Francophone, Italian and Germanic Studies, PhD: French and Francophone Studies
The University of Pennsylvania's Graduate Program in French and Francophone Studies (FIGS) offers a five-year Ph.D. program. All students admitted to the program are awarded full financial support through the University's Benjamin Franklin Fellowships. The overarching goal of the program is to train students for productive scholarship and for effective college or university teaching. We have an outstanding faculty committed to scholarly excellence and we have an impressive record in placing candidates on the job market.
In addition to our faculty having interest in a broad range of centuries, individual expertise include science studies, popular culture, film noir, fashion, travel writing, poetry, anthropology, gender, postcolonial studies, cultural history, narratology, and history of the book. Students are encouraged to incorporate new critical approaches into their dissertation topics.
Interdisciplinary study is encouraged through participation in the wide range of seminars, lectures, and colloquia sponsored by the various Graduate Groups and affiliated research institutes and centers at Penn. Students may complement their studies by taking up to four courses outside the Francophone section. Graduate students in French and Francophone Studies may also participate in The Penn Humanities Forum which also provides a venue for doctoral students to interact with colleagues from across the disciplines.
For more information: https://figs.sas.upenn.edu/francophone/graduate
Curriculum
The Ph.D. program in French and Francophone Studies (FIGS) is planned as a five-year sequence. Requirements for the Ph.D. include:
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| FIGS 7770 | Francophone, Italian and Germanic Proseminar 2 | 1 |
| FIGS topics course 3 | 1 | |
| FIGS 5000 | M.A. Exam Preparation 4 | 1 |
| FREN 5990 | Teaching and Learning 5 | 1 |
| Literary Theory course 6 | 1 | |
| Comparative Literature Proseminar | ||
| Modern Literary Theory and Criticism | ||
| Global France | ||
| Seminar on Literary Theory | ||
| Modern Literary Theory and Criticism | ||
| Modern Literary Theory and Criticism | ||
| Modern Literary Theory and Criticism | ||
| Seminar on Literary Theory | ||
| Electives at the 5000 level and above | 12 | |
3 courses outside French and Francophone Studies 7 | ||
| Additional Requirements | ||
| M.A. Examination | ||
| An oral examination based on the Master's Reading List will be given at the conclusion of the spring semester of the student’s first year. | ||
| Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| A translation exam in one foreign language appropriate to the student's prospective field of specialization. For example, students specializing in Medieval or Renaissance studies should choose Latin in addition to a modern language. | ||
| Teaching Requirement | ||
| Four semesters of undergraduate teaching are required, one course per semester of the second and third years. | ||
| Dissertation Proposal | ||
| Students will begin work for an eventual dissertation topic (i.e., the Dissertation Prospectus or Proposal) to be completed during the summer after the student's third year. | ||
| Total Course Units | 17 | |
University PhD Benchmarks
In addition to Program requirements, the following milestones must be completed:
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying Evaluation | ||
| Candidacy Examination | ||
| Dissertation Defense/Oral Exam | ||
| Dissertation Deposit | ||
For more information view the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs.
- 1
Students who enter the program with previous graduate work may be eligible to transfer some credits toward the Ph.D.
- 2
Francophone, Italian and Germanic Proseminar: Reading for the M.A. Exam will be taken for credit during the spring semester of the student's first year.
- 3
A FIGS topics course—a content course (topic varies every year) usually taken in the second semester of the first year.
- 4
The M.A. Exam Preparation Course—taken in the second semester of the student's first year.
- 5
Teaching and Learning: This course in Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching will be audited in the fall semester of the second year and will be taken for credit during the spring semester of that year after the student has completed one semester of teaching.
- 6
Taken in the student's first or second year.
- 7
Up to 3 courses outside French and Francophone Studies in another field pertinent to the student's area of specialization.
- 8
Students are permitted to continue coursework past 17 course units with Graduate Chair approval.
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2025 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.