The Graduate Program in French Studies offers a dynamic curriculum that focuses on a contextualized understanding of the languages, literatures, and cultures of France, Québec, and the Francophone world. Students may specialize in literature or linguistics, or propose a research program combining both fields.
For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website
Cutting-edge Research: The doctoral program in French Studies provides a wide variety of graduate courses taught by a growing team of faculty members specializing in innovative research, from Medieval French literature to 21st-century Francophone cultures. The program offers solid academic training through our research clusters, reading groups, and research seminar. Students may participate in or even lead these initiatives, both within the department and in interdisciplinary centres, such as Green College, the Public Humanities Hub, and the Liu Institute for Global Issues. In addition, our co-tutelle doctoral program gives students the opportunity to work with two supervisors - one from UBC and one from a French partner institution - and earn a Ph.D. degree with a parchment from each university.
Professional Development: We provide a comprehensive Teaching Assistant training program as well as academic and professional development workshops - on grant writing, publishing, and conference attendance, among other topics - to help graduate students diversify their skillset and make an impact on society. 75% of graduates from our PhD program successfully landed careers in academia according to a career outcome survey.
Community Involvement: Our annual Graduate Student Symposium allows graduate students to present their research to the entire Department. The biennial FHIS Graduate Student Conference, organized by the graduate students themselves with the assistance of faculty members, offers a platform to share research results with the wider academic community, network with local and international peers, and plan large-scale academic events. Through the FHIS Learning Centre, graduate students may also volunteer as tutors to help undergraduate students become proficient in the languages that are taught in our Department. In addition, the FHIS Cultural Club encourages students to discuss noteworthy social and cultural phenomena with our tight-knit community, engaging with current debates in our disciplines.
Nicholas Bartlett
The Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies is hosting an online information session for prospective graduate students. The presentation, led by the Graduate Advisor and the Associate Graduate Advisor, will provide information about our graduate programs, including course offerings, research opportunities, career outcomes, financial aid, and the admissions process. Two current graduate students will also share their experiences at UBC and there will be time for a Q&A. Join us to learn more about our MA and PhD programs in French and Hispanic Studies and to have your questions answered live!
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:
Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
Minimum requirements for the three most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:
Overall score requirement : 4.5
Reading
4.5
Writing
4.5
Speaking
4.0
Listening
5.0
Overall score requirement : 90
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
Overall score requirement : 6.5
Reading
6.0
Writing
6.0
Speaking