Admissions suspended as of January 2019. Please contact Dr. Christopher Coski (coski@ohio.edu) for further information.
Degree Title and Name: Master of Arts in French
Program Name and Number: French – MA5227
Department/Unit: Department of Modern Languages
Delivery Mode: Athens Campus
Term(s) of Entry: Fall
Program Overview: 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. The Master of French is a two-year academic program with both thesis and non-thesis options. Graduates possess a knowledge of 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.
Program Learning Outcomes: Successful graduates of Modern Languages M.A. programs will:
- Demonstrate deep knowledge of the target language and culture.
- Compare and contrast world cultures.
- Identify and describe major literary movements.
- Explain how an individual literary work reflects the literary movement in which it was created.
- Analyze literary and other cultural products creatively through appropriate theoretical and historical lenses.
- Analyze linguistic phenomena in terms of syntax, dialectology, phonology, and historical linguistics.
- Design and carry out an original research project; write up results using conventions appropriate to the discipline.
- Present research results to an audience of professors and peers.
- Implement teaching strategies in line with current language acquisition theories.
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, University of Iowa, University of California-Santa Barbara, 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: The following requirements must be satisfied to graduate.
- 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.
- A minimum of 10 graduate courses in French including the following:
- Four literature courses including two seminars – 16 credits
- French Stylistics and Criticism (FR 5441) – 4 credits
- Either Applied Phonetics (FR 5337) or Modern Usage (FR 5439) – 4 credits
- French Culture and Civilization (FR 5360) – 4 credits
- Theory of Teaching French (FR 5640) – 4 credits
- Praxis in Teaching College French (FR 6920) – 4 credits (1 credit per semester)
- Two electives in French – 8 credits
- Second Language Requirement: A reading knowledge of a second modern language or Latin is required. This requirement may be met by: a) having completed one year of language study as an undergraduate; or b) 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.
- 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/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/MA-Reading-List-June-2012.pdf.
- 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: 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:
- Online application form along with a non-refundable application fee.
- 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.
- Send the following directly to the Department of Modern Languages:
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A written statement of purpose in French.
- 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.
International Students:
- 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.
- 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.
- This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.