FAS - French and Italian Languages and Literatures
The French and Italian Languages and Literatures Department offers programs leading to the MA degree in French or Italian and to the PhD degree in French. Recent innovations in the curriculum allow students in French to take courses in the following thematic clusters: politics and literature, Romance languages and literatures, and literature and the arts. See the graduate advisor and/or the Web site for full details on these concentrations. The department offers two certification programs in K-12 foreign language pedagogy in association with the School of Education: a traditional MA in French or Italian with certification to teach foreign languages K-12; and an innovative program in the teaching of language, literature, and culture. In addition, the department encourages students to participate in various interdisciplinary programs, such as Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Cultural Studies, Women's Studies, and Film Studies, where students may work toward a graduate certificate in conjunction with their degree.
Contact Information
- Department Chair: Dennis Looney
- Main Office: 1328 Cathedral of Learning
- Phone: (412) 624-5220
- Fax: (412) 624-6263
- E-mail: frit+@pitt.edu
- Web site: http://www.pitt.edu/~frit/
Admissions
In general, students accepted into the graduate program must meet the following criteria:
They should have completed an undergraduate major (or equivalent) in the language and literature they propose to study at the graduate level.
They must be able to enroll in courses that are taught entirely in French and/or Italian. This presupposes a high level of skill in speaking, reading, and writing in their major language.
Students applying for the graduate program in French must present scores from the general sections of the Graduate Record Examination.
It is recommended that incoming students have a reading knowledge of a second Romance language or of Latin.
Financial Assistance
A limited number of teaching assistantships and fellowships are available to qualified students. Students interested in these awards should apply in writing to the department. For information concerning the Andrew Mellon Predoctoral Fellowships and Provost's Fellowships in the Humanities, students shouGraduate Studies, Student Services in 322 Thackeray Hall. See also Fellowships and Traineeships.
Degree Requirements
The minimal requirements established by the Graduate Faculty of the University, as described under General Academic Regulations, and any additional requirements of FAS Graduate Studies described under FAS Degree Requirements, should be read in conjunction with department-specific degree requirements described in the following sections.
Requirements for the Master of Arts in French
A minimum of eight one-term courses is required, of which at least six must be 2000-level courses.
Candidates for the MA with a major in French must demonstrate the ability to read either a Romance language other than their major one or Latin or German by taking the appropriate department reading exam or by completing with a grade of B or better the second term of a course specifically designed as a reading course (for example, Spanish 0008).
Students must also pass comprehensive examinations and fulfill the following additional requirements:
Seminar Paper
Two faculty members must approve the paper, written in French in a course specifically designed as a seminar.
Literary Theory
Students must take FR 2710 (Introduction to the Study of Literature) or the equivalent and pass it with a grade of B or better.
Language Proficiency in French
Students whose native language is not French may meet this requirement by passing a proficiency examination during the first year of residence.
NOTE: Students should also consult the department's Graduate Policy Statement for information on comprehensive examinations and other departmental regulations.
Specialization in French Linguistics and Literature
Students pursuing the MA in French who would like to specialize in French Linguistics and Literature must complete the following requirements:
Course Work
A minimum of 10 one-term courses is required, of which at least eight must be 2000-level courses. These courses will be distributed in the following manner:
Linguistics Courses (six courses)
- a) FR 2970 Teaching of French
- b) FR 2100 Readings in Old, Middle, and Early Modern French
- c) One course or one directed study in two of the three following areas:
- 1) Diachronic linguistics (FR 2801 History of the French Language)
- 2) Synchronic linguistics (FR 1038 Structure of Modern French)
- 3) Applied linguistics (FR 2972 Foreign Language Education: Theory and Practice or FR 2973 Issues in Teaching/Learning Foreign Language)
- d) Two courses in the Department of Linguistics (The choice of these two courses must be made in consultation with the student's advisor.)
Literature Courses (four courses)
- a) FR 2710 Introduction to the Study of Literature
- b) Three courses or seminars in French literature taken in different periods
NOTE: Students must have taken LING 1950 (Introduction to Linguistics) or the equivalent before the end of their first year in the program, but this course does not count toward the completion of the MA.
Other Requirements
Candidates for the MA with specialization in French Linguistics and Literature must also pass comprehensive examinations and fulfill the following additional requirements:
- Seminar Paper
- This paper, written in French, in a course specifically designated as a seminar (for literature) or directed study (for linguistics), must be approved by two faculty members.
- Proficiency in Written French
- Students whose native language is not French will meet this requirement by passing an examination during the first weeks of their residence.
- Second Language
- Students must demonstrate a basic knowledge of Latin, defined as one year of college-level instruction or the equivalent. It is recommended that this requirement be fulfilled during, or prior to, the term in which the candidate chooses to take FR 2801.
