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Program Description
Students of the MA program in French Studies examine the French and the French-speaking world in French and in English through multiple disciplinary lenses: history, sociology, political science, anthropology, cultural analysis, and more. They explore the imperial nation and post-colonial situations, welfare and discrimination, memory and forgetting, gender and race, religion and secularism, and other questions that play out in singular ways in the Francophone world.
MA students go on to careers in a variety of fields that prize clear thinking, global understanding of the world, and analytical fluency in more than one language. These include Foreign Service, journalism, humanitarian assistance, immigration law, primary and secondary education, translation, and international business. Each year, some MA students parlay their research and relationships with IFS faculty into offers from leading PhD programs in history, anthropology, French, linguistics, or politics.
Admissions
All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the general application requirements, which include:
See French Studies for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.
Dual Degree
The French Studies Department offers a dual degree with the NYU School of Law: French Studies MA/Law JD.
See French Studies for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.
Program Requirements
The program requires successful completion of eight courses (32 credits) and a comprehensive examination. The latter covers the following fields in French studies: (1) 19th-Century French history; (2) 20th-Century French history; (3) French society; and either (4) French politics and the economy or (5) French culture in society. The Institute offers two graduate courses in Paris, usually from early June to mid-July. The course(s) are taught by one regular member of the Institute’s faculty and one French professor appointed by the Institute.
All students are normally required to take IFST-GA 1610 19th Century France. Students pick the remaining courses from the IFS course offerings. The choice of courses is made in consultation with an IFS faculty adviser on the basis of interest, previous training, and professional needs. IFS courses are grouped into four fields:
History
Current and recent courses include Nineteenth-Century France, Twentieth-Century France, France and the Maghreb, France and Africa, Colonial and Postcolonial French Antilles, and topics in French History: Journalism.
Society
Current and recent courses include Education in France, Immigration in France, the Urban Question in France, and Race, Class and Gender in French Society.
Politics and the Economy
Current and recent courses include The Fifth Republic, The Extreme Right in France, France and Globalization, and Topics in the French Economy: Work and Its Market.
Culture in Society
Current and recent courses include the Invention of the Belle Epoque, the Sociolinguistics of French, Cinema and History, and Press, Society, and Literature Since the 19th Century. Students may also choose one course (occasionally two) toward the MA from another NYU department.
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| IFST-GA 1610 | 19th Century France | 4 |
| 28 |
| Total Credits | 32 |
Additional Program Requirements
Comprehensive Exam
The MA examination is a five-hour written exam (in English). Students are eligible to take it only after all eight courses have been completed with at least a B average. MA candidates are examined in the fields of History and Society. They also choose a third field, which may either be Politics and the Economy or Culture in Society. Please note that some courses are useful for preparation in more than one field.
Learning Outcomes
The successful completion of the program, graduates will:
- Be provided with a broad, interdisciplinary knowledge relating to modern France and the francophone world.
- Learn to think analytically and historically; make sure they grasp and can use methods and concepts from history and other social sciences.
- Impart critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills.
- Be provided with opportunities to improve their command of French.
- Be in a position to obtain a job or gain acceptance to a doctoral program following graduation.
Policies
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
Graduate School of Arts and Science Policies
Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page.