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Learning Outcomes

Admission

Admission requirements include complete transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, three letters of recommendation, satisfactory GRE scores (described below), and an undergraduate major (or its equivalent) in French (for candidates who hold an undergraduate degree from a North American institution). They should have minimum GRE scores of 500/153 on the verbal section and 4 on the analytical section (or scores of 400/146 and 3.5, respectively, for non-native English speakers). Applicants to the interdisciplinary M.A.T. program may present a minimum score of 396 on the Miller Analogies Test in lieu of GRE scores. Candidates should have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75, with a minimum GPA of 3.00 in French. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam. The minimum acceptable score on the TOEFL is 80 (iBT), or 570 (paper-based). The minimum acceptable overall band score on the IETLS Intl. Academic Course Type 2 exam is 6.5.

Three letters of recommendation from previous French instructors are required for inclusion in the candidate’s application. Applicants are asked to submit a writing sample of 3,000 words, written in French (written in English for students whose native language is French), and a statement of purpose (300 words maximum) written in English.  In order to test French speaking skills, a five-minute sample of spoken French is also required of non-native speakers.  The file should be saved as an MP3 file on a CD.

Applicants who wish to be considered for an assistantship must apply by January 15.

Applications submitted to the Department after June 1 will not be processed for the Fall semester but for the following Spring.

In order to pursue the Master of Arts in French, candidates may be required to make up such deficiencies as may be shown by a diagnostic examination. The department reserves the right to require its degree candidates to audit or enroll in undergraduate courses when this appears to be advisable.

Degree Requirements (33 Hours)

The M.A. (languages, literatures, and cultures option) requires, in addition to course work, a written and oral comprehensive examination based on a reading list; demonstration of a reading knowledge in a second foreign language. Candidates who elect to write an M.A. thesis will take 27 semester hours of course work, at least 18 of which must be taken in 700-level or above courses. In addition, they will submit a thesis (6 hours of FREN 799 ) and will present a final oral defense of the thesis.

Candidates who elect to replace the M.A. thesis with extra course work must complete 33 hours of graduate-level courses (of which at least 24 must be at the 700 level or above), and they must submit a substantial research project, typically a revised and expanded version of a paper written for one of the M.A. courses.

Candidates, except for those minoring in linguistics, must take FREN 516  and FREN 517 .

FORL 776  (3 hours) is required of all graduate teaching assitants.

The M.A. (language instruction option) is designed for college graduates who already hold a professional teaching certificate in French and who wish to earn a master’s degree adapted to the needs of teachers. The M.A. (language instruction option) requires reading knowledge of a second foreign language; 33 hours of graduate-level course work (of which at least half must be at the 700 level or above), with 21 hours in French (including FREN 700 - Introduction to Graduate Studies in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures ), 9 hours in professional education, and 3 hours of elective credit in a course that addresses current issues and concerns of teachers; and successful completion of a comprehensive written and oral examination based on a reading list.