Research Pathways for French Studies
The Faculty of Arts offers the following postgraduate degrees by research:
- Master of Arts (Research)
- Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Professional Doctorates:
- Doctor of Arts (DArts)
- Doctor of Social Sciences (DSocSci)
Direct admission is possible at any level, provided that the applicable entry requirements are met.
If you are interested in undertaking a research degree in the area of French Studies and would like to discuss the opportunities that might be available to you, please contact the Chair of Department.
For information on matters that are not covered here, including information on fees and English-language requirements, please see the website of the Faculty of Arts and/or the International Office. The following links should be helpful:
Supervision
Postgraduate students are allocated a supervisor when their admission to candidature is approved. (In the case of students proceeding mainly by coursework, the postgraduate coordinator will usually be the supervisor).
While it is recognised that different people have different methods of working and will therefore need different kinds of consultation, the Department considers it essential that all students should maintain regular contact with their supervisors throughout the period of their candidature. Even if a student’s work is at a stage where they do not need specific help, it can be both useful and stimulating, especially for part-time students having little other contact with the Department, to discuss progress and general problems with someone else interested in their field. Students usually report progress to their supervisor at least once a month, while they are working on their dissertation or thesis.
It is the student's responsibility, not the supervisor's, to ensure that these reports are made regularly. In many cases an informal telephone call is sufficient, as long as the supervisor is satisfied that normal progress is being maintained and is aware of any difficulties before they become serious. Annual Progress Report forms have to be sent to the Registrar by the candidate, supervisor and Head of Department at the end of each academic year. These are particularly important if a student holds a Commonwealth award, as renewal of the award is dependent upon satisfactory progress.
Guidelines to writing your thesis - follow this link to download this useful publication.
Research Interests of Our Staff
For details on the various research interests of staff, please refer to their profiles.
Areas of Research Supervision
Language and Linguistics
- Medieval French
- French syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
- Applied Linguistics in French
- Bilingualism
- Second-language pedagogy in French
- Sociolinguistics and the ethnography of communication
- Translation and translation studies
- Discourse semantics
- Functional grammar
- Second language development
Literature
- Autobiography
- Medieval French
- French literature and literary movements from the 16th century to the present
- French literary theory
- Women’s writing
- Literature in French from Africa, the Caribbean, Switzerland and Canada
Social Sciences and the French-speaking World
- Seventeenth-eighteenth-century history of ideas
- Cultural theory
- Culture and politics in France today
- Contemporary French society
- Sociology of literature
- Sociology of theatre
- French popular culture
- French cinema
- French speaking cultures other than France
- Feminist theory and practice
- Ideologies of racism/antiracism and cultural/national identity
- Culture, gender and class Cross-cultural studies