required classes? Yes! Spanish classes satisfy requirements for the C4 General Education category. However, if Spanish was the language you studied in high school,only a Spanish class at the 200-level will count in the C4 area of G.E. Any Spanish classes taken in the 100-level would go to electives only. Which classes should I take first? For a major or minor, students should alwasys enroll in Spanish 300 first, as soon as 202 (or equivalent) is completed.If more than two classes can be taken, then Spanish 301, and 304 are recommended. These classes will help with grammar, writing, and reading comprehension before taking such courses as Spanish 306 and 307, and the seminars. NOTE: Spanish 304 (Linguistics) should NEVER be taken before Spanish 301. No 400-level courses should be attempted before completing most of the 300-level classes. Can I take a lower-division class without taking the lab, or a lab without the class? No, this is not possible. The labs are created to accompany each lower-division class, and are graded by the same instructor of the class one is taking. I need six units for entrance to the Credential Program. How do I go about completing that? Bear in mind that 6 units is the MINIMUM; it is recommended that students take two lower-division language courses (which will total 8 units, plus two lab units). This way they will be better teachers. Technically, one lower-division class counts 4 units (plus 1-unit lab); then a Conversation class could be taken for 2 units. How does one sign up for Independent Study? Independent Study (Spanish 495) or Internship class (Spanish 499) are individually prepared, depending on the student's interests and needs. This option is open only during the senior year. Students should consult their Spanish advisor one year or one semester ahead to plan for such a class, which can count 3 or 4 units. Whom should I contact if I have other questions?
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