CUAbroad

Paris, France
The French Studies Program with IES Abroad

Dates Introduction The City Facilities Academics & Curriculum Accommodation & Meals Program Costs Eligibility How To Apply Deadlines Contact

Dates

Fall semester: September 2 - December 18, 2009

Spring semester; January 13 - May 13, 2010

Introduction

While participating in the IES Abroad Paris French Studies Program Students will be able to study French Language and Culture in this wonderous city of light. With locations throughout the many vibrant hotspots of Paris, the IES Abroad Paris Program provides an ideal location for immersing oneself in European history, business, and culture.

The City
Paris delights and inspires newcomers with the paintings in the Louvre, the grands boulevards, and a skyline marked by the Eiffel Tower and the Gothic spires of Notre Dame. The Parisians are also very proud of their rich cultural life, with more than 300 theaters, 400 cinemas, and many concert halls.

Facilities

The IES Abroad Paris Center has a lab of networked computers linked to a laser printer, and is also equipped with a wireless network, and students who bring laptops will have Internet access in most areas of the Center, including the garden. Wireless Internet is also available in the student apartments and in some homestays.
The IES Abroad Paris Center has a small library and you are encouraged to talk with the IES Abroad librarian for advice on finding materials in the Paris library system. For basic library research, you are granted free access to any one of the 63 municipal libraries, of which there are a few branches in every arrondissement.

The IES Abroad French Studies Center is located in a neighborhood that is known for its market streets, artisan workshops, lively cafes, restaurants, and theaters. Located near the Montparnasse train station and two metro stops, the IES Abroad Center is within walking distance of the Latin Quarter and within easy commuting distance to all areas of Paris. IES Abroad is committed to encouraging your integration into the French community and to developing your understanding of the French language and people.

Academics and Curriculum
The IES Abroad Paris French Studies program combines a rigorous curriculum of French language study with a wide range of course offerings. IES Abroad also offers you a unique opportunity to focus on issues of the Francophone world. This consists of 5 courses, totaling in 15 CUA credits.

The French Studies Program offers courses taught exclusively in French by mostly native faculty in the following disciplines:
-Art
-Cinema
-Francophone History & Politics
-French Language
-Literature

Students may also have the option to take a course at one of the many prestigious universities in Paris. Enrollment options can be found on IES Abroad French Studies' website.

Accommodation and Meals
Students may choose to live in a homestay or a private apartment.

Homestay - Most students stay in French homes in the city of Paris and in the well-regarded adjacent suburbs. You will eat breakfast daily and three evening meals per week with your hosts. Other meals can be eaten at university cafeterias and inexpensive restaurants in the area. Commuting times to the IES Abroad Paris Center can range from 15 minutes to 45 minutes.
Private Apartment - IES Abroad also offers apartments with kitchenettes and private bathrooms in a private apartment building located 40 minutes from the IES Abroad Center by Métro (a standard commuting time in Paris) in the nearby suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt. The building houses French and international students and young professionals, and includes a laundry room. Additional fees may apply.

Program Costs
CUA tuition and a $5,000 program fee to cover most overseas expenses. Round-trip airfare, some meals, passport, visa and optional excursions, required cell phone, and personal expenses are not included. Contact CUAbroad for an estimated cost breakdown sheet.

What's included
• Tuition, housing, 10 meals per week if in homestay (no meals in apartment), two field trips, in-town excursions and monthly transportation passes
• IES Abroad on-site staff support
• On-site orientation and all pre-departure advising and services in the US.
• Medical insurance
• An official CUA transcript for non-CUA participants

Note on IES Abroad and cell phones: Since IES Abroad is first and foremost committed to student safety and security, we require you to have a cellular phone while enrolled in our programs. Throughout the program's entirety, you will be required to have your cell phone turned on, charged, and with you at all times to enable IES Abroad staff and/or family to reach you in the event of an emergency. IES Abroad staff members use students' cell phone numbers to broadcast text messages with instructions during emergency situations.

IES Abroad gives you the option of obtaining a cell phone while still in the U.S. or once you arrive at your program location. You choose your own cell phone provider and negotiate the best terms and conditions for the cellular service you choose. Once admitted to an IES abroad program, you will receive further information about acquiring your cell phone.

Eligibility
Applicants must have completed three semesters of college-level study by the time the program begins, enrolled full-time at the time of application and in good academic standing, and not on disciplinary probation. A minimum cumulative G.P.A. Completion of 4 semesters of college level French is required.

How to Apply
All applicants must follow the CUAbroad application guidelines and submit the CUAbroad online application with all required supplementary documentation. For details, please click on the How to Apply guidelines link.

Additional application materials to submit to CUAbroad:
• IES Online application
• IES Authorization and Evaluation Form
• IES Foreign Language Assessment form
• For Students with GPAs lower than 3.0 only, the IES Professor Recommendation form, and a personal essay addressing your GPA, any particular academic challenges faced, and goals for studying abroad.

Application Deadlines
Spring semester: October 1
Fall semester: March 1

Questions? Contact Madison Bolls, CUAbroad Program Manager