French & Francophone Literary & Cultural Studies
An Interdisciplinary Approach to French & Francophone Studies
Our M.A. students in French and Francophone literary and cultural studies develop and apply critical thinking skills to a variety of cultural artifacts and themes thanks to the wide variety of classes that address global Francophonie, or French-speaking regions around the world. With excellent language skills and training in intersecting fields such as literature, media, culture, history, and gender studies, our M.A. graduates are uniquely qualified to enter a variety of professional schools and careers.
Students wishing to follow the M.A. concentration in French and Francophone Literature and Cultural Studies take courses in literature and culture in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, and have the opportunity to take courses in other departments relevant to our field of study, such as the Department of History, or in the College of Interdisciplinary Studies (Women’s and Gender Studies for instance)
Our graduates have been admitted to excellent Ph.D. programs around the country, successfully pursued a variety of professional careers and/or obtained college or secondary teaching positions following graduation.
Take a look at this information sheet from the French Embassy to learn more about the thriving economic partnership between France and North Carolina!
What Our Students Are Saying
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"The faculty of NC State's MA in French Language and Literature not only challenged me to question my current relationship with French culture, but also pushed me to consider subjects from a multi-dimensional perspective. This program helped me uncover my passion while simultaneously giving me the opportunity to strengthen my professional portfolio." - Libby Fowler, 2nd Year M.A. student in French Literature and Culture. |
“My time in the French MA program at NC State has satisfied my long-standing interests in French History, Culture, and Literature to a greater extent than I had anticipated however, the passionate and diverse interests that the professors have for important topics to which I only had the most cursory introduction, are what has made this program so enriching and gratifying.” - Tommy Winkens, 2nd Year M.A. student in French Literature and Culture. |
Faculty and Research
19th Century French Literature and Culture
- Dr. Michael Garval is a specialist in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French literature and culture, whose research focuses on celebrity, gastronomy, visual culture, and the various interrelationships between these areas.
- Currently president of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs, Dr. Garval likewise serves as a co-convener of the Triangle French History and Culture Seminar, which meets monthly at the National Humanities Center. He is also working on a new book project, tentatively titled Imagining the Celebrity Chef in Modern France.
Afro-Feminism, Activism and Afro-Futures in Contemporary France
- Dr. Johanna Montlouis-Gabriel's research contributes to an interdisciplinary conversation on identity & national identity, race, feminist studies, by analyzing contemporary Black French women's cultural and literary productions. Her research engages with popular representations of women of color and their bodies in the media, afro-futurism, women-based activism, afro-feminist blogging and social media, all of which explores the relationship between race, gender and identity in modern day France.
Second Language Acquisition/Pedagogy
- Dr. Valerie Wust is recognized for her research in second language acquisition and pedagogy, particularly for its applications to the classroom. It is driven by practical questions posed by pre-service and in-service L2 French teachers in K-12 and post-secondary settings, as well as scholars, in the North American context. Her research challenges conventional wisdom and tradition in L2 pedagogy, proposing innovative solutions to age-old problems. Her current research programme examines the role of input enhancement, word frequency and word recognition in the acquisition of grammatical gender by L2 French learners.