A&S—French and Italian Languages and Literatures

The Department of French and Italian offers programs leading to the MA in French or Italian, a PhD in French with an MA en route and the PhD in French. The following tracks are offered at the MA level in French and Italian:

French Language and Literature

French Language and Literature with Certification in Teaching from the School of Education

Italian Language and Literature

Italian Language and Literature with Certification in Teaching from the School of Education

The following tracks are offered at the PhD level in French:

French Language and Literature

French Language and Literature with an Area of Concentration in Romance Languages and Literatures

Students enrolled in the PhD program may take courses in the following thematic clusters:

French Language and Literature (Literature and Politics)

French Language and Literature (Literature and the Arts)

In addition, the department encourages students to participate in various interdisciplinary programs, such as medieval and Renaissance studies, cultural studies, women’s studies, and film studies, where students may work toward a graduate certificate in conjunction with their degree.

Contact Information

Department Chair: Dennis Looney

Main Office: 1328 Cathedral of Learning

412-624-5220

Fax: 412-624-6263

E-mail: frit@pitt.edu

www.frenchanditalian.pitt.edu/

Additional information concerning the department’s graduate program may be requested from the University of Pittsburgh, Department of French and Italian, Graduate Secretary, 1328 Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Phone: 412-624-5220. Fax: 412-624-6263. E-mail: frit@pitt.edu.

GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Admissions

Students accepted into the graduate program must meet the following criteria:

• They should have completed an undergraduate major (or equivalent) in the language and literature they propose to study at the graduate level or substantial coursework in a related field.
• They must be able to enroll in courses that are taught entirely in French and/or Italian. This presupposes a high level of skill in speaking, reading, and writing in their major language.
• It is recommended that incoming students have a reading knowledge of German, a second Romance language, or Latin.

Applicants for admission must submit transcripts of all college-level work, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and scores on the verbal, quantitative, and writing assessment-analytical sections of the Graduate Record Examination. The GRE is not required for applicants to the MA program in Italian. International applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit either the TOEFL administered by the Educational Testing Service with a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test), IBT (internet-based test) with a minimum score of 80, or the IELTS administered by the University of Cambridge, Local Examinations Syndicate with a minimum score of 6.5 (taking the academic and reading modules). For a complete list of required items for admission, go to www.frenchanditalian.pitt.edu/graduate/about/admissions.php.

Applications for fall term admission will be accepted until April 15. For awards consideration, applications must be completed by January 10. The department admits students only for the fall term.

Financial Assistance

All applicants to the graduate program in French and Italian are considered for departmental funding. The Department of French and Italian offers teaching and research positions to graduate students at all levels, though French PhD students are funded over French MA students. Most teaching assistantships and fellowships are renewable on a year-to-year basis for students in good academic standing. Students enrolled in the MA program are typically eligible for two years of support. PhD candidates who adhere to guidelines established in the departmental graduate policy statement may receive up to five years of support as a teaching fellow.

Master's Degree Credit Requirements

All master's degrees in French and Italian require a minimum of 24 credits. Specific course requirements are described below.

Requirements for the MA in French

A minimum of eight one-term courses in French literature and culture is required, of which at least six must be 2000-level courses. French 2710 (Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory) is required for all students. French 2970 (Teaching of French) is required for students holding a teaching assistantship or a teaching fellowship, but does not count among the eight courses.

Candidates for this degree must also fulfill the following additional requirements:

• Comprehensive Examination
  The MA comprehensive examination is a written examination designed to ensure that the candidates have acquired a thorough overall knowledge of French language, culture, and literature, as well as a strong competency in literary analysis.
• Seminar Paper
  This research paper (5,000–8,000 words) is written in French, usually in a course specifically designated as a seminar. It must receive a grade of B or better and a corrected version must be approved by a second faculty member.
• Second Language
  Candidates must demonstrate a reading knowledge of Latin or German or a Romance language other than French. Other languages will be considered upon petition.

NOTE: Students should also consult the department’s Graduate Policy Statement for information on comprehensive examinations and other departmental regulations.

Requirements for the MA in Italian

A minimum of eight one-term courses is required. These courses will include Italian 2801 (History of the Italian Language) and 2710 (Introduction to the Study of Literature) and at least two other 2000-level courses. Candidates must also fulfill the following additional requirements:

• Comprehensive Examination
  The MA comprehensive examination is a written examination and is given in three sessions on separate days within a given week.
• Research Paper
  This paper, written in Italian, must be approved by two faculty members.
• Second Language
  Candidates must demonstrate a reading knowledge of Latin or German or a Romance language other than Italian. Other languages will be considered upon petition.

Requirements for the MA in French or Italian Languages and Literatures with a Certification in Teaching from the School of Education

Candidates for this degree are enrolled both in the Department of French and Italian in A&S and in the School of Education. They must satisfy requirements in both schools:

Requirements and Courses in the Department of French and Italian

• Comprehensive Examination
  The MA comprehensive examination is a written examination composed of three two-hour written exams and one oral exam.
• The seminar/research paper and second language requirements (as well as the proficiency in written French for students in French) are the same as for a regular MA.
• FR/IT 2710 (Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory) and FR/IT 2970 (Teaching of French/Italian) are also compulsory courses for this degree.
• Students must also take five additional courses in French or Italian literature and culture chosen among these offerings in the department, of which at least three must be at the 2000 level.

Requirements and courses in the School of Education include:

1. Oral Proficiency interview
2. EDUC 2000 (Psychology of Learning and Development)
3. I&L 2255 (Techniques/Procedures in Foreign Language Education)
4. I&L 2250 (Technology in Foreign Language Education)
5. I&L 2822 (Student Teaching Practicum in Foreign Language Education)
6. I&L 2826 (Student Teaching Seminar in Foreign Language Education)
7. I&L 2071 (Current Issues in Education)
8. I&L 2502 (Students with Disability)

To receive their teaching certification, candidates must also pass a series of requirements and examinations determined by the School of Education and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The National Teacher Examination (Praxis Exam) includes (1) the Core Battery Exam and (2) the Foreign Language Pedagogy Exam.

