Overview
" My love of France, the French language, "things French" in general, is equalled only by my abiding interest in history.
I've made the decision to continue my graduate studies, but I haven't yet chosen which field to pursue "
If this dilemma has been yours, the difficult choice is no longer necessary. The Department of Romance and Classical Studies
and the History Department at Bowling Green State University have joined forces to create a unique program of study leading
to the simultaneous granting of two master's degrees, in French and in History. Designed to combine the cultural benefits
of study abroad with the guidance and academic support of the graduate faculty on campus, ours is a three-year program.
During the first year, students study at the Université François-Rabelais in Tours, France, or at the Université Laval in
Quebec City, Canada.
During the second and third years, students complete their studies on the home campus in Bowling Green, Ohio. Students receive
substantial financial support for all three years.
A Glance at the Institutions
Bowling Green State University is a major state-assisted institution of approximately 18,900 students (2,700 of whom are graduate students) and nearly 700
full-time faculty. BGSU offers 165 undergraduate degree programs, 13 master's degrees in 65 fields, and 14 Ph.D. programs
in more than 60 areas of specialization. The 1300-acre main campus is located some 20 minutes south of Toledo, 90 minutes
from Ann Arbor and Detroit, and 2 hours from Columbus and Cleveland.
Welcoming each year more than 26,000 students, the Université François-Rabelais is located on the banks of the Loire in the heart of Tours, capital of one of the most beautiful and culturally rich regions
of France. Tours is less than two hours by train from Paris.
Founded in 1852, the Université Laval is one of the largest and most respected institutions of higher learning in Canada. This oldest of French language universities
in North America is internationally recognized as a cultural center of la Francophonie. Quebec City has been designated a
"World Heritage Town" by UNESCO because of its historical background and architectural setting.
Requirements
Upon admission, students choose to pursue one of two programs: Plan I (the thesis option) or Plan II (the non-thesis option).
Plan I: Students choosing this option must successfully defend a thesis related to both fields. A maximum of 6 hours of thesis research
may be credited toward the two degrees combined: 3 hours in FREN 6990 and 3 in HIST 6990. The thesis is supervised by a committee
of four faculty members drawn equally from the Department of Romance and Classical Studies and the History Department. The
thesis director may be a member of either department.
Plan II: Students opting for this plan must complete the exit requirements of each department: in Romance and Classical Studies, a
special research project; in the History Department, a comprehensive examination. For students under either plan, a maximum
of 8 hours of independent study, directed readings, etc. (4 hours in French and 4 in History) may be credited toward the 2
degrees. (This rule applies to FREN 6840/6850, FREN 6900/6910, HIST 6700, HIST 6840, HIST 6860 and HIST 6900, but does not
apply to FREN 6980, FREN 6990 or HIST 6990).
Under either plan the degree candidate will earn a minimum total of 52 credit hours, distributed so as to satisfy the basic
core requirements of both master's programs. Certain courses outside the core will "overlap" and count toward both degrees,
thus allowing timely completion of the program. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in each discipline is required.
Credit Hour Requirements
Credit hour requirements for Plans I and II Students in the the Dual French/History MA Program will normally earn a total
of 52 hours of graduate-level credit, distributed as follows:
Plan I (thesis option)
A. Credit hour requirements of the Department of Romance and Classical Studies: 33 total credit hours, 30 hours in required
and elective courses, of which at least 21 hours must be in French, and of which 9 may be in a cognate area, including History
- 3 hours of thesis research (FREN 6990)
B. Credit hour requirements of the History Department: 28 total credit hours
- 25 hours in required and elective courses, of which at least 21 hours must be in History, and of which 4 may be in a cognate
area other than French
- 3 hours of thesis research (HIST 6990)
Students will normally meet Romance and Classical Studies 30-hour course requirement by taking 21 hours of French and 9 in
History. The total for the 2 degrees (52 credit hours) will therefore be distributed as follows: 21 in French; 21 History
(up to 25); 4 in a cognate area other than French (or as few as zero if all 25 are taken in History); 6 in thesis research
(FREN 6990 + HIST 6990).
