French Studies

M.A, Ph.D

The Department of French Studies at Queen’s University boasts a tradition of producing excellent scholars. It has all the resources of a major research-intensive university while also offering individualized attention to students. It provides guaranteed funding at the Ph.D level and substantial funding support at the M.A. Level. Faculty members are involved in a broad spectrum of research projects allowing for collaborative work between professors and students. The department also enjoys a strong record of international conferences and prominent guest speakers.

All departmental activities (intellectual, administrative and social) take place in French. As well students are offered the opportunity to teach courses, allowing them to acquire valuable teaching experience for their future careers.

en français

"Although it is small, the Department of French Studies of Queen’s is visible and has a great reputation inside and outside the campus. Consisting of a dynamic team of teachers, the teaching was excellent at every level, and I was particularly impressed by the serene, relaxed atmosphere and the fact that the teachers were so accessible."

Degrees Offered / Length of Program

• M.A.: 1 or 2 years full time (part time option also available)
• Ph.D.: 4 years (full time only)

Method of Completion

• M.A.: course work & thesis
• Ph.D.: course work, thesis, comprehensive exams, and oral defence

Degree Level Expectations & Learning Outcomes

M.A. - view this information as a PDF (304KB)

PhD - view this information as a PDF (301KB)

Supervisors and Fields of Study

Supervisors will be determined within the first 6 months of your degree for the MA and the first 4 months for the PhD.

Fields of study:

• Pre-modern (Ancien Régime)
• Modern and Contemporary French Literature and Culture
• Canadian, Quebec and Francophone Literature and Culture
• Linguistics

• Johanne Bénard: 20th-century French literature; Céline; autobiography; pragmatics, theatre.
• Agnès Conacher: Early Modern Literature (end of the 16th century and 17th century), mysticism, identity, memory in the 17th century.
• Catherine Dhavernas, Department Head: 20th Century French literature; Duras, Yourcenar; Literary theory; Philosophy of history; Benjamin; Interdisciplinary studies.
• Monique Dufresne: Diachronic linguistics; syntax morphology of medieval French; history of French; creation and use of annotated corpora.
• Stéphane Inkel: Québec literature; political philosophy and literature; history and literature; French literature, 20th century; Réjean Ducharme; Jacques Ferron; Victor-Lévy Beaulieu; Samuel Beckett.
• Greg Lessard: Lexicology and semantics; natural language generation; Second language acquisition; computer-aided text analysis.
• François Rouget: Medieval and Renaissance literatures ; Poetics ; literary history.
• Elisabeth Zawisza: Eighteenth-Century Novel, Diderot, sociology of literature, feminist theories.

Employment Opportunities

Our graduates have found employment as: University professors, Teachers, Bilingual civil servants (i.e.: Foreign Affairs), Translators, Editors, Writers. Other graduates have gone on to careers in the Service industry and in public administration.

Funding Information

• M.A.: depending on the quality of the candidate's file
• Ph.D.: Minimum $18,000

We encourage all students to apply for additional external funding through OGS, SSHRC and other sources. Entering graduate students who win federal government tri-council awards are automatically provided with a $5,000 top-up award by Queen’s.

We also offer the opportunity to apply for internal scholarships, including the Senator Frank Carrel Upper-Year Scholarships for residents of Quebec with an approximate value of $10,000 each.

Academic Prerequisites

We consider grades from all four years.

• M.A.: Bachelor of Arts (honours) in French Studies or equivalent, with second class standing
• Ph.D.: Master of Arts in French Studies or equivalent, with first class standing

Test Requirements

For international students, if required, a TOEFL total score of at least 550 (paper-based) or TOEFL iBT minimum scores of: writing (24/30); speaking (22/30); reading (22/30); listening (20/30), for a total of 88/120. Applicants must have the minimum score in each test as well as the minimum overall score.

Program Profiles

• Emily Hayter - as an undergrad one of her assignments was....