Contents

Introduction

1. Rules and Regulations

• A. Entrance Requirements
• B. Requirements for Major
  • 1. Major in One Language, Literature, and Culture
  • 2. Major in Two Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
  • 3. Major in French or Italian and Another Field
  • 4. Major in French or Italian and the Creative Arts
• C. Independent Work
  • 1. Junior Papers
  • 2. Senior Thesis
  • 3. Writing Center
  • 4. Independent Work Mentor Programming
  • 5. Research Support
• D. Comprehensive Examination
  • 1. The Senior Departmental Examination
  • 2. Grading
  • 3. Reading Lists
    • French
    • Italian
• E. Regulations for the Award of Honors
• F. Prizes
  • Senior Prizes
  • Other French & Italian Prizes

2. Opportunities

• A. Study and Work Abroad
  • 1. Junior Semester/Junior Year Abroad
  • 2. Summer Language Study
  • 3. Summer Work Abroad: "The Princeton in France" Program
• B. Other Departmental Activities and Support
  • 1. The Lounge, East Pyne 305
  • 2. Student-Initiated Seminars
  • 3. Film and Media
  • 4. Funding for Research
  • 5. Post Graduate Resources

3. Information

• A. Recommended Reference Works
  • 1. For All Students
  • 2. French
    • Literary Histories
    • Literature, Periods
    • Historical Background
    • Current Affairs
  • 3. Italian
    • Literature, General
    • Historical Background
• B. Title Page Format for a Senior Thesis
• C. The Faculty
  • Regular Faculty
  • Visiting Faculty
• D. Senior, Junior, and Early Majors                     
  • Seniors, Class of 2025
  • Juniors, Class of 2026
• E. Undergraduate Liaison Committee
• F. Calendar for Departmental Independent Work

This Handbook explains how to become a major in French and/or Italian, how to remain one enjoyably and profitably, and how to graduate successfully. It also describes the great wealth of resources that French and Italian majors have at their disposal.

All students are expected to be familiar with the University’s Undergraduate Regulations. In particular, they should read carefully those sections dealing with written work. You should refer to “Academic Integrity at Princeton” and pay special attention to questions of plagiarism and of acknowledging and citing sources. Failure to comply with those regulations may lead to a low, or lower, grade — even to suspension or expulsion from the University.

Similarly, all students in French and/or Italian are expected to be familiar with the contents of this Handbook, which contains a number of important rules and conventions specific to the Department of French and Italian.

This Handbook summarizes information contained in the Departmental Brochure, the Departmental Website, the University’s Undergraduate Announcement, and the Course Offerings. Where any differences between these sources are found, the Undergraduate Announcement overrules the others.

The Department also maintains a program of talks and special events each semester. Please consult our website for detailed information.

1. Rules and Regulations

A. Entrance Requirements

1. The minimum requirement for admission to the department is successful completion of the language sequence (FRE 107 or 108; ITA 107 or 108), or equivalent qualification. Students are encouraged to complete at least one advanced language course (FRE 207, 207F or 208; ITA 207I or 208) prior to admission, or shortly thereafter, and may also count one such course toward the major. It is further strongly recommended that students complete at least one more 200-level course (such as FRE 211, 215, 217, 221, 222, 224, 225, or ITA 208, 209, 220, 224, 225) before enrolling in a 300-level course.
2. Majors who plan to participate in one of the Minors or Certificate programs, such as African Studies, African-American Studies, Latin American Studies, the Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies or the Program in European Cultural Studies, must also satisfy the prerequisites of that program.
3. Early Major. Qualified students are encouraged to begin the departmental major in their sophomore year. This has the advantage of affording a longer period for Junior Independent Work and for preparation of the Senior Thesis; it also makes a semester or junior year abroad even more feasible.

B. Requirements for Major

For the successful completion of our program, majors must receive a passing grade in three essential elements: the average of eight departmental courses, Independent Work (two Junior Papers and the Senior Thesis), and the comprehensive examination. The minimum grade required for the thesis is “C-ˮ.

