phd in french and francophone studies

The French Department’s doctoral program reflects the interdisciplinary priorities that have long defined the pursuit of knowledge here at Berkeley. We are committed not only to providing students strong coverage of the field of French and francophone literature and culture, but also to doing so through the critical application of innovative methodologies, and by continually bringing French studies into productive dialogue with developments in parallel disciplines. Our faculty’s interests are both historically and methodologically diverse; their strengths are complemented by a variety of programs—centers, working groups, and so on—that regularly bring scholars of the humanities together across campus. And the relaxed and non-hierarchical atmosphere lends itself to free and passionate inquiry. We invite you to explore our offerings.

A Short Description of the M.A./Ph.D. in French

The doctoral program in French is designed to train students to undertake original research, to engage in scholarly and critical writing, and to prepare for teaching careers at the college and university level. The following information is intended only to provide a brief overview of the program’s main features and requirements. For complete information, please see the  Guide to Higher Degrees in French . Visit our application page for  information on the application process . 

For students entering with a B.A. in French, the French doctoral program normally takes six years to complete. (Students entering with the M.A. will typically spend five years in the program.) This time may vary, depending on each individual student’s preparation; it is divided as follows:

The M.A. Phase

During the first four semesters of graduate study students complete a minimum of eight courses, six of which must be graduate level (200-level). All M.A.-level coursework must be completed with at least a 3.5 GPA. In the fourth semester students take a written M.A. exam, based on a tailored list of representative works from the French and francophone traditions. Upon successful completion of coursework and the M.A. exam, candidates are awarded the M.A. and then considered for admission to the Ph.D. phase of the program.

Please note that the French Department does not admit applicants whose ultimate goal is the M.A. degree.

The Ph.D. Phase

In three semesters students complete four more courses at the graduate level (200-level). During the last semester in the Ph.D. phase students take their qualifying exams, based on a set of specialized reading lists developed in close consultation with faculty members. These exams, which contain both written and oral components, are intended both to test general knowledge of a period and to provide students with a chance to develop ideas that will be useful in the definition of the dissertation topic.

The Dissertation Phase

Following successful completion of the qualifying exams, students are advanced to candidacy and enter the dissertation phase of the program. Students first write a dissertation prospectus in consultation with their dissertation committee, and then proceed with the dissertation itself.

Program Features

Flexibility and broad competency.

The Ph.D. program in French has been formulated to allow students maximum flexibility to pursue their scholarly interests while guaranteeing the acquisition of broad competency in the discipline of French and francophone literature and culture. Students are expected to acquire expertise in works of all periods but are also encouraged to develop interdisciplinary and specialized perspectives.

Incoming students are assigned a faculty mentor as well as a graduate student “buddy” so as to ease their transition into departmental and professional life. We view student-faculty contact as one of the cornerstones of our program’s success.

In-Depth Pedagogical Training

The department provides all Teaching Instructors (TAs) with in-depth pedagogical training, including pilot classes and pedagogical theory. Many of our students find themselves wanting to do supplementary work in planning innovative new language courses, and are able do so through the resources provided by the  Berkeley Language Center . Many advanced graduate students develop their own reading and composition courses or serve as instructors in neighboring departments such as Art History, English, and Comparative Literature; these instructorships often offer the opportunity to plan and execute a literature or culture course of your own design.

The  GSI Teaching and Resource Center  provides weekly teacher-training workshops throughout the semester; individual teaching consultations; grants for GSIs to improve the quality of teaching at Berkeley; and a summer institute for preparing future faculty.

Romance Languages and Literatures Program

The  Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures (RLL)  is a doctorate in three Romance languages and literatures (French, Italian and Spanish, including Spanish-American), prepared with emphasis in the literature or in the linguistics or philological history of one of the three. The RLL Program offers students the opportunity to tailor a course of study in French, Spanish and Italian to their interests. Applicants to the RLL program with a French emphasis are evaluated by French Department faculty and the program’s requirements are different from those listed above.

If you have any questions regarding the graduate program in  Romance Languages and Literatures  with an emphasis in French, please contact the  Graduate Student Services Advisor .

The Designated Emphasis

Students may consider the option of pursuing a Designated Emphasis (DE) in areas such as  Critical Theory ,  Film Studies ,  Women, Gender, and Sexuality ,  Renaissance and Early Modern Studies ,  European Studies , Indigenous Language Revitalization , or  New Media . Students pursuing a Designated Emphasis take certain prescribed courses within these disciplines, and write a dissertation that partially encompasses the chosen field of study. In addition to providing students an institutional mechanism for incorporating this sort of work into the Ph.D. program, the Designated Emphasis assures prospective employers that you have demonstrated expertise in an auxiliary field, and it will appear on your final degree. The  Program in Medieval Studies  also offers a joint degree in French and Medieval Studies. Students can also pursue graduate certificates in fields such as  Applied Data Science and Teaching and Learning in Higher Education .

Interdisciplinary Centers and Working Groups

A number of interdisciplinary centers and groups regularly bring noted scholars and artists to campus. The  Center for the Study of Sexual Culture , brings together researchers with a common interest in the ways sexuality takes on different meanings in different cultural contexts.

The French Studies Program  organizes lectures, visits by scholars, and conferences involving France and the French tradition(s) across the disciplines of the Humanities and the Social Sciences.

The Center for Middle Eastern Studies  promotes the interdisciplinary study of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the University of California, Berkeley, and beyond, raising public awareness of the region’s diverse peoples, languages, cultures and their connection to wider global contexts.

The  Townsend Center for the Humanities  promotes research and ongoing conversation among and within academic disciplines. It hosts art exhibits, lectures, and conferences and sponsors a large number of  working groups , which meet informally and are run and attended by both graduate students and faculty. The Center also provides funding to support student journals.

Fostering intellectual life among students is a priority. Click here for information on  current student interests .

Job Placement

The Department is committed to helping graduates secure employment. This includes workshops on aspects of the job market in both spring and fall, reviewing and editing of curriculum vitae and letters of application, mock interviews, and works-in-progress talks that help candidates learn to present their research.

The Department has an  excellent record in placing students  who apply nationally and internationally for positions; in the last several years our students have been offered tenure-track appointments at Northwestern University; Duke University; University of Pennsylvania; Georgetown College; Vassar College; Emory College; Williams College; EDC Paris Business School; Maynooth University; Reed College; Columbia University; Middlebury College; Davidson College; College of William and Mary; Skidmore College; Austin College; San Francisco State University; University of Georgia; University of Michigan; University of Minnesota. Students interested in careers outside of academia have also had successful placements as Program Director; Equitable Assessment Consultant; Content Marketing for AI-platforms; Teacher; Senior Academic Programs Coordinator in Paris; and more . 

Financing Graduate Study

Each year, a limited number of outstanding admission candidates are nominated to the campus-wide multi-year fellowship competition. Successful nominees receive two years of fellowship support and two additional years of appointment as a Teaching Assistant (TA) in French. Students who are not awarded a multi-year fellowship may be awarded a one year fellowship or a Graduate Student Instructorship in French with coverage of non-resident tuition, when appropriate.

Applicants should note that there are a few non-UC Berkeley sources of funding for graduate education. These include the  Ford Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowships , the  Hispanic Scholarship Fund , the  Jack Kent Cooke Foundation , the  Javits Fellowship Program , and the  Soros Fellowships for New Americans .

The Department offers a number of resources for financing graduate study, including fellowship packages, fellowships for continuing students, and Graduate Student Instructorships. It also awards grants for summer study and travel.

UC Berkeley also provides funding support on a competitive basis to humanities students at various points in their graduate career. The  Graduate Division Summer Grant  provides summer financial support. The  Doctoral Completion Fellowship  provides a full year of fellowship support for students who advance to candidacy within normative time (four years in humanities departments). The  Townsend Center  funds a competitive dissertation fellowship for humanities students.

Exchange Programs and Travel Fellowships

Graduate students in French are encouraged to spend time studying in France or another Francophone region or country. The Department has three yearly exchange programs — with the Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), the Institut d’Anglais at the Université de Paris VII, and the Université de Tours François-Rabelais. The Department usually selects advanced students to participate in these exchange programs, but from time to time students who have fulfilled almost all of their other requirements and have not yet taken the Qualifying Exam are selected.

These programs have always been sufficient to assure every student the opportunity to study in France.

Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) Exchange

One student may be selected for the academic year for the Department’s exchange program with the École Normale Supérieure (ENS). The ENS position will require the student selected to use their DCF during that year. Since the ENS exchange includes free housing, the DCF Fellowship stipend will not be supplemented by the department. Students who have already utilized the DCF will not be eligible for the ENS fellowship.

Paris VII Exchange

Students selected to participate in the Paris VII exchange are hired by Paris VII to teach English language courses. Students are paid a monthly salary in euros for 12 months. Students also receive health coverage under the general conditions of the National French Health Insurance System. Unlike the ENS exchange, Paris VII participants must make their own housing arrangements. Only native English speakers are eligible for this exchange program.

Université de Tours François-Rabelais

Students selected to participate in the Tours exchange are hired by Tours to teach English language courses. Students are paid a monthly salary in euros for 12 months. Students also receive health coverage under the general conditions of the National French Health Insurance System. As in the Paris VII exchange, Tours participants must make their own housing arrangements. Only native English speakers are eligible for this exchange program.

