French and Francophone World Studies, PhD
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.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates will be able to:
- demonstrate a mastery level of competence and proficiency in spoken and written French and change between languages with ease as well as express sophisticated ideas in both English and French;
- 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;
- apply 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;
- understand critical theory and its potential use for analyzing objects of study from a variety of media; and
- 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 or a dissertation.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in French and Francophone world studies requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit, including credit earned for the MA degree. Students who have earned the MA degree can apply up to 30 s.h. of credit toward the PhD.
The PhD takes at least three years of graduate study, including at least one year spent in residence at the University of Iowa. Students must pass a comprehensive examination and make a successful oral defense of their dissertation.
The PhD in French and Francophone world studies requires the following coursework.
Core Courses
All core courses must be taken on an A–F graded basis. With the permission of the student’s advisor, an alternative critical theory course not listed here may be taken.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| FREN:5001 | Introduction to Graduate Study | 2 |
| One of these: | ||
| FREN:6130/GWSS:6130 | Francophone Thought | 3 |
| ENGL:6000 | Introduction to Contemporary Theory | 3 |
| ENGL:7010 | Seminar: Literary Criticism and Theory | 3 |
| TRNS:6459 | Issues in Translation | 3 |
French Literature and Culture Courses
Students complete a minimum of 24 s.h. from eight 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:6005 | Colloquium: Teaching French | 3 |
| FREN:7000 | Thesis | arr. |
Thesis
Students complete at least 6 s.h. in FREN:7000 Thesis. They may apply additional enrollments of this course toward electives.
Electives
Elective courses must bring the total credit for the degree to 72 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, and FREN:5001. Students may count a maximum of 6 s.h. in FREN:6005 Colloquium: Teaching French toward electives.
Students may also count a maximum of 12 s.h. from courses numbered 4000 or above in the following course subjects outside of French.
| Course Subject | Course Subject Prefix |
|---|---|
| Art history | ARTH |
| Cinema | CINE |
| Educational policy and leadership studies | EPLS |
| English | ENGL |
| Gender, women's and sexuality studies | GWSS |
| History | HIST |
| International Writing Program | IWP |
| Liberal arts and sciences non-departmental | CLAS |
| Linguistics | LING |
| Museum studies | MUSM |
| Papermaking | BKAT |
| Philosophy | PHIL |
| Psychological and quantitative foundations | PSQF |
| Rhetoric | RHET |
| Teaching and learning | EDTL |
| Translation | TRNS |
| World languages, literatures, and cultures | WLLC, excluding WLLC:5000 |
Additional Requirements
Students are required to spend at least one year teaching as graduate assistants in the department. Students must possess fifth-semester or equivalent proficiency in an additional language other than French.
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.
An Master of Arts (MA) in French is prerequisite to admission to the Doctor of Philosophy program in French and Francophone world studies. However, successful completion of an MA in French does not necessarily qualify a student for doctoral study.
Applicants 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 (a term paper, seminar paper, or other course papers).
The PhD program is designed to prepare students for research, teaching, and professional service normally required of college and university faculty members.
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, PhD
| Academic Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Any Semester | Hours | |
| 72 s.h. must be graduate level coursework; students who have earned the MA degree can apply up to 30 s.h. of credit toward the PhD. More information is included in the General Catalog and on department website. a, b | ||
| Students are required to spend at least one year teaching as graduate assistants in the department. | ||
| Students must possess fifth-semester or equivalent proficiency in an additional language other than French. | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| First Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| FREN:5001 | Introduction to Graduate Study c | 2 |
| FREN:5000 | Teaching and Learning Languages d | 3 |
| French literature and culture course e | 3 | |
| French literature and culture course e | 3 | |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Spring | ||
| Critical theory course c, f | 3 | |
| French literature and culture course e | 3 | |
| French literature and culture course e | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 2 | |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| French literature and culture course e | 2 | |
| French literature and culture course e | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Spring | ||
| French literature and culture course e | 3 | |
| French literature and culture course e | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 2 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Any Semester | ||
| Dissertation Prospectus i | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| Fall | ||
| Exam: Doctoral Comprehensive Exam j | ||
| FREN:7000 | Thesis k | 4 |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| FREN:7000 | Thesis k | 4 |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Elective course g, h | 3 | |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| FREN:7000 | Thesis k | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Spring | ||
| FREN:7000 | Thesis k | 4 |
| Exam: Doctoral Final Exam l | ||
| Hours | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 72 | |
- a
- Students entering with fewer that 30 s.h. of coursework from the master's degree must work with their faculty advisor to complete the needed appropriate graduate coursework.
- b
- 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.
- c
- Must be taken on an A-F graded basis.
- d
- Teaching assistants are required to take FREN:5000.
- e
- Complete a minimum of 24 s.h. from eight 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.
- f
- Take one course from FREN:6130, ENGL:6000, ENGL:7010, TRNS:6459. With permission of the student's advisor, an alternative critical theory course may be taken.
- g
- Students may count a maximum of 12 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.
- h
- In consultation with an advisor, select electives from French courses (prefix FREN) numbered 4000 or above to bring total credit for the degree to 72 s.h. See the General Catalog for list of excluded French courses.
- i
- Defend prospectus by end of third year.
- j
- Typically completed during third year fall semester; consists of three four-hour examinations followed by an oral examination.
- k
- Complete at least 6 s.h. total from FREN:7000; students may count additional credit hours of this course as electives.
- l
- Dissertation defense.