French and Italian
(213) 740-3700
FAX: (213) 746-7297
Email: french@dornsife.usc.edu
dornsife.usc.edu/fren-ital
Chair: Natania Meeker, Ph.D.
Faculty
Marion Frances Chevalier Professor of French: Peggy Kamuf, Ph.D.*
Professors: Margaret F. Rosenthal, Ph.D.*; Vanessa Schwartz, Ph.D. (History)
Associate Professors: Natania Meeker, Ph.D.; Panivong Norindr, Ph.D.; Antonia Szabari, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors: Olivia Harrison, Ph.D.; Edwin Hill, Ph.D.
Professor of the Practice of French: Alain Borer, Ph.D.
Associate Professors (Teaching) of French: Carol A. Hofmann, Ph.D. (Director, French Language Program); Beatrice Mousli-Bennett, Ph.D.; Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques
Associate Professor (Teaching) of Italian: Francesca Italiano, Ph.D. (Director, Italian Language Program)
Assistant Professors (Teaching) of French: Colin Keaveney, Ph.D.; Julie Nack Ngue, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors (Teaching) of Italian: Antonio Idini, Ph.D.; Francesca Leardini, Ph.D.
Master Lecturer of French: Atiyeh Doreen Showrai, M.A.
Senior Lecturers of French: Nathalie C. Burle, Ed.D.; Julia Chamberlain, Ph.D.
Lecturers: Paulette Chandler, Ph.D.; Alessio A. Filippi, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professors: Marie-Florine Bruneau, Ph.D.; Albert Sonnenfeld, Ph.D., Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques
Emeritus Associate Professor: Arthur E. Babcock, Ph.D.
Associated Faculty
Professors: Elinor Accampo, Ph.D. (History); Joseph Dane, Ph.D. (English); Eunice Howe, Ph.D. (Art History)
Associate Professor: David Rollo, Ph.D. (English)
Undergraduate Programs
The Department of French and Italian offers majors and minors in both French and Italian. The study of French or Italian involves the mastery of the languages and their literary and cultural expressions in fiction, non-fiction, dramatic, cinematic and poetic texts, as well as the study of social and political institutions within the context of intellectual history.
The department offers a variety of classes in French and Italian, as well as some courses with readings and discussion in English to satisfy diverse needs. Topics range broadly from the study of a single author to a literary genre; from current events to cinema; from gender studies to literary criticism.
Courses are kept small to allow for maximum interaction between students and professors. Students in both French and Italian work closely with their advisers to develop an appropriate course of study. This often involves study abroad. The department runs summer programs in Dijon, France and Rome, Italy; students also attend semester-long programs in Paris and Florence or Rome.
Graduate Programs
The M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (French and Francophone Studies) are offered through the Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture program, as described here.