Fully Funded PhD in French at University of Wisconsin-Madison

About PhD Program,

Our M.A. and Ph.D. programs offer training for teaching and research in all areas of French and Francophone literature and literary history, in critical theory, film, gender and queer studies, romance philology, and foreign language pedagogy. Our large and varied faculty teach graduate courses in all areas and at regular intervals. Consequently, students for the M.A. degree can fulfill course requirements in any given two-year period, and candidates for the Ph.D. can complete course requirements for the Ph.D. within two years of obtaining their M.A.

Fellowships are available for high-ranking students and dissertators. The department has a number of teaching assistantships which are granted on the basis of a candidate’s previous academic record, knowledge of French, and seriousness of purpose in pursuing the Ph.D. For those students who have no teaching experience, a carefully supervised in-service training program is provided, which is particularly valuable for future career placement. Normally, a graduate student will be able to take advantage of study fellowships in Paris, in Geneva, and in Aix-en-Provence. The department has a residential French House adjacent to Madison’s picturesque Lake Mendota. The House supports a wide variety of scholarly and cultural activities, including lectures by international scholars and writers, colloquia by faculty and graduate students, and regularly scheduled festivities. The annual GAFIS Symposium held each spring and monthly research seminars during the academic year allow graduate students to gain experience in giving scholarly lectures and participating in discussion panels.

PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,   

) GPA: The Graduate School requires a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average. 2) Course Load: Minimum of 9 credits taken each semester, generally consisting of 3 courses, seminars, proseminars, or research labs, not necessarily in the Department of French and Italian. 3) Auditing: Students are allowed to audit a 4th course as long as they officially register as auditors, do all the reading, and participate in class discussions. During the course of their graduate studies, students will be allowed to count a total of 3 audited courses or seminars toward the distribution requirements. No more than one audit is allowed in each of our three defined areas. (Middle Ages – 16th – 17th; 18th – 19th; 20th – 21st – Francophone and Global French Studies). Circumstances under which students may take 1 of their 3 (as opposed to 4) courses as an audit: • Teaching 2 sections as a TA • Preparing for the M.A. exam in the semester immediately preceding this exam

PhD Funding Coverage,

The Department of French & Italian is committed to providing full funding to all graduate students. Students who accept our offer of admission therefore receive fellowships or assistantships that cover tuition and provide eligibility to enroll in excellent comprehensive health insurance and other benefits. Funding for Fall 2024 and beyond is projected to be guaranteed for a minimum of 5 years of study for students entering with a B.A., and a minimum of 4 years for those entering with an M.A. Moreover, it has been our departmental practice to continue to offer funding beyond guarantee as possible for students in good academic standing.

Teaching assistantships, the most common form of support in our department, offer the pedagogical experience and training necessary to be competitive on the academic job market. Students with teaching assistantships in our department are earning a minimum of $26,525 during academic year 2024-2025. The teaching assignment is usually one course per semester, but double sections (two sections of the same course) can also be requested by domestic students for an increased stipend, when available. While the guarantee of support means students in good standing will receive funding, the exact assignments are based on need, merit, and experience. Generally, a graduate student will, over the course of study, hold a variety of the following positions, which are available every semester:

Application Requirement,

  • Statement of Purpose
  • Up-to-date CV
  • Unofficial or Official Transcripts from each listed institution previously attended. Transcripts not written in English will also require a certified English translation of the document.
  • You will need to list 3 people who will write letters of recommendationfor you. They should be in faculty or permanent academic staff positions. The Graduate School will contact your recommenders directly via e-mail once you have completed your online application. You should be sure to contact each recommender at least a month prior to when the letter of recommendation is needed to provide them enough time to submit the letter. You should also let them know that they will be contacted directly by the Graduate School via email.
  • Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. TOEFLscores must be submitted electronically via ETS. IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by mail via IELTS. To send electronically, select the account name UW-Madison Graduate School. To send by mail, us the following address: UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 232 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706. Duolingo English Test scores must be submitted electronically via Duolingo to University of Wisconsin – Madison – Graduate Admissions. Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement. Institution code for UW-Madison is 
  • The GREis optional. Institution code for UW-Madison is 1846

Required French Program Application Materials:

  • TA/Fellowship Application: To be considered for Teaching Assistantship or Fellowship support, you must submit to the department a document listing all relevant experience since you began studying French. There is no specific application form – it is a document, much like a CV, that you put together yourself.Include travel, study, or residence abroad. For teaching experience, be specific about subject, level, actual classroom hours/week, and age of students. Also indicate undergraduate and graduate honors. A separate TA/Fellowship application is not required if the above listed information is included in your CV submitted as part of the Graduate School application.
  • Writing Sample (essay or paper in French – usually between 7-12 pages in length)
  • List of French Literature and/or Civilization courses taken and Grades received
  • Finalists for admission will be interviewed: Interviews (approx. 15 minutes) will be conducted in French with a faculty member during the month of January.

Submit the on-line Graduate School Application for Admission and pay the $75 application fee. (Non-U.S. citizens must also pay a $6 international document processing fee in addition to the application fee.)

Application Deadline,

Dec 20, 2024

Application Fee,

pay the $75 application fee. (Non-U.S. citizens must also pay a $6 international document processing fee in addition to the application fee.)