Examinations
Candidates are required to take a written comprehensive examination composed of the following four two-hour sections:
- 1 & 2) One examination in two of the following areas: diachronic linguistics, synchronic linguistics, applied linguistics
- 3) One cross-century examination in French literature
- 4) One examination on one period of French literature to be chosen by the candidate
Reading lists may be obtained from the departmental office.
Requirements for Master of Arts in Italian
A minimum of eight one-term courses in Italian Literature and Culture is required, of which at least seven must be 2000-level courses. Occasionally, an Italian-taught upper-level undergraduate course may be taken, but only one such course may count towards the degree. Italian 2710 (Introduction to the Study of Literature) and Italian 2801 (History of the Italian Language) are required for all students. Directed and Independent Studies in Italian are offered upon request; such courses may be taken in addition to, but not as a substitution for, regularly scheduled graduate courses, and only one may count towards the degree. MA candidates must also pass the comprehensive examinations and fulfill the following additional requirements:
Seminar Paper
Two faculty members must approve this paper, written in Italian.
Reading Requirement
Candidates for the MA with a major in Italian must demonstrate the ability to read either a Romance language other than their major one or Latin or German by passing a reading exam prepared by the appropriate department or by completing with a grade of B or better the second term of a course specifically designed as a reading course (for example, Spanish 0008).
Language Proficiency
Entering students in Italian must demonstrate oral and written proficiency in the Italian language unless they have the laurea from an Italian university.
Requirements for the PhD Degree
Before students may be considered for admission to candidacy for the PhD in French they must complete successfully a minimum of eight 2000-level courses (24 credits) beyond the MA. The course work must include:
One course in French linguistics. FR 2801 (History of the French Language) is strongly recommended.
FR 2100 (Readings in Old, Middle, and Early Modern French) if this course or an equivalent has not been taken at the MA level; the requirement may also be met by taking and passing the final examination for the course.
Three seminars in which the student writes seminar papers. One seminar paper must be written in English and at least one of the other two papers must be in French. See Graduate Policy Statement for a definition of "seminar."
Four other courses. Some of these will typically, with the advisor's consent, be taken in other departments.
Admission to Candidacy
The following requirements specific to the department should be read in conjunction with the general PhD requirements for all FAS students. (See Requirements for the PhD Degree and Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees.) Doctoral students will write and defend a dissertation.
The courses that candidates take represent only part of their total preparation for the PhD. Before admission to formal candidacy for the degree, they must meet the following requirements:
Preliminary Evaluation
In accordance with graduate school policy, students in a PhD program must undergo a preliminary evaluation by the end of the first year of full residence. The purpose of this evaluation is to identify those students who may be expected to complete a doctoral program successfully, and also to identify deficiencies in the students' preparation. To satisfy this requirement, graduate students in French will meet with the graduate advisor during the second term of residence for an evaluation of the record of performance in the first term on the basis of grades and reports from the students' instructors. They will also submit a five-page document presenting their future dissertation topic.
Reading Requirement
Candidates for the PhD in French must give evidence of ability to read German or Latin or a Romance language other than their major language and one additional language to be chosen according to the candidates' interests and needs and in consultation with their advisors.
Oral Examination
Candidates for the PhD must present an oral explication de texte before a faculty committee.
Comprehensive Examinations
Candidates will pass comprehensive examinations as described in the departmental Graduate Policy Statement.
Upon successful completion of these requirements, each student must present to the prospective doctoral committee a brief prospectus describing the subject on which the candidate proposes to write the doctoral dissertation. Students should then, in consultation with the dissertation director, file an application for admission to candidacy for the PhD degree. When the topic has been accepted and the Department Chair and the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies have approved the proposed committee, the student will be informed of admission to candidacy.
Teaching Requirement
All candidates for the PhD are normally expected to do some teaching as part of their professional preparation.
Course Listings
- The following courses carry graduate credit within the limits established in the various programs.
