French - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Department of French and Italian at CU Boulder enjoys a national reputation and is the only PhD-granting department in the Rocky Mountain region. The department offers courses that cover the historical and geographic range of French and Francophone literature and has an outstanding record of placing its PhD recipients in desirable positions of employment. Our students pursue interests ranging from the Middle Ages to 21st-century literary and cultural studies.

Requirements

Prerequisites

Doctoral candidates should possess excellence in reading, speaking, writing and understanding spoken French; general knowledge of French literature and civilization; and a sound reading knowledge of one modern language other than English and French.

Program Requirements

The PhD program in French literature consists of coursework, a comprehensive examination, a doctoral dissertation and an oral defense of the doctoral dissertation.

Degree requirements are subject to change. Students should visit the department's PhD Guidelines webpage for the most up-to-date degree requirements.

Required Courses and Credits

The following summary of minimum requirements is expressed in terms of courses. Additional coursework may be required by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

Students and their administrators are equally responsible for making certain that their graduate curriculum satisfies all graduation requirements, both those of the department and those of the Graduate School. Every student should accordingly become thoroughly familiar with the Doctoral Degree Requirements section of this catalog.

Students must also have 30 hours of Dissertation Guidance (Graduate School requirement).

Provided that such courses are taught, students are encouraged to take courses at the 5000 level or above covering many of the major periods of French literature: Middle Ages, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st centuries, Francophone literature and cultures.

PhD students are normally allowed to take two independent studies courses, subject to the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. However, they may not take more than two (including any taken at the master’s level) except in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

PhD students are normally allowed to take up to four courses at the 5000 level or above outside of the department. In exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, a student may request to take a fifth course outside of the department and only ten courses within the department.

PhD students who completed their MA at CU Boulder can apply up to ten courses at the 5000 level or above (30 credit hours of coursework) toward their PhD degree within the above parameters. They must take at least five courses during the first two years of candidacy.

Students entering the PhD program with an MA in French or equivalent from another university can apply up to five of their previous MA courses (15 credit hours of graduate-level coursework) toward the fifteen-course requirement within the above parameters. They must take ten courses during the first two years of candidacy.

Students entering the PhD program without an MA in French must consult with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

Language Requirement

A sound reading knowledge of one modern language other than English and French is required. Such reading knowledge must be certified by the student passing a reading examination in the language or by passing coursework either at CU or prior to arrival on campus equivalent to a fourth semester (2120 at CU) college course. The examination normally consists of a timed translation of a literary text or a text dealing with literature (e.g., literary criticism). A dictionary is permitted. This language should be relevant to the student's academic program.

Examination/PhD Comprehensive Examination

As students are finishing their required coursework, they should have a clear sense of how their courses and ideas are coalescing around a given general field and a specific problem within that field. Courses taken outside the department, as well as work in the related field, should fit into this pattern. As this specification of interest toward the area of the dissertation takes place, the student should constitute a Doctoral Committee consisting of five graduate faculty members (one of whom must come from outside the student's department) who will guide the student's work. One of these faculty members will serve as the Director and take responsibility for co-coordinating the work of this ad hoc Doctoral Committee. Once the Doctoral Committee is formed and approved by the Graduate School, the student will begin to prepare for the PhD Comprehensive Examination. Working in consultation with the Director and other members of the Doctoral Committee, the student will formulate a dissertation topic. The student will prepare a list of primary texts pertaining to that topic, and a further list of secondary materials composed of critical and theoretical texts intended to inform the student's approach to the dissertation topic. Those two lists will be circulated to the Doctoral Committee before the Comprehensive Examination. The examination itself will consist of one substantial essay followed by an oral examination. The essay will focus on the dissertation topic. The student will have two weeks to write the essay. Once that essay is written, the Doctoral Committee will conduct the oral part of the examination as a discussion of material covered in the essay, material on the two reading lists, as well as matters pertaining to the general direction of the dissertation and the approach that the student propose to take therein. Normally the Comprehensive Examination should be taken at the end of the student's second year in the PhD program (for students continuing from CU's MA program) or at the end of the third year in the program (for students entering from other MA programs). In both cases, that allows the student a full year of independent study after the conclusion of course requirements. Upon successful completion of the PhD exams, students normally spend the next two years writing a dissertation.

PhD Dissertation

The PhD dissertation must be based upon original scholarship and demonstrate mature scholarship and critical judgment as well as familiarity with the tools and methods of research. It should make a worthwhile contribution to knowledge in the student's special field. Students are advised to familiarize themselves thoroughly with the various Graduate School rules governing the format and deadlines for the dissertation. The dissertation is normally written in English, but it is also possible to write in French; the language of the dissertation should be approved by the student's committee.

Oral Defense of the Dissertation

After the dissertation has been accepted, a final oral examination on the dissertation and related topics will be held. The examination will be conducted by a five-member committee, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, which will consist of representatives of areas in which the student has worked. At least one member of the committee will be from outside the student's field of study. The committee should be approved by the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the oral defense. More than one negative vote will disqualify the candidate in the oral defense.

Plans of Study

Typical Five-Year PhD Structure for Students Who Hold an MA in French from CU Boulder

*Apply nine to ten courses (27-30 credit hours) at the 5000 level or above from MA studies.

Typical Five-Year PhD Structure for Students Who Hold an MA in French from Another Institution

*Transfer five courses (15 credit hours) at the 5000 level or above from MA studies.

Learning Outcomes  

By the completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced proficiency in the French language across speaking, listening, reading and writing. Evidence: Successful completion and defense of the doctoral comprehensive exam and dissertation.
• Exhibit comprehensive and specialized knowledge of French and Francophone literatures, cultures and civilizations, including expertise in specific research areas. Evidence: Successful completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation.
• Conduct original, self-directed research that contributes significantly to the field of French and Francophone Studies. Evidence: Successful completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation.
• Communicate research findings effectively to scholarly and general audiences in oral and written forms. Evidence: Completion of course requirements. Successful completion PhD Comprehensive Examination. Successful completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation.
• Demonstrate the ability to teach French language and Francophone cultures effectively at various educational levels. This outcome only applies to students admitted to a TA/GPTI position. Evidence: Teaching evaluations from students and supervisor.