The MA and PhD programs in French offer a first-rate faculty in all the areas of French and Francophone literature and culture. The program emphasizes broad coverage as well as specialization, and is organized so as to take advantage of the quality and range of the faculty. A Wisconsin PhD has the ability to teach not only a very focused topic of research, but also much of the French literary tradition.
Our graduate program offers training for teaching and research in all areas of French and Francophone literature and literary history, in critical theory, film, gender and queer studies, romance philology, and foreign language pedagogy. Our large and varied faculty teach graduate courses in all areas and at regular intervals. Consequently, students for the MA degree can fulfill course requirements in any given two-year period, and candidates for the PhD can complete course requirements for the PhD within two years of obtaining their MA. Our program is designed to allow well-qualified students to complete the MA in three semesters, and all other requirements for the PhD except the dissertation in four more semesters.
The French graduate program offers a wide array of courses and seminars each semester, providing a fairly even distribution across the various literary periods in most academic years. Courses typically meet two or three times a week and are quite broad in focus, generally exploring well-defined periods or genres, while seminars are held once a week for two hours and take up narrower topics in greater depth. Both the offerings and the requirements of the MA and PhD programs are designed to give students not only the tools necessary for specialization, but also an excellent knowledge of these extremely rich literary traditions.
Strong emphasis is placed on the practice of the language. French is the usual language of instruction in graduate courses and seminars. The department offers possibilities for international stay through exchange programs and further promotes the use of French through lectures, films, theater, and events at the French House.
The French PhD program has a fine job placement record. Its students' solid foundation in the French and Francophone literary tradition is increasingly rare among North American literature programs, as is the extensive training students receive in language pedagogy.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | December 20 |
| Spring Deadline | The program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | The program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
Applicants for the MA in French must submit all application materials by the fall application deadline.
The Graduate School sets minimum requirements for admissions.
Graduate School Application
Refer to the following links:
- Consult the Graduate School website for complete information about graduate education opportunities at UW–Madison. This site is especially helpful in understanding admissions requirements and developing a timeline for applying.
Materials to Upload to the Online Application
- You will need to list three people who will write letters of recommendation for you. They should be in faculty or permanent academic staff positions. Since the Graduate School will contact your recommenders directly via e-mail once you have completed your online application, you should be sure to contact each recommender at least a month prior to when the letter of recommendation is needed to let them know that they will be contacted directly by the Graduate School. If your referees are unable to upload your letter of recommendation to the online application, contact the graduate coordinator.
- Statement of purpose, preferably written in English
- CV
- Unofficial transcripts
- Submit the online Graduate School Application for Admission and pay the application fee.
- GRE (optional) institution code 1846 for UW–Madison
- English proficiency requirement for international degree-seeking applicants. See the Graduate School requirements for more information.
Supplemental Materials
TA/Fellowship Application: To be considered for teaching assistantship or fellowship support, you must submit to the department a document listing all relevant experience since you began studying French. There is no specific application form—it is a document, much like a CV, that you put together yourself.
- Include travel, study, or residence abroad.
- For teaching experience, be specific about subject, level, actual classroom hours/week, and age of students.
- Indicate undergraduate and graduate honors, and how you would support yourself if UW was not able to offer support.
- Writing Sample (essay or paper in French—usually between 7 and 12 pages in length)
- List of French Literature and/or Civilization courses taken, and grades received.
Questions
Contact the graduate coordinator.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Other Resources
The Department of French & Italian is committed to providing full funding to all graduate students. Students who accept our offer of admission therefore receive fellowships or assistantships that cover tuition and provide eligibility to enroll in excellent comprehensive health insurance and other benefits. Funding is guaranteed for a minimum of five years of study for students entering with a BA, and a minimum of four years for those entering with an MA. Moreover, it has been our departmental practice to continue to offer funding beyond guarantee as possible for students in good academic standing.
Teaching assistantships, the most common form of support in our department, offer the pedagogical experience and training necessary to be competitive on the academic job market. The teaching assignment is usually one course per semester, but double sections (two sections of the same course) can also be requested for an increased stipend, when available. While the guarantee of support means students in good standing will receive funding, the exact assignments are based on need, merit, and experience. Generally, a graduate student will, over the course of study, hold a variety of positions from French 101-204, which are available every semester. Teaching assistantships to provide technology and assessment support to the French MA/PhD program are also available every semester. Students may also have the opportunity to teach more advanced courses, such as FRENCH 228 and FRENCH 271, and LITTRANS 360 depending on departmental need. For more information about our teaching assistantships, please visit our website.
