French, MA

Program Category: MA Programs
Chair: Emmanuelle Saada
Director of Graduate Studies: Camille Robcis
Website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/french/
MA Degree Programs in French at Columbia
MA in New York: MA in French
MA in Paris: MA in History and Literature
BA/MA Program: BA/MA in French

The MA in French trains scholars in the literature, culture, and history of France and the Francophone world. Our students take courses on a wide array of literary, theoretical, historical and sociological topics relating to France and the Francophone world. Coursework explores different historical periods, world regions and disciplinary methodologies.

The faculty of the Columbia Department of French are a diverse body of scholars, hailing from all over the world, and who do exciting, interdisciplinary research in fields including literature, cultural studies, history, sociology, and philosophy. Columbia is also fortunate to have its own Maison Française, which hosts regular events related to Francophone studies, including academic lectures and conferences, readings by and interviews with authors, intellectuals, and artists, and annual film festivals.

If you are interested in applying and would like to discuss the program or the application process please contact the Director of Graduate Studies.

Admissions Requirements

In addition to the application form required by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, applicants are required to submit:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé
2. Statement of Academic Purpose
   The statement should explain your motivations for applying to the MA program, connecting them to previous studies or other relevant life experience. You should try to identify a few questions/areas of study that are of interest to you.
3. Three letters of evaluation
   We prefer that your letters come from current or former professors who know your academic abilities well. It is also a firm requirement of Columbia’s Graduate school that at least two of your letters come from academic institutions.
4. Two writing samples
   One of the samples should be in English, the other in French. Each submission should be 10-15 pages long. Please choose work that reflects your analytical and interpretative strengths. Work that is relevant to the MA in French is preferred, but we will also consider writing in other fields that demonstrates your ability to conduct research and present an argument. It is fine to send an excerpt from a longer piece of work, e.g. a section of a Senior or Master’s thesis
5. English Proficiency Exam Scores
   All international students whose undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country where the official language is not English must submit official English Proficiency Exam scores.
6. Personal statement

Please note: We are not currently requiring the GRE exam.

For more information, refer to our Admissions Information and Frequently Asked Questions pages.

*GSAS will accept up to four recommendations, regardless of the number required by your program of interest. However, to be eligible for admission at GSAS, at least TWO letters must be submitted by academic recommenders.

The French MA participates in the MA Access Program in Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. For more information about this scholarship program, please click here.