THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

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)

Degree Requirements

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

PhD

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

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Nine courses in French and Francophone Studies and other departments, as follows:
Fall
2 French and Francophone courses, 1 elective
Winter
2 French and Francophone courses, 1 elective
Spring
2 French and Francophone courses, 1 elective
Total Units (Year 1): 9
Second Year
Six courses in French and Francophone Studies or other departments; must take 4 seminars offered by the department not in the theory sequence.
FRENCH 498-0	Independent Reading (teaching assignment)
Total Units (Year 2): 9
Third Year
Fall
Fall Quarter: 2 courses in French and Francophone Studies or other departments
Spring
FRENCH 596-0	PhD Thesis Tutorial
FRENCH 498-0	Independent Reading (teaching assignment)
Total Units (Year 3): 6

Other PhD Degree Requirements

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

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

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

  3. 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.

Master's

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.