Queen's University Belfast

French - Research

Programme 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.

Learning Outcomes
A PhD in French gives you the opportunity to follow your own research interests and to make an original contribution to the field. You will refine your skills in independent research, critical thinking, time management, and oral and written communication. A completed PhD is almost always required for academic jobs in French.

Course structure
You will normally register, in the first instance, as an 'undifferentiated PhD student' which means that you have satisfied staff that you are capable of undertaking a research degree. The decision as to whether you should undertake a PhD is delayed until you have completed 'differentiation'.

Differentiation takes place about 9-12 months after registration for full time students and about 18-30 months for part time students. You will submit work to a panel of up to three academics and this is followed up with a formal meeting with the 'Differentiation Panel'. The Panel then make a judgement about your capacity to continue with your study. Sometimes students are advised to revise their research objectives or to consider submitting their work for an MPhil qualification rather than a doctoral qualification.

To complete a doctoral qualification you will be required to submit a thesis of approx. 80,000 words and you will be required to attend a viva voce [oral examination] with an external and internal examiner to defend your thesis.

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 requirements

Research Degrees (PhD/MPhil/MD/Professional Doctorates)

The normal minimum requirement for admission to a research degree programme is an Upper Second Class Honours Degree from a UK or ROI Higher Education Provider or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

Specific entrance requirements for individual programmes are available via the online Course Finder and we recommend that you also visit School webpages and contact potential supervisors to discuss your proposed research.

Factors taken into consideration by School selectors will include an assessment of an applicant's academic background and research proposal (if applicable). Relevant publications, professional research experience or other achievements by the applicant may also be considered.

Further information is available on Higher Doctorates and PhD by Published Works.

English Language Requirements

If your first language is not English, evidence of an acceptable level of proficiency will be required. In addition, applicants who are non-EEA nationals must satisfy the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes. Further information is available on the UK Government website.

The evidence should be in the form of a Secure English Language Test (SELT), or another English language qualification acceptable to the University which examines all four elements of language learning – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. IELTS Academic and TOEFL internet based tests should be taken within the last two years. Further information is available here.

Details of the English language requirements for entry to each postgraduate taught and research programme can be found in the individual Course Finder pages.

If you have not yet obtained an acceptable English Language qualification at the required level before sending us your application, your formal offer for postgraduate admission will include an English language condition which you must satisfy before the start of your programme.

INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a wide range of English language courses designed specifically for international students.

International applicants

For more information please visit the international section of our website.

Applicants who require assistance with the application process should email the International Admissions team at intl.student@qub.ac.uk

Duration

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

Careers or further progression

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), and in the education sector more broadly. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability.

Further enquiries

People teaching you
Dr. Claire Moran 
School of Arts, English and Languages - Senior Lecturer
Modern Languages

email: c.moran@qub.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)28 9097 3147

Comment

French highlights
Students are integrated into a very lively interdisciplinary research culture, have access to state of the art facilities including the McClay Library and the Graduate School.

World Class Facilities
•Students have access to a range of state of the art facilities including the McClay Library and the Graduate School, and can take part in the Queen's University Postgraduate Researcher Development Programme.

Internationally Renowned Experts
•Languages at QUB was ranked third in the 2014 Research Assessment Framework. 85% of our research was judged to be 'internationally excellent or world leading'.

Key Facts
•Students are integrated into a very lively interdisciplinary research culture, have access to state of the art facilities including the McClay Library and the Graduate School.
•Students will have the opportunity to work with world-leading specialists across a wide variety of fields
•Languages at Queens was ranked third in the UK in the most recent research assessment, and 85% of our research was judged to be of international excellence.

Application Process
Our academic staff welcome approaches from prospective students; staff can liaise with applicants to develop a research proposal of mutual interest. The potential supervisor should get back to you within a couple of weeks. They may invite you to meet with them or they may invite you to apply formally.

If you have difficulty identifying or contacting an appropriate supervisor, please contact Dr Claire Moran (c.moran@qub.ac.uk) who will be happy to help.

Assessment method

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

Application date

How to Apply
Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal go.qub.ac.uk/pgapply 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 linked here.

www.qub.ac.uk/Study/PostgraduateStudy/Postgraduate-research/find-phd-sup...

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

Postgraduate Research
There is no standard closing date. You should however check both the University's website and refer to the relevant School/Institute webpage for information on deadline dates for postgraduate funding applications, as these will also determine when your application for admission should be submitted.

For part-time study – the closing date for this option is 31st August each year.

For full-time study (self-funding) – for those full time candidates who do not wish to compete for a studentship or who are not eligible to compete for a studentship the closing date is 31st August each year.

Research areas

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.