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French
- FR 1001 Poetry
- FR 1002 French Theater
- FR 1003 Novel 1: The Novel to Flaubert
- FR 1004 Novel 2: Flaubert and the Modern Novel
- FR 1010 Medieval and Renaissance Topics
- FR 1012 17th-century Topics
- FR 1014 18th-century Topics
- FR 1016 19th-century Topics
- FR 1018 20th-century Topics
- FR 1038 Structure of Modern French
- FR 1039 Applied Linguistics: French for Teachers
- FR 1040 French Language Past and Present
- FR 1050 French Civilization 1
- FR 1051 French Civilization 2
- FR 1052-59 French Civilization: Special Topics
- FR 2100 Readings in Old, Middle, and Early Modern French
- FR 2101 Medieval French Literature
- FR 2105 Seminar: Medieval Topic
- FR 2106 Seminar: Christine De Pizan
- FR 2200 Renaissance Poetry
- FR 2201 Renaissance Prose
- FR 2202 Rabelais and His Times
- FR 2203 Seminar: Montaigne
- FR 2215 Renaissance Humanism
- FR 2225 Seminar: 16th-century Topic
- FR 2300 17th-century Literature: General Topic
- FR 2301 French Classicism
- FR 2305 Seminar: 17th-century Topic
- FR 2306 Seminar: Racine
- FR 2310 The Invention of Modernity
- FR 2400 18th-century Literature: General Topic
- FR 2401 18th-century Literature 2
- FR 2402 Topics in 17th- and 18th-Century French Culture
- FR 2403 Les Philosophes
- FR 2405 Seminar: 18th-century Topic
- FR 2406 Seminar: Rousseau
- FR 2408 18th-century Republic of Letters
- FR 2410 Texts and Ideals of Revolution
- FR 2415 The Novels of the Enlightenment
- FR 2416 Shattered Masters: Novels for a Godless World
- FR 2500 19th-century Literature: General Topic
- FR 2501 Paris, Prose and Politics: 19th-century France
- FR 2502 Seminar: Flaubert
- FR 2505 Seminar: 19th-century Topic
- FR 2510 French Romanticism
- FR 2600 20th-century Literature: General Topic
- FR 2601 French Literature: WWI-WWII
- FR 2602 Literature and World War II
- FR 2605 Seminar: 20th-century General Topic
- FR 2606 Seminar: Genet
- FR 2607 Seminar: Celine
- FR 2703 Seminars on Area Topics, Genres, Themes
- FR 2704 Advanced Readings in Literary Theory
- FR 2705 French Intellectuals Past and Present
- FR 2710 Introduction to the Study of Literature
- FR 2750 Literature and Politics
- FR 2760 Literature and the Arts
- FR 2801 History of the French Language
- FR 2802 Introduction to Old Provencal
- FR 2803 Seminar: Problems in Synchronic French Linguistics
- FR 2804 Seminar: Problems in Diachronic French Linguistics
- FR 2810 Comparative Romance Linguistics 1
- FR 2811 Comparative Romance Linguistics 2
- FR 2902 Directed Study
- FR 2910 Comprehensive Examination MA
- FR 2970 Teaching of French
- FR 2972 Foreign Language Education: Theory and Practice
- FR 2973 Issues in Teaching/Learning Foreign Language
- FR 2990 Independent Study
- FR 3000 Research and Dissertation for the PhD Degree
- FR 3902 Directed Study
- FR 3905 Teaching Apprenticeship
- FR 3910 Comprehensive Examination PhD
Italian
- ITAL 1060 Special Topics
- ITAL 1061 Dante 1
- ITAL 1062 Dante 2
- ITAL 1063 Petrarch and Boccaccio
- ITAL 1064 Novel
- ITAL 1065 Lyric Poetry
- ITAL 1066 Epic Poetry
- ITAL 1067 Italian Theater
- ITAL 1068 Italian Novella
- ITAL 2100 Duecento
- ITAL 2200 Dante
- ITAL 2201 Trecento
- ITAL 2202 Petrarch: Poet and Humanist
- ITAL 2203 Boccaccio and the World of Trecento
- ITAL 2300 Quattrocento, Cinquecento
- ITAL 2301 Novella
- ITAL 2302 Theater of the Renaissance
- ITAL 2305 Tasso
- ITAL 2310 Boiardo and Renaissance in Ferrara
- ITAL 2315 Renaissance Humanism
- ITAL 2320 Ariosto and Vernacular Classicism
- ITAL 2400 Seicento
- ITAL 2408 18th-century Republic of Letters
- ITAL 2410 Settecento
- ITAL 2420 Goldoni
- ITAL 2500 Ottocento 1
- ITAL 2501 Ottocento 2
- ITAL 2510 Leopardi
- ITAL 2511 Manzoni
- ITAL 2512 Verga
- ITAL 2513 Foscolo
- ITAL 2600 Novecento 1
- ITAL 2601 Novecento 2
- ITAL 2700 Literary Criticism
- ITAL 2701 Special Topics
- ITAL 2710 Introduction to the Study of Literature
- ITAL 2750 Scientific Discourse in Italian Literature
- ITAL 2800 Comparative Romance Linguistics 1
- ITAL 2801 History of the Italian Language
- ITAL 2802 Stylistics
- ITAL 2810 Comparative Romance Linguistics 2
- ITAL 2902 Directed Study for the MA
- ITAL 2910 Comprehensive Examination MA
- ITAL 2970 Teaching of Italian
- ITAL 2990 Independent Study
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