FRENCH INTERDISCIPLINARY GROUP (FIG)

My affiliation with the EHESS was helpful in that it allowed me to connect to a large community of scholars focused on francophone West Africa — helping direct me towards a wealth of research that has been done on the region.”

The dual PhD, or co-tutelle de thèse, is an ad hoc agreement that allows outstanding students with specific interests and needs to have their PhD dissertation supervised by faculty members from both Northwestern and a French university. The student then receives a doctorate from the French institution and a PhD from Northwestern.

With advisors on both sides of the Atlantic and opportunities to participate in seminars and conferences at both institutions, dual PhD students have produced great results. Dissertations have covered vast areas of study, from urban sociology to African politics, and from theater studies to critical theory. Our alumni have an impressive placement record, going on to such positions as:

• Post-doctoral fellowships at the Graduate Institute in Geneva and the University of Edinburgh
• Tenure-track jobs at University of Montréal, University of Georgia, Columbia College, Michigan State University, and Leiden University
• Work in a range of industries such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, as well as non-profit organizations

How to apply

Information on how to apply to the dual PhD program differs by whether you are a Northwestern or French university student. To review eligibility requirements and application instruction, follow the links below.

Our students

Our dual PhD candidates receive doctoral degree from both of the institutions and typically earn tenure-track jobs at prestigious universities.

Learn about our dual PhD students. See where our current dual PhD students are studying and find out what our alumni are doing now.

View students