Graduate French

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The Department of French & Italian offers the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in French literature, with a balanced emphasis on all periods from medieval through twentieth century. Graduate study is supported through teaching assistantships offered to qualified candidates, who receive thorough training in language instruction. Excellent facilities, strong library holdings, and a faculty dedicated to both teaching and research assure students of a challenging and professional graduate preparation.

• Admission Procedures
• M.A. in French
• Ph.D. in French
• Doctoral Program Profile
  
• Graduate Course Offerings
• Teaching French at KU
• Fellowships
• M.A. Reading List
• Ph.D. Reading List
• Graduate School
• International Student & Scholar Services
• Graduate Program Manual
• Cornell/Mahieu Scholarship Information

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M.A. in French

The M.A. in French is awarded upon the completion of 30 credit hours of course work (which includes either a thesis or two seminars) and oral and written examinations covering all areas of French literature. Students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second foreign language.

Pre-requisites:

A minimum of 26 credit hours in French is required for admission, including college preparatory work, of which 8 hours must be advanced undergraduate course work in French Literature. Results of the Graduate Record Examination general test are required for domestic applicants.

Degree Requirements:

30 credit hours, including;

• French 700, Old French
• French 720, Introduction to Graduate Studies
• French 610, Thème et Version or French 620, Expository French Writing
• French 900, two Seminars in French or French 899, Thesis, 6 hours
• Reading knowledge of Greek, Latin, German, or a second Romance language
• Comprehensive written and oral examinations

Ph.D. in French

The Ph.D. Program in French includes an additional 30 hours of course work beyond the M.A., a knowledge of two foreign languages besides French, comprehensive written and oral examinations, and completion of a dissertation that gives evidence of originality and the ability to conduct independent research on an advanced level.

Prerequisites:

Completion of M.A. degree at K.U. or a comparable institution. Applicants holding the M.A. in a discipline other than French may be required to take a qualifying examination.

Requirements:

The following requirements are in addition to those of the Graduate School and those for the M.A. in French.

• Thirty credit hours beyond the M.A. (excluding dissertation hours)
• French 701, History of the French Language or French 703, Structure of Modern French
• French 810, Criticism and Critical Methods
• A knowledge of a non-Romance language and a Romance language other than French. The language presented for the M.A. will be accepted as one of these. For one language, the candidate must demonstrate proficiency equivalent to the completion of a second-semester course or complete the final graduate reading course in that language. For the other language, the student must demonstrate proficiency equivalent to completion of a fourth-semester course.
• A satisfactory command of written and spoken French and a reasonable familiarity with the history and civilization of France.
• The completion of at least one year of half-time teaching in the department.
• Such courses as the department may prescribe to ensure a broad grasp of the major field and the proper preparation for original research in the specific area of the dissertation.
• Comprehensive written and oral examinations in French.
• Completion and defense of a satisfactory dissertation.

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Teaching French at KU

There are two types of opportunities for graduate students interested in teaching French in the Department of Frencyh & Italian at the University of Kansas.

1. The first is the Graduate Teaching Assistantship, offered to grad students pursuing MAs or PhDs in French or closely related fields such as linguistics or education. In this position, you must be enrolled in at least six graduate hours in French (or linguistics or education if your case has been approved by the provost of the university). Generally speaking, during your first and second year of such an appointment, you teach one five-hour section of elementary French per semester with a team of teachers under my supervision. You are paid approximately $14,200 for the academic year and receive tuition remission for your courses. Almost all degree candidates in French are GTAs. The university allows you a total of 10 semesters of a GTAship during which time you must complete all course work required by your degree (MA and/or PhD). You would apply for this position when you apply to the MA/PhD program in French. The deadline for that is May 1 for the following academic year. If you wish to apply to the graduate program in French Literature, contact Professor Bruce Hayes, Director of Graduate Studies, at bhayes@ku.edu.
2. The second opportunity is the position of Lecturer in French. These positions are for graduate students in other departments such as International Studies, Political Science and American Studies. Again, generally speaking, speaking, during your first and second year of such an appointment, you teach one five-hour section of elementary French per semester with a team of teachers under my supervision. You are paid approximately $5000 for each 5-hour course you teach or approximately $3000 for each 3-hour course you teach. There is no tuition remission for your courses, but you can enroll in your courses as an in-state student. The application for this position is due in mid-March for the following semester. For additional information contact Kim Swanson at kswanson@ku.edu.

Fellowships

In addition to the generous financial support offered through teaching assistantships, the Department encourages graduate students to apply for the following fellowships. Students interested in applying should direct inquiries to the Director of Graduate Studies (Professor Bruce Hayes) or to the Graduate School .

Kenneth Cornell Fund

An award established to support study abroad in France or Italy. Preference is given to applicants with a special interest in studying Symbolism. Application information here.

Robert G. Mahieu Fund

Supports travel pursuant to the study of French language and culture. Application information here.

Allen S. Wilber Scholarship

A renewable scholarship awarded to seniors studying social sciences and/or modern languages and literatures who plan to pursue graduate study at the University of Kansas. Application information here.

Graduate School Summer Fellowships

Summer stipends (approximately $2000) awarded to meritorious candidates. May be used for purposes of research or study abroad.

Dissertation Fellowships

Intended for doctoral students who have passed their comprehensive exams. For one academic year, non-renewable.