The Department pursues high-quality, interdisciplinary research across the range of French studies - medieval and early-modern literature and thought, nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century literature, contemporary French culture, society and politics, French thought and critical theory, feminist and gender studies, Francophone and postcolonial studies, cinema and the visual arts, linguistics and translation studies. All current 21 full-time members of stasff are research-active. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise the Department was ranked third in the UK in terms of "Research Power", which takes into account the number and proportion of research-active staff submitted in each unit. The Department publishes its own journal, Nottingham French Studies, founded in 1961. The Department also has a thriving postgraduate community.
This programme offers students the opportunity to conduct a sustained piece of research in a wide range of disciplines in French and Francophone Studies. Thanks to our exceptionally wide range of research expertise we can offer supervision of research degrees at MA and PhD level across the chronological spread of French studies, including the following areas: medieval literature, early modern literature and thought, 19th, 20th and 21st century literature, contemporary French culture, society and politics, French thought and critical theory, feminist and gender studies, Francophone and postcolonial studies, cinema and the visual arts, linguistics and translation studies.
Students join a thriving postgraduate community and are fully integrated into the Department’s dynamic research environment. They are invited to all seminars and research events and have their own, dedicated Work in Progress seminar programme. They have jointly organised a number of conferences, and are encouraged to present their research at national and international conferences.
Entry requirements
Those whose first language is not English must achieve an overall score on the British Council IELTS test of at least 7.0 with no less than 6.0 in each element, or a TOEFL score of 600 (250 for
computer based tests) with a TWE of at least 4.5, or a TOEFL iBT score of 100 (with no less than 19 in any element). Test results should be no more than two years old.
Course structure
The MA by Research will appeal specifically to students who have a clear research area in mind and who are keen to research that area under the guidance of the appropriate supervisor(s). The programme is devised to suit either those students who intend to continue with their studies to PhD level, or those who want to study for an MA for its own interest.
Students who wish to proceed to take a PhD are required to have completed an MA course in order to acquire the necessary research skills in their chosen field of study. We require all MA students to
follow a module of research training that is delivered jointly by staff within the Department and the Graduate School which offers courses of generic training.
The course can be completed one year full-time or two years part-time and comprises:
• a course of guided reading under the supervision of the appropriate member(s) of staff
• a module of research training in research methodology and presentation
• attendance, at the regular French postgraduate work-in-progress seminars
Information about staff research interests and publications can be found at
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/french Assessment
Students submit a 30,000-word dissertation deriving from their directed reading and completed under the supervision of the appropriate member(s) of staff. The research module is also assessed.
Careers
Many MA graduates in French Studies at Nottingham have gone on to further study for a PhD, both at Nottingham and elsewhere, and several are now in full-time lecturing posts. Others work in a
wide range of careers.
Candidates are encouraged to apply online at https://pgapps.nottingham.ac.uk
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