Additional Opportunities for Research/Travel in France

Fulbright IIE Fellowship Applicants must be U.S. citizens holding a B.A. degree or equivalent before the beginning date of the grant. Provides round-trip travel, tuition, books, and stipend for one academic year. Approximately 1,300 awards are available for study in over 140 countries. Applies to coursework, master’s or dissertation research.

Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Grants This program provides grants to colleges and universities to fund individual doctoral students who conduct research in other countries, in modern foreign languages and area studies for periods of 6 to 12 months.

Georges Lurcy Fellowship Program for Study in France This fellowship is for advanced Ph.D. students who are citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and whose research topic is unique to France and can only be pursued in that country. The fellowship provides a stipend (currently $25,300) to cover educational fees, necessary travel, and living expenses while in France. Students must be enrolled at UC Berkeley or at an educational institution in France during the tenure of the fellowship. Interested students should submit their application materials to the Graduate Fellowships Office (318 Sproul Hall) by the deadline. One UC Berkeley graduate student is nominated for this fellowship each year.

Walter J. Jensen Fellowship for French Language, Literature, and Culture This fellowship provides a stipend of at least $10,000 for a minimum of six months of study in France. Phi Beta Kappa will also cover a single round-trip, economy-class ticket for the recipient to travel to France; some additional support may be available to those with dependents. The purpose of the award is to help educators and researchers improve education in standard French language, literature and culture and in the study of standard French in the United States.

Degree Requirements

Course requirements.

Students in the doctoral program must complete ten courses, including one course in the history of French language (French 201) and one course in literary criticism (French 270 or French 274). Courses completed at Berkeley for the M.A. phase count toward the ten-course requirement.

Students must also fulfill a historical comprehensiveness requirement. This entails completion of a graduate seminar in Medieval literature; two seminars in 16th-, 17th-, 18th-century or early modern studies; two seminars in 19th-, 20th-century, Francophone Studies, or Modern Studies. Outside of these requirements, students are allowed, and indeed encouraged, to pursue their interests in other departments. Students wanting to improve their general background are also permitted to take up to two undergraduate courses for credit towards their degree.

The first French proseminar (French 200A) is taken during the first semester of graduate study at Berkeley. This one-hour-a-week class, which does not count toward the Ph.D. requirement, is designed to give new graduate students a broad view of the Department’s faculty, the courses they teach, and their fields of research. In addition, it introduces students to aspects of their graduate career, issues pertaining to research methodologies, and critical debates across the profession.

The second French proseminar (French 200B)   gives first-year graduate students a general introduction to reading, analyzing, and writing about French texts. The selection of works is intentionally diverse and reflects both the traditional canon as well as current interests and trends in French studies.  At the end of the course, students produce a final reflection which will serve as a starting point for their own preparation for the M.A. exam.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students may fulfill the foreign language requirement either by demonstrating a reading knowledge of two languages (Option I) or by demonstrating an exceptionally thorough reading knowledge and an adequate knowledge of the grammatical structure of one language (Option II). If you have questions about how to fulfill the foreign language requirement, contact the Graduate Student Services Advisor at  [email protected] .

The language(s) will be chosen after consultation with the Head Graduate Advisor, and in view of the student’s intended Ph.D. Program Proposal. For example, for students intending to work in the Middle Ages or Renaissance, it could be advisable to choose Latin, Italian, or Spanish. For students interested in modern philosophy, German might be wise. Arabic might be a sensible choice for students interested in Francophone literature. Whatever the choice, it should have an intellectual or scholarly relationship to the student’s area of specialization, or with the field of Romance languages more broadly.

Additional Requirements

Doctoral students must fulfill additional requirements, including passing the Qualifying Exams and composing a dissertation prospectus, which must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee. For more information on additional requirements, consult the  Guide to Higher Degrees in French .

• M.A. / Ph.D In French
• Ph.D In Romance Language and Literatures (RLL)
• Applying to The Graduate Program
• Teaching Assistantships
• Job Preparation and Placement Record
• Guide to Higher Degrees in French
• Commencement

French and Francophone Studies

Graduate program, graduate program handbook.

The graduate program curriculum covers fields in French and Francophone literature from the Ancien Régime to the present and from a variety of theoretical perspectives.

The doctoral program in French and Francophone Studies offers a lively intellectual environment where students explore French and Francophone literatures and cultures across a broad chronological and topical range and through a wide variety of critical approaches.

Our goal is to train scholars and teachers who have a solid grounding in all periods of French and Francophone literatures and who think, write and teach creatively.

Program Benefits

Students in the graduate program profit from an annual calendar of lectures, mini-seminars and conferences, including Equinoxes , the annual graduate student conference. The Department of French and Francophone Studies shares, with the Department of Hispanic Studies, the beautiful  Rochambeau House , where students have access to dedicated study space with computers, printers and scanners.

Graduate students at Brown also benefit from the accessibility of faculty across campus as well as the vitality of the humanities and associated fellowship and funding opportunities. Providence, Rhode Island is  an affordable city  with  a vibrant cultural scene and an excellent quality of life .

The Ph.D. Year by Year

All graduate students must complete the Graduate School requirement of 24 tuition units.

In their first year, graduate students normally take 8 courses: 3 departmental seminars plus one other relevant course in the fall semester; and 2 departmental seminars, French 2900 (Teaching Methods), plus one other relevant class in the spring. Courses and schedules, and other matters relating to students’ individual programs are determined in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. For each course the student receives a Course Performance Report after the conclusion of the course (for courses taken in departments that depart from this practice the CPR may consist in communications between the appropriate instructor or DGS and the French DGS).

First-year students receive a mid-year evaluation from the DGS near the beginning of the spring semester. At the end of the academic year each student receives a Performance Evaluation which is uploaded to the online GSIM system. The faculty mentor assigned to each student upon entering the program serves as the student's advisor for the first academic year.

Students are on fellowship and do not teach during their first year.

Students entering the program with a Masters degree for which they have received 8 graduate credits take the 1 st  Prelim. Exam at or around the time of the Labor Weekend holiday and, presuming they pass, proceed to prepare the 2 nd  Prelim. Exam. 

In their second year, students (entering with the Bachelors degree) normally take 6 classes in their second year (3 departmental seminars in the fall semester, and 2 departmental seminars plus one other relevant class in the spring). They proceed to prepare the 1 st  Prelim., beginning by consulting with the DGS and forming a committee as outlined in the Graduate Handbook.

Students begin their teaching practice as TAs during the second year.

Until they have completed the 1 st  Prelim. students are required to take all graduate seminars offered by the Department. In instances where the DGS deems it necessary a student may be required to take classes beyond the 1 st  Prelim.

In their third year, students complete remaining coursework. All students are expected to have completed the 2 nd  Prelim. Exam by the end of their third year.

Subsequent years are devoted to preparation of the Dissertation Prospectus and to research for and writing of the Dissertation.

Students receive a second year of Dissertation Fellowship support during their period of research and writing, following consultation with the DGS.

Milestone Requirements for all levels of the Ph.D. program are listed at the end of the Graduate Handbook. Continued funding is dependent on students’ completion of appropriate Milestones. Students who do not meet Milestones may have their GSIM status changed to Satisfactory or Warning.

Required Courses

All students must pass FREN 2900: Teaching Methods, and fulfill the language requirement. They must take departmental seminars as required before taking the 1 st  and 2 nd  Prelims., or as directed by the DGS. In some instances, and with the approval of the Graduate Committee, students may be exempted from these requirements on the basis of previous work or experience.

Students are paired with a faculty mentor in the first semester of their program so that they are immediately in contact with an informal advisor for any questions they wish to discuss. That relationship continues at least until the student begins work on the 2 nd  Prelim. Exam, and often continues beyond that time.

Once they begin the 2 nd  Prelim. Exam on, students work closely with the faculty member who will supervise their exam research, and eventually with their dissertation director.

Pedagogical Training

A notable strength of our program is the in-depth training and experience students gain in language teaching, under the expert guidance of our Department’s language acquisition specialists. Students serve as Graduate Teaching Assistants in our language program during their second, third, and fourth years, teaching one section per semester. Our TAs are fortunate to work with some of the very best undergraduates in the country and to avail themselves of the certificate programs offered by the  Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning .

Professionalization

As students progress within the program they are encouraged to give conference presentations and eventually to publish their work. To that end, financial assistance is offered for attendance at academic conferences; and workshops are given on a regular basis on topics such as preparing an article for submission and publication. The 2 nd  Prelim. Exam is designed to have students produce a publishable article by the end of their second or third year in the program.

Students are also encouraged to avail themselves of professionalization workshops and programs offered by the Graduate School or the university, including those designed to prepare students for non-academic positions.

Students preparing for the job market work closely with their director, committee, and other faculty to prepare CVs, application letters, writing samples and teaching portfolios.

Master's Degree

Students may graduate with the A.M (Masters degree) by completing one year of course work and a thesis of 50-60 pages; or two years of coursework. They must also demonstrate a reading knowledge of a foreign language other than French.

Lewis Seifert

David Wills

DEPARTMENT OF FRENCH AND ITALIAN

Phd in french/francophone studies, the program.

