Students completing a major in French are required to complete senior exercises as described below. They are expected to participate in the Study Abroad Program and to reside in Oldenborg Center for one year.

Major Requirements
French majors are required to take French 44, 101, and seven courses numbered 102 or higher, including one course numbered 140-169; one course numbered 170-189. A Senior Thesis (191) or Senior Paper (192) is also required. Students may be excused from French 44 if they place into a higher level through the department's placement examination. 101 is normally a prerequisite for literature classes. 105 is also recommended. 185 is strongly recommended for majors.

Senior Exercises
Detailed information concerning the senior exercise is contained in the Senior Paper/Thesis/Oral Presentation Information Packet, available in the department office and on the Romance Languages Department Web site at www.romance-languages.pomona.edu.  All majors should obtain a copy of this document during their junior year.

Majors are required to write a Senior Paper (192) or Senior Thesis (191a, b) in French and to enroll in the Senior Oral Presentation (193). By the end of the third week of the first semester of the senior year, every major must have the topic for the Senior Paper or Senior Thesis approved by a director. Another faculty member must agree to serve as a second reader for the Paper or Thesis, and the proposal must be approved in writing by the Section Coordinator. The Senior Paper counts as a half-course and must be at least 12-15 pages in length, exclusive of bibliography and notes. It must be completed during the first semester of the senior year. The Senior Thesis counts as one course credit (one-half course credit per semester) and must be at least 30 pages in length, exclusive of bibliography and notes. Approximately one-half of the Thesis (bibliography and 12-15 pages) must be completed during the first semester of the senior year, and the remainder will be completed during the second semester. At the end of the fall semester, the grade for the Thesis will indicate that the course is in progress. Majors who choose to write a thesis must prepare an oral presentation of 20-30 minutes in length in French on the topic of the thesis; those who write a paper will present an oral presentation of 15-20 minutes. The presentation will be delivered during the second semester of the senior year to the faculty and majors of the student's language section. A single grade will be awarded for the Paper/Thesis; this grade will be posted on the student's transcript after the second semester of the senior year. No course credit is awarded for the Oral Presentation, and it is graded P/NC.