There are also fellowships available from several sources on campus each year, including the Chancellor’s fellowship, which starts at around $11,000 per semester. Advanced Opportunity Fellowships are also available. The department also offers a number of monetary awards every year, for academic performance and for teaching. Graduate students can also take advantage of our excellent exchange programs during the course of their study.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 16 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 18 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | No other grade requirements. |
| Assessments and Examinations | 1) Oral Proficiency Exam: Non-native speakers of French must take an Oral Proficiency Interview administered by the Department and receive a rating of at least “advanced low” during their first two weeks. Depending on the results of this test, up to 6 credits of advanced French language courses and phonetics may be required (for instance: FRENCH 311, FRENCH/INTL BUS 313, etc.). 2) Comprehensive Exams: Students will have the choice between a written and oral examination, or an MA thesis and an oral defense. Option 1: MA Examination: Written Examination:
Oral Examination:
Option 2: MA thesis and thesis defense A master’s thesis in French (40-60 pages, including notes and bibliography):
Thesis defense:
|
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Students must complete the following courses. | ||
| FRENCH 569 | Critical Approaches to Literature and Culture: French and Francophone Perspectives | 3 |
| FRENCH 750 | Research Laboratory I: Introduction to Graduate Research | 3 |
| FRENCH 820 | College Teaching of French | 3 |
| Breadth Distribution Requirement | ||
| Students must complete at least one course in the department in each of the three defined areas. | 21 | |
| Breadth Requirement for AREA 1: Middle Ages - 16th - 17th centuries | ||
| 17th-Century French Literature | ||
| 17th-Century Literature | ||
| La Litterature Francaise du XIV et du XV Siecle | ||
| Breadth Requirement for AREA 2: 18th - 19th centuries | ||
| The Age of Reason | ||
| Seminar on 19th Century French Poetry | ||
| Breadth Requirement for AREA 3: 20th - 21st centuries - Francophone and Global French Studies | ||
| The 20th-Century French Novel | ||
| Introduction to Francophone Studies | ||
| Breadth Requirement: Flexible/Open-Area Courses | ||
| The following topics courses may count for any of the 3 areas of breadth. Instructors will determine the area of breadth. Note: topics courses may cover multiple areas of breadth. Courses spanning more than one area may be counted for only one of the areas they cover. | ||
| Undergraduate Seminar in French/Francophone Literary Studies | ||
| Undergraduate Seminar in French/Francophone Cultural Studies | ||
| Topics in Literature and Culture | ||
| Seminar: Literature Questions | ||
| Seminar: Literature Questions | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Exchange Program Course Work
Please note that courses taken while graduate students are participating in one of our exchange programs abroad do not usually count toward the completion of departmental degree requirements, although exceptions may be considered if students can provide adequate documentation of their written work, and if the Graduate Studies Committee finds the work completed abroad to be comparable to a graduate course or seminar offered in our department.
Academic and Teaching Portfolios
- Academic Portfolio: Starting in a student’s second year of courses (third semester), the student will begin keeping a portfolio of work accomplished academically (actual contents will be explained in the research laboratory described below). Towards the end of each academic year the student will write a one-page self-evaluation that explains the portfolio accomplishments for the given year and sets goals for the year to come. The portfolio and self-evaluation will be evaluated by the student’s advisor, who will provide the student with a written evaluation of progress. For students who are TAs, they begin a separate teaching portfolio in their first semester of study and maintain it as long as they have a TAship.
- Teaching Portfolio: A teaching portfolio will be first set up in FRENCH 820 College Teaching of French. Its purpose is to document French graduate students’ growth as instructors of language, literature, and culture as they move through each stage of the program. Materials gathered from FRENCH 820 may include statements about students’ teaching philosophy, other self-reflective materials, and may also draw upon other pertinent work from FRENCH 820 College Teaching of French. During the remaining semesters of the MA and post-MA for as long as students continue to teach as TAs, one short reflective statement per semester (during those terms during which the graduate student is teaching or holding an assessment or technology TAship) will be added to the portfolio.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously. Note some policies redirect to entries in the official UW-Madison Policy Library. Programs may set more stringent policies than the Graduate School. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 9 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
No credits from an undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer toward the program's graduate degree requirements.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 9 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
Upon entering the department, students are each assigned a faculty advisor with whom they will work (in most cases) until they have completed all the requirements for the MA. Students who wish to change advisors should speak to the Director of Graduate Studies for French. Within two months of completing the requirements for the MA, students are requested to choose the Chair of their Prelims Committee, who may be but need not be the same as the originally assigned advisor; students’ evolving research interests, among other factors, may warrant a change. The Chair of their Prelims Committee assists students with the process of preparing for the preliminary examination. Until the students complete the last preliminary examinations, they should work with their originally assigned advisor in regards to all matters other than the content and scope of the prelims (for instance: choice of classes, etc.). Upon completion of the preliminary exams, the chair of the student’s dissertation proposal committee, to be set up by the student in consultation with faculty, usually becomes the advisor, but a change of director is also possible at that time.