Courses taught in the Department place varying emphases on language, literary history and interpretation, aesthetics and literary theory, and cultural and intellectual history. Students are therefore able to pursue courses of study consistent with their individual interests. Students are expected to complete course work in a range of historical periods in their major subject(s). University regulations limit the number of departmental courses allowed to each student in his or her major to twelve.

To complement this individualized approach to students’ plans of study, the Department offers four distinct tracks within the major in French and/or Italian:

1. Major in One Language, Literature, and Culture Students major in French OR Italian. Eight upper-division courses are counted towards the major. At least five of these must be in the language and subject of the major. Up to two of the five departmental courses may be taken at the 200-level (but FRE 207 and 208, or ITA 207 and 208, cannot both be counted). Up to three of the eight may be cognate[1] courses approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) and drawn from other sections of the Department or from other humanities and social science subjects.
2. Major in Two Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Students intending to combine work in French or Italian with another language, civilization, and culture normally take a minimum of eight upper-division courses: five in French or Italian (one of which may be a cognate), and three in the other relevant language. Up to two of the five departmental courses may be taken at the 200-level (but FRE 207 and 208, or ITA 207 and 208, cannot both be counted).
3. Major in French or Italian and Another Field Students intending to combine work in French or Italian and another related field normally take a minimum of eight upper-division courses: five in the relevant language and literature (one of which may be a cognate), and three in the other field. For example, students specializing in French or Italian and History, Politics, or Art 

_{¹ A cognate is a course that is offered with a subject code outside of a student’s major and not cross-listed with the department of major, which the student is permitted to count as a departmental course with approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).}

Students who take French or Italian courses during their semester study abroad normally receive two-course credits toward the major, with prior approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Office of International Programs.

Important Note: Any upper-level course taught in English will require all written work to be completed in French or Italian in order to count toward the major.

Important note to other departments and programs regarding Cross-Listing:

Courses taught in other departments may be considered for cross-listing with FIT (FRE or ITA) if they meet the following minimal requirements: 

1. Majors and minor students from the Department of French and Italian must read French or Italian works (depending on the course listing: FRE or ITA) in the original language when texts are readily available.
2. French and Italian majors and minor students must complete all written work in French or Italian (again, depending on the listing, FRE or ITA).
3. FIT classes are generally conducted in French or Italian. It is highly desirable that students should have an occasion to speak and hear the foreign language in cross-listed courses, so every effort should be made, within practical limits, to create this opportunity, for instance, by organizing an FRE or ITA precept whenever enrollments permit.
4. A significant portion of the reading assignments must be in French or Italian for the course to qualify for cross-listing.
5. The following language should appear on both the course worksheet (which is posted on the Registrar’s Course Offerings website) and on the syllabus: “Majors and minor students from the Department of French and Italian must read French or Italian texts in the original language when available. They are also expected to complete all formal written work in French or Italian.”

C. Independent Work

Please see also the Independent Work Guidelines

1. Junior Papers

Upon entering the Department – and in all cases no later than the spring of the sophomore year – students should discuss their likely area of interest with the Director of Undergraduate Studies so that students can be paired with the most compatible Adviser. The Adviser will be assigned at the beginning of the junior year. Students should get in touch with their Junior Adviser and plan regular meetings. In consultation with their Adviser, students will also choose the language in which they will draft their paper. Responsibility for making and keeping these arrangements falls on the student.

The first Junior Paper, written in the fall semester, should be about 4,000 words. The second Junior Paper, written in the spring semester, should be between 5,000 and 8,000 words. Both Junior Papers may be written in English, in which case a three-page summary in French or Italian must be provided. If the paper is written in French or Italian, a three-page (double-spaced) summary in English is required. Failure to submit the summary with the Junior Paper at the time it is submitted will result in a penalty, i.e., a lower grade.

