Program Overview

The graduate program offers several options at this level for students with a variety of backgrounds and career objectives: the Master of Arts (M.A.) in French and Francophone Studies for students who have a strong preparation in French at the undergraduate level (a major or possibly minor) and who want to undertake more advanced work in French studies (French language and linguistics, literature, cultural studies or literary theory); the Portfolio M.A. in French and Francophone Studies, intended particularly for candidates whose background or objectives do not fall within the traditional pattern, which is especially appropriate for those who have a professional goal other than teaching and/or who are interested in designing a program with an interdisciplinary emphasis, or for those who have an unusual background in French, such as extensive residence and work experience in a French-speaking country, and who would like to integrate this experience with the intellectual discipline of graduate study; and the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in both French and Francophone Studies and Italian Studies, a preprofessional degree for those planning to teach in secondary schools.

Students whose preparation is deficient in certain areas may be required to do remedial work once admitted to the program, but such work may not be counted toward the degree. Students transferring from other institutions may be granted up to nine semester hours toward the M.A.T. and up to six toward the M.A.

The M.A. and M.A.T. programs require a terminal examination following the completion of coursework. A brief outline of the M.A. level degree requirements follows. More detailed information can be obtained by writing to the Graduate Program Director.