The Study Program in Paris
The University of Mary Washington, in cooperation with the Paris-based MICEFA consortium, has established a month-long summer study abroad program in Paris, France, for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students in French. The Department of Modern Foreign Languages cooperates with the Office of International Academic Services to provide a variety of overseas study abroad programs for the students of UMW. The program dates for summer 2008 are July 1-31.
This 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 from abroad may be accepted as transfer credit for UMW major and general education requirements.
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 UMW faculty member. 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 the basic skills such as tenses, sentence structure, etc., and they will develop their vocabularies with particular emphasis on idiomatic language. They will also be exposed to newspapers, news programs, popular music, French films, all with the intent of providing substantial practice with oral communication.
The most advanced students will also study the nuances of the written 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 cinema and culture. This will be taught at the Université de Paris III (Sorbonne-Nouvelle Censier). This seminar will meet in the afternoon for six hours per week. There is a total of 21 hours of coursework per week. Students will be able to transfer six credits for these courses.
Housing
Students will be housed in shared rooms in one of the dormitory residences 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 wireless internet access are also available at the residence.
Other activties
Considering Paris as a classroom, the UMW in Paris program includes a number of additional activities which will enable students to practice their French skills and gain a broader understanding of French culture. The group will visit important cultural sites like the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Observatoire de Paris, the Hôtel de Ville, and the Cinémathèque française. Students will have the opportunity to go on walking tours of the Latin Quarter, the Montparnasse, and the Mouffetard neighborhoods.
Social activities will include a welcome and a farewell dinner, a boat ride on the Seine on one of Paris’ famous bateaux mouches, a night at the Opéra de Paris, and a reception at the MICEFA director’s flat where students will have the opportunity to meet French students. During their free time, students can visit major tourist sites like the Eiffel Tower, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, and Napoleon’s tomb in the Invalides. They may shop in Paris’ many fashionable stores and boutiques, or spend a leisurely hour in an outdoor café. Students will also be able to take advantage of seasonal events taking place in Paris in July like major soccer matches, the festivities of the 14 Juillet, attractions along the Paris-Plage, neighborhood concerts, and so forth. The group will also have several weekend excursions outside of the city of Paris to Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny, to the châteaux of Versailles, Fontainebleau, and Vaux-le-Vicomte. Additional optional excursions are available through the MICEFA office for a separate fee.
Program fees
This month-long program costs $4,179. Included in this fee are the following: application fees, tuition, housing, MICEFA fee, cost of excursions, student insurance, ISIC card, city transportation, welcome and farewell dinners, and some travel. Students are responsible for airfare, meals, books, and other personal expenses.
how to apply
UMW students can apply for the Paris Summer Program online through the Office of International Academic Services. Application deadline is January 15, 2008. At the time of application and at the time the program begins, the applicant must be in good academic standing at the university. If the applicant is a non-UMW student, a recommendation from a French professor at that student’s university must be submitted with the application.Contact IAS in George Washington Hall, Room 209, or call the office at 540.654.1870.