French, MA/PhD

Requirements for PhD with MA en route

This degree is intended for students who wish to pursue the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in French Language and Literature but who do not already hold an MA in this field or in a closely-related discipline. Students must first successfully complete the requirements for the MA in French Language and Literature listed below, normally within their first two years of full-time enrollment. Students doing the PhD with the MA en route will be awarded an MA degree at the completion of these requirements:

• A minimum of ten one-term courses is required, for a total of 30 credit hours. These courses will include FR 2710 - INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY AND CULTURAL THEORY , FR 2903 - MA RESEARCH PAPER DIRECTED STUDY , and FR 2910 - COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION MA . Students holding Teaching Assistantships are also required to take FR 2970 - TEACHING OF FRENCH , though this does not count toward the required ten.
• Comprehensive examination: the comprehensive examination is a written examination and is given in two sessions on separate days during the fourth semester of the MA en route program. An oral interview is held after completion of the written exams to discuss the results of the exams and the MA research paper.
• Research Paper: each candidate must write a Master’s Research Paper of professional quality and length.
• Second language: candidates must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second Romance Language, or German, or Latin.

To ensure the acquisition of a broad knowledge of French literature and culture, candidates must take at least one course or one exam in each field (Middle Ages, Renaissance, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and African and Caribbean literatures) before they reach candidacy.

Before students may be considered for admission to candidacy for the PhD, they must successfully complete a minimum of five 2000-level courses (15 credits) beyond the MA. In addition, the candidate must present an oral explication de texte before a faculty committee, and pass written and oral comprehensive examinations. The PhD language requirement and explication de texte will normally be satisfied at the MA level. The eight courses must include:

1. FR 2710  (if not taken at the MA level) and an additional course in literary or cultural theory.
2. With the adviser’s consent, students are free to take some of the additional required courses in other departments. Students in French are encouraged to pursue certification in one of the various programs offered by the University (African Studies, Cultural Studies, European Union Studies, Film Studies, Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, Global Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, West European Studies). However, only three exterior courses may count towards the degree in French.

Upon admission to candidacy, the candidate will write and defend a doctoral dissertation.