Every student in the program must hold a teaching assistantship for a minimum of two terms. Beyond this minimum, the department regulations concerning teaching assistantships will be observed.

Requirements for PhD with MA en route

This degree is intended for students who wish to pursue the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in French Language and Literature but who do not already hold an MA in this field or in a closely-related discipline.  Students must first successfully complete the requirements for the MA in French Language and Literature above, normally within their first two years of full-time enrollment. Students doing the PhD with the MA en route will be awarded an MA degree at the completion of these requirements.

To ensure the acquisition of a broad knowledge of French literature and culture, candidates must have had taken at least one course or one exam in each field (Middle Ages, Renaissance, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and African and Caribbean literatures) before they reach candidacy. 

Before students may be considered for admission to candidacy for the PhD, they must successfully complete a minimum of five 2000-level courses (15 credits) beyond the MA. In addition, the candidate must present an oral explication de texte before a faculty committee, and pass written and oral comprehensive examinations. The PhD language requirement will normally be satisfied at the MA level.  The eight courses must include:

1.   At least one French graduate course that takes a linguistic perspective (e.g., History of French, Readings in Old and Middle French.

2.  FR 2710 (if not taken at the MA level) and an additional course in literary or cultural theory.

3.   Two seminars in which the student writes seminar papers and receives a grade of B+ or higher. One of the seminar papers must be written in English and the other in French.

4.    With the adviser's consent, students are free to take some of the additional required courses in other departments. Students in French are encouraged to pursue certification in one of the various programs offered by the University (EUCE, Cultural Studies, Film Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality). However, only three exterior courses may count towards the degree in French.  

Requirements for the PhD

Before students may be considered for admission to candidacy for the PhD, they must complete successfully a minimum of eight 2000-level courses (24 credits) beyond the MA (a minimum of 72 credits). In addition, the candidates must present an oral explication de texte before a faculty committee, satisfy PhD language requirements, and pass written and oral comprehensive examinations. Upon admission to candidacy, the candidate will write and defend a doctoral dissertation. The course work must include:

1. At least one French graduate course that takes a linguistic perspective (e.g., History of French readings in Old and Middle French).
2. FR 2710 (if not taken at the MA level) and an additional course in literary or cultural theory.
3. Two seminars in which the student writes seminar papers and receives a grade of B+ or higher. One of the seminar papers must be written in English and the other in French.
4. With the adviser's consent, students are free to take some of the additional required courses in other departments. Students in French are encouraged to pursue certification in one of the various programs offered by the University (EUCE, Cultural Studies, Film Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality). However, only three exterior courses may count towards the degree in French.  

PhD in French with a Concentration in Romance Languages and Literatures

Candidates for this concentration will typically already hold an MA in one of the Romance languages and literatures or the equivalent, and will, upon entering the program, choose two major and one minor linguistic areas from among the four language areas (French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish). Portuguese may not be used as one of the major areas, and one of the major areas must be French.

Field of Study

The student will also choose a major and a minor period from among the following four periods: (1) Middle Ages; (2) Renaissance and Baroque; (3) Enlightenment, Romanticism and Realism (18th and 19th centuries to 1848); (4) Modern/Postmodern. If Spanish is one of the major linguistic areas, the student will also choose, as appropriate, between the peninsular and Latin American areas.

Course Work

The candidate will then take at least four 2000-level courses in each of the two major linguistic areas, and at least two 1000-level courses in the third area. At least one of these courses will be a 2000-level course in linguistics in one of the major fields (a course in the history of the language or in comparative Romance linguistics is recommended). At least three of these courses should involve the writing of a long (or seminar-type) paper of 20–30 pages, and one of these papers must be written in English.

Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee should include one faculty member with expertise in each of the three major periods/areas. In all cases, the choice of linguistic areas and periods will be limited by the availability of faculty and course offerings in the concerned departments.

It is expected that candidates will teach at least one language course in each of their major linguistic areas before completing the degree.

Credit Requirement: Minimum of 72 hours, including the master’s degree, earned from any suitable combination of formal course work, independent study, research, teaching or dissertation work as detailed elsewhere in this bulletin.

Preliminary Examination/Evaluation: Students in the PhD program will undergo a preliminary evaluation at the end of the first full year of residence.

Explication de Texte: Before taking their comprehensive examinations, PhD students must present an oral explication de texte in French before a jury comprising members of the faculty.

Comprehensive Examination: Students must take written comprehensive examinations in three areas. Candidates will work with a faculty advisor and a committee to prepare the reading list in the areas chosen. The purpose of the comprehensive examinations is to ensure that the candidate is able to develop a relevant and original approach to the study of French and Francophone literature and culture. These examinations should be passed at least eight months (two terms) before the degree is to be awarded. Students may schedule their examinations only after passing all preliminary examinations and language and other requirements.

Prospectus Presentation: As soon as the comprehensive examinations have been passed, students and their advisor should agree on a dissertation committee including at least three members of the department (including the director) and one member chosen from another department in an area of expertise relevant to the dissertation topic. Usually during the third year, but in no case later than the first term of their fourth year, students must submit a prospectus to the director for circulation among the committee members. The scope, size, organization, and format of the prospectus are specified in a separate departmental document, which PhD students should receive or request as soon as they pass their comprehensive examinations.

Dissertation Defense: The final oral examination in defense of the doctoral dissertation is conducted by the doctoral committee and is open to the University community.

Course Listings:

French

Italian

Faculty