Students following tracks 2 or 3 are encouraged to write one junior paper in one of their disciplines of major, and one of the other, provided that both papers deal with French or Italian studies broadly understood.

In preparing their papers, students should conform to the principles specified in the University’s instructions for the writing of essays. Under no circumstances should work be plagiarized. You should refer to “Academic Integrity at Princeton” and pay special attention to questions of plagiarism and of acknowledging and citing sources. Failure to comply with those regulations may lead to a low, or lower, grade – even to suspension or expulsion from the University. The formatting should consistently follow either the Modern Language Association Handbook or The Chicago Manual of Style.

2. Senior Thesis

Late in their junior year, students will discuss possible areas of interest with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. As the culmination of their Independent Work, seniors will write a thesis on an approved topic under the guidance of an Adviser and a second reader.

Topics chosen in the past have ranged over the whole field of French and Italian studies, from linguistic issues and literary techniques analyzed through close textual focus, to broader conceptual problems or comparative analyses. Students primarily interested in culture and civilization have written on art, political or economic issues, education, and on a variety of social questions. Joint supervision between a FIT professor and a professor from another Department may be arranged for students following Track 2 (Major in Two Languages, Literatures and Cultures), track 3 (Major in Literature and Any Other Related Field), and Track 4 (Major in Literature and the Creative Arts). The Senior Thesis is a major commitment of a student’s time and energy, and the most important determining factor in your choice of a topic should be your willingness to spend many hours immersed in that particular set of texts or problems.

The early choice of topic is immensely advantageous. Limited resources are available to assist students with the costs of Senior Thesis research.

The first step in senior independent work is to construct a working bibliography of primary and secondary materials. Early attention to the bibliography is of special importance when materials are not available in Firestone Library. In that case, a faculty member (generally one of the thesis Advisors) will need to certify the need for such materials so they can either be acquired by the library or loaned to it.

Students should discuss their interests and possible topics with the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the earliest opportunity, so as to permit the appointment of a Senior Adviser and a Second Reader. Students must meet with their Advisors no later than Friday, September 27, 2024, of their senior year — but earlier is better. A thesis outline and progress report, initialed by the first Adviser, must be submitted to the Department Undergraduate Administrator and the Director of Undergraduate Studies by Friday, October 25, 2024.

Senior theses should not be more than 20,000 words long, nor should they fall below 15,000 words. Longer theses are not always better ones. Students should note that it often takes longer to write a good short thesis than a long, wordy one. The Bibliography, anthology of texts, acknowledgments, and any documentary appendices do not count in the 15,000 - 20,000 word count. For students following Track 4 (Creative Arts), the critical component of the Thesis may be between 6,000 and 10,000 words (25-35 pages) (see above, section B.4.) The creative portion, which may be written in English or French/Italian, must have an obvious French, Francophone, or Italian cultural component, which should be approved in advance by your adviser.

If the Thesis is written in English, a three-page (double-spaced) summary in French or Italian must be provided. If the Thesis is written in French or Italian, a three-page (double-spaced) summary in English is required.

All sources must be properly acknowledged: You should refer to “Academic Integrity at Princeton” and pay special attention to questions of plagiarism and acknowledging and citing sources. Failure to comply with those regulations may lead to a low or lower grade – even to suspension or expulsion from the University.

Two copies of the Thesis (one softbound and one electronic), signed at the end of the final chapter, must be submitted by the due date. Failure to submit both copies by the due date may lead to a low or lower grade. A sample title page and required pledge format are found in Part 3-B of this Handbook. The Department of French & Italian will cover the cost of printing and binding for one softbound copy of the Thesis when ordered online through Pequod – Princeton, located at the Princeton University Store, 36 University Place, Basement Level, Princeton, NJ 08544.

