French, M.A.

Program Overview

The French graduate program offers a comprehensive curriculum with courses and seminars covering various periods and genres. Students develop expertise in French literature and language pedagogy, preparing them for careers in academia, research, and other fields. The program emphasizes language proficiency and provides opportunities for international study and cultural immersion. Graduates have a strong job placement record due to their specialized knowledge and skills.

Program Outline

Outline:

• The French graduate program offers a wide array of courses and seminars each semester.
• Courses typically meet two or three times a week and are quite broad in focus, generally exploring well-defined periods or genres.
• Seminars are held once a week for two hours and take up narrower topics in greater depth.
• The offerings and the requirements of the M.A.
and Ph.D. programs are designed to give students not only the tools necessary for specialization, but also an excellent knowledge of these extremely rich literary traditions.
• Students for the M.A.
degree can fulfill course requirements in any given two-year period, and candidates for the Ph.D. can complete course requirements for the Ph.D. within two years of obtaining their M.A.
• Students must take at least one seminar in the department in each of the three defined areas:
• Middle Ages - 16th - 17th
• 18th - 19th
• 20th - 21st - Francophone and Global French Studies

Assessment:

• M.A.
Examination:
• Written Examination: The M.A.
exam is usually taken by the end of the fourth semester of study.
• Format: The written part of the M.A.
exam lasts a total of 7 hours.
• Oral Examination: A student who fails the written part of the M.A.
exam will not take the oral part.
• M.A.
thesis and thesis defense:
• A Master’s thesis in French (40-60 pages, including notes and bibliography):
• Thesis defense: Students selecting the M.A.
thesis option will take a 60-minute oral exam.

Teaching:

• Strong emphasis is placed on the practice of the language.
• French is the usual language of instruction in graduate courses and seminars.
• The department offers possibilities for international stay through exchange programs and further promotes the use of French through lectures, films, theater, and events at the French House.

Careers:

• The French Ph.D. program has a fine job placement record.
• Its students' solid foundation in the French and Francophone literary tradition is increasingly rare among North American literature programs, as is the extensive training students receive in language pedagogy.