French and Francophone World Studies, MA
This is the first version of the 2026–27 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The Master of Arts in French and Francophone world studies is offered with an optional French education emphasis.
For more detailed information on graduate degrees in French and Francophone world studies, contact the Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures.
Learning Outcomes
- Mastery level of competence and proficiency in spoken and written French. Ability to change between languages and registers with ease as well as express sophisticated ideas in both English and French.
- Ability to perform a formal analysis of literary texts from a variety of genres, including narrative, poetry, theater, and those situated at the limits between traditional notions of genre as well as the visual arts.
- Knowledge of the various periods and subfields of French and Francophone literature from the Renaissance to the present, including major literary, cultural, and historical movements, and the relationship between France and its former colonies.
- Understanding of critical theory and its potential use for analyzing objects of study from a variety of media.
- Ability to think critically and make sustained and convincing arguments in relation to scholarship in the field, as well as express original opinions and thinking, as evidenced in a body of scholarship such as final papers.
The Master of Arts (MA) in French and Francophone world studies requires a minimum of 30 s.h. of graduate credit and is offered with or without thesis. Students may apply a maximum of 6 s.h. of graduate transfer coursework with the program's permission.
The MA in French and Francophone world studies requires the following coursework.
Core Courses
All core courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| FREN:5001 | Introduction to Graduate Study | 2 |
| One of these: | ||
| FREN:3232/TRNS:3232 | French Literary Translation Workshop | 3 |
| FREN:5020 | Comparative Stylistics | 3 |
French Literature and Culture Courses
Students complete a minimum of 12 s.h. from four different French literature and culture courses. In consultation with an advisor, students select from French courses (prefix FREN) numbered 4015 or above, excluding the courses in the following list. With the permission of the program, certain courses like FREN:6750 Topics in French Studies may be taken more than once for this requirement if taken with a different topic each time.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Not from these: | ||
| FREN:4020 | Oral Expression in French II | 3 |
| FREN:4070 | Introduction to the Study of Meaning | 3 |
| FREN:4911 | French for Reading/Research | 2 |
| FREN:4912 | French for Reading/Research | 2 |
| FREN:4990 | Independent Study | arr. |
| FREN:4995 | Honors Research and Thesis | 3 |
| FREN:5000 | Teaching and Learning Languages | 3 |
| FREN:5001 | Introduction to Graduate Study | 2 |
| FREN:5020 | Comparative Stylistics | 3 |
| FREN:6005 | Colloquium: Teaching French | 3 |
| FREN:7000 | Thesis | arr. |
Electives
Elective courses must bring the total credit for the degree to 30 s.h. and are selected in consultation with an advisor. Students select electives from French courses (prefix FREN) numbered 4000 or above, excluding FREN:4020, FREN:4911, FREN:4912, FREN:4990, FREN:4995, FREN:5000, FREN:5001, and FREN:7000. Students may count a maximum of 3 s.h. in FREN:6005 Colloquium: Teaching French toward electives.
Students may also count a maximum of 6 s.h. from courses numbered 4000 or above in the following course subjects outside of French.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Art history (prefix ARTH) | ||
| Cinema (prefix CINE) | ||
| Education teaching and learning (prefix EDTL) | ||
| Educational policy and leadership studies (prefix EPLS) | ||
| English (prefix ENGL) | ||
| Gender, women's, and sexuality studies (prefix GWSS) | ||
| History (prefix HIST) | ||
| International Writing Program (prefix IWP) | ||
| Liberal arts and sciences non-departmental (prefix CLAS) | ||
| Linguistics (prefix LING) | ||
| Museum studies (prefix MUSM) | ||
| Papermaking (prefix BKAT) | ||
| Philosophy (prefix PHIL) | ||
| Psychological and quantitative foundations (prefix PSQF) | ||
| Rhetoric (prefix RHET) | ||
| Translation (prefix TRNS) | ||
| World languages, literatures, and cultures (prefix WLLC), excluding WLLC:5000 | ||
French and Francophone World Studies, MA/Literary Translation MFA
The Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures offers a combined Master of Arts in French and Francophone world studies and Master of Fine Arts in literary translation. Students interested in writing in its different forms—creative, academic, and translation—will find the University of Iowa to be the ideal place to develop their talents and an attractive option for more diversified career preparation.