Students consult their advisor at least three times a year: once in September to become acquainted and address any issues related to the start of the academic year; a second time later in the fall, before course registration for the spring, in order to discuss course selection; and a third time in the spring, before course selection for the fall. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor concerning any academic problems or issues that may arise, and to engage with their advisor on an ongoing basis about their own short- and long-term concerns, plans, and interests. Advisors will mentor their advisees as well as attending to administrative functions like course selection and requirements. Advisors will actively participate in the end-of-the-year assessment of all graduate students. Additional information and clarification about requirements can be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies for French or the Graduate Coordinator.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credit maximum. Refer to the Graduate School: Maximum Credit Loads and Overload Requests policy.
Time Limits
Timely completion of MA requirements: The MA exam is usually taken by the end of the 4th semester of study, although earlier is possible. All requirements including the MA exam should be satisfied before the beginning of the 5th semester of graduate studies. Academic probation will be considered if all requirements including the MA exam are not completed by the beginning of the 6th semester.
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
L&S Policy for Graduate Student Academic Appeals
Graduate students have the right to appeal an academic decision related to an L&S graduate program if the student believes that the decision is inconsistent with published policy.
Academic decisions that may be appealed include:
- Dismissal from the graduate program
- Failure to pass a qualifying or preliminary examination
- Failure to achieve satisfactory academic progress
- Academic disciplinary action related to failure to meet professional conduct standards
Issues such as the following cannot be appealed using this process:
- A faculty member declining to serve as a graduate student’s advisor.
- Decisions regarding the student’s disciplinary knowledge, evaluation of the quality of work, or similar judgements. These are the domain of the department faculty.
- Course grades. These can be appealed instead using the L&S Policy for Grade Appeal.
- Incidents of bias or hate, hostile and intimidating behavior, or discrimination (Title IX, Office of Compliance). Direct these to the linked campus offices appropriate for the incident(s).
Appeal Process for Graduate Students
A graduate student wishing to appeal an academic decision must follow the process in the order listed below. Note time limits within each step.
- The student should first seek informal resolution, if possible, by discussing the concern with their academic advisor, the department’s Director of Graduate Studies, and/or the department chair.
- If the program has an appeal policy listed in their graduate program handbook, the student should follow the policy as written, including adhering to any indicated deadlines. In the absence of a specific departmental process, the chair or designee will be the reviewer and decision maker, and the student should submit a written appeal to the chair within 15 business days of the academic decision. The chair or designee will notify the student in writing of their decision.
- If the departmental process upholds the original decision, the graduate student may next initiate an appeal to L&S. To do so, the student must submit a written appeal to the L&S Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Academic Affairs within 15 business days of notification of the department’s decision.
- To the fullest extent possible, the written appeal should include, in a single document: a clear and concise statement of the academic decision being appealed, any relevant background on what led to the decision, the specific policies involved, the relief sought, any relevant documentation related to the departmental appeal, and the names and titles of any individuals contributing to or involved in the decision.
- The Assistant Dean will work with the Academic Associate Dean of the appropriate division to consider the appeal. They may seek additional information and/or meetings related to the case.
- The Assistant Dean and Academic Associate Dean will provide a written decision within 20 business days.
- If L&S upholds the original decision, the graduate student may appeal to the Graduate School. More information can be found on their website: Grievances and Appeals (see: Graduate School Appeal Process).
Other
Fellowships are available for high-ranking incoming students and dissertators. The department has a number of teaching assistantships which are granted on the basis of a candidate's previous academic record, knowledge of French, and seriousness of purpose in pursuing the PhD.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Program Resources
The Department of French and Italian hosts several professional development workshops for our students each semester. Workshops focus on academic and non-academic professional development. Previous workshop materials are available to all students in the department.
Learning Outcomes
- Show broad knowledge of French and Francophone literature and culture.
- Master a broad range of texts fundamental to French and Francophone studies.
- Demonstrate critical understanding of the major works in literature and the history of ideas that have been written in French from the Middle Ages up to the present.
- Show the ability to analyze literary texts of various genres, and to formulate well-informed, interpretive arguments about them.
- Identify, select, and retrieve primary and secondary sources pertaining to questions in French and Francophone literature.
- Analyze and interpret the theories, research methods, and approaches to inquiry in this discipline.
- Demonstrate adequate proficiency in French to lead a well-informed discussion of literature and culture.
- Communicate clearly and appropriately in both written and spoken French
- Demonstrate skills as teachers of the French language and French/Francophone culture at the college level: the ability to create level- and course-appropriate instructional objectives, activities, and assessments for teaching language, literature, and culture; the ability to use instructional technologies appropriately to enhance the teaching of language, literature, and culture; the capacity to incorporate insights from second language acquisition theory and current best practices in foreign language teaching into instruction.
- Recognize and apply principles of ethical and professional conduct.