All Independent Work must be submitted to the Department Office, East Pyne 303, no later than 4:00 PM on the specified date. Exceptions and extensions for independent work cannot be granted by an Advisor; they must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies in consultation with a student's residential Dean. If an extension is not approved in advance of the departmental deadline, then a late penalty of 1/4 of a letter grade for every 24 hours that a paper is late will be applied, beginning at 4:00 p.m. on the due date.

Senior theses are graded independently by the two Advisors. If a student feels he or she has been unfairly graded, he or she may ask the Director of Undergraduate Studies to appoint a third reader. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will decide whether to appoint such a reader. The third reader’s grade is final. In the event that the two Advisers cannot agree on a grade, they should request a third reader, appointed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The third reader's decision is final. The minimum grade required for the Thesis is "C-".

Important Note:

• For all theses in FIT, the first reader must be a FIT faculty member.

Writing Center

An important resource on campus is the Writing Center.

Located on the 2^nd floor in the New South Building, the Writing Center offers free one-on-one conferences with experienced writing fellows trained to consult on assignments in any discipline. When working on your JP or thesis, you can schedule 80-minute conferences with a graduate student fellow from French and Italian or a related department. When booking an appointment, select the “by field” option, then if desired you may choose an appointment with a graduate student fellow from the French and Italian Department. The Writing Center also holds general 50-minute regular conferences seven days a week. For the most up-to-date information and policies, please visit the Writing Center website.

Independent Work Mentor Programming

Recognizing the challenges and solitude of independent work, Independent Work Mentors from the Writing Center prepare workshops and programming to aid juniors and seniors in their research. Students should regularly check the Princeton Undergraduate Research Calendar (PURC) on the website of the Office of Undergraduate Research for upcoming programming and workshops, which cover topics ranging from preparing funding proposals to note-taking and from making an argument to drafting review. 

Independent Work Mentors can help interested juniors and seniors form writing groups as a forum for discussing challenges they confront in their work and brainstorm strategies for dealing with various difficulties. 

Research Support

The Office of Undergraduate Research serves to inform, engage, connect, and support currently enrolled undergraduates on matters related to research at Princeton, to enhance independent work through campus-wide initiatives and departmental collaborations, and to promote students' research achievements through research symposia and written and video communications. Their website is the central hub for information about undergraduate research including student-authored research advice on the PURC blog, departmental Independent Work Guides, funding opportunities, and subscribing to PURC, the central calendar for upcoming events and deadlines.

D. Comprehensive Examination

1. The Senior Departmental Examination 

• The Examination (known as “Comps”, or Comprehensive Examination), taken in May, is designed to test aspects of the student’s entire program of study in the Department. A list of required and recommended readings is provided for each of the languages and literatures taught in the Department; it is meant to guide students in preparing for the examination.   The format of the examination is as follows:
  • Part I. Written Component (3 hours in class)
    •  In order to better prepare for this portion of the “Comps,” students are strongly encouraged to include either FRE 307 or ITA 307 in their departmental coursework. For French majors in the classes of 2021 and beyond, the French Junior Seminar (FRE 398) is mandatory.
      A) Sight Translation: This exercise will consist of the translation of a short prose text from French or Italian into English. The resulting translation should reflect the linguistic command and stylistic sophistication expected from a reasonably proficient speaker of French or Italian.

    • B. An Essay: Written in the language of specialization. Students will choose one topic out of three culture/literature questions. Topics will be based on the Reading Lists and the course offerings.

      Unless a student has an official accommodation, computers are not allowed. This is a closed-book examination, but a bilingual dictionary without a grammar section is permitted, along with physical copies of primary text resources.