The PhD Program in French and Francophone Studies focuses on literary and cultural production throughout the French-speaking world and provides students with a strong theoretical background. Historically dedicated to training students in various periods, genres, and media of cultural production in French, the Program is also distinguished by its pioneering commitment to a broadly inclusive conception of the field of French and Francophone literatures and cultures, as well as its sustained engagements with developments in literary theory, philosophy, and critical thought that have indelibly impacted humanities scholarship of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The Program aims to develop students’ metacritical perspectives through exposure to the range of theoretical and methodological approaches represented by our faculty. These include poststructuralist, psychoanalytic, cultural historical, postcolonial, feminist, visual arts, gender studies, and historical materialist perspectives, as well as film and media theories.

The research and teaching of our combined faculty exhibits particular strength in the areas of twentieth-century literature and contemporary theory (Ty Blakeney, Christopher Bush, Matthieu Dupas, Scott Durham, Michal Ginsburg [Emerita], Nasrin Qader, Alessia Ricciardi, Domietta Torlasco, Sam Weber [Affiliated], Jane Winston [Emerita]); film and visual culture across periods (Ty Blakeney, Christopher Bush, Matthieu Dupas, Scott Durham, Bernadette Fort [Emerita], Michal Ginsburg [Emerita], Alessia Ricciardi, Domietta Torlasco, Jane Winston [Emerita]); Francophone Studies (Christopher Bush, Doris Garraway, Nasrin Qader, Jane Winston [Emerita]); seventeenth and eighteenth-century studies (Matthieu Dupas, Bernadette Fort [Emerita], Doris Garraway, Sylvie Romanowski [Emerita]; nineteenth century-century studies (Ty Blakeney); Medieval and Early Modern (Christopher Davis, Matthieu Dupas, Cynthia Nazarian, Bill Paden [Emeritus], Sylvie Romanowski [Emerita], and gender studies (Ty Blakeney, Matthieu Dupas, Bernadette Fort [Emerita], Cynthia Nazarian, Bill Paden [Emeritus], Sylvie Romanowski [Emerita], Jane Winston [Emerita]).

In addition, the Program is strongly committed to interdisciplinary research and scholarship and allows students the flexibility to tailor their course of study so as to reach across disciplinary and departmental boundaries. In so doing, students may choose to participate in the  Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative , a program designed to help Northwestern graduate students foster connections with students and faculty in other departments and programs around interdisciplinary subject areas such as African Studies, Critical Theory, Gender Studies, and Rhetoric and Public Culture. All students benefit from a wide array of interdisciplinary resources, including Northwestern Library’s outstanding Africana collection, and close interaction with experts in related fields of gender studies, film, art history, philosophy, and comparative literature. In addition, the Department regularly hosts conferences and invites internationally acclaimed writers and scholars to Northwestern to lecture and teach. Recent guests include Jacques Rancière, Adelkébir Khatibi, Georges Didi-Hubermann, Hélène Cixous, Frederic Jameson, Ross Chambers, Tariq Ali, Peter Hallward, Boubacar Boris Diop, and Abdourahman Waberi.

The Program is dedicated to meeting the intellectual needs of each student and to supporting students throughout their training through formal and informal mentoring.

Additional Resources

For additional resources, please see our Resources page .

For Program Information contact Lisa Byrnes, Graduate Program Assistant, at [email protected] or email [email protected].

Department of French & Italian Northwestern University 1860 Campus Drive, Crowe Hall #2-107 Evanston, IL 60208-2204

(847) 491-4148

For information about the application/application process, please see our Admission Requirements .

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Department of Romance Languages & Literatures

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French and Francophone

Welcome to the French and Francophone Studies Graduate Program.

Our program here at Harvard is driven by collegiality—the collegiality that reigns among the faculty in the program and is generated, in turn, among our graduate students. We share a common cause in studying the languages, literatures, arts, cultures, and histories that characterize the Francophone world in its most capacious conception. In our teaching and in our research, we address the relation between individuals and communities, humans and the world, the aesthetic and the political, in historically situated contexts that allow for meaningful comparisons across national, spatial, and temporal boundaries. The intellectual life of our unit is marked by mutual respect and an egalitarian ethos that treats students and faculty alike as partners in our mission to understand our present and our past through the cultural objects—both material and abstract—we engage with, and to imagine the future in an age of increasing chaos and instability. As we contend, globally, with natural, social, and political catastrophes that threaten to dehumanize and displace on an unprecedented scale, the study of what makes us human and what can be envisioned beyond the human, as epitomized in the works we grapple with, seems more important than ever.

We look forward to getting to know you in courses, and also, to sharing our intellectual passions and areas of expertise, which we hope to extend to you as a resource as you make your way through to the dissertation. Working with the other sections of RLL, as well as with other departments, we support students in building a singular program of studies that meets their aspirations, including a year abroad at the École normale supérieure, rue d’Ulm. You will find at Harvard, within the program and outside it, a cornucopia of conferences, panels, workshops, performances, seminars, and institutions that will both whet and nourish your intellectual appetites: the Mahindra Humanities Center, where we lead seminars on France and the World, the Renaissance, and Cartography; the Weatherhead Center; the Center for European Studies; the Harvard Film Archive; the Radcliffe Institute; the Center for Early Modern History; and many others. We are also a member of the consortium of French and Francophone graduate programs that, together, award the annual Goncourt américain.

Other wonderful resources to the program are Harvard's Widener Library and its incredibly learned and helpful research staff. Whatever books or journals the library doesn't have, it will get for you on interlibrary loan. We hope also that you will have the occasion to become acquainted with the Houghton Library, Harvard's rare book library, which is a mine of treasures. You will also be able to benefit from Harvard’s museums, the Arnold Arboretum, as well as the research centers it has at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C. and I Tatti in Italy.

Last but not least is the city of Cambridge itself, a truly cosmopolitan city on the banks of the Charles, and Harvard Square, with its many cafes, restaurants, and bookstores, where you can experience a veritable carnival of books, food, films, and theater, following your particular passions. And beyond Cambridge you will find the Greater Boston area offers the Boston Symphony, the Museum of Fine Arts, but also an abundance of places to get away from the city, be it to the beaches of the North and South Shore and Cape Cod, the Berkshires, or the forested space of the Fells. You will add to this list many, many personal discoveries, if you join us and study here.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions!

The French Section

To see our program requirements, see the GSAS Policies .

Graduate Contacts

Kathy Hanley (Graduate Program Coordinator)

Graduate Programs

French and francophone studies.

The graduate program in French and Francophone Studies is the home of advanced studies in French and Francophone literatures, language and civilization.

Faculty expertise encompasses many fields, from the Middle Ages to the present in several French-speaking societies and countries. Students receive training and guidance in literary and cultural theory, critical methods, research and teaching applications of information technology, modern linguistics, narratology, hermeneutics and sociocultural and psychoanalytic interpretation. Focal areas of research include the historical interactions between French-speaking cultures, questions of gender and race, and relations between writing, cinema and philosophical thought.

Additional Resources

Lectures by invited speakers, films and conferences, extensive library collections, exchange programs with the Universities of Lyon and Burgundy, and computer facilities and study areas in Rochambeau House.

Application Information

Application requirements, gre subject:.

Not required

GRE General:

Writing sample:.

Required (in French). Applications should be completed in English, except for the writing sample.

Dates/Deadlines

Application deadline, completion requirements.

Sixteen courses at the 100 and 200 levels (including two mandatory courses: History of the French Language and Theory and Methods of Foreign Language Teaching), departmental tutorials, relevant courses in other departments. Also required: two foreign languages other than French at the intermediate level or one at an advanced level, two semesters of teaching, preliminary examination during third year, dissertation, and oral defense.

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Contact and Location

Department of french and francophone studies, mailing address.

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Ph.D. Program in Modern French Studies (FRMS)

Our Ph.D. program combines training in literary, cultural and language studies with individualized research to open new, innovative understandings of the French-speaking world of yesterday and today. 

Related Links

• Application fee waiver
• Ph.D. Handbook (PDF)
• French Program Graduate Funding
• French Graduate Placement

The Ph.D. in modern French studies at the University of Maryland offers comprehensive training in French and Francophone studies, including teaching, research and professionalization. The program offers seminars in French and Francophone literature, culture and film, in addition to French language and linguistics. With the guidance of internationally recognized faculty specializing in a range of genres and issues and reflective of the diversity and complexity of the French-speaking world, students develop competencies in innovative research methods and approaches such as critical theory, gender and sexuality studies, colonial and post-colonial studies, cultural and media criticism, ecocriticism and digital humanities, among others. The French Ph.D. program fosters collaborative work across disciplines, languages, media, centuries and fields. Students may pursue graduate certificates in affiliated programs such as women, gender and sexuality studies, comparative literature and digital humanities, as well as participate in Graduate School field committees in film studies and in medieval and early modern studies. Students are encouraged to pursue independent and innovative thinking through individualized curricula and research projects with the support of the French program’s intellectual community.

Students are normally granted full funding for four years, with the possibility of an additional year, contingent upon availability of funds. Annual renewal of financial support is based on satisfactory performance and progress in the program. The program also provides thorough pedagogical training and teaching experience in French language, literature and culture courses.

Students who have graduated from our program have pursued careers in higher education and beyond. For a complete list of Ph.D. graduate placements .

Admissions Information

Entry into the Ph.D. program is open to students who have already completed an M.A. in a field related to French studies. Students with a B.A. in French or a related field should begin with the M.A.

All foreign applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL examination (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

Course Requirements

Ph.D. students are required to take for credit a minimum of eight courses beyond the M.A. at the 600-level or above.

