THE ARTS IN THE FRENCH-SPEAKING WORLD - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module examines how the arts have shaped French and Francophone culture and the ways in which the state and its institutions (museums, academies etc.) have responded to and politicised certain movements and forms. Some of the most exciting artistic developments have occurred during the most turbulent periods of French history. Students explore the significance of the arts in times of social upheaval and change, and develop an understanding of the global influence of French art. The module is designed to offer breadth and depth. Students will gain an understanding of the development of the arts in the French-speaking world from the medieval period to the present day, while the assessment structure gives students the opportunity to study in depth one or more aspects of a topic of interest. This module is taught in the target language in semester 1 of FHEQ Level 6.

Module provider

Literature & Languages

Module Leader

ARCHER Leona (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Definition of the Arts


• History of the Arts in France and the Francophone world


• Focus on specific areas: painting, literature, theatre, music, dance, film, sculpture, architecture, digital arts


• Arts policy, heritage, conservation, and related political issues


• Decolonising the arts: challenging the traditional canon; questions of removal/recontextualization of pieces; repatriation of artefacts from French museums to countries of origin


• Development of the Arts in the French-speaking world


• Dissemination and reception of French Arts in the world


• Artistic expression and identity


• Cultural production (the Artistic and cultural industry)


• The Arts in society; scandal and activism

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• knowledge and understanding of the use of the target language


• ability to analyse and interpret texts


• ability to select and synthesise information from written and oral texts


• ability to take notes effectively and use IT skills to find and present relevant information


• subject-specific knowledge of French language in an artistic environment

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• In-class Presentation (40%)

Students present an artist, oeuvre, or movement, in French. Assesses ability to speak in an accurate and appropriate French, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the topic.

• Written Assignment of 2500 words (to be submitted after week 10) (60%)

Takes the form of an analytical essay enabling students to develop subject specific knowledge, improve their written French, and develop research skills.

Formative assessment and feedback

• Formative assessment will focus on student participation and class discussions throughout the module.


• Students will be provided with detailed written feedback following coursework assignments.


• Verbal feedback will also occur in class and individual appointments if required.

Module aims

• This module aims to develop a knowledge and understanding of the development of the Arts and their impact on French
  and Francophone cultures and societies, and to provide with the vocabulary and concepts necessary to analyse and
  discuss cultural and artistic issues in France and the French-speaking world. This module enhances students'
  understanding of French and Francophone culture, building on knowledge and skills developed at FHEQ Levels 4, 5, and
  PTY. The module builds upon the linguistic and cultural immersion of students who completed part or all of their placement
  year in France, and complements the dissertation modules where students may work on culture and arts-related topics
  

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• develop their language skills as a medium for understanding, expression and communication, through listening, speaking, reading and writing in the target language


• acquire explicit knowledge of the linguistic structures, grammar and stylistic registers through attending classes and reading in the target language


• confidently work and learn independently through preparation outside contact hours in order to participate fully in seminars


• develop research skills, through reading and presenting findings, through informal class presentations and in the written assignment 


• engage in analytical and evaluative thinking, to analyse and interpret texts and other cultural products, through attending classes and engaging in individual study


• refine communication skills through interactions in class


• acquire a broad knowledge of the Arts across the francophone world

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Two contact hours per week over Semester 2;


• Classes will include lectures and seminars;


• Students are expected to read extensively outside classes in order to follow lectures and participate in seminars.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: FRE3028

Other information

Surrey's Curriculum Framework is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:

Global and Cultural Capabilities: France has long been considered an artistic and cultural centre in Europe. Students enhance their understanding of the ways in which French and Francophone artists have had an enormous influence on the arts scene globally. Students are enabled to interrogate the concept of canonicity through a decolonial and intersectional feminist lens, and examine the ways in which the arts have been used both to challenge and maintain the status quo throughout history. In exploring the development of the arts in France and the French-speaking world from the Middle Ages to the present day, students gain a deeper awareness of the cultural background to contemporary French-speaking societies and beyond.

Digital: A range of multimedia is I used throughout the module. Alongside regular contributions to SurreyLearn discussions and surveys, students learn with podcasts, video documentaries and interactive exhibitions online. In terms of module content, students gain insights into how new technologies have impacted the art world in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, from online fandoms to NFTs, which has led to Digital Art being classified by some as the "10th art". For the speaking assessment, students record a presentation and design accompanying slides (using PowerPoint or similar software), which may incorporate audio-visual elements.

Resourcefulness & Resilience: The regular problem-solving activities, and the tutor-led and peer-peer formative feedback that students will receive on these, will enable the development of agile thinking and acting through low-stakes opportunities to test, experiment, and potentially fail, before applying these experiences in the module's summative assessments and in 'real-world' scenarios beyond the University. Students are enabled to select elements of the course content that most interests them to develop in their assessments. The highly personalised nature of the assessments allows for working autonomously and researching independently alongside the weekly seminars and pair/group activities in class.

Employability: weekly activities in this module will often require students to work together and learn to plan and delegate tasks, thus developing communication and project management skills useful in professional life. For example, students develop their formal presentation skills in the target language, and write complex, sophisticated texts based on independent research, thus equipping them with advanced intercultural communication skills that can be applied in a range of professional contexts. For students who wish to work in the arts, culture, and heritage sectors, they gain valuable subject-specific knowledge, which is also relevant to a range of other sectors, e.g. tourism, translation, education.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.