  • Part II. Oral Presentation (30 Minutes)
    A brief (10-15 minutes) oral presentation in the language of the major (French or Italian), followed by a discussion. The content of the presentation will be determined and prepared by the student in coordination with their Adviser and may reflect any aspect of the student’s own general intellectual and academic experience in the Department. It may, therefore, stem from the Senior Thesis, but also largely refer to the overall course of study achieved in the subject of the major. The presentation should NOT be an explication de texte or close reading. The examining committee will be constituted by at least two permanent faculty of each section.
  • French Junior Seminar (FRE 398)
    • For majors in the classes of 2021 and beyond, the French Junior Seminar (FRE 398) is mandatory. In addition to the preparation for the department’s final Comprehensive Examination, this course, which counts for credit, is designed to provide a formal environment for refining the command of literature, culture, and thought, as well as to foster writing skills. Major texts from the French and Francophone traditions will be studied weekly and will serve as the basis for several writing workshops. An important segment of the seminar will also be dedicated to the art of translation.
  • 2. Grading
    • Comprehensive examinations are graded by two faculty members. In case of significant disparity, the Director of Undergraduate Studies will appoint a third reader, whose judgment will be final.
  • 3. Reading Lists
    • Students who have taken courses across a broad range of historical periods can expect to have read and studied many of the books on the Reading List by their senior year. They are responsible for reading all the books on the relevant list in preparation for the Senior Departmental Examination.

Reading Lists for "Major in French and Italian" IN FRENCH AND/OR ITALIAN”

• French
  • Marie de France: Lais; Montaigne, Essais (“De l’institution des enfants,” “De l’amitié,” “Du repentir”); Molière, Le Tartuffe; Racine, Phèdre; Voltaire, Candide; Balzac, Le Père Goriot; Edmond de Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac; Flaubert, Trois contes; Flaubert, Madame Bovary; Proust, Du Côté de chez Swann (First Part: Combray); Beckett, En attendant Godot; Djebar, L’amour, la fantasia; Selections of poetry will be provided to students.
• Italian
  • Dante, Inferno, ed. Sapegno, Bosco-Reggio; Petrarca, Il canzoniere, (Selections2) ed. Arducci, Contini; Boccaccio, Il decamerone, (Selections3) ed. Branca; Machiavelli, Il principe; Ariosto, L'Orlando furioso (canti I, VII, XXIII: 100-136, XXIV: 1-14, XXXIV, XLI, XLII); Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata (canti I, II, XII, XV: 53-66, XVI); Foscolo, Le ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis and Poetry Selections; Leopardi, I canti, ed. Whitfield, Gallo & Garboli; Manzoni, I promessi sposi, ed. Nardi Getto. Verga, I Malavoglia;  Svevo, La coscienza di Zeno;  Pirandello, Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore; Montale, Ossi di seppia; Calvino, I sentieri dei nidi di ragno; Morante, L'isola di Arturo; P. Levi, Se questo è un uomo.

E. Regulations for the Award of Honors

The entire Faculty of the Department meets several days before Graduation in order to determine Departmental Honors and which graduating seniors, if any, should be awarded Highest Honors, High Honors, or Honors. The results are posted on the Departmental bulletin board and are recorded both on the diplomas of graduating seniors and in the published Commencement Program.

In determining Honors, the Department takes into account grades obtained in:

• 1 - Departmental Courses:
  • .50 of the total grade
• 2 - Independent Work:
  • .50 of the total grade
  • Junior Independent Work = .25
    • 1/3 of First JP (.08)
    • 2/3 of Second JP (.17)
  • The Senior Thesis = .50
  • The Senior Departmental Examination = .25 (_{^{75% written, 25% oral}})

In addition, the student’s record and rate of progress are considered alongside the views of Advisers and teachers. While the number awarded may vary greatly, the Department aims to maintain a consistent standard in the award of Honors from year to year.

_{² Students will not be expected to read these texts in full, but they should be conversant with the texts based on their class work experience in the courses they have taken (e.g. ITA 220, etc.) 
³ Ibid}

F. Prizes

The following prizes are awarded by the Department of French and Italian at the Departmental Class Day Reception in June. Seniors whose Thesis is nominated for any of the following Thesis Prizes should submit an additional unbound copy of their Senior Thesis to the Undergraduate Administrator.

