New York University Graduate School of Arts and Science 3 courses 72 total credits
The joint PhD Program in French Studies and History allows students to blend rigorous training in historical craft with a broad, multi-disciplinary exploration of the French and Francophone worlds. Housed at both the Institute of French Studies and the History department, students chart their own course between both units, exploring ideas and devising their specific research projects with a wide array of faculty and graduate students. These opportunities β as well as a program of courses and events conducted in both English and French β make our program truly unique in the field. From year 1, students attend advanced seminars in historical methodology, conduct original research, and take courses in other disciplines of their choice, including sociology, anthropology, media studies, and gender studies. Working closely with advisors at the IFS and the History department, they explore new ideas while working toward a dissertation prospectus (to which they turn in earnest during the summer following year 2). In the History department, students take courses with faculty whose domains of expertise include the Atlantic World, European studies, gender and sexuality, Empires, capitalism, and race. At the IFS, they delve deep into French and Francophone history while working with faculty whose research revolves around the Caribbean and post-colonial circulations, education in the Maghreb, family history and new modes of historical writing, and anti-Semitism. Because of the programβs small size (2-3 incoming PhD candidates per year), faculty provide close mentorship as students devise their research questions, prepare for their qualifying exams (end of year 2), apply for grants, begin publishing and presenting at conferences, conduct research abroad, and then write up their dissertation. Beyond a few core requirements, students also have tremendous flexibility in devising their own program. They typically take one-on-one individual studies with faculty, sign up for courses at Columbia, Princeton, Rutgers, and other universities in our Consortium, and, if they so wish, learn languages (Arabic, Wolof, Haitian Kreyol, etc.) that will open new research domains. Students also participate in weekly workshops with their IFS cohort and faculty, and a monthly doctoral seminar, during which students obtain feedback on their own writing.
Major Requirements
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIST-GA 3603 | Approaches to Historical Research and Writing I | 4 |
| IFST-GA 1610 | 19th Century France | 4 |
Major Requirements
"Literature of the field" courses in History Dept. (1 or 2)
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| IFST-GA 3720 | Research Seminar: French Studies | 4 |
| Total Major Requirements | 4-8 credits | |
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