ciee - council on international educational exchange
apply now for a ciee study abroad program

Search this site:
are you an advisor?
  
CIEE Annual Conference
Sign up for our newsletter
featured programs

Study in China
beijing - chinese language + culture

Study in France
paris - critical studies

Study in Nicaragua
managua - liberal arts

Study in the Czech Republic
prague - film studies

Study in Italy
naples - liberal arts

Study in Italy
naples - classical studies

Study in Germany
berlin - language + culture

Study in Thailand
khon kaen - community public health

Study in Australia
perth - sustainability + the environment

Is this program right for you?

This program is geared to students who have completed at least five semesters of French study or are at the high intermediate or advanced level in their language study. Students should have an interest in a critical approach to contemporary French thought in the fields of literature, film, philosophy, art, and aesthetics.

Program Snapshot

  • Unique program focusing on French theory in cinema, the arts, writing, and critical thought
  • Taught entirely in French, with strong emphasis on the French intellectual tradition and emergent thought
  • Direct enrollment at the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3 or the Université de Paris Diderot; directly engage in Parisian intellectual life
  • Structured cultural and educational activities such as visits to exhibits, film festivals, and lectures; day excursions to places near Paris

Subject Areas

  • Architecture
  • Art History
  • Critical Theory and Studies
  • Cultural Studies
  • Culture (host country)
  • Film Studies
  • French Language
  • French/Francophone Literatures
  • Gender Studies
  • History
  • Language (host country)
  • Language, Literature, Culture (host country)
  • Literature
  • Literature (host country)
  • Literature Criticism/Comparative Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Politics
  • Sociology
  • Visual & Performing Arts

About Paris

Paris remains a stage upon which intellectual life is played. Its landscape is beaded by such sites of learning as the Sorbonne, the Collège de France, and the Collège International de Philosophie. Its famous museums and galleries display a vast wealth of cultural artifacts that continue to both inspire and challenge artists and observers. Against the backdrop of its millennia of history, cut through by the river Seine, spring hundreds of cinemas, a multitude of book shops, historical and current graffiti, cultural cafés, and concert halls.

Where You'll Study

Paris Center for Critical Studies

The CIEE Study Center in Paris, known as the Paris Center for Critical Studies, is on the rue du Sentier in the lively, central Sentier neighborhood, in the 2nd arrondissement. The Center is less than a minute away from the Grands Boulevards, a 10-minute walk to the Palais Royal, and a 15-minute walk to the Louvre. Courses taught by CIEE-hired faculty take place in the Center. Advanced language students may audit or take courses at the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3, a 30-minute bus-ride away, or at the new Grands Moulins campus of the Université de Paris Diderot.

Thoughts From Abroad

Souvent considéré comme un musée habité, Paris demeure une ville dynamisée par des forces créatives dans les domaines du cinéma, des beaux arts, de la littérature et de l’engagement intellectuel. Tel un laboratoire de la pensée contemporaine française, le Centre parisien d’études critiques vous invite à faire des expériences sur les textes, les discours, les images et les gestes qui alimentent cette réflexion énergique, tantôt contestataire, tantôt paradoxale