• Senior Prizes
  • R. Percy Alden Memorial Prize (for the best thesis in French)
  • The André Maman Senior Thesis Prize (for an outstanding thesis on the culture, economy, history, politics or society of France; open to seniors from all departments)
  • Pirelli Senior Thesis Prize (for an outstanding thesis on New Media and Italian Cinema; open to seniors from all departments)
  • Lucio Caputo Senior Thesis Prize (for an outstanding thesis on the literature, language, culture, economy, history, politics, or society of Italy)
• Other French & Italian Prizes
  • R. Percy Alden Memorial Prize (awarded to the best junior(s) in French)
  • Dorothea van Dyke McLane Prize (for outstanding first-year students in Italian)
  • Gordon Schwartz Fund (up to $2000, travel grants in Italian) 
    • Sophomore and junior Italian majors are eligible to apply, once only. Applications, in the form of a description of the study abroad program and projected expenses, must be forwarded to Professors Pietro Frassica, Gaetana Marrone-Puglia, and Simone Marchesi by the first Friday in April.

Departmental students may be eligible for prizes – some of which are quite substantial – awarded by other Departments or Programs.

2. Opportunities

A. Study and Work Abroad

The Department strongly encourages its majors to spend as much time as they can in any country where their language(s) of major is (are) widely spoken.

There are several ways of doing this within the four-year undergraduate degree: by studying abroad for one or two semesters, by summer study abroad, and by obtaining summer work or placement abroad.

• 1. Junior Semester/Junior Year Abroad 

  • Students planning to spend a semester or their whole junior year abroad should seek advice from the Director of Undergraduate Studies and from relevant Faculty in choosing a suitable program of study. Further assistance may be requested from Dean Rebecca Graves-Bayazitoglu at the Office of International Programs (OIP). Departmental and University approval is required.
  • Grades awarded by foreign institutions for courses that are recognized in lieu of Princeton courses are not included in the computation of Departmental Honors (see Part 1, E above).
  • Students studying abroad for one or two semesters are not exempted from Independent Work requirements. The responsibility for consulting with Advisers and meeting all normal deadlines lies with the student.
  • An approved one-semester course of study abroad normally counts for two Princeton course credits toward the major or one course credit toward the minor. (i.e. Only two study abroad courses can count as departmentals, and the grades do not factor into honors.) Students must complete the program abroad to the standard required by the foreign institution.

• 2. Summer Language Study

  • The Department has a special relationship with the I.S. Aix-en-Provence (Institut international de langue), which offers intensive four-week language courses leading to French national qualifications (DELF and DALF) at various levels. The Department has established a similar relationship with the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, offering intensive language courses in Italian.

• 3. Summer Work Abroad: "The Princeton-in-France" Program

  • Princeton in France (PIF) is a unique internship opportunity open to students enrolled in Aix-en-Provence (FRE 207F). Administered through the International Internship Program (IIP) in partnership with the Department of French and Italian, PIF internships are 4 weeks, and their goal is to introduce students to French culture and prioritize the cultural immersion experience. These internships are offered in collaboration with the Institute for American Universities.
    
    Students enrolled in 207F will automatically have the option to apply for a Princeton in France internship in Aix-en-Provence, which would immediately follow the 207F program. However, participation in the additional 4-week internship program is not a requirement for FRE 207F, nor is an internship guaranteed.

    Students interested in Princeton in France will first need to apply to FRE 207F, where they can indicate their intention to pursue a PIF internship. There is no separate application for the Princeton in France internship. Once accepted to the language immersion program, students interested in PIF will meet with IIP advisers to discuss their top internship choices and write an intention letter/cover letter for their preferred internship. IIP will attempt to place students in the most appropriate internship available and attempt to honor their preferences.

    Information about other placements and internships abroad may also be obtained from the Director of International Internships, in the Office of International Programs, a unit of the Office of the Dean of the College.
    
