FREN 4005B - Honours French Studies Thesis Pt 2

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2023

The course represents advanced learning, scholarship and research in the discipline of French Studies. It is the final stage of formal language tuition in the French language as well as extending students' knowledge and research skills in French and Francophone cultures, building on the learning and research capabilities gained in levels 1 to 3 of the French Studies major. By requiring students to devise and produce a research thesis, the thesis component provides students with the research skills necessary for further study in research postgraduate programmes. It provides research training based on the skills of textual analysis and documentary searches in relation to specific forms of cultural expression, such as literature, film, media and contemporary debates. It requires students to develop a research question, collect data using on-line resources, plan and complete the project within the specified time frame.

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Course Details

Course Code	FREN 4005B
Course	Honours French Studies Thesis Pt 2
Coordinating Unit	French Studies
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	12
Contact	1 hour per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Prerequisites	FREN 4005A
Restrictions	Completed degree (72 units) including 24 units French Studies Major or completed Diploma of Languages
Assessment	12,000 word thesis in French (100%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Melanie Maillot

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

1	Evaluate the significance of French and Francophone literary, artistic or cultural productions through the application of analytical methods, documentary searches and critical thought.
2	Collect, organise and synthesise materials, including those accessible in digital formats, in relation to different areas of French and Francophone cultures, and ultimately explain the way in which these areas attain their cultural significance.
3	Reproduce accurately the different forms of French academic language and communicative strategies required to present higher order and conceptually sophisticated ideas to specialist and general audiences.
4	Demonstrate proficiency in the practice of collaborative work and task management in relation to the analysis and interpretation of French and Francophone cultural productions.
5	Independently organise and plan a research project in relation to a specific question pertaining to an area of French and Francophone culture, with the aim of producing a thesis that addresses the requirements of the disciplinary area of French Studies.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1, 2, 5
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	1, 2, 5
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	3, 4
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	3, 4
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	4
Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.	.
Attribute 7: Digital capabilities Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.	.
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	4

Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

Supervision. Regular meetings with supervisor.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Each week, students will complete a series of structured learning activities before meeting with their supervisor:

3 hours of classes per week: 36 hours per semester
6 hours of assignment preparation/follow up per week: 72 hours per semester
4 hours reading per week: 48 hours per semester
TOTAL WORKLOAD: 156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

· Practice of written and oral French in the academic register.
· Discussion with supervisor regarding the use and understanding of the French language.
· Textual analysis in its application to literary texts, films, areas of popular culture and social discourses.
· Development of research questions in relation to French culture and the devising of a research plan, corpus and methodology.
· Discussion of ideas and issues with a view to developing skills in critical thought.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Weighting %	Learning Outcome
12,000 word thesis in French (option of 15,000 words in English for students enrolling from Beginners Stream)	45%	1, 2, 3, 5
Oral thesis presentation of 30 minutes, in French	5%	1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Assessment Detail

1. 12,000 word thesis in French (option of 15,000 words in English for students enrolling from Beginners Stream) = 45%
2. Oral thesis presentation of 30 minutes, in French = 5%.

Submission

All work may be submitted as a hard copy or electronically via MyUni

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M11 (Honours Mark Scheme)
Grade	Grade reflects following criteria for allocation of grade	Reported on Official Transcript
Fail	A mark between 1-49	F
Third Class	A mark between 50-59	3
Second Class Div B	A mark between 60-69	2B
Second Class Div A	A mark between 70-79	2A
First Class	A mark between 80-100	1
Result Pending	An interim result	RP
Continuing	Continuing	CN

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

90-100 First Class Band i:
Exceptional. Original concept. Sophisticated methodology and argumentation. Elegance of expression. Publishable.

80-89 First Class Band ii/iii:
Outstanding. Originality in choice of topic or use of material. Successful reinterpretation of a body of material. Successful interpretation of new material. Well-crafted argument. Sophisticated level of expression.

70-79 Second Class A:
Very competent. Shows critical judgment, is well-researched, has a well-informed argument, is clearly presented and expressed. Lesser achievement in terms of originality, sophistication or style than a First Class Honours.

60-69 Second Class B:
Characteristics can include any number of the following : inadequate research, poorly argued, lack of critical distance, a major research or analytical flaw, ineffective connection between argument and evidence, failure to deal with alternative interpretations, expressions marred by incorrect vocabulary and syntax.

50-59 Third Class:
Limited achievement. Basic flaw in the argument or incoherent development. Poor research. Difficulty in connecting research to argument. Poor sentence structure and basic errors in vocabulary.

0-49 Fail:
Substantial inadequacies in content, understanding of topic and source material. Major irrelevancies. Expression is confused or incomprehensible.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator