Modern French Studies (FRMS)

Abstract

The Ph.D. in Modern French Studies encompasses the Renaissance to the present. The diversity of the Graduate Faculty makes it possible for students to specialize in a wide variety of areas in French language, literature, and culture. The department is part of a larger School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures that encourages and facilitates interdisciplinary scholarship, particularly in Film Studies and in Cultural Studies. Through consortia arrangements with universities in the area, including George Washington University and Georgetown University, students may augment their programs with courses otherwise unavailable at the University of Maryland.

Admissions Information

Application requirements for the Ph.D. program include: 1) Graduate School application, 2) statement of purpose (including research interests), 3) three letters of recommendation, 4) official academic transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work, 5) GRE scores, 6) a writing sample, and 7) a resume or Curriculum Vitae. International applicants must also submit TOEFL scores. Part-time students are admitted to the program on the condition that they make steady progress towards the degree.

Application Deadlines

Fall

Spring

Domestic Applicants:
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

Domestic Applicant Deadlines

Applications must be received by March 1 (February 1 preferred) .

This program does not accept applications for this semester.

International Applicants:
Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials

IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.

Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas

February 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1

June 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants

May 1
If Domestic Deadline is after May 1

October 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials

May 15
If Domestic Deadline is after May 15

October 31
If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Application Requirements

GRE General (recommended)
3 Letters of Recommendation
Writing Sample

	Fall	Spring
Domestic Applicants: U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
Domestic Applicant Deadlines	Applications must be received by March 1 (February 1 preferred) .	This program does not accept applications for this semester.

International Applicants: Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.
Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas	February 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1	June 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants	May 1 If Domestic Deadline is after May 1	October 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials	May 15 If Domestic Deadline is after May 15	October 31 If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Degree Requirements

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Ph.D. students are required to take for credit a minimum of 8 courses beyond the M.A. at the 600-level or above; to pass three Qualifying Examinations consisting of two Comprehensive Examinations and one Qualifying Paper before being advanced to candidacy; and to write and defend a dissertation that explores significant questions about French literature and culture, past or present. All Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate a sound reading knowledge of one other foreign language in addition to French. A student having a recognized degree or diploma in a subsidiary area such as Music, Economics, Political Science, etc, and who plans to make substantial use of this body of knowledge for the dissertation may be permitted, with the approval of the Graduate Programs Committee, to substitute such degree or diploma for the additional foreign language requirement. All requirements for the Ph.D. degree, except the dissertation, must be completed within five years of admission to the program. The dissertation must be completed no more than four years after advancement to candidacy.

Facilities and Special Resources

With a total student enrollment of over 35,000, the University of Maryland is supported in its academic endeavors by the University Libraries, a system of eight libraries and more than three million volumes. Other area research facilities include two of the worlds outstanding libraries: the Library of Congress and the Folger Library, both of which have extensive holdings in French. The University of Maryland's Center for Renaissance and Baroque Studies , the Women's Studies Program, and the David C. Driskell Center For The Study of The Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and The African Diaspora, among other campus units, offer seminars, lectures, and symposia on a wide variety of topics relevant to graduate students in French.

Financial Assistance

All graduate applicants are automatically considered for Teaching Assistantships and Graduate Fellowships. Graduate Teaching Assistantships carry ten-month stipends, plus remission of all fees (10 credits) other than those for registration and health facilities.

Contact Information

Additional information on program offerings, degree requirements and financial aid can be obtained on the department's Web site (http://www.languages.umd.edu/FrenchItalian) and by writing to:

Director of Graduate Studies in French
3215 Jimenez Hall
University of Maryland College Park
MD 20742
Telephone: (301) 405-4024
frms-grad@deans.umd.edu

http://www.languages.umd.edu/FrenchItalian