The Department of French and Italian at the University of Iowa invites excellent and motivated students to apply for a M.A. or a Ph.D. in French and Francophone World Studies. Our program has a cross-disciplinary nature with related units across campus and within the area of French and Francophone Studies. Our alumni and current students represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, from Europe to North America, North and sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.
Areas of Study: Graduate students in French and Francophone Studies benefit from the expertise of a nationally and internationally known faculty. Courses are available in the traditionally recognized historical periods of French literature, as well as in various literary genres, critical theories, and cultural studies. The Department provides a rich variety of courses in Francophone literatures and cultures from the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, North and sub-Saharan Africa, Québec, the literatures of immigration in France as well as in Cinematic Arts and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. We have specific strengths in Interdisciplinary studies in the areas of Early Modern Studies, Ecological criticism, Memory and Trauma Studies, Cinema, Francophone and Postcolonial Studies, History, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Courses in Arabic and Swahili reflect the dynamism of our program and bring new strengths in cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary research and teaching. For example, our Ph.D. students may create their own individual program of interdisciplinary studies by forming an Ad Hoc committee with members from other departments on campus. In recent years, students’ Ad Hoc committees have included faculty from the departments of Art and Art History, Cinematic Arts, Dance, English, History, Journalism, Religious Studies, Women’s Studies and the Law School. We regularly collaborate with the Department of Cinematic Arts on an Ad Hoc Ph.D. program in Film/French that allows students to take advantage of The University of Iowa’s outstanding resources in Film Studies.
Teaching and Financial Support: Students receive financial support through Departmental teaching assistantships. Half-time teaching assistants receive a tuition scholarship and are paid a stipend of $20,064 for the academic year. Graduate students teach First- and Second-year French language classes and participate in a pedagogically sophisticated program providing support for novice teachers. In their last year PhD students teach Third-Year courses in our undergraduate program. We also have year-long exchange programs with Université de Poitiers and Université de Pau. There may be an opportunity for qualified students to teach Arabic, Italian or Swahili within the Department. Other University fellowships are available for dissertation research and writing as well as travel to conferences. Special minority fellowships exist, and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Interdisciplinary Research and Activities: Besides course offerings in several departments, students may take advantage of the rich interdisciplinary opportunities offered by the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies or the Stanley Museum of Art. They are also encouraged to present their research in vibrant interdisciplinary research groups. The French and Italian Forum, our lecture series, is another venue for students to present their research, hear presentations by national and international scholars and meet writers from the world-renowned University of Iowa International Writing Program. We also encourage students to publish articles and book reviews in respected journals. Extensive one-on-one contact between faculty and students, our required course on pre-professional training and acculturation prepare students for successful academic careers.
The deadline to apply is January 15, 2023
For further information on our graduate program and how to apply visit our website https://french-italian.uiowa.edu/graduate
Contact:
Anny-Dominique Curtius
Professor of Francophone Studies
Director of Graduate Studies, French and Francophone World Studies
Department of French & Italian
The University of Iowa
anny-curtius@uiowa.edu