Duke French Language Progam:

Placement

Frequently Asked Questions | Guidelines for Placement & Transfer Credit| Scores

Guidelines for placement in French language courses when you have no SAT II, AP, or IB score:

French 1 (first half of elementary French sequence) or French 14 (intensive elementary)

if you have never studied French
if you studied French in elementary or middle school but not in high school.
if you studied French one year in high school
if you studied French two years in high school but who did not have your high school courses taught in French (your teacher did not speak French on a regular basis and you were not required to speak French at least 75% of class time).

NOTE 1: If you have studied French for 3 or more years in high school, you will not get credit for taking French 1 or French 14 unless you have written permission from Professor Tufts, Director of the French Language Program ctufts@duke.edu, AND permission from the Center for Pre-Major Advising.
NOTE 2: French 14 is the equivalent of French 1-2, and students who complete it earn 2 credits.
NOTE 3: French 14 is not always offered in the Spring semester.

French 2

if you studied French for 2 years in a very strong high school program, took the last course your senior year, and made an A.
if you studied French for 3 years in high school but the last year was not your senior year, or you do not think the program was strong, or you did not receive grades of A or high B.

French 63 (first half of intermediate French) or French 15 (intensive intermediate)

if you had 3 years of a good high school program, especially if your last year of study was your senior year, and you did well in all of your courses.
if you had 4 years of high school French but your classes were not conducted in the language, and where you did not do much work in reading and writing French.
if you took an AP French language course but did not take the AP exam.

NOTE 4: French 15 is the equivalent of French 63 and French 76, and students who complete it earn 2 credits.
NOTE 5: French 15 is not always offered in the Fall semester.

French 76 (second half of intermediate French; also called advanced intermediate French)

if you have had only 3 years of study in high school, but you did extremely well and the program was very strong, you should enroll in French 76 and plan to visit a section of French 63 for the first several days, so that you can better decide which level is most appropriate.
if you had 4 years of high school French and did well in the courses.
if you took an AP French literature course and did very well, but didn’t take the AP exam.

French courses numbered 100 and above

if you have had a significant amount of French coursework (high school, middle school, and perhaps some in elementary school) and have always made high grades in the courses.
if you have 3 or more years of French study in high school, combined with a significant non-academic exposure to the language (such as in your home environment, or through living in a francophone country).
if you are a native speaker of French.

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Information Concerning Transfer of French Courses

Transferring a language course to Duke from another institution may involve up to 3 separate events: 1) obtaining course credit which counts toward fulfilling the 34 courses required for graduation, 2) obtaining Mode of Inquiry FL coding which counts towards fulfilling your language requirement, and 3) determining the next language course you need to take at Duke to fulfill your language requirement (if it is not completed by this transfer course). NOTE: Obtaining French 888 or French 999 credit toward the 34 courses required for graduation does not automatically mean that the course will also receive the Mode of Inquiry FL code. Likewise, obtaining a Mode of Inquiry FL code for a transfer course does not automatically mean that you will be prepared to successfully complete a French course at Duke at a higher level.

1. Prior to taking the transfer course.

a. Familiarize yourself with the procedures for transferring a course for credit given on the T-Reqs web site at

http://www.aas.duke.edu/trinity/t-reqs/transfercredit.html

If you intend to request a FL coding for the transfer course in French, also familiarize yourself with the requirements given in parts 2 and 3 below.

b. In order to transfer to Duke and count as one course credit toward your graduation, the first requirement is that the French course must not have fewer contact hours than the equivalent course taught on campus at Duke. A Duke language course contact hour is no less than 50 minutes.

Minimum required contact hours:

French 1: 70

French 2: 70

French 14: 112

French 63: 42

French 76: 42

French 15: 84

French 100 and above: 42

Indicate the total number of class sessions of 50 minutes or more:_________

c. In addition to fulfilling the contact hour requirement, French courses that are to be transferred for elective credit must meet the following specific minimum requirements:

1.All coursework and class discussion in French, unless seeking course equivalency for course in translation (French 120-129).

2. Student with three years or more of High school French must not request transfer credit for French 001. Student with more than 1 year of High School French must not request transfer credit for French 014.

Obtain a copy of the course description and any other documentation needed to show that the transfer course meets these minimum requirements.

d. Download the Transfer Course Approval Form from the T-Reqs web site and fill out the top of the form. Bring the form, the calculation for part b, and the documentation for part c to the Assistant to the DUS in Romance Studies, Ms. Susie Waller, located in Languages 107. If approved, the course will be listed on the form as an elective course in French. (French 888 will be used to designate an elective course at the introductory or intermediate level and French 999 will be used to designate an elective course at the advanced level.)

e. Take the signed form and documentation to the office of your academic dean for final approval. Upon approval, the dean will send the form to the Registrar.