All students must take one course in each of the three following core categories: 1. History of Ideas 2. Issues in Literature 3. History of the French Language

Apart from those core courses, with the help of the director of graduate studies and their advisor, students will create an individually-tailored program of study that best matches their interests to complete the course requirements towards their degree.

Additionally, graduate teaching assistants are expected to take a 1-credit practicum in their first semester (FREN709) and FREN611 (The Structure of the French Language) in their second (spring) semester.

For additional information, please see the Graduate Student Handbook.

Language Requirement

All Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate a sound reading knowledge of one other language in addition to French and English. Students should choose a language that provides an appropriate background for the projected dissertation. The fulfillment of this requirement is one of the prerequisites for advancement to candidacy.

For additional information on how to fulfill this requirement, please see the Graduate Student Handbook.

Entering students are advised in their first semester by the director of graduate studies or by some other designated professor. By the end of their second semester, students should choose a permanent advisor and register this choice with the director of graduate studies. Final responsibility for meeting Graduate School requirements and deadlines rests solely with the student.

Qualifying Examinations

In order to advance to candidacy, Ph.D. students are required to pass two Qualifying Examinations consisting of:

 a) one two-part Comprehensive Examination; and  b) one Prospectus Defense.

In both cases, the committee will be composed of three members of the French faculty. An additional fourth member from outside the department is possible for the prospectus defense if the topic warrants it.

A ) The first Qualifying Examination is a two-part comprehensive exam, first written, then oral, taken over two consecutive days. It assesses whether students have acquired sufficiently broad knowledge of French and Francophone literature as well as of a range of theoretical approaches to be able to successfully take on the dissertation project. This exam should be taken by the end of the student’s third semester in the Ph.D. program. If students choose to submit their written response in English, the oral portion will be in French, and vice versa.

For the written part of the examination, students will have four hours to respond to one of two questions based on the standard Ph.D. reading list. The exam is taken without notes, in an examination room with a computer provided by the department.

For the oral part of the examination, which lasts approximately an hour, students will be asked to discuss their written response and the reading list with their committee.

To obtain the current reading list for the Ph.D. examination, contact the director of graduate studies.

B) The second Qualifying Examination is the oral defense of a written dissertation prospectus (approx. 5,000 words) and accompanying bibliography. The prospectus is a formal project proposal for the dissertation. The prospectus should lay out the proposed area and object of study, explain the relevant context, a research question, how your project is inscribed within the larger field (what has and has not been done in this area), a theoretical approach and a description of the methodology to be adopted, as well as a bibliography.

*Please note that, following a successful prospectus defense, doctoral students are required to submit the most recent version of their dissertation draft as an email attachment to the three departmental members of their Dissertation Committee one year date-to-date after their prospectus defense, and every six months thereafter until the submission of the final version of their dissertation two weeks prior to the defense date. As a rule, students will receive written feedback on these drafts within four to six weeks.

Dissertation

Doctoral dissertations must receive the preliminary approval of the three departmental members of the Dissertation Committee before being submitted to other readers. All readers must be given at least two weeks in which to read the dissertation. At the beginning of the semester in which the dissertation will be defended, the dissertation director will ask the dean of the Graduate School to approve the Examining Committee. At least one member of this five-person committee (normally the dean's representative) will be external to the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, and one may be drawn from another university. A date will then be set for the oral defense, which can be expected to last about two hours.

Application Instructions

Application deadline is January 15 for admission in the fall and may be submitted here . Before completing the application, applicants are asked to check the Admissions Requirements site for specific instructions about the Ph.D. program .  

As required by the Graduate School, all application materials must be submitted electronically through the Graduate Application Portal :

• Non-refundable application fee for each program
• Statement of Purpose. The statement should address relevant aspects of your educational experience, the focus of your academic interests and reasons for applying to our program.
• Unofficial transcripts of your entire college/university record (undergraduate and graduate), including records of any advanced work done at another institution. Electronic copies of these unofficial transcripts must be uploaded along with your online application.
• Three letters of recommendation. In your online application, please fully complete the information requested for your recommenders and ask them to submit their letters electronically.
• Two samples of critical writing in French. While we encourage you to submit your best writing sample, we prefer a writing sample in your declared field of interest. If you are submitting an excerpted selection, please include a brief description or introduction to the selection. The MLA citation format is preferred.
• Description of Research/Work Experience (optional)
• Publications/Presentations (optional)
• Academic CV/Resume

  Completed applications are reviewed by an admissions committee in each graduate degree program. The recommendations of the committees are submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final admission decision. To ensure the integrity of the application process, the University of Maryland authenticates submitted materials through TurnItIn for Admissions .   For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact the Graduate School.

Information for International Graduate Students

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. International applicants are encouraged to contact the office of International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS), a valuable source of information and assistance for prospective and current international students. Admitted international students will receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland which will require submission of additional documents. International students admitted by the Graduate School are responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa in order to enroll.

English Proficiency Requirement

Non-native speakers of English must submit TOEFL exam results to the Graduate School with their application. Based on these results, students may be advised to take a written expression course from the Maryland English Institute or a basic writing course given by the English Department. This course will not count towards the degree.

Please see the Graduate Admissions Process for International applicants for more information.

Program Contact

Director of graduate studies, sarah benharrech.

Associate Professor, French Affiliate, Classics Associate Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

3104 Jiménez Hall College Park MD, 20742

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

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French and Francophone Studies

Degree requirements.

Learn more about the program by visiting the Department of French and Italian

See related Interdisciplinary Clusters and Certificates

Degree Types: PhD

The PhD Program in French and Francophone Studies focuses on literary and cultural production from the Francophone world. The program is distinguished by a deep exploration of the continued impact French literature and culture has on modern literary theory, philosophy, and critical thought.

The research and teaching of our faculty exhibits particular strength in the areas of twentieth-century literature and contemporary theory, film and visual culture across periods, Francophone studies, seventeenth- and eighteenth-century studies, and gender studies.

The program is strongly committed to interdisciplinary study and allows students to tailor courses to extend beyond traditional boundaries. Students benefit from a wide array of resources - including Northwestern Library's outstanding Africana collection - and from close interaction with experts in related fields of gender studies, film, art history, philosophy, and comparative literature.

Additional resources:

• Department website
• Program handbook(s)

Program Statistics

Visit PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.

Program Contact

Contact Elizabeth Murray Department Assistant 847-491-5491

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in  The Graduate School Policy Guide .

Minimum eighteen credits for candidacy (including FRENCH 596-0 PhD Thesis Tutorial ), a minimum of 13 credits in French and Francophone Studies; up to 5 courses may be taken outside the Department. Of the required French courses, one must be FRENCH 495-0 Practicum in Scholarly Writing, Publication, & Research and two in the first year must be units of FRENCH 493-0 Topics in Literary Theory (the Program’s introductory theory course) with different content.

Total Units Required (by end of Year 3) : 24

Other PhD Degree Requirements

Examinations : For admission to candidacy, written examinations conducted in three phases:

A theory exam, based on a critical theory reading list, conducted prior to the beginning of fall classes in the student’s second year;

A literature exam based on a list of works of French and Francophone literature and film;

A third-year qualifying/prospectus exam, focusing on methodological issues and a corpus of primary texts related to the student’s prospective dissertation project, conducted in the winter of the third year. There are three possible outcomes of the qualifying/prospectus exam. If the student does not pass the exam on the first try, he or she will be given the opportunity, during the following quarter, to rewrite the section(s) of the exam that were deemed unsatisfactory. If, however, on the second attempt the results are still unsatisfactory, the student will not pass and may be granted a terminal master’s degree at the discretion of the faculty.

First- and Second-Year Review : These reviews are conducted at the end of the spring quarter of the first and second year. The student’s performance is assessed based on a dossier including the student’s self-evaluation, evaluations by instructors, and a seminar paper submitted by the student.

PhD Dissertation : Original and significant contribution to French and Francophone studies; may be written in English or French.

Oral Defense : Defense of the dissertation before dissertation committee. The student may decide to opt for a public defense.

Other : Teaching assignments or graduate assistantships starting in year two.

The department does not admit students for the MA degree, but will award the MA to a PhD candidate if deemed in the student's best interest. At least two years of graduate courses, plus any supplementary courses and/or examinations recommended by faculty, are required.

Last Updated: September 12, 2023

French and Francophone Studies

French Graduate Adviser : Larry Norman

Interdisciplinary Engagement

In addition to the primary field in French and Francophone Studies, all of our PhD students create an individual course of study in a secondary field, which can be in a second Romance literature or in another discipline.  By defining their own path of study while acquiring a rigorous grounding in their chosen fields, students develop the skills and versatility necessary to adapt and succeed in an evolving profession. Formal secondary field tracks in  Cinema and Media Studies  and in  Gender and Sexuality Studies  have been developed, or students are invited to design their own secondary field .

Students may also choose to complete a dual degree program with  Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS) , or to apply to the  Masters in Legal Studies (MLS)  program. 

The University of Chicago’s  graduate workshops  are a hallmark of graduate study at this University. These workshops provide opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange among students and faculty across the University. PhD students participate in and coordinate these forums for sustained interdisciplinary exchange among students and faculty.