Plan II (non-thesis option)
A. Credit hour requirements of the Department of Romance and Classical Studies: 36 total credit hours
- 33 hours in required and elective courses, of which at least 24 must be in French, and of which 9 may be in a cognate area,
including History
- 3 hours for preparation of exit research project (FREN 6980)
B. Credit hour requirements of the History Department
- 28 hours in required and elective courses, all of which must be in History
Students will normally meet the 33-hour requirement of the Department of Romance and Classical Studies by taking 24 credit
hours of French and 9 in History. The total for the 2 degrees will therefore be distributed as follows: 27 credit hours in
French courses (this includes FREN 6980), and 28 credit hours in History. This gives a total of 55 credit hours (3 more than
for the thesis option).
Specific Course Requirements
History
Students following either Plan I (thesis) or Plan II (non-thesis) must take:
- at least 2 graduate seminars that are primarily substantive rather than methodological;
- at least 16 credit hours at the 6000-7000 level;
- HIST 6840a: Teaching College History (1 credit hour);
- HIST 6840b: Methodology (1 credit hour);
- HIST 6520 Historiography (4 credit hours).
Students opting for Plan I (thesis) must take at least 2 History courses outside their primary field group. (See below for
a list of the field groups.) In addition, students who choose Policy History as their primary field must take HIST 6020: Quantitative
Methods (4 credit hours).
Students opting for Plan II (non-thesis) must pass a comprehensive oral and written examination covering 2 fields of History
belonging to 2 different field groups. (See below for a list of the field groups.)
The 5 Field Groups are as follows. Note that, with the exception of the first, each field group contains 2 fields.
- Medieval
- Early Modern; Modern Europe
- US pre-1877; US post-1877
- East Asian; Latin America
- Public History; Policy History
French
The following courses are required the first year for students in France:
- FREN 6040: Grammar and Style I (3 credit hours)
- FREN 6050: Grammar and Style II (3 credit hours)
- FREN 6310: Introduction to Textual Analysis (3 credit hours)
- FREN 6660: Contemporary French Civilization (3 credit hours)
Students spending the first year in Quebec are expected to take at least 3 credit hours of Quebec civilization and 3 credit
hours of Quebec literature. Required language courses will depend on the student's background in French.
The following courses are required during the second or third year (BGSU campus):
- FREN 6010: Teaching College French (3 credit hours)
- FREN 6320: Critical Approaches to Literature (3 credit hours)
- either FREN 6980: Readings for Comprehensive Examination (3 credit hours), for students on Plan II (non-thesis); or FREN 6990:
Thesis Research, for students on Plan I (3 credit hours, to which are added 3 hours in HIST 6990, for a total of 6 credit
hours of thesis research).
First Year
In France
Students who choose to study in France are enrolled at the Université François-Rabelais in Tours. An orientation to the Université
and the city begins shortly after October 1. Classes begin in mid-October and continue through May. Most of the credit hours
earned are in license-level courses taken at the Faculté des lettres with French students. French tutors assigned to BGSU
students ease their transition to the French university system while helping them with course readings and assignments. In
addition, there are special courses taught exclusively for BGSU students. These are: Introduction à l'analyse textuelle (3
hours), Grammaire et style (3 hours), Grammaire et style (3 hours) and Civilisation française contemporaine (3 hours). A permanent
on-site program director is available to deal with any problems, administrative or other, that might arise.
Housing and Financial support
While in Tours, most students live at the Technopôle, a private student residential complex located in the southern part of
Tours. They receive a grant of approximately $8,500 (approximately $13,514 for non-residents of Ohio) covering the following
expenses:
- tuition (approximately $6,100);
- the non-resident fee, if applicable (approximately $5,014);
- housing expenses, complete or partial, depending on the option chosen.
