Research and teaching fall within two main fields: I) Language in context II) Politics and aesthetics of Francophone literatures. Students may take a range of courses in Quebec, continental French, African and Caribbean literatures, as well as in intermediality, literary translation, sociolinguistics and the pedagogy of French as a second language.

This program offers an experiential service-learning practicum which takes place outside the classroom. Students choose from a list of volunteer activities approved by the School of Languages and Literatures. This practicum normally takes place in a Francophone milieu and is the equivalent of one academic course (0.5 credit).

The normal requirement for admission to the French MA program is the equivalent of an Honours degree in French studies from a recognized post-secondary institution with an overall average of B+ or equivalent. Applicants who do not have an Honours BA in French from a Canadian university may be required to take a short competence test and/or qualifying undergraduate courses prior to beginning graduate study. Students enter the program in September with full-time status.

Students are required to take a minimum of six semester courses (3.0 credits), with the service-learning placement counting as one of these courses. They are also required to write a 50 page mémoire (mini-thesis). Courses must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and will normally be completed in four semesters on a full-time basis. The minimum average required for graduation from the program is a B or equivalent. All work is written in French. A successful defence of the mémoire (mini-thesis) is also required.

Required courses: