Apply to the Program

Admission to the PhD program for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Department of French Studies (DFS) depends upon the joint approval of both the Graduate School and the department. The procedure has two steps. The first step is to apply to the LSU Graduate School.

To receive full consideration for financial aid for admission in the Fall semester, your application should be complete by February 15 of that calendar year. To complete the Graduate School application, you will need to upload to the Graduate School website (*not* the department):

  • a résumé
  • a statement of purpose
  • three letters of recommendations from current or previous university professors or employers who can speak to your French-teaching experience
  • a writing sample in French (maximum 20 pages)
  • official transcripts from each university you attended (to come directly from the university to the LSU Graduate School)
  • a copy of your diploma  
  • anything else the Graduate School might require, such as proof of English language proficiency for international applicants

Please note that the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is *not* required as part of the application, but you may report your scores should you wish.

If the Graduate School finds your application meets admission standards to the University, they refer your dossier to the Department of French Studies where a committee of professors examines your application and decides on your admission you to the program. Should your dossier pass the department’s preliminary examination, you may then be contacted for a brief Zoom interview to be conducted in both French and English.

For unconditional admission to graduate study, a student is expected to have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in French and a grade-point average (GPA) above 3.0. In special circumstances, students who do not meet these criteria may be admitted on probation, in which case they may not hold assistantships until the probation is lifted.

Students applying with graduate credits in French from another institution will meet with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) who, in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC), will determine how many hours of further course work the student must take for the PhD. A maximum of twelve hours of credit can be accepted from another university.

The LSU French Studies program is an excellent opportunity for students looking for a well-rounded course of study in a unique atmosphere. For more information please contact the Chair of the department, Gregory Stone at stone@lsu.edu

Important deadlines:

Students can apply anytime for the next semester. However, in order receive financial aid, students applying for admission for the fall term need to have all relevant materials (including GRE scores, should you wish to include them) submitted to the department by February 15.

International students should consult the website of the International Services Office.

 

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