Apply to the Program

Admission to the PhD program for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Department of French Studies (DFS) depends upon the joint approval of both the Graduate School and the department. The procedure has two steps. The first step is to apply to the LSU Graduate School.

To receive full consideration for financial aid for admission in the Fall semester, your application should be complete by February 15 of that calendar year. To complete the Graduate School application, you will need to upload to the Graduate School website (not the department):

  • a résumé
  • a statement of purpose that describes your goals for pursuing a PhD, the types of intellectual projects you hope to undertake through your future research, and how your past coursework and/or independent research projects have prepared you to undertake them
  • three letters of recommendations from current or previous university professors or employers who can speak to your French-teaching experience
  • a writing sample in French (maximum 20 pages)* Please note that our program currently prohibits the use of AI in intellectual work (see our policy); our emphasis on developing your scholarly voice requires that students in our program write unassisted by AI. While we prefer a writing sample that reflects your work, unassisted by AI, any sample that includes AI assistance must include a clear description of its nature and scope. Applications found to contain undisclosed AI use will not be considered.
  • official transcripts from each university you attended (to come directly from the university to the LSU Graduate School)
  • a copy of your diploma  
  • anything else the Graduate School might require, such as proof of English language proficiency for international applicants

Please note that the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required as part of the application, but you may report your scores should you wish.

If the Graduate School finds your application meets admission standards to the University, they refer your dossier to the Department of French Studies where a committee of professors examines your application and decides on your admission you to the program. Should your dossier pass the department’s preliminary examination, you may then be contacted for a brief Zoom interview to be conducted in both French and English.

For unconditional admission to graduate study, a student is expected to have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in French and a grade-point average (GPA) above 3.0. In special circumstances, students who do not meet these criteria may be admitted on probation, in which case they may not hold assistantships until the probation is lifted.

Important deadlines:

Students can apply anytime for the next semester. However, in order receive financial aid, students applying for admission for the fall term need to have all relevant materials (including GRE scores, should you wish to include them) submitted to the department by February 15.

International students should consult the website of the International Services Office.