Graduate Programs in French
Working together with their Faculty Advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and other faculty members, MA students at the University of Arizona have the flexibility to construct a Plan of Study that suits their own particular needs and interests. The Plan of Study may include, but is not limited to, one of the following emphases: (1) French Literature and Culture, (2) Teaching French as a Foreign Language, and (3) Francophone Studies. Students normally proceed through the M.A. program in four semesters. Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GATships) are typically available although they are contingent on budget, academic records (for incoming students), and reports of satisfactory progress (for continuing students). We also offer a one-year exchange assistantship with the University of Paris VII (Denis Diderot) and a one-semester exchange with the University of Paris IV (Sorbonne).
When all requirements are met and funds are sufficient, graduate students may receive support for four semesters as a GAT. An additional semester of support is available in special circumstances. Entering students normally teach two courses per semester, unless course releases are obtained. All GATships include non-resident tuition waivers. Summer teaching positions are available for advanced students at the UA and with the Arizona in Paris summer program. We also have an exchange with the University of Paris (VII).
The graduate program offers courses on French and Francophone literatures and cultures in all major areas of the French tradition as well as literature in French from the Maghreb, Lebanon, West and Central Africa and the Caribbean. The department's courses on French and Francophone literatures and culture deal with current debates on topics that include identity, canon formation, the discipline and its history, and Francophonie, while presenting the classics in their historical and cultural contexts. The faculty employs a range of methods drawing on feminism, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, history and postcolonial theory among others. Likewise, students are encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary approaches and often enroll in courses in related fields such as Women's studies, English and Anthropology to name just a few of the options. Faculty in the department also offer graduate courses on second language acquisition, pedagogy and linguistics and contribute to the M.A. program in French and to the interdisciplinary doctoral program in Second-Language Acquisition and Teaching.
Through course work and research in French and in related disciplines students gain an extensive knowledge of literary and cultural texts; a thorough understanding of field-specific and field-related methods, criticism, and theories; and the ability to integrate that knowledge into their own research. In addition to being trained as independent critics and scholars, M.A. candidates in French also undergo formal training as teachers that will serve them well on the job market and/or in their applications to Ph.D. programs.
While the recommended deadline for Fall admission is January 15, we will continue to review applications until all openings are filled.