International Exchange

• Qualified doctoral students may apply to be part of a dual degree program between the University of Chicago and a French institution. Program and application requirements may be found  here .
• The   University of Chicago Paris Center  is located in the research hub between the Université de Paris Diderot and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. The Center annually hosts around a dozen graduate students from the University of Chicago, who work in close communication with faculty through the Research Residency Program, while also participating in the Center’s own graduate student workshop. The Center promotes collaboration with French academic institutions such as the Institut d’Études Politiques (Sciences Po); the University of Paris-IV (Sorbonne); the University of Paris-VI (Pierre et Marie Curie); the University of Paris- VII (Diderot); the University of Paris-IX (Dauphine); the University of Paris-X (Nanterre); and the École Normale Supérieure. 
• École Normale Supérieure exchange program .   Each year the University sends two graduate students for fully funded year-long residences as visiting students at the ENS on the rue d’Ulm in Paris. 
• Collège de France Exchange Fellowship .  Each year, this program offers full funding for a graduate student to conduct doctoral research in Paris, providing a formal year-long affiliation with the Collège de France and its research assets.
• The   France Chicago Center . This University of Chicago-based interdisciplinary organization fosters ties between University students and researchers and their colleagues in France. The FCC organizes and sponsors conferences and colloquia, provides pre-dissertation and dissertation fellowships (including the Collège de France Exchange Fellowship) as well as travel grants for students, funds visiting faculty members from France, and organizes numerous lectures.   

Research Resources

• ARTFL Project .  The University of Chicago is home to North America’s largest collection of digitized French resources and makes for a premier center for work in the digital humanities. A longstanding collaboration with the French National Center for Scientific Research, ARTFL offers a select number of research assistantships for students wishing to develop skills in the area of digital humanities.
• Montaigne Studies .  Published since 1988 at the University of Chicago, the journal publishes scholarly articles on Montaigne and his thought. Students who specialize in the Renaissance may gain important professional experience at the journal as Assistant Editors. 
• The   University of Chicago Library . One of the largest research libraries in North America, with 12.6 million volumes in print and electronic form, the Library holds a vast collection of French and Francophone printed materials, manuscripts, rare books, journal holdings, databases and microfilm sets, and provides extensive support for developing personal research skills.

Graduate Program

Application Requirements

Visit the  Undergraduate Program   section for information on College majors and minors in French.

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UCLA Graduate Programs

Graduate Program: French & Francophone Studies

UCLA's Graduate Program in French & Francophone Studies offers the following degree(s):

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Masters available on Doctoral track

With questions not answered here or on the program’s site (above), please contact the program directly.

French & Francophone Studies Graduate Program at UCLA French & Francophone Studies Graduate Program at UCLA 212 Royce Hall Box 951539 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1539

Visit the European Languages & Transcultural Studies Department’s faculty roster

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Visit the registrar's site for the European Languages & Transcultural Studies Department’s course descriptions

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MAJOR CODE: FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE STUDIES

French and Italian

Doctor of Philosophy in French and Francophone World Studies

The Doctor of Philosophy program in French and Francophone world studies requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit, including credit earned for the M.A. degree.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded on completion of an extensive program of study, the passing of a comprehensive examination, and the writing and successful defense of a dissertation. It certifies that the recipient has acquired a sound general knowledge of French and Francophone literatures and cultures, and an in-depth knowledge of specific areas with concomitant critical and research methodologies to resolve problems of literary criticism, history, and scholarship. The doctorate should prepare a teacher-scholar capable of addressing both students and peers, and of making significant and original contributions to learning.

Students must possess fifth-semester or equivalent proficiency in a foreign language other than French. They are required to spend at least one year teaching as graduate assistants in the department.

Listed below are the general categories of coursework required to earn the degree; for more specific information on courses, curriculum, and requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy in French and Francophone world studies, visit the UI General Catalog .

Important Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 15th (for financial support)

Applicants must have completed the equivalent of the University of Iowa undergraduate major in French. Applicants must submit academic transcripts, letters of recommendation from three people familiar with their past academic work, a statement of purpose in taking graduate work, and two samples of original writing, one in French and one in English, that show their ability to pursue graduate work. These writing samples could be an honors thesis, term paper, seminar paper, or other course papers.

Admission decisions are based on prior academic performance, letters of reference, and the applicant's statement about background and purpose. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the  Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College  on the Graduate College website. For more information, see the  Graduate Admissions Process  page.

For more specific information on the Ph.D. in French and Francophone studies, please contact Professor Anny-Dominique Curtius, the  Director of Graduate Studies .

Comprehensive Examination

On completion of the plan of study, normally during the Fall semester of the third year, the doctoral candidate will take a  written and oral comprehensive examination. It is not a deferred qualifying test but rather provides the opportunity for the student to demonstrate the knowledge and critical skills that he or she will apply to the dissertation and to his or her career.

This examination comprises of three four-hour written examinations on three alternate days, followed by an oral examination usually after an interval of seven days.

See the Ph.D. Resource Guide  here . 

After passing the comprehensive examination the candidate will, during the Spring semester of the third year, present to his or her committee a detailed prospectus describing the planned dissertation. Students who do not submit their prospectus within this time period will not be considered in good standing. The “Special Topic” of the comprehensive exams is normally a means of preparing to write the prospectus. The student’s adviser will provide guidance for writing the prospectus which will include a working bibliography of primary and secondary sources.

Dissertation

The final requirement for the Ph.D. is the dissertation. A dissertation is a substantive work of scholarship that involves interdisciplinary research and analysis, and represents an original contribution to French of Francophone Studies. In most cases, the dissertation takes the form of a book-length manuscript. The dissertation, which may be in English or French, will be written under the supervision of one faculty director, or by co-directors when advisable, assisted by other members of the dissertation committee, who will report to the director(s) their comments and suggestions. The final draft of the dissertation will be submitted to the director and other members of the dissertation committee one month before the defense date.

PhD in French and Francophone World Studies (General Catalog)

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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JOINT PHD IN FRENCH STUDIES AND FRENCH LITERATURE

The joint Ph.D. Program in French Studies and French allows students to blend rigorous training in literary analysis with a broad, multi-disciplinary exploration of French and Francophone worlds from the French Revolution to the present. Housed at both the Institute of French Studies and the department of French Literature, Thought, and Culture, students chart their own course between both units, exploring ideas and methods while devising specific research projects with a wide array of faculty and graduate students. These opportunities — as well as a slate of courses and events conducted in both English and French — make our program truly unique in the field. The joint program prepares students to teach both literature and history or the social sciences in French departments, and gives them the scholarly expertise to integrate the two.

From year 1, students attend advanced seminars in literary criticism, conduct original research, and take courses in other disciplines of their choice, including cinema, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, media studies, and gender studies. Working closely with advisors at the IFS and the French department, they explore new ideas while working toward a dissertation prospectus (to which they turn in earnest in year 3). In the French department, students take courses with faculty whose domains of expertise include queer and feminist theory, history of the body and emotions, environmental humanities, political and critical theory, theory of the novel, history in fiction, and cinema. At the IFS, they delve deep into French and Francophone history and social sciences while working with faculty whose research revolves around the Caribbean and post-colonial circulations, migration, the politics of place and memory, ethnography, race and identity in France, the Maghreb, West Africa, family history, and new modes of historical writing.

Because of the program’s small size (2-3 incoming IFS Ph.D. candidates per year), faculty provide close mentorship as students devise their research questions, prepare for their qualifying exams (beginning of year 3), apply for grants, begin publishing and presenting at conferences, conduct research abroad, and then write their dissertation. Beyond distribution requirements, students have flexibility in devising their own program. They typically take one-on-one individual studies with faculty, study with the prestigious visiting professors the French Department and IFS bring to campus every year, enroll in courses at Columbia, Princeton, Rutgers, and other universities in our Consortium, and, if they so wish, learn languages (Arabic, Wolof, Haitian Kreyol, etc.) that will open new research domains. Students also participate in weekly workshops with their IFS cohort and faculty, and a monthly doctoral seminar, during which they obtain feedback on their own writing. Conferences and talks at NYU’s Maison française provide further access to eminent scholars, writers, and artists.

Most joint students spend one summer at the IFS’s program in Paris, taking courses with French scholars and conducting research. Many take advantage of our exchange program with the Ecole Normale Supérieure, spending at least a semester within its walls. In New York, students are guaranteed paid opportunities to teach in the French department, and may gain additional teaching certification at the Lycée français de New York. Through our in-house journal French Politics, Culture & Society and the leadership of its editor Liz Fink (a specialist of Western Africa and a graduate of the joint program), they benefit from Public Humanities initiatives that prepare them for careers within and beyond academia (writing, cultural diplomacy, secondary teaching, etc.) The faculty are committed to building a diverse, supportive community of students from multiple backgrounds and disciplines. The application process requires a single dossier, which is read by faculty from the IFS as well as the French Department. Fluency in French and English is required (though no GRE). Students with a B.A. or an M.A. are welcome to apply.

For more information, visit the  NYU GSAS Bulletin  or the IFS Graduate Student Handbook .

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PhD in French & Francophone or Italian Studies

The Department offers a doctoral programs in French & Francophone Studies and Italian Studies. Each gives students an opportunity to achieve a high level of scholarly competence and to develop the capacity to contribute original knowledge to the field. We are committed to the interdisciplinary study of language, literature, film and culture. Our faculty has a great depth and breadth of expertise, particularly in medieval and Renaissance culture and literature, linguistics, modern and contemporary literature, and film studies.

