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Since its founding in 1890, the Department of French and Romance Philology has been a thriving point of contact between American and European scholarship in the field of French literature and civilization. The faculty is currently comprised of twelve professors whose specialties range from medieval literature and culture to twentieth-century literature and intellectual history. Approximately fifty graduate students are currently studying French at Columbia. The Ph.D. program in French at Columbia has consistently ranked among the top five in national surveys. It is designed for a career in productive scholarship. Students undergo rigorous and comprehensive training in literary history and theory before specializing in one area of research. The student body is remarkably international. In addition to the US and Canada, recent students have come from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Romania, Sri Lanka, Sweden and Switzerland. All Ph.D. students are fully funded. Situated in Buell Hall, the Maison Française sponsors a rich program of cultural activities. With its library and cuisine, it is also the social center of the department.

The program in the department is designed as preparation for a career of productive scholarship. Skill in reading, writing, and speaking French, a general knowledge of French literature, ability to write clear and literate English, training in Latin and preparation in another Romance language are recommended.

Although students must obtain the M.A. and M.Phil. degrees along the way, they are admitted as potential candidates for the Ph.D degree. The program is designed to permit a well-prepared student to earn the M.A. degree in three semesters, the M.Phil. degree in three years, and the Ph.D. degree in five years. (For time limits, see Completion of Requirements under the appropriate degree in Degree Requirements.) A student who postpones completing the requirements for the M.A. and M.Phil. degrees while accumulating Residence Units toward the doctorate does so at his or her own risk.

Students who enter the Ph.D. program after completion of the M.A. or its equivalent elsewhere are evaluated during the second semester of residence at which time they may be granted up to two Residence Units (equivalent to Residence Unit requirements for the M.A. at Columbia) and appropriate exemptions from certain requirements.Students who wish to be considered for advanced standing must provide the faculty advisor with a detailed, documented dossier of work completed elsewhere.

Fellowships are awarded in recognition of academic achievement and in expectation of scholarly success. Teaching and research experience are considered an important aspect of the training of graduate students. Thus, graduate fellowships include some teaching and research apprenticeship.

Career Placement

In addition to the requirements listed below, all students must submit 1 official transcript showing courses and grades per school attended, a Statement of Academic Purpose, a writing sample (a course paper, term paper, etc.) and 3 letters of evaluation from academic sources. All international students whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country whose official language is not English, must submit scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS. For more information, refer to our Admissions Information and Frequently Asked Questions pages.

*Candidates who hold a master's degree must submit a copy of the master's thesis.