Doctor of Philosophy

All courses counted toward the 135-unit requirement for the Ph.D. must be at the graduate level. Students must take at least 60 units under the FRENCH or ITALIAN course designations. Students must take classes with at least two different Stanford core members of the professorate in French literature and culture and at least two different core members of the professorate in Italian literature and culture. From each of these professors, students must take at least one class for at least 5 units.

A minimum of four graduate-level courses on French literature and culture, and four graduate-level courses on Italian literature and culture are required. Four of the required eight courses must be taken within the first year. During the first year, most coursework is done within the French and Italian department, to ensure adequate preparation for the Qualifying Examination. Students are not allowed to take Independent Study during their first year. In the second and third years, however, the program of study is tailored to the student's specific interests. All courses must be selected in consultation with the Department Director.

Apart from the required courses above, students are granted considerable freedom in structuring a course of study appropriate to their individual needs. During the first year, most coursework is done within the French and Italian department to ensure adequate preparation for the qualifying examination. Students are encouraged to take various courses to learn about different historical periods and issues. Students are not allowed to take Independent Study during their first year. In the second and third years, however, the program of study is tailored to the student's specific interests.

The Qualifying Exam is an oral exam, which tests the student's knowledge of language and literature and their aptitude for critical thinking and takes place two weeks prior to the Autumn quarter of the second year in the program. This examination is 90 minutes long. The exam committee is determined by the Department Director. Students who do not successfully pass the Qualifying Exam their first time are provided a second attempt by the end of Autumn quarter of their second year. Failure to pass the Qualifying Exam on the second attempt results in dismissal from the Ph.D. program. See the DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

Students already holding an advanced degree in the relevant area may request to be excused from the Qualifying Exam. The student must present a formal request for a waiver to the Department Director upon arrival at Stanford. Such a request must document the course work completed elsewhere and include all relevant reading lists. Only in cases where taking the Qualifying Exam would involve considerable repetition of already completed work is such a waiver likely to be granted.

The Field Exam is an oral exam. The examination is the central means of certifying a student’s expertise in a literary period and takes place in the Spring quarter of the second year of the program. This examination is 100 minutes long. The exam committee is determined by the Department Director. Students who do not successfully pass the Field Exam are provided a second attempt at the beginning of Autumn quarter of the third year of the program. See the DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

Although teaching is not a requirement for the degree, students may teach as part of the financial support commitment and their professional training.

Students in French & Italian must complete courses with at least 4 different core faculty members in their program. Each of these courses must be taken for at least 3 units.

A Candidacy File must be submitted to the Student Services Manager at the beginning of the Spring quarter of the second year. In consultation with their advisor and Department Director students should submit one paper that is representative of their best work in French/Italian or English for French/Italian native speakers. 

Students are expected to follow department qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of the second year in residence. In reviewing a student for admission to candidacy, the faculty considers a student’s academic progress, including but not limited to:

• Demonstrated proficiency in two languages as defined by this Bulletin

• Performance in courses and completion of required coursework

• Performance on departmental examinations and milestones

• Completion of at least three units of work with the required Stanford faculty members

Proficiency in languages will be formally assessed during graduate study and must be certified before admission to candidacy by examination administered through the Stanford Language Center.

In addition to successfully completing departmental requirements for years one and two, a student is only admitted to candidacy if the faculty makes the judgment that the student has the potential to complete the degree program requirements successfully. Candidacy is determined by faculty vote. Failure to be admitted to candidacy results in the student’s dismissal from the Ph.D. program.

The University Oral Examinations in French and Italian is a review of the dissertation proposal covering content relevant to the area of study, rationale for the proposed investigation, and strategy to be used in the research; this type of examination is intended to assist the student in refining a dissertation topic and to ensure mastery of theoretical and methodological issues as well as the materials needed to conduct the research effectively. Students are expected to complete this milestone in the Winter quarter of their third year of the program. See the DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

The dissertation topic must include a substantial quotient of material from both the French and Italian traditions, and the dissertation must consist of either:

1. At least one chapter on French materials and one chapter on Italian materials, or

2. At least two chapters focused on a comparison between French and Italian materials

The dissertation may take different formats. The standard format in our field is a monograph comprising five chapters, including the introduction and dissertation. Depending on the topic and approach, other structures may be considered and should be discussed with the advisor as the project develops. In consultation with their advisor, students may submit a collection of three to four published or publishable articles, together with an introduction. Students are expected to submit the dissertation by the end of their fifth year in the program. See the DLCL Graduate Handbook for more information.

Attaining a native or near-native fluency in both French and Italian is the student’s individual responsibility and applies to all of the candidates in the Ph.D. program. Remedial coursework needed to achieve such fluency cannot count towards the Ph.D. degree. Consult with the Department Director to schedule a Language Center exam or alternative assessment of proficiency.

Except for students working in medieval, renaissance, or early modern, only Italian and French are required. 

For students specializing in areas (a) medieval and renaissance and (b) renaissance and early modern, proficiency in Latin equivalent to a second year collegiate level of proficiency (the equivalent of CLASSICS11L, CLASSICS12, and CLASSICS13L) in reading is also required. Such proficiency may be demonstrated by successfully completing a course in the language in question (at least second-year level, but preferably a graduate seminar); or by passing an exam that establishes an intermediate level of reading proficiency. 

In the case of ancient Greek and Latin, two years of study or the equivalent are required. Such proficiency may be demonstrated either by completing a  seminar in the language in question, or by passing an exam that establishes a third-year or above level of competency in writing and reading. The second foreign language requirement must be completed no later than the end of the third year.

The language requirements should be completed as soon as possible, but in any case, no later than the end of the third year.

Upon entering the program, students must contact the Language Center and arrange to take the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) to determine their fluency in the target language.