Our PhD programs build on linguistic, literary, film and cultural studies to support a selection of interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary studies. The programs provide an intellectually rigorous and focused but flexible set of core courses to prepare students for the pursuit of more specific individual research interests. Students will also receive preparation in world language pedagogy and the history and structures of language, establish coordinated theoretical grounding in one or more disciplines, and achieve proficiency in two professionally relevant languages in addition to French or Italian and English.

Students will have full use of the Department’s broad cultural competencies and access to a wide range of interdisciplinary resources in the University’s other Departments and Schools. Plans of study will include selected, pertinent courses in other Departments depending on individual students’ qualifications and specializations. This structure strongly supports interdisciplinary development, as students will interact with programs, Departments and Centers such as African American and African Studies, Second Language Studies, History, History of Art, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Film Studies, Disability Studies, Comparative Cultural Studies, Sexuality Studies, Folklore and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Goals include:

• to provide students with the analytical tools and research skills necessary to conceive, create, and publish original and significant research in their chosen fields;
• to train students to become effective post-secondary teachers in their fields through workshops, observations, apprenticeships, and the opportunity to teach a variety courses; and
• to prepare students to become leaders in their future institutions of employment and scholarly fields through seminars, workshops, and service opportunities that expose them to the administration of departments, universities, and professional organizations. With the innovative coursework and wide range of experiences in research, teaching, and service our program offers, students may expect to become competitive candidates on the job market and successful working professionals.

The path towards the PhD degree follows a natural progression from course work to candidacy to dissertation. For students entering without an approved MA degree, the PhD is a five-year program. Students take courses for approximately two and a half years before taking their candidacy examinations in Spring of their third year. Upon successfully passing their candidacy examinations, students submit and defend a dissertation prospectus in early Autumn of their fourth year and then engage in writing the dissertation. For students entering the PhD program with an approved MA degree, the program normally takes four years. Students take courses for one and a half years then continue as explained above. Students in the program who are making good progress but who have not finished their dissertation by their last year of regular funding may apply for an additional year of funding. Such funding is awarded on a competitive basis and is in no way guaranteed.

Current FRIT Graduate Students should always plan in consultation with their Faculty Advisors, the Chair of Graduate Studies, and the Academic Program Coordinator.

Program Information

1. The FRIT PhD programs require 86 credits (36 for the MA in progress and 50 hours of original coursework for the PhD)  GSH 7.1 .

2. Completion of the following residency requirements:

• minimum of 24 graduate credit hours at Ohio State (for students with transfer credit)
• minimum of two consecutive pre-candidacy semesters or one semester and a Summer session with full-time enrollment
• A student must be registered for at least three graduate credit hours during the Autumn or Spring semester(s) or summer term(s) of the candidacy examination, the Autumn or Spring semester or Summer term of the final oral examination, and the Autumn or Spring semester or Summer term of expected graduation ( GSH 7.1 ).

3. Successful completion of a Candidacy Examination at least one semester before a student can defend and graduate ( GSH 7.3 ).

4. Registration for 3 hours of graduate credit each semester following candidacy until graduation - "continuous enrollment" ( GSH 7.7 ).

5. FRIT Graduate Students are required to take coursework in theory, culture, literature, language, courses outside of FRIT (primarily to complete a minor or GIS), exam preparation, and writing.

All doctoral candidates must successfully complete required coursework (comprised of theory, language, culture, courses outside FRIT to complete a GIS/minor, exam preparation, and writing), pass a qualifying paper and oral defense, pass a candidacy examination (with a written and an oral component), successfully defend a dissertation prospectus, and pass a final oral examination on the dissertation and the designated special areas of research.

Program Guidelines

While we encourage our PhD students to begin thinking of their main area of specialization and even of an eventual dissertation as early as possible in their program, we also want them to keep in mind the realities of the job market they will eventually enter. To that end, they should take a broad range of courses throughout their degree program in order to establish a familiarity with areas of French, Francophone, or Italian Studies outside of their specialization. Universities hiring at the Assistant Professor level today tend to favor candidates with solid pedagogical training and teaching experience and with at least two areas of teaching expertise. PhDs pursuing non-academic careers also find a broad range of coursework essential. Examples of primary or secondary areas of specialization include, among many others, comparative studies, film studies, gender and sexuality studies, cultural studies, medieval and renaissance studies, and second language acquisition.

During the first year of study, the Chair of Graduate Studies will advise students. The student may change the Faculty Advisor upon consultation with and approval of the Graduate Studies Committee Chair and the faculty involved. Students should notify the Department Academic Program Coordinator of their selection by email. All courses will be chosen in consultation with and with the approval of the Faculty Advisor. The student will, in consultation with the Faculty Advisor, select the fields of concentration that will later form the basis of the student’s minor and major qualifying exams by week four of the third year of study for students entering without an approved MA and by spring of the first year of study for students entering with an approved MA. The student will also, with faculty advisor approval, select the other members of the Advisory Committee, who should be representative of the areas of the student’s specialization. The Advisory Committee is composed of at least four authorized graduate faculty members, including the student's faculty advisor. ( GSH 7.3 ) At least one member of the Committee must be from a Department or program other than French and Italian, unless the minor field is French & Francophone or Italian Studies. This Committee will serve as the minor and major field candidacy exam committee.

Students are expected to have completed all regular coursework before their Candidacy Examination. Upon successful completion of the examination, students must enroll each semester for 3 hours of graduate credit ( not  taken as an audit) until they complete their degree. A minimum of 3 credit hours is considered full-time enrollment for post-candidacy students; it is generally also at the maximum number of credit hours allowable without exceeding graduate funding. Post-candidacy students must apply to the Department for a leave of absence for any period during which they are not continuously enrolled. (GSH 7.7 & 11 )

Graduate Students are required to demonstrate at least a reading knowledge of one other professionally relevant language beyond French/Italian and English, such as French, Italian, Latin, German, Spanish, Arabic, or any other language related to the student’s areas of study, subject to the approval of the student’s advisor. Proficiency through coursework or exams in the professionally relevant languages will be required by the end of the second year. While speaking proficiency in the designated languages will certainly be encouraged, reading proficiency (above the second-year level) will be seen as the more important requirement. Students can demonstrate proficiency in one of three ways:

• By passing the graduate reading proficiency exam given by a Department;
• By passing a level II examination in German;
• By taking and passing German 6101 and 6102, French 6571 an 6572 or Latin 5890 and 5891 (reading courses);
• By taking and passing the 1101-1103 series in other languages with a grade of "B" or better (the 1000-level series may not be substituted for 5000 and 6000- level reading courses in Departments where the latter exist, although students are free to take any additional courses on their own). 

Students may demonstrate proficiency in a native or heritage language relevant to their field of study via a translation examination administered by the Department offering instruction in that language within the University.  Credit hours taken to satisfy the Language Requirement cannot be counted toward those required for the degree ( GSH 7.1 )

In addition to their major area of study, FRIT graduate students will also organize a set of focused courses in and outside the Department to earn a  Graduate Minor or Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization  (GIS). Students should work with their Faculty Advisors and the Chair of Graduate Studies to select their minor/GIS. Once selected, students should apply for their minor/GIS through  GradForms as soon as possible. Each minor/GIS has a specific advisor in the home Department. Students should work with their minor/GIS advisor after declaring. Once completed, the students should submit the “ Transcript Designation ” request through GradForms .

When concerns arise or persist, the graduate student ombudsperson is an impartial resource that can help graduate students explore options in resolving their concerns. Generally, graduate students should aim to address and resolve concerns within their Department. Graduate students are encouraged to discuss concerns with their faculty advisor first. If concerns remain, graduate students should then reach out to the program Graduate Studies Chair. Further unresolved concerns should be communicated to the Department Chair. If the concerns cannot be resolved internally within the Department, the graduate student is encouraged to contact the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies within the College of Arts and Sciences. In situations where the student believes the issue has not been resolved within the College, they can request further review from the Graduate School. ( GSH Appendix D )

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Phd in francophone studies.

UL Lafayette's dynamic, innovative, and interdisciplinary doctoral program in Francophone Studies is the only graduate program in the United States specifically in Francophone Studies and provides students the opportunity to study all the regions of la Francophonie individually and as a whole.

Un programme innovateur et unique

Our program regularly provides specific courses on the literatures, cinema, and cultures of France, Belgium, Quebec, Acadia, Louisiana, the Antilles and Haïti, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Maghreb. The graduate program in Francophone Studies was the first in the United States to design courses on Louisiana Cajun and Creole languages, as well as courses on Belgian Francophone literature.

The French faculty consists of a diverse group of scholars who bring a wide array of expertise and who are committed to providing excellent mentorship of PhD candidates in both scholarship and teaching.

Une expérience singulière

The university itself is located in the heart of French Louisiana, a cultural crossroads joining many areas of the contemporary Francophone world that share historical and linguistic roots. The natural beauty of the landscape provides a fitting setting for the culture’s unique heritage and multicultural diversity.

Students from all over the Francophone World come together at UL to explore the rich variety, hybridity, and créolisation of the global Francophonie using a variety of approaches: literary, linguistic, critical, ethnographic, cinematographic, historical, culture and folklore studies.

Learn more about our: PhD requirements » Curriculum and courses » French and Francophone Studies faculty » Funding for PhD students »

Apply today! Venez étudier avec nous-autres !

