Graduate Program

Several different tracks for graduate study in French are offered, providing students with diversity of choice while ensuring a rigorous, high-quality curriculum. Details are provided below. To initiate an application, visit the Graduate School Application site. The Graduate Catalog can also be consulted on-line. Be sure to take a look at our Courses page for a list of current and upcoming graduate course offerings in French.

Admission requirements

General requirements for admission to the Graduate School are set forth in the “Academic Policies ” section of the Graduate Catalog.

Admission to any of the graduate programs in French typically requires the equivalent of an undergraduate major in French, with a minimum 3.0 GPA, a satisfactory score on an entrance exam (either the GRE or the MAT), a Statement of Purpose (one or two pages), a writing sample (approximately 10 pages in French), and three letters of recommendation. For students with deficiencies in undergraduate preparation, admission may be contingent upon completion of designated undergraduate requirements. Qualified students who are holders of an appropriate undergraduate degree may be admitted directly to the doctoral program in Romance Languages (consult with one of the French graduate advisors to determine if this is the best option for your situation; note, too, that those admitted directly to the doctoral program from the B.A. must complete of all requirements for the appropriate master of arts program, including comprehensive testing and subsequent awarding of the M.A. degree, as a prerequisite for completion of the doctoral degree).

Qualified students may seek dual admission to the School of Law and to any M.A. program offered in the Dept. of Modern Languages and Classics. If admitted to both, the student will be exempted from at least 6 hours of coursework for the juris doctor degree.

Degree requirements

For the most up-to-date information on our graduate programs, contact the graduate advisor in French literature Prof. Metka Zupancic, or the graduate advisor in French linguistics Prof. Michael D. Picone, or the Chair of Modern Languages and Classics Prof. Tom Fox .

Master of Arts in Romance Languages

The following options are available within this degree program:

French Option
Spanish Option
Romance Languages Option (combining French and Spanish).

Within the French Option, the following tracks are available:

Master of Arts, Standard Track, Non-thesis: Incorporates 33 hours of coursework. 21 hours must be language specific, and core requirements must be satisfied (see graduate advisor). Requires success on comprehensive exams before granting of the degree.
Master of Arts, Applied Linguistics Track, Non-thesis: Incorporates 36 hours of coursework. The organization of the curriculum is similar to the Applied Linguistics thesis track (see below). 21 hours must be language specific, and core requirements must be satisfied (see graduate advisor). Requires success on comprehensive exams before granting of the degree.
Master of Arts, Standard Track, with Thesis: Requires 27 hours of coursework and a thesis. The curriculum is versatile, depending on student interest and course availability. Completion requirements include success on comprehensive written and oral examinations.
Master of Arts, Applied Linguistics Track, with Thesis: Requires 30 hours of coursework and a thesis. In addition to the thesis, the applied linguistics track involves 3 components: language, linguistics and applied linguistics. The language component consists of 15 hours of course credit in French language, literature, and/or culture. The linguistics component is comprised of a 3-hour descriptive linguistics course (FR 561). The applied linguistics component consists of 12 hours of coursework in second language acquisition and pedagogy (FR 512, EN 613, and 2 of the following: FR 515, EN 610, EN 612, CIE 577, or other approved courses). Requirements include success on comprehensive written and oral examinations.

All Graduate Teaching Assistants enrolled in the M.A. program (as well as other M.A. candidates, on a voluntary basis), regardless of track, benefit from supervised in-service pedagogical training with a language acquisition specialist. The training includes a course on foreign language teaching theories and methods (FR 512) and integrates teaching methodology with meaningful use of technology to develop teaching practices, which is particularly valuable for future career placement.

Doctor of Philosophy in Romance Languages

The following options are available within this degree program:

French Option
Spanish Option
Romance Languages Option (combining French and Spanish)
Linguistics Option (combining either French or Spanish with Linguistics)

For the French Option, the curriculum is centered on French, though up to 12 hours of coursework in a related discipline is admissible. For the Linguistics Option, a total of 30 semester hours must be in French and 30 hours in Linguistics. Depending upon the option selected, all candidates must enroll in either a course on general literary theory or on linguistic research methodology. All new graduate teaching assistants must take FR 512. At the conclusion of the coursework, a qualifying examination and the successful defense of a prospectus (a formal presentation of a proposed dissertation research topic) must take place before work on the dissertation can begin.

Coursework required will depend on previous preparation and the ability and goals of the student, but the minimum will be a total of sixty semester hours of graduate course work (54 hours for candidates who have completed a master’s thesis). Transfer of up to 30 semester hours from a recent M.A. is allowed, assuming applicability and acceptability of the proposed courses for transfer. All doctoral candidates must possess reading knowledge of one language other than English, their native language, and their language of specialization. Before the termination of studies, it is strongly recommended that all doctoral candidates reside for a period in a French-speaking country. However, all candidates must also keep in mind that there is a time limit for completion of all requirements and there is a campus residency requirement. Consult the general Academic Policies of the Graduate School for details.

All Graduate Teaching Assistants enrolled in the Ph.D. program (as well as other doctoral candidates, on a voluntary basis), regardless of track, benefit from supervised in-service pedagogical training with a language acquisition specialist. The training includes a course on foreign language teaching theories and methods (FR 512) and integrates teaching methodology with meaningful use of technology to develop teaching practices, which is particularly valuable for future career placement.