French

Degree Requirements

Master of Arts

The master’s degree program in French requires that the candidate have a bachelor’s degree with a major in French or demonstrate equivalent knowledge. Master of Arts degree plans are available with a concentration in French studies or linguistics and may be awarded en passant to the Ph.D. provided that the student fulfills the requirements described below.  

The program in French studies requires thirty-seven semester hours of coursework, including two courses outside the department. French studies majors are required to take French 381M and at least one course in seven literary periods. All incoming students are required to take the proseminar, French 180P, in their first semester of graduate study.

Completion of the program in linguistics requires four semesters or thirty-seven semester hours of coursework with a minimum of twenty-four semester hours of coursework in French linguistics. All incoming students are required to take the proseminar, French 180P, in their first semester of graduate study.

Doctor of Philosophy

The doctoral program is offered in French studies and linguistics. The departmental proseminar is required of all incoming graduate students. Information about required courses in each of these areas is available from the department. An examination committee is formed for each candidate; with the graduate adviser, the committee oversees the student’s progress and eventually administers a comprehensive examination based on coursework and reading lists. The Comprehensive Examination will consist of a two-hour oral examination conducted by three to four faculty members. One of the faculty members conducting the examination may come from outside the program. Eighteen to thirty-six semester hours of coursework beyond the master's are normally required for the degree. An approved dissertation prospectus is required for all doctoral candidates before they may begin to write the dissertation. A final oral defense of the dissertation is required of all candidates.

In French studies, the candidate is expected to take courses outside of the department in related areas of interest, such as French history, art history, comparative literature, and anthropology. Candidates must pass a comprehensive exam on three areas of expertise before beginning work on the dissertation. For the concentration in French studies, students are required to have an adequate knowledge of a modern language (in addition to French and English) or a basic knowledge of Latin.

In French linguistics, the candidate must take coursework in each of the five areas of specialization: historical linguistics; sociolinguistics and dialectology; syntax and semantics; phonology and morphology; and language acquisition and applied linguistics. Each candidate is expected to complete at least two courses in areas outside of French linguistics, such as English, history, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, or other languages. Coursework completed for the master’s degree may be counted toward this requirement. Candidates must be examined on three of the five areas of specialization of their choice. For the concentration in French linguistics, students are required to have an adequate knowledge of a modern language (in addition to French and English) or a basic knowledge of Latin.

Graduate Studies Committee

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee in the spring semester 2015.

David P Birdsong Marc Bizer Carl S Blyth Benjamin C Brower Barbara Ellen Bullock Mounira M Charrad Judith G Coffin Tarek Adnan El-Ariss Patience L Epps Zenzi M Griffin Julie Hardwick Lars Hinrichs

David D Kornhaber Richard P Meier Jean-Pierre Montreuil Karen A Pagani Herve Picherit Marc Pierce Cinzia Russi Helene Tissieres Almeida J Toribio Alexandra K Wettlaufer Lynn R Wilkinson