A separate application and admission to each degree program is required. For more information, review the admissions requirements for French and Francophone world studies and literary translation.
Students in the combined program earn both degrees by completing a minimum of 60 s.h. of coursework, fewer semester hours than if each degree was completed separately. Qualified students may be eligible for up to three years of full funding for a teaching assistant (TA) position.
Students in the combined program are required to complete a thesis for the MFA in literary translation. For the MA in French and Francophone world studies, students are not required to complete a thesis. Should they choose to do so, a separate thesis is required.
Graduate education prepares students with advanced knowledge and skills in specialized fields. At the University of Iowa, the Graduate College advocates for student-centered graduate education and supports equitable application of rules and policies across graduate programs.
Academics
University of Iowa graduate credentials are regulated by policies and requirements found in the Graduate College Manual of Rules and Regulations. This includes minimum grade-point average (GPA) requirements for academic standing and degree conferral. The Graduate College sets the minimum requirement. Individual graduate programs may establish higher GPA requirements.
Admissions
Graduate student applicants must meet admission requirements for both the Graduate College and the program to which they have applied. University of Iowa graduate admission requirements are published by the Graduate College and on the Graduate Admissions website.
Financial Support
Graduate students might be eligible for financial support. Several contingencies apply, including degree program and award type, satisfactory progress toward degree, satisfactory completion of all duties related to an appointment, and availability of funding. Graduate students should inquire directly with their program for more information about funding availability. The Graduate Student Employment Standards govern the employment relationship between the University of Iowa and all graduate teaching and research assistants in all matters except wages, which are covered by an existing collective bargaining agreement or the conditions of an applicable federal grant.
Applicants must have completed the equivalent of the University of Iowa undergraduate major in French. They also must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.
Applicants for the fall semester whose application materials are received in the department by Jan. 15 have the best chance to be admitted and receive financial aid. They must submit academic transcripts, letters of recommendation from three persons familiar with their past academic work, a statement of purpose in taking graduate work, and one or more samples of original writing, one of which should be in French, that show their ability to pursue graduate work in French (an honors thesis, term paper, seminar paper, or other course papers).
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
French and Francophone World Studies, MA
| Academic Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Any Semester | Hours | |
| 30 s.h. must be graduate level coursework; maximum of 6 s.h. of graduate transfer coursework allowed upon approval. More information is included in the General Catalog and on department website. a | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| First Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| FREN:3232 or FREN:5020 |
French Literary Translation Workshop b or Comparative Stylistics |
3 |
| FREN:5001 | Introduction to Graduate Study b | 2 |
| French literature and culture course c | 3 | |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Spring | ||
| French literature and culture course c | 3 | |
| Elective course d, e | 3 | |
| Elective course d, e | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| French literature and culture course c | 3 | |
| Elective course d, e | 3 | |
| Elective course d, e | 2 | |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Spring | ||
| French literature and culture course c | 3 | |
| Elective course d, e | 2 | |
| Exam: Master's Final Exam f | ||
| Hours | 5 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- a
- Students must complete specific requirements in the University of Iowa Graduate College after program admission. Refer to the Graduate College website and the Manual of Rules and Regulations for more information.
- b
- Must be taken on an A-F graded basis.
- c
- Complete a minimum of 12 s.h. from four different French literature and culture courses. In consultation with an advisor, select from French courses (prefix FREN) numbered 4015 or above. See the General Catalog for list of excluded courses.
- d
- In consultation with an advisor, select electives from French courses (prefix FREN) numbered 4000 or above to bring total credit for the degree to 30 s.h. See the General Catalog for list of excluded French courses.
- e
- Students may also count a maximum of 6 s.h. from courses numbered 4000 or above in several course subjects outside of French. See the General Catalog for list of approved course subjects.
- f
- Students must pass a written and oral examination.