The Study Program in Paris
The University of Mary Washington, in cooperation with the Paris-based Mission Interuniversitaire de Coordination des Exchanges Franco-Américains (MICEFA) consortium, has established a month-long study abroad program in Paris for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students in French. The program will enable students to improve their French through small, intensive language courses and to enhance their knowledge of French tradition with visits to major cultural sites. Coursework done abroad may be accepted as transfer credit for UMW major and general education requirements. The 2009 Paris Summer Program will be held July 1-31.
Coursework
While in Paris, students will take a language course taught by the faculty of the Institut Catholique and a culture course taught by a member of the UMW faculty. Prior to departure, students will take a placement test that will indicate the appropriate French language course in which they will enroll.
Course size will be small in order to allow a more intensive study of the language. Students will review basic grammar and will also develop their vocabularies with particular emphasis on idiomatic language. In addition, exposure to newspapers, news programs, popular music, and French films will provide substantial practice with oral communication.
The most advanced students also will study the nuances of written and spoken language. Language courses will meet three hours per day, Monday through Friday. Additional conversational sessions and guest lectures will be available each week.
The UMW professor will offer a seminar, taught in French or English, on French culture: Myths, Symbols, and Iconography: Paris in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This will be taught at the Université de Paris III and will meet six hours per week.
There is a total of 21 hours of course work per week. Students will be able to transfer six credits (two 3-credit courses) for these courses.
Housing
Students will be housed in shared rooms in one of the dormitories of the Cité Universitaire, which is located in the southern part of Paris on a major subway line. Kitchen facilities are available as are several student restaurants. Laundry facilities, a computer lab, and internet access are also available at the residence.
Cultural and social activties
Considering Paris as a classroom, the program includes a number of activities that will enable students to practice their French skills and gain a broader understanding of French culture. They may shop in Paris’ many fashionable stores and boutiques, spend a leisurely hour in an outdoor café, or enjoy a stroll along the grands boulevards or the Seine.
Social activities will include welcome and farewell dinners and a reception at the MICEFA director’s flat where students will have the opportunity to meet French students with whom they are taking classes.
Students will also be able to take advantage of seasonal events in Paris such as the festivities of the 14 Juillet, the Coupe du Monde soccer tournament, the Tour de France, attractions along the Paris-Plage, neighborhood concerts, etc.
EXCURSIONS
The group will visit sites like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and the cathedrals of Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle. We will also take a boat ride on the Seine on one of Paris’ famous bateaux mouches, spend a night at the opera or theater, and go on walking tours of the Latin Quarter, Marais, and Montmartre neighborhoods.
There will be several weekend trips to sites just outside Paris: Claude Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny, Chartres cathedral, and the châteaux of Versailles, Fontainebleau, and Vaux-le-Vicomte.
Additional optional excursions are available through the MICEFA office for a separate fee. In the past these have included trips to beaches in Normandy, Mont St. Michel, and the Loire Valley chateaux.
Program fees
The Paris summer program costs $4,413. Included in this fee are the following: application fees, tuition, housing, MICEFA fee, cost of excursions, student insurance, city transportation, welcome and farewell dinners, and some travel. Students are responsible for airfare, meals, books, and other personal expenses. A $500 deposit is due January 16th. The second payment (half of the remaining balance) is due February 1st. The final balance is due March 31st. A ten percent late fee will be imposed on outstanding balances after March 31st. Please note that the program costs are subject to change without notice, depending on the exchange rate at the time of payment.
how to apply
Students interested in applying to the Paris program should contact Brooke Donaldson. UMW students can apply through the Office of International Academic Services website by January 16th (umw.edu/international). Non-UMW students may apply, but must include a letter of recommendation from a full-time French professor at their institution. Those candidates will be selected on the basis of their academic records and the recommendation.
For Further Information Contact
Brooke Donaldson, Assistant Professor of French
Department of Modern Foreign Languages
bdonalds@umw.edu
540.654.1988
University of Mary Washington
Office of International Academic Services
540.654.1870 www.umw.edu/international