2. While taking the transfer course. If you may later want to request that the transfer course count toward fulfilling your Duke language requirement, you should save all the course materials such as the syllabus, textbooks, papers written, quizzes, exams, etc.

3. After taking the transfer course.

a. Assuming satisfactory completion of the course with a grade of C- or better, request that the Registrar of the institution you attended send a copy of your transcript to the Registrar of Duke University, Box 90054, Durham, NC, 27708. Upon receipt of your dean's approval and the transcript showing successful completion of the course, the Registrar will add the transfer course to your Duke transcript as French 888 or French 999.

b. If you want the transfer course to count toward fulfilling your Duke language requirement, you must request that the transfer course be granted the foreign language Mode of Inquiry code, FL.

See part c, below, for requirements for FL Mode of Inquiry credit for an elementary or intermediate French course.

See part d, below, for requirement for FL Mode of Inquiry credit for an advanced level French course (French 100 or higher).

c. For a course that was approved for transfer to Duke by the DUS in Romance Studies and your academic dean with a course number of French 888, the requirement for obtaining a FL code is that the transfer course must be equivalent to the corresponding Duke language course. The requirements for establishing equivalency are given below.

General requirements:

Language Modalities: Speaking, writing, listening, reading, culture acquisition

Language Methodology: Communicative, content based approach; language use in context; use of authentic materials; use of audio and video for development of listening comprehension; regular assignments that focus on writing as a process.

Writing component: At least 3 “formal” compositions in French 1, 2, 14, 63; four (4) in French 76. All composition assignments should include at least one revision stage. Emphasis on developing competency in diverse registers and text types.

Evaluation: Student should be evaluated on all language modalities: minimum 4 quizzes, two major tests/one midterm, and comprehensive final exam; 2 oral exams.

Reading : Student should be exposed to extensive reading. Adapted reading for Fr 001 and Fr 002; original readings for 63, 76.

Course-specific requirements:

* French 1 must cover at least half of “traditional” elementary textbook (including present tense and passé compose, partitive articles, direct and indirect object pronouns).

* French 2 must complete the study of a “traditional” elementary textbook (including imperfect and future tenses, conditional and subjunctive moods, relative pronouns).

* French 14 must include everything covered in French 1 and 2 (above)

* French 63 must include a complete review of elementary grammar (everything covered in French 1 and 2), application of reading strategies to progressively longer authentic texts, and regular speaking practice.

* French 76 must include a complete review of basic intermediate level grammar, analysis and discussion of literary and cultural texts and other media (film, advertisement, cartoons, etc.). Reading assignments at end of course must be equivalent to a 100-150 page novel (not adapted for classroom use).

* French 15 must include everything in French 63 and 76 (above).

d. For a course that was approved for transfer to Duke by the DUS of Romance Studies and your academic dean with a course number of French 999, the requirements for obtaining a FL code are given below.

Reading : Student in literature or culture course should be exposed to extensive reading of original (rather than adapted) texts.

French 101 must include extensive work in advanced French grammar and writing practice in the following: description, summarizing, explication de texte, argumentative essay, compte rendu critique. At least 5 “formal” compositions in French 101. All composition assignments should include at least one revision stage. Emphasis on developing competency in diverse registers and text types.

Transfer course syllabus, type and amount of required work, and evaluation methods must be equivalent to those of specific Duke French course for which student is seeking credit.

e. If the transfer course fulfills the requirements for the FL code given in part c or d above, download the “Form for Requesting Modes of Inquiry Coding” from the T-Reqs web site. Complete the form and submit it with the necessary documentation as directed on that form.

f. If the transfer course is granted a Mode of Inquiry FL code, the FL code will be added to the course on your Duke Advisement Report. (Note: Modes of Inquiry designations do not appear your transcript.)

g. A course that was approved as French 999 will be left unchanged on your Duke transcript. However, a course that was approved for transfer as French 888 will be changed on your Duke transcript to its equivalent Duke course number which means that you cannot repeat/take the equivalent Duke course to earn an additional letter grade, course credit, or FL code.

4. After receiving a Mode of Inquiry FL code for a transfer course.

a. If the FL code fulfills your language requirement in French at Duke, then no further action is necessary.

b. If the FL code is not the last one you need in order to complete your language requirement in French at Duke, contact the Director of the French Language Program, Dr. Clare Tufts, to schedule a placement exam. The exam results will be used to determine your preparedness for the next course in the French language program sequence. [Dr. Clare Tufts, 106 Languages, 660-3126, ctufts@duke.edu]