French - Research

Overview

French and Francophone Studies are part of the Modern Languages research cluster which provides a vibrant environment for both disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarship. Recognised as a centre of excellence for research into the languages, literatures, histories, and cultural identities of Europe and beyond, the cluster is founded on a dynamic and forward-looking research ethos. Established research strengths in French include nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century literature, linguistics, visual cultures, medical humanities, popular culture, postcolonial writing and Franco-Chinese writing.

Graduate

A 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. While a Master’s degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is not essential, it is desirable and applicants without this qualification will be considered on a case-by-case basis.



International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country at https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/your-country/



English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).



International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.



For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.



If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

How to Apply

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.



Find a supervisor

If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.



To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles at https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-research/find-a-phd-supervisor/?school=Queen%27s%20Business%20School



You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.

Students will meet regularly with their supervisor(s), who will provide written and oral feedback; a formal assessment process takes place annually.


This Annual Progress Review requires students to present their work in writing and orally to a panel of academics from within the School. Successful completion of this process will allow students to register for the next academic year.


The final assessment of the doctoral degree is both oral and written. Students will submit their thesis to an internal and external examining team who will review the written thesis before inviting the student to orally defend their work at a Viva Voce.


Feedback

Supervisors will offer feedback on draft work at regular intervals throughout the period of registration on the degree

A PhD Programme runs for 3-4 years full-time or 6-8 years part-time. Students can apply for a writing up year should it be required.

Entry Year: Academic Year 2026/27

Career Prospects

Introduction

Many of our PhD graduates have moved into academic and research roles in Higher Education in the UK, France, the Middle East and Australia, while others have secured posts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK), in publishing and in the education sector more broadly.

Research information


Associated Research

Nineteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Literature

Travel Writing

Text and Image

Medical Humanities

Postcolonial Cultures

Caribbean literature and theory

Interiors

Big Data

Franco-Chinese Writing

Linguistics (sociolinguistics, variation, corpus linguistics, discourse analysis)

Literature and visual cultures

Nineteenth-century novel and poetry

Popular culture

Postcolonial literature and theory

Twentieth and twenty-first century French and Francophone literature and film


We also have a strong record in supervising comparative and interdisciplinary theses across the different languages represented in the School of Modern Languages and with other Schools in the University. A number of recent and current research projects have been funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the EU (Horizon 2020), including a project on the digitisation of popular culture in a transnational frame, one on cultural tourism and the role of festivals and one on temporality in French and Occitan oral narrative.