Ready to earn your Ph.D. in Francophone Studies from UL? Visit the Graduate School for application information and the online application .

Graduate Degree

French and francophone studies - doctor of philosophy, college of arts and letters, department of romance and classical studies, graduate study.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree program in French and Francophone Studies provides course work in the languages, literature, and cultures of France and the Francosphere.  Students who are enrolled in the program complete a concentration in literary and cultural studies or in interdisciplinary studies. In addition to meeting the requirements of the University and of the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below. Admission To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in French and Francophone Studies, an applicant must:

• Have a master’s degree in French or equivalent, or a total of 30 credits of approved course work.
• Have a grade-point average of at least 3.00 in graduate courses in French.
• Have letters of recommendation from three professors who are qualified to assess the applicant’s ability to pursue advanced graduate study in French.
• Have academic writing samples in French and English.
• Have a reading knowledge of a language other than French and English. This requirement may be completed once admitted into the program through additional course work. Non-native speakers of French are also required to submit a language proficiency evaluation form.

Guidance Committee Initially, the student’s guidance committee must consist of three or four tenure-stream Michigan State University faculty members. After the student has passed the Ph.D. examinations, the dissertation committee consists of at least four faculty members, two of which must be members of the Department of Romance and Classical Studies. The chair of the dissertation committee must be a tenure-stream faculty member in French. Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in French and Francophone Studies

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Ph.d. program in french and francophone and african studies, general description.

French and Francophone Studies doctoral students who have research and educational interests in African studies may apply to the Dual-Title Doctoral Degree Program in African Studies.  The goal of the program is to enable doctoral students from French and Francophone Studies to complement their knowledge and skills in their primary discipline with in-depth knowledge of prevailing theories on and problem-solving approaches to thematic, regional, or national issues pertaining to African development and change. The Dual-Title Doctoral Degree Program will provide interested French and Francophone Studies doctoral students with a multidisciplinary approach that will enhance their analytical capabilities for addressing key issues in African Studies.

Admission Requirements

Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate program in French and Francophone Studies and The Graduate School before they can apply for admission to the dual-title degree program.  After admission to their primary program, students must apply for admission to and meet the admissions requirements of the African Studies dual-title program.  Refer to the Admission Requirements of the  African Studies Bulletin page .  Applicants interested in the dual-title degree program may make their interest in the program known clearly on their applications to French and Francophone Studies and include remarks in their statement of purpose that address the ways in which their research and professional goals in the primary department reflect an interest in African Studies-related research. To be enrolled in the Dual-Title Doctoral Degree Program in African Studies, a student must have the approval of the French and Francophone Studies Department and then submit a letter of application and transcript, which will be reviewed by and African Studies Admissions committee.  An applicant must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) to be considered for enrollment in the dual-title degree program.  Students must be admitted into the dual-title degree program in African Studies prior to obtaining candidacy in French and Francophone Studies.

Degree Requirements

• A minimum of 66 post-baccalaureate credits. Course work accepted for the M.A. in French and Francophone Studies will count toward the credit requirement. At least 48 credits, exclusive of dissertation research credits, must be in French and Francophone Studies.
• 18 credits of Africa-related course work at the 400- or 500-level of which the following 9 credits are required: AFR 50 1 (3) and a minimum of 6 credits from a list of courses maintained by the African Studies program chair. 
• Up to 6 of the 18 credits may come from French and Francophone Studies, as approved by the student’s French and Francophone Studies and African Studies Program academic advisers.
• The remaining credits can be taken in African Studies or in any department other than French and Francophone Studies.
• Of the 18 credits, no more than 6 credits may be taken at the 400-level and no more than 3 combined credits may come from 596 and 599 listings.

The choice of courses in African Studies is to be proposed by the student, subject to approval in advance by the French and Francophone Studies and African Studies academic advisers. The suite of selected courses should have an integrated, intellectual thrust that probes thematic, national, or regional issues and be complementary to the student’s specialty in French and Francophone Studies.

Please note that this is a basic outline of the major steps leading to the award of a dual-title Ph.D. in French and Francophone Studies and African Studies.  For more details and information, please see the  Graduate Handbook .

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French/Francophone Studies

French/francophone studies – m.a. and ph.d..

Our graduate program is characterized by a diverse and interdisciplinary study of literature and cinema, as reflected in our wide range of course offerings and faculty research interests. Recent graduate seminars have featured topics ranging from insanity in medieval France to marginalization in recent francophone cinema.

Fast-Track PhD Program

Students with a previous MA degree may be admitted to our four-year PhD Fast-Track program

Our doctoral programs in French have been ranked in the top 10 in the nation by the National Research Council. Our 11 faculty members have published books on topics ranging from imaginary saints in medieval France to the legacy of French literary history in the context of the post-colonial francophone world.

We offer financial aid in the form of fellowships and associate instructor positions, generally in five-year packages for students who successfully complete the M.A. degree and continue on to the Ph.D.

Students with a previous MA degree may be admitted to our four-year PhD Fast-Track program. In this program, a student will spend the first year in the program as an MA student. At the end of the first year, the student will present a dossier of their work which will be evaluated and considered as an application to the PhD program. After admission to the PhD is granted, all coursework completed in the first year of study will be counted towards the PhD degree, and the student will be permitted to transfer relevant/eligible coursework from their previous degree

Indiana University Bloomington is a great place to study, with a beautiful campus and vibrant scholarly environment. The Department of French and Italian has partnerships with the Lilly Library of rare books and manuscripts, the Medieval Studies Institute , the Renaissance Studies Program , the Media School , African Studies , Latin American & Caribbean Studies , Gender Studies , the Book Lab , and other programs to offer students interdisciplinary experiences. Upon completion of the Ph.D., our graduate students typically obtain excellent job placements at universities and colleges worldwide.

Recent PhD Placements

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Areas of study

• Manuscript, book studies, and digital humanities
• All periods, from the Middle Ages to the 21 st century, of literatures and cultures in French
• Postcolonial Francophone literary and cinema studies
• Theater, opera, and cinema studies
• Cultural studies and theoretical inquiry in the humanities

Find more information in our Student Portal Meet our faculty

A note from the program director

Welcome to French and Francophone Studies at Indiana University Bloomington! The strength of our graduate program lies in the outstanding profiles and diverse backgrounds of our graduate students, the expertise of our 10 faculty whose cross-disciplinary, cutting-edge scholarship covers a broad range of topics and areas, and the unmatched resources our department and campus offer to scholars, teachers, and professionals in training.

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Suggested search, graduate program in french and francophone studies.

The Ph.D. in French and Francophone Studies trains students to carry out path-breaking research on France and all regions of the French-speaking world, from Africa and its diaspora to the Mediterranean and Transpacific. Our program is unique due to the geographic span and the exceptional range of interdisciplinary approaches of our faculty, from ecocriticism, gender and sexuality, postcolonial studies, and critical race studies to translation, cultural studies, and the visual humanities. Upon completion of the program, students receive a Ph.D. in Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (French and Francophone Studies), with optional graduate certificates in Visual Studies, Digital Media and Culture, Gender Studies, and Translation Studies.

The Ph.D. in French and Francophone Studies, offered through the  Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture doctoral program (CSLC), is designed to take advantage of the remarkable range of our graduate faculty, with particular strengths in African and Caribbean culture and diasporic thought ( Lydie Moudileno ); literature and popular music in the Caribbean and postcolonial France ( Edwin Hill ); Francophone and postcolonial studies with a focus on North Africa and the Middle East ( Olivia Harrison ); Southeast Asian film and culture ( Panivong Norindr ); Renaissance literary culture and politics ( Antónia Szabari ); and the French Enlightenment ( Natania Meeker ).

Doctoral candidates in French and Francophone Studies work closely with students from affiliated CSLC tracks—including Comparative Media and Culture, Comparative Literature, and an array of national literary traditions—in a series of interdisciplinary seminars that aim to introduce a diverse graduate cohort to major developments in literary criticism, culture as an instrument of social formation, and relations among different media (including literature, film, video, and “new media”). The doctoral program brings together the most exciting approaches to literary scholarship, combining the trans-disciplinary energy of comparative studies with in-depth research in French and Francophone Studies as a unique field.

If you are interested in the Ph.D. in French and Francophone Studies at USC, we invite you to explore the French and Italian and CSLC websites or contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Edwin C. Hill ( [email protected] ). We look forward to hearing from you!

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The emphasis of the Graduate Program in  French and Francophone Studies  (FIGS) is on doctoral study, of which the M.A. degree is viewed as the initial phase. Applications are accepted only for full-time work in the Ph.D. program beginning in the fall semester. Applications for a terminal M.A. degree or part-time study are not generally considered. Students interested in part-time study or a terminal Master's Degree (in particular, the Master of Liberal Arts ) should contact the University of Pennsylvania's College of Liberal and Professional Studies .

Instructions, forms, and a link to the online application are located  here . 

Admissions Requirements

Candidates for admission to the Ph.D. program should have fluency in French as well as an excellent undergraduate record, strong letters of recommendation, and demonstrated skill in academic writing.

Following are the required components of the application, which MUST be received by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences via an online application no later than January 1 at 11:59pm PST.

Copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts - Your application must include an UNOFFICIAL transcript from the institution(s) where you did previous academic work at the undergraduate or graduate level. The transcripts should be scanned and submitted electronically with your application. If you are admitted to the program, you will be required to confirm the information by sending an official copy of the transcript before matriculating.