    Students interested in Princeton in France will first need to apply to FRE 207F, where they can indicate their intention to pursue a PIF internship. There is no separate application for the Princeton in France internship. Once accepted to the language immersion program, students interested in PIF will meet with IIP advisers to discuss their top internship choices and write an intention letter/cover letter for their preferred internship. IIP will attempt to place students in the most appropriate internship available and attempt to honor their preferences.
    
    Information about other placements and internships abroad may also be obtained from the Director of International Internships in the Office of International Programs, a unit of the Office of the Dean of the College.

B. Other Departmental Activities and Support

1   The Lounge, East Pyne 305

Junior and Senior Majors share use of the Departmental Lounge with graduate students. It is a comfortable meeting place and occasional reading room — except when it is used for guest lectures, seminars, or meetings.

2   Student-Initiated Seminars

Provided sufficient notice is given, the Department is pleased to support student-initiated seminars. Students interested in initiating a special seminar are asked to see the Director of Undergraduate Studies as early as possible in the new academic year.

3   Film and Media

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A wide-ranging collection of classic and contemporary French and Italian films on DVD, Blu-Ray, VHS, and digital format is available for viewing in the Video Library located on the B Floor of Firestone Library, Room B1J. Film is an especially effective means for improving passive foreign language skills and for increasing awareness of foreign cultures.

4   Funding for Research

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Office of the Dean of the College (via the Office of Undergraduate Research) as well as the Department have funds available to help students with costs of research in connection with Independent Work. Please see the Director of Undergraduate Studies as early as possible if you foresee needs of this sort in your own work. Early planning is essential to make the best use of such resources. Please note that funding is not available on a rolling basis. The department follows a strict schedule, which begins in the Fall and ends in late April.

5   Post Graduate Resources

​​​​​​​Students interested in postgraduate study in French or Italian are urged to consult with their Adviser, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and with other Departmental Faculty before applying to graduate programs. Faculty are usually happy to write letters of reference provided they are given adequate notice.

3. Information

• A. Recommended Reference Works

  • 1. For All Students

    • The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
    • MLA International Bibliography (annual, exhaustive)
    • The Year's Work in Modern Languages (annual, selective)
    • The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetics

  • 2. French

    • Le “Grand Robert” (16 vols.)
    • Le “Petit Robert” (1 vol.)
    • Harrap’s Standard French-English, English-French Dictionary (4 vols.)
    • Collins-Robert English and French Dictionary (1 vol.)
    • Le Robert II (for proper names)
    • Marcel Grévisse, Le Bon Usage
    • Marcel Grévisse, Précis de grammaire française
    • Jean-Paul Vinay and Jean Darbelnet, Stylistique comparée du français et de l'anglais
    • W. von Wartburg, Évolution et structure de la langue française
    • Jacqueline Picoche and Christiane Marchello-Nizia, Histoire de la langue française

    • Literary Histories

      • Denis Hollier ed., A New History of French Literature
      • Sarah Kay, Terence Cave, Malcolm Bowie, A Short History of French Literature
      • Henri Morier, Dictionnaire de poétique et de rhétorique
      • Peter France, The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French
      • David C. Cabeen, Critical Bibliography of French Literature
      • Otto Klapp, Bibliographie der französischen Literaturwissenschaft (annual volumes)

    • Literature, Periods

      • J. Strayer, Dictionary of the Middle Ages, vol. 4, pp. 232-81: K. D. Uitti, "French Literature: To 1200," "French Literature: After 1200"
      • Emmanuèle Baumgartner, La Littérature française du moyen âge
      • Simon Gaunt, Retelling the Tale: An Introduction to French Medieval Literature
      • Marie-Luce Demonet-Launay, Histoire de la littérature française. Le XVIe siècle
      • Paul Bénichou, Morales du grand siècle
      • Leo Spitzer, Essays on Seventeenth-Century French Literature
      • J. Lionel Gossman, French Society, and Culture: Background for Eighteenth-Century Literature
      • Albert Thibaudet, Histoire de la littérature française de 1789 à nos jours
      • Henri Coulet, Le Roman jusqu'à la Révolution, 2 vols.
      • Michel Jarrety, Dictionnaire de Poésie de Baudelaire à nos jours
      • Erich Auerbach, Mimesis
      • Gérard Genette, Figures II and III

