Academic Programs Catalog

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:

1. Have a master’s degree in French or equivalent, or a total of 30 credits of approved course work.
2. Have a grade-point average of at least 3.00 in graduate courses in French.
3. Have letters of recommendation from three professors who are qualified to assess the applicant’s ability to pursue advanced graduate study in French.
4. Have academic writing samples in French and English.
5. 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