Degree Title: Master of Arts

Program Name and Number: French MA5227

Department/Unit: Department of Modern Languages

Delivery Mode: Athens campus

Term of entry:  Fall

Program Mission: The mission of the Master of Arts in French in the Department of Modern Languages is to provide students with a sophisticated understanding of French and Francophone language, literature, culture, and language pedagogy.

Program Learning Objectives: Students will

1. employ advanced language structures in written and spoken discourse.
2. identify and define major movements in French and Francophone literature.
3. compose papers and essays based on independent analysis and research.
4. identify and describe the importance of major figures and events of French and Francophone civilization and culture.
5. apply up-to-date pedagogical theory and methods in the courses they teach.

Program Overview: The Masters of French is a two-year academic program with both thesis and non-thesis options. Graduates possess a familiarity with the history of French and Francophone literature, a solid grounding in pedagogical theory and practice, and a comprehension of the cultures of the French-speaking world. Our M.A. students learn to analyze literature, develop teaching techniques, and acquire advanced language and cultural skills. Most full-time students receive support in the form of a teaching assistantship through which they receive a stipend to teach one beginning-level class per semester. High school teachers can register to take graduate courses in French as non-degree students.

Opportunities for Graduates: A significant percentage of our graduates enter Ph.D. programs after graduation to prepare themselves for careers in academia. In recent years, we have sent students to Cambridge University, Rutgers University, the University of North Carolina, and The Ohio State University. Many other students enter the teaching profession either as French instructors at U.S. universities, as high school French teachers, or as English teachers abroad. Several of our M.A. students apply for nationally competitive awards such as the Fulbright in order to conduct research abroad after graduation.

Link to Program http://modlang.ohio.edu/graduate/graduate-french/

Graduation Requirements:

1. A minimum of 44 semester credits with a 3.0 GPA or higher. The usual time required to meet the course requirements  for the M.A. is two academic years.
2. A minimum of 10 graduate courses in French including the following:
   1. Four literature courses including two seminars (16 credits)
   2. French Stylistics and Criticism (5441)  (4 credits)
   3. Either Applied Phonetics (5337) or Modern Usage (5439)  (4 credits)
   4. French Culture and Civilization (5360) 4 credits
   5. Theory of Teaching French (5640)  4 credits
   6. Praxis in Teaching College French (6920) 4 credits (1 credit each semester)
   7. Two electives in French   8 credits
3. Total: 44 semester credits
4. Second Language Requirement: A reading knowledge of a second modern language or Latin is required. This requirement may be met by: 1) having completed one year of language study as an undergraduate; 2) completing the second language through the 100-level sequence as a graduate student. The second language requirement may also be fulfilled by completing two graduate courses in the Linguistics Department. This option may substitute for one of the two options listed above. These courses do not count as part of the courses required for the M.A. The grade B is the minimum level of proficiency for all of the above; B- is not sufficient.
5. Comprehensive written and oral examinations in French are required. These examinations are based on course work and the M.A. Reading List, which is available on line at: http://modlang.ohio.edu/graduate/graduate-french/
6. A thesis is optional.

Culminating Experience:

At the end of their final semester of course work, students take written and oral comprehensive exams based on the French M.A. Reading List.  These exams assess student achievement of learning outcomes listed above. 

Admission Requirements:

Selection Procedure for Recommending Admission and Financial Support

A prospective student is considered for admission to the graduate program and for financial support in the Department of Modern Languages as soon as the following documents have been received by the Department’s Graduate Committee:

1. Online application form along with a non-refundable application fee submitted to the Graduate College via the following link:
   http://www.ohio.edu/graduate/apply.cfm.
   Information on fees, reference forms and graduate programs can also be found at this link.
2. Two official transcripts from post-secondary schools, sent to the Graduate College. International students must also send copies of diplomas and transcripts translated into English and notarized, earn a TOEFL score of 80 or above, and earn a passing score on the Test of Spoken English.
3. Send the following directly to the Department of Modern Languages:
   1. Three letters of recommendation.
   2. A written statement of purpose in French.
   3. For candidates who are non-native speakers of French we require an audio sample of their target language ability. The sample should be a spoken statement (not a reading of a written text), 5-10 minutes in length, in which you talk about your background in language and why you want to complete the M.A.

The best qualified applicants will be offered a graduate stipend and a tuition scholarship.   Reappointment can be expected for the duration of the student’s M.A. studies, providing the student maintains at least a 3.00 grade point average in academic work and performs assigned responsibilities to the satisfaction of the supervisor.

Additional Requirements for International Students after arrival on campus:

1. In addition to sending copies of their diplomas as part of the application process, international students must bring with them the original of their diplomas and show them to a staff member of the Graduate College once they arrive on campus.
2. In addition to taking the TOEFL in their own country as part of the application process, international students have to pass the TOEFL and the Test of Spoken English on campus before they can receive financial support from Ohio University. Even if the student passed the test in the country of origin, it must be taken again at Ohio University during orientation week prior to the beginning of classes. Failure to pass this test means that the student cannot receive financial support.

French Graduate Courses

• FR 5360 - Civilization and Culture
• FR 5437 - Applied Phonetics
• FR 5439 - Modern French Usage
• FR 5441 - Stylistics and Criticism
• FR 5502 - 16th-Century French Literature
• FR 5503 - 17th-Century French Literature
• FR 5504 - 18th-Century French Literature
• FR 5505 - 19th-Century French Literature
• FR 5506 - 20th- and 21st-Century French Literature
• FR 5511 - Francophone Literature and Culture of Africa and the Caribbean
• FR 5512 - Francophone Literature and Culture of the Americas
• FR 5514 - Early Modern Non-Fiction Prose: 16th-18th- Centuries
• FR 5515 - Early Modern Poetry: 16th-18th- Centuries
• FR 5516 - Prose Fiction of the 17th and 18th- Centuries
• FR 5517 - Drama of the 17th and 18th Centuries
• FR 5518 - Prose Fiction of the 19th- Century
• FR 5519 - Poetry of the 19th- and 20th- Centuries
• FR 5520 - Drama of the 19th- and 20th- Centuries
• FR 5521 - Prose Fiction of the 20th- Century
• FR 5640 - Theory of Teaching French
• FR 5810 - French for Graduates: Reading I
• FR 5820 - French for Graduates: Reading II
• FR 5900 - Special Topics
• FR 5940 - Graduate Study Abroad
• FR 6900 - Special Topics in French
• FR 6902 - Seminar
• FR 6920 - Praxis in Teaching College French
• FR 6930 - Independent Study in French
• FR 6940 - Directed Readings in French Language, Literature, and Culture
• FR 6950 - Thesis