The following expenses are not covered by the grant and must be paid by the student:
- transportation to and from France;
- food while in France; partial housing expenses if the student chooses an option other than a suite in the Technopôle ;
- incidental expenses such as entertainment and books.
At the Technopôle, students may choose among two options: (1) four-bedroom furnished suites, or (2) furnished efficiencies
('studios'). In the suites, each student has a private bedroom and an enclosed private study area. The bedrooms converge via
corridors on a common living/dining area with two equipped kitchens, two bathrooms and a terrace. The studios consist of a
combined living room/bedroom, a private bathroom, an office and a small kitchen area. The grant provided by BGSU covers all
housing expenses in a suite at the Technopôle (approximately $2,400). Students choosing the studio option pay a supplement
ranging from $600 to $1,000, depending on the size of the studio.
Other housing options are available. Students may find their own housing (private room or apartment), or live with a carefully
screened host family. Students choosing either one of these alternative options receive a housing grant equal to housing costs
in a suite at the Technopôle (approximately $2,400), and are responsible for any costs over and above this amount.
In Quebec
Students opting for study in Quebec are enrolled in the Section des Etudes de Français Langue Seconde (FLS) at the Université
Laval. Required courses include Quebec literature and civilization (3 credit hours of each), and language (variable, depending
on the studentís background). In addition to the FLS courses, qualified students may, with the approval of the Quebec Program
Director, take courses offered by other departments of the Faculté des Lettres. Registration for the first semester takes
place during the last week of August. At that time the Quebec Program Director, a member of the BGSU faculty, is present to
advise students regarding course choices and load.
Housing and Financial support
Students normally live in private rooms in a résidence universitaire. BGSU provides a grant covering the following expenses:
- tuition at BGSU (approximately $5,004) and at the Université Laval;
- the non-resident fee, if applicable (approximately $5,014);
- all housing expenses in the dormitory;
- partial board, amounting to approximately 75% of the daily cost of the dormitory meal plan.
The following expenses are not covered by the grant and must be paid by the student:
- transportation to and from Québec City;
- partial board, amounting to approximately 25% of the daily cost of the dormitory meal plan;
- a university general fee of approximately $300 per semester;
- a $500 program fee;
- incidental expenses including entertainment, books, etc.
Second & Third Year
Financial Aid
Support is available in the form of Graduate Assistantships in the Department of Romance and Classical Studies or in the History
Department. Graduate Assistants are either Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants. Most assistantships are 3/8 and provide
a yearly stipend of approximately $5,900. In addition, Graduate Assistants receive a grant covering tuition (approximately
$9,812. per year) and the non-resident fee, if applicable (approximately $8,039. per year). The financial aid package represents
therefore a total value of over $15,000. per academic year ($21,000. for non-residents).
Summer Option in Francophone Africa
Students who have completed the year abroad may attend an optional summer session in Burkina Faso, during which they will
earn an additional 9 credit hours in courses taught by faculty from the Université de Ouagadougou. Students receive a grant
covering tuition and fees, room and board, cultural excursions and round-trip transportation Paris-Ouagadougou.
Contact
Applicants should have a bachelor's degree, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and a strong background in French. An undergraduate French
major is preferable. French minors with time spent in a French-speaking country will be considered. The GRE is required.
For more information or to apply, contact:
Ms. Linda Meek, Graduate Secretary
Department of Romance Languages
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403-0215
(419) 372-2667
E-mail: lmeek@bgsu.edu
or
Ms. Dee Dee Wentland, Graduate Secretary
History Department
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403-0221
(419) 372-2030
E-mail: dwentla@bgsu.edu
We admit qualified applicants as their files are completed. It is therefore best to apply as early as possible, preferably
before February 15.
Students opting for study in Quebec must meet the requirements of the Université Lavalís FLS Program as well as those of BGSU. Admission to the BGSU/Laval M.A. Program involves meeting the requirements of Laval's FLS Program as well as those of BGSU. Upon admission to our program,
you will need to apply on your own to Laval so please start early: their deadline is March 1st.
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