    • Historical Background

      • Georges Duby, Le Dimanche de Bouvines
      • Jacques Le Goff, Les Intellectuels au moyen âge
      • C.B.A. Behrens, The Ancien Régime
      • Léon Blum, À l'échelle humaine
      • Jean Monnet, Mémoires
      • Raymond Aron, Mémoires
      • Charles de Gaulle, Mémoires de guerre
      • Jean-Paul Sartre, "Préface," to Paul Nizan, Aden, Arabie; Les Mots
      • Pierre Miquel, Histoire de France

    • Current Affairs

      • Le Monde (daily); L’Express (weekly); Le Nouvel Observateur (weekly); France-Amérique (weekly)
      • See our website for links to french linguistic, literary, cultural, and topical web pages.

  • 3. Italian

    • Battaglia, Grande dizionario della lingua italiana
    • Zingarelli, Vocabolario della lingua italiana 
      Dizionario Garzanti della lingua italiana
      Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana
      Dizionario Garzanti italiano/inglese, inglese/italiano
    • Sensini, Grammatica della lingua italiana
    • Dardano, La lingua italiana
    • Migliorini, Storia della lingua italiana

    • Literature, General

      • Mortara Garavelli, Manuale de retorica 
        Storia della letteratura italiana Garzanti 
        Storia della letteratura italiana Einaudi 
        Enciclopedia dantesca

    • Historical Background

      • Storia d'Italia Einaudi
      • Dennis Mack Smith, Italy: A Modern History
      • R. Villari, Il Sud nella storia d'Italia

    • Current Affairs

      • See our website for links to numerous Italian linguistic, literary, cultural, and topical web pages.

IMPRESSIONISM

and the

NARRATIVE STYLE OF EMILE ZOLA

by Susan Doe

A Senior Thesis submitted to The Department of French and Italian, Princeton University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts

Princeton, New Jersey 08544 
Copyright Susan Doe, 2025

This thesis represents my own work in accordance with University regulations.

[Signature]

Susan Doe  
[This title page should precede the Table of Contents. All copies of the thesis should also be signed at the end.]

• Regular Faculty

• Visiting Faculty

• Seniors, Class of 2025

^{*Extra-departmental adviser}

• Juniors, Class of 2026

At the first meeting of Majors with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the fall term, students will be asked to select a Student Undergraduate Liaison Committee. The composition of this committee varies from year to year, but it generally represents the different constituencies of the Department. Members should be chosen from both the Junior and Senior classes, and from majors in French and Italian. It is usually possible to achieve this with a membership of around three or four.

The Undergraduate Liaison Committee has an important role in the life of the Department. Its task is to advise the Department on curricular and pedagogic matters, to represent student opinion to departmental Faculty and to the University, and to also communicate student opinion to the Department’s external Advisory Council.

The Department, the University, and the Advisory Council are very attentive to students’ suggestions, proposals, criticism, and praise. The liaison committee is the official channel for student opinion, but individual students may, of course, bring their ideas directly to the Director of Undergraduate Studies or, on important or confidential matters, to the Departmental Chair.

Undergraduate Liaison Committee (2023-2024)

All Independent Work must be submitted to the Department Office, East Pyne 303, no later than 4:00 PM on the specified date.

All requests for extensions for medical reasons must include a letter from a doctor or Dean. Requests for extensions recommended in consultation with both Advisers must include a letter from the first Adviser.