This is a named option in the French Studies MFS.
The Professional French Studies Summer Institute program teaches interdisciplinary skills needed to operate in professional French settings around the world—this is particularly important to teachers, who collaborate with each other in the program as they hone their connections to those cultures and practices. Teachers intern in all fields, not just education, and are among the most connected colleagues in their schools to the "real world" using their French.
The Summer Studies Institute program is the Professional French Masters Program's part-time pathway to the degree, for working French teachers. Our program is a part-time hybrid program with online and face-to-face components. You will update your sense of current events in the French-speaking world, improve your speaking and writing, solidify your grammar and style, and intern in French in a professional setting—in a personalized internship in the final summer.
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 | April 20* |
| Spring Deadline | November 1 |
| Summer Deadline | April 20 |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide an English proficiency test score and meet the Graduate School minimum requirements (https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/requirements/#english-proficiency). |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
| * | Early acceptance deadline or if applying to live at the French House: January 15 |
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STEP 1: GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATION
- Graduate School Application (online)
Note: for the Professional French Masters Program, select “French MFS,” not “French MA.”
Note: the application will ask you to list 3 people who will write letters of recommendationfor you. At least one of the letters should address your overall proficiency, creativity, and style of expression in the French language. These may be professors, instructors, supervisors, or anyone who is familiar with your work and may give us a sense of your readiness for our program.
Note: the CV you submit must be in English. You may also submit a French-language version, but this is not required. - Application fee (waived for current and former TAPIF participants)
- GRE Scores UW-Madison’s institution code is 1846.
- For international students whose native language is not English: MELAB or TOEFL scores. (All international applicants must also pay a one-time processing fee.)
STEP 2: PROGRAM INFORMATION
As you are filling out your Graduate School Application, you will be asked to complete a “Supplemental Application.” This allows you to upload information required specifically by the Professional French Masters Program:
A writing sample in French (i.e., a graded undergraduate term paper) Your statement of purpose (1 page, in French).What is your chosen concentration area, and how do you expect it, and the PFMP in general, to position you for a more satisfying professional life? If you have experience working or studying in your chosen concentration area, please elaborate; otherwise, tell us why you would like to move in this direction now. Although you may use dictionaries and other resources, we trust that this statement will be written without assistance. NOTE: in most cases, we will schedule an oral interview in French, either in person or by telephone.
Questions?
Contact Ritt Deitz, Director: (608) 262-4090 or mdeitz@wisc.edu.
Graduate School Resources
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.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Named Option Requirements
MODE OF INSTRUCTION
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students are able to complete a program with minimal disruptions to careers and other commitments. 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 | Two-thirds of the degree coursework (20 of 30 total credits) must be completed in graduate-level coursework; courses with the Graduate Level Coursework attribute are identified and searchable in the university's Course Guide (https://registrar.wisc.edu/course-guide/). |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. |
| Other Grade Requirements | B or better in FRENCH 615. |
| Assessments and Examinations | Internship, oral examination, and professional portfolio. |
| Language Requirements | No additional language requirements. |
Required COURSES
Summer Institute Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FRENCH 615 | Grammaire avancee | 3 |
| FRENCH 616 | Social Responsibility in Contemporary French-Language Professional Writing | 3 |
| FRENCH 617 | Contemporary Skill Set Literature in French | 3 |
| FRENCH 618 | Career Strategies for the French-Speaking World | 2 |
| FRENCH 623 | Communication orale en situations professionnelles | 3 |
| FRENCH 642 | Culture et sociétés dans le monde francophone | 3 |
| FRENCH 793 | Professional French Masters Program Internship | 3 |
| FRENCH 799 | Independent Study (Portfolio) | 4 |
| FRENCH/ITALIAN 821 | Issues in Methods of Teaching French and Italian (SLA Concepts) | 3 |
| FRENCH 901 | Seminar-Materials and Methods of Research (Curricular Design and Assessment) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Named Option-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Work from Other Institutions
With program approval, MFS students in the Summer Institute are allowed to waive up to 10 credits of their required PFMP credits, to recognize graduate work done at colleges or universities other than UW–Madison, if those courses satisfy program requirements and are 6 taken after the student has begun PFMP coursework.
UW–Madison Undergraduate
No credits from a UW–Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to count toward the degree.
UW–Madison University Special
With program approval, University Special students enrolled in the capstone certificate "French Studies" may count up to 12 credits of coursework taken while they are capstone students toward the MFS degree. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Probation
The Graduate School regularly reviews the record of any student who earned grades of BC, C, D, F, or Incomplete in a graduate course (300 or above), or grade of U in research credits. This review could result in academic probation with a hold on future enrollment or in being suspended from the Graduate School.
- Good standing (progressing according to standards; any funding guarantee remains in place).
- Probation (not progressing according to standards but permitted to enroll; loss of funding guarantee; specific plan with dates and deadlines in place in regard to removal of probationary status).
- Unsatisfactory progress (not progressing according to standards; not permitted to enroll, dismissal, leave of absence or change of advisor or program).
ADVISOR / COMMITTEE
Students will work closely with the PFMP executive director.
CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED
13 credits
Time Constraints
Students who have allowed a session to "lapse" without enrolling during that session, and without approval to take a leave of absence, must reapply to the program if they desire to continue. See program for more details.
Leaves of absence are viable for one semester only.
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
- Dean of Students Office (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- 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 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)
Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances.
Other
PFMP and certificate students may not be simultaneously enrolled in other graduate programs, nor are they eligible for project assistantships, teaching assistantships, or other forms of graduate support that provide tuition remission. Full-time academic students are automatically eligible for PFMP internship travel funding in the form of a credit toward airline travel, and for selected private scholarships of roughly $1,000 each.
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.