Three letters of recommendation

A personal statement (1-2 pages in length) -Your personal statement is an important part of your application. The admissions committee looks not only at the general background and qualifications of the applicants, but also at the fit between your specific goals and interests, and the kind of research conducted by the members of the graduate group.

In the personal statement, all Ph.D. applications within the Graduate Division of Arts & Sciences should address the following:

Please describe how your background and academic experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and led you to apply to Penn. Your essay should detail your specific research interests and intellectual goals within your chosen field. Please provide information about your educational trajectory, intellectual curiosity and academic ambitions. If you have overcome adversity and/or experienced limited access to resources or opportunities in your field of study, please feel free to share how that has affected the course of your education. We are interested in your lived experiences and how your particular perspective might contribute to the inclusive and dynamic learning community that Penn values and strives to create.

A writing sample in French (10-15 pages in length) - A writing sample, such as a substantial term paper or thesis from previous undergraduate or graduate work, is necessary for the faculty to assess your research experience. The document should be converted to .pdf format and submitted electronically with your application. In the event that your writing sample exceeds the application platform's file size limit, you may e-mail the document to the Graduate Coordinator.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores - This applies to all international students who are not native speakers of English, unless they have received a post-secondary degree at an American college or university. Please arrange to take the TOEFL test (if applicable) by a date that will guarantee that your scores will be forwarded to the University of Pennsylvania by the December 16 deadline.  For testing dates and locations, refer to  TOEFL . The Institution Code for the University of Pennsylvania is 2926. You do not have to include the Department/ Major Field Code.

The application fee is $90.00. Payments must be made by credit card, check, or international postal money order written in U.S. currency and made payable to the "Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania."

Application fee  waiver  inquiries and  requests can be sent  to  [email protected] .

Instructions, forms, and a link to the online application are located here . 

Applicants must ensure that their complete materials — including transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and supporting documents — are submitted by January 1 in order to be considered for financial aid from or through the university. Please do not telephone the Graduate Division or the Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies to confirm their arrival; we will contact you if any materials are missing.

For Further Information

Laura Flippin Graduate Coordinator

University of Pennsylvania 514 Williams Hall Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305 Telephone: (215) 898-1980 Fax: (215) 898-0933

© 2024 The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania

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Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies: French and Francophone Studies, BA

Related programs.

• Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies: Germanic Studies, BA
• Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies: Italian Studies, BA
• Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies: French and Francophone Studies, PhD
• Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies: Germanic Studies, PhD
• Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies: Italian Studies, PhD

French and Francophone Studies introduces students to the full span of historical and cultural traditions from France and the French-speaking world. Language courses from introductory to advanced promote linguistic fluency and cultural competency, and upper-level seminars explore a range of topics pertaining to language, literature, culture, history, visual arts, and media.

The department strongly encourages study abroad and sponsors a summer program in France ( Penn Summer in Tours ), as well as semester/year programs in Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, and Cameroon.

The minimum total course units for graduation in the FIGS major is 32. Double majors may entail more course units.

For information about the General Education requirements, please visit the College of Arts & Sciences Curriculum page.

You may count no more than one course toward both a Major and a Sector requirement. For Exceptions, check the  Policy Statement .

The remaining 3 c.u. of electives can be any combination of:

• Additional courses taught in French at the 1000-level or higher.
• Courses taught in French at approved study abroad programs.
• FREN 3999: Independent Study.
• FREN 4000: Honors Research Project.
• Major-related courses taught in English, either in FIGS or in other departments.
• Coursework in another foreign language relevant to the student’s interests.
• First-Year Seminars counted retroactively.

Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.4 in the Major.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

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French and Francophone Studies (B.A.)

French and Francophone Studies majors complete a minimum of 120 credits to earn a bachelor’s degree, including 41–44 credits of core courses and 33 credits (11 courses) in their major. Courses taught in French, beginning at the elementary level, count toward the major. Students begin courses at their level of placement upon matriculation.

Required course: FRN-310: French and Francophone Cultural Analysis

Elective French courses as needed to complete 11 courses.

Students are required to take at least one departmental French course during their senior year.

Additionally, courses in English from the list below can also count toward the major in French and Francophone Studies. No more than two courses in English can count toward the major. Courses taught in English not listed below may count toward the major with permission of the department chair.

Courses in English that count toward the major (maximum of 2):

Majors are required to spend a fall or spring semester studying in a French-speaking country. In exceptional circumstances, this requirement may be modified or waived by the department chair.

Degree Plan for French and Francophone Studies (B.A.)

Courses may vary based on placement.

This weekend workshop may be taken in either the fall or spring semester of sophomore year.

One each semester.

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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

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Jean Jonassaint, Amy S. Wyngaard

For all Arts and Sciences|Maxwell students, successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in this major requires a minimum of 120 credits, 96 of which must be Arts and Sciences|Maxwell credits, completion of the Liberal Arts Core requirements, and the requirements for this major that are listed below.

Dual Enrollments:

Students dually enrolled in Newhouse* and Arts and Sciences|Maxwell will complete a minimum of 122 credits, with at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences|Maxwell coursework and an Arts and Sciences|Maxwell major.

*Students dually enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences|Maxwell as first year students must complete the Liberal Arts Core . Students who transfer to the dual program after their first year as singly enrolled students in the Newhouse School will satisfy general requirements for the dual degree program by completing the Newhouse Core Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Listen to and interpret a variety of familiar or specialized topics in French in diverse settings, ranging from cultural manifestations to interpersonal and academic communications

2. Speak in French on a variety of familiar or specialized topics, in informal or formal manners

3. Read and interpret a variety of familiar or specialized texts in French, ranging from short articles to books

4. Write in French on a variety of familiar or specialized topics, in informal or formal manners

5. Demonstrate effective knowledge of French and Francophone literatures and cultural traditions

Major Requirements

The major in French and Francophone Studies consists of FRE 202    plus 27 upper-division credits taught in French. Students must complete at least 21 credits in upper-division FRE courses. At least 6 credits of 300-level FRE courses must be taken before entering any 400-level FRE course. At least 12 credits of 400-level FRE courses are required for the major. Up to 6 upper-division credits may be taken outside of the French and Francophone Studies program in courses on related French or Francophone topics, with prior approval of the major advisor.

Study Abroad

To become fluent in French and gain insight into a Francophone country and its people, students are encouraged to study abroad for a semester or a year in Syracuse’s program in Strasbourg, France. Students take fully accredited courses abroad in language, literature, fine arts, history, political science, and other approved areas of study. In Option I, courses are taught at the Syracuse University center in both English and French. In Option II, students study at the Institute International d’Etudes Françaises, part of the Université Marc Bloch. In Option III students are directly placed at the Université Marc Bloch and Université Robert Schuman. For further information, contact the French program coordinator or Syracuse University Abroad, 106 Walnut Place.

Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics

Dietrich college of humanities and social sciences, special topics in french & francophone studies, course number: 82-501/502.

Restricted to language majors who wish to go beyond the regular course offerings in French and Francophone Studies involving group or individual study in a subject area approved by the instructor.

VIEW the Schedule of Classes for more details

Instructor(s):

Carla Pestana Elected President of the Association of Caribbean Historians

The Association of Caribbean Historians (ACH) is an independent, non-profit, professional organization devoted to the promotion of Caribbean history from a multidisciplinary, pan-Caribbean perspective, and is the primary association for scholarly and public historians working in the field.  Initially formed from a 1969 colloquium under the leadership of Francophone scholar Jacques Adélaïde-Merlande. In 1973, the ACH was formed. Since then, the organization has grown to several hundred members around the globe.

Its principal activity is an annual conference, which is alternately hosted by an English, Spanish, French, or Dutch-speaking Caribbean nation.  To encourage intellectual exchange, all attendees attend each conference session and all papers and discussion sessions are simultaneously translated in English, Spanish and French.

The ACH membership includes students, graduate students, faculty, staff of public and government institutions, and independent or retired researchers.  While it began under the auspices of history, it now frequently hosts papers and panels on Caribbean literature, art, theatre, archeology, material culture, and identity.

ACH members have played leading roles in the Caribbean, most notably in public service and in academia. These include current and past service as leaders of government, national, regional, and international organizations. Many current members serve in senior positions at Caribbean, North American, and European universities. Reference 

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Students, Faculty Read Poems at the 2024 Poetry Without Borders Event

French Minor  Ella Wiegman  ’25, “Nos mains au jardin” by Anne Hébert (in French) French TA  Jyothi Nellakra  ’25,  “തി രി ച്ചെ ങ്ങനെ പോ കണം ?” by the Jyothi Nellakra (in Malayalam) First-Year Student  Ashton Macklin  ’27, “Hommage au poète: à mon ami le Dr. J. Chaumette” by Henry Luis Rey (in Louisiana French) French Professor  Éva Pósfay  (with  András Galambos  ’24), “Az ellenkező” by János Endrődy (in Hungarian)

This annual college-wide event exposes students, faculty, and staff to different languages and cultures and brings together poetry-loving people with different backgrounds and passions, different majors and research fields. Come hear students, faculty and staff recite poems in languages other than English.  Translations are provided.

Poetry Without Borders is sponsored by the Humanities Center, the Language Center, the Department of German and Russian, the Department of Spanish, and the Department of French and Francophone Studies.

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