M.A. / Ph.D In French

نظرة عامة على البرنامج

The Ph.D. program in French at UC Berkeley trains students for research, teaching, and scholarly writing careers. It combines rigorous training in French and francophone literature and culture with innovative methodologies and interdisciplinary dialogue. The program emphasizes flexibility, broad competency, strong mentoring, and in-depth pedagogical training, preparing students for success in academia and beyond.

مخطط البرنامج

Degree Overview:

The Ph.D. program in French at UC Berkeley is designed to train students for original research, scholarly and critical writing, and teaching careers at the college and university level. The program combines rigorous training in French and francophone literature and culture with innovative methodologies, and fosters interdisciplinary dialogue with other academic disciplines. The program is known for its flexibility, broad competency, strong mentoring, and in-depth pedagogical training.

Outline:

• Program Structure:
• M.A.
• Phase (4 semesters):
• 8 courses, 6 of which must be graduate level (200-level)
• Minimum 3.5 GPA required for all coursework
• Written M.A.
exam in the 4th semester based on representative works from the French and francophone traditions
• Successful completion leads to M.A.
degree and admission to Ph.D. phase
• Ph.D.
• Phase (3 semesters):
• 4 graduate-level courses (200-level)
• Qualifying exams during the last semester, based on specialized reading lists
• Exams include written and oral components, testing general knowledge and encouraging development of dissertation ideas
• Dissertation Phase:
• Dissertation prospectus written in consultation with a dissertation committee
• Dissertation itself, following prospectus approval
• Course Requirements:
• 10 courses total, including:
• 1 course in the history of French language (French 201)
• 1 course in literary criticism (French 270 or French 274)
• Courses completed for the M.A.
phase count towards the 10-course requirement
• Historical comprehensiveness requirement:
• Graduate seminar in Medieval literature
• 2 seminars in 16th-, 17th-, 18th-century or early modern studies
• 2 seminars in 19th-, 20th-century, Francophone Studies, or Modern Studies
• Students encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary interests in other departments
• Up to 2 undergraduate courses allowed for credit
• Proseminars:
• French 200A (1st semester):
Introduction to Department faculty, courses, research fields, graduate career aspects, research methodologies, and critical debates
• French 200B (1st year):
Introduction to reading, analyzing, and writing about French texts, covering diverse works and current trends in French studies, with a final reflection serving as a starting point for M.A. exam preparation
• Foreign Language Requirement:
• Options:
• Option I:
Demonstrating reading knowledge of two languages
• Option II:
Demonstrating exceptional reading knowledge and adequate grammatical knowledge of one language
• Language selection in consultation with the Head Graduate Advisor, based on Ph.D.
Program Proposal
• Examples of language choices based on specialization:
• Middle Ages or Renaissance: Latin, Italian, Spanish
• Modern Philosophy: German
• Francophone literature: Arabic
• Additional Requirements:
• Passing the Qualifying Exams
• Composing a dissertation prospectus approved by the dissertation committee

Assessment:

• M.A.
• Exam: Written exam covering representative works from the French and francophone traditions
• Qualifying Exams: Written and oral exams based on specialized reading lists, testing general knowledge and dissertation development
• Dissertation Prospectus: Written in consultation with a dissertation committee
• Dissertation: Original research, fulfilling program requirements and showcasing the student's expertise in French and francophone literature and culture

Teaching:

• In-Depth Pedagogical Training:
• Provided to all Teaching Instructors (TAs)
• Includes pilot classes and pedagogical theory
• Opportunities to plan innovative language courses through the Berkeley Language Center
• Development of reading and composition courses, or instruction in neighboring departments (Art History, English, Comparative Literature)
• Access to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center for teacher-training workshops, individual consultations, grants, and a summer institute

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• College and university teaching positions
• Research positions
• Opportunities in publishing, media, and cultural institutions
• Placement Record:
• Excellent record of placing students in positions nationally and internationally
• Recent placements include tenure-track appointments at prestigious universities such as Northwestern, Duke, Penn, Georgetown, Vassar, Emory, Williams, and more
• Successful placements in non-academic careers like Program Director, Equitable Assessment Consultant, Content Marketing for AI-platforms, Teacher, Senior Academic Programs Coordinator in Paris, and more

Other:

• Flexibility and Broad Competency: Program allows students maximum flexibility to pursue their scholarly interests while guaranteeing broad competency in French and francophone literature and culture.
Students develop expertise in all periods and are encouraged to adopt interdisciplinary perspectives.
• Mentoring: Incoming students receive faculty mentors and graduate student buddies for support and transition into departmental and professional life.
• Romance Languages and Literatures (RLL) Program: Doctoral program offering a combined degree in French, Italian, and Spanish, allowing students to tailor their studies to their interests.
• Designated Emphasis: Students can pursue Designated Emphasis (DE) in fields like Critical Theory, Film Studies, Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Renaissance and Early Modern Studies, European Studies, Indigenous Language Revitalization, New Media, and more.
• Interdisciplinary Centers and Working Groups: The department fosters interdisciplinary collaboration through participation in centers like the Center for the Study of Sexual Culture, the French Studies Program, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and the Townsend Center for the Humanities, as well as participation in working groups.
• Fostering Intellectual Life: The department prioritizes intellectual life among students, with resources and opportunities for current student interests.
• Job Placement Support: The department is committed to supporting graduates in securing employment through workshops, CV and application letter review, mock interviews, and works-in-progress talks.
• Financial Aid: The department offers a range of financial aid options, including fellowships, Graduate Student Instructorships, summer study and travel grants, and access to university-wide funding opportunities.
• Exchange Programs and Travel Fellowships: The department offers exchange programs with the École Normale Supérieure, the Institut d’Anglais at the Université de Paris VII, and the Université de Tours François-Rabelais, as well as funding opportunities through the Fulbright IIE Fellowship, Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Grants, Georges Lurcy Fellowship Program for Study in France, and Walter J. Jensen Fellowship for French Language, Literature, and Culture.