Master Lettres — Lettres modernes

At Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3, in Lyon, France, the Master Lettres — Lettres modernes program situates students within the study of modern French literature and language, a core branch of the broader Lettres discipline. Lettres modernes concerns itself with literary texts from the modern period onward, along with the linguistic and stylistic tools used to analyze them, and typically also touches on comparative literature and literary theory. Students in programs of this kind read widely across genres, including fiction, poetry, and drama, and learn to place texts within their historical, cultural, and linguistic contexts while building skills in argumentation and academic writing. Coursework commonly includes literary history, close textual analysis, linguistics, and methodology for literary research, with some programs also incorporating creative or professional writing components. Career paths for Lettres modernes graduates include teaching at secondary and higher education levels, often after passing national teaching examinations, as well as work in publishing, editing, journalism, translation-adjacent roles, and cultural or arts administration. The strong grounding in written expression and critical analysis also supports careers in communications and content-related fields outside traditional literary employment. This is a two-year master's program with an expected start date in September, and all instruction is conducted in French, so a solid command of the language is expected of applicants. The program is hosted at Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 in Lyon, France, with yearly tuition of 250 EUR. Those drawn to French literature and language will find this program centered on rigorous textual study and analytical writing.