PhD in French/Francophone Studies
The Program
Northwestern University offers an exceptional environment for graduate study in French and Francophone Studies. As one of the leading research institutions in the United States, Northwestern provides students with access to world-class faculty, exceptional library collections, and a vibrant intellectual community.
The PhD Program in French and Francophone Studies, while rooted in the study of major periods, genres, and media of French cultural production, stands out for its inclusive approach to the field and its sustained engagement with the intellectual developments that have shaped humanities scholarship in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Our faculty’s research and teaching range from the sixteenth century to the present and reflect particular strengths in gender/sexuality studies, film/media theory, French Theory and Critical Theory, Francophone literature.
The department is deeply committed to interdisciplinary scholarship and many students choose to participate in Northwestern’s Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative. This initiative fosters connections among graduate students and faculty working in areas such as African Studies, Critical Theory, Gender Studies, and Rhetoric and Public Culture. It creates a dynamic intellectual network that extends beyond departmental boundaries and enables students to develop meta-critical perspectives through exposure to a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches.
Beyond coursework, the program nurtures an active scholarly community. We regularly host conferences and invite internationally acclaimed writers and scholars to lecture and teach. Recent guests have included Jacques Rancière, Hélène Cixous, Leo Bersani, Abdelfattah Kilito, Boubacar Boris Diop, David Halperin, Eric Fassin, Anne-Emmanuelle Berger… These events provide students with unique opportunities to engage directly with leading voices in contemporary thought.
Combining scholarly rigor, theoretical innovation, and interdisciplinary dialogue, our program equips students with the intellectual tools necessary to pursue successful careers in academia, research, and cultural institutions.
Additional Resources
For additional resources, please see our Resources page.
For Program Information contact Lisa Byrnes, Graduate Program Assistant, at lisa.byrnes@northwestern.edu or email french-italian@northwestern.edu.
Department of French & Italian
Northwestern University
1860 Campus Drive, Crowe Hall #2-107
Evanston, IL 60208-2204
(847) 491-4148
For information about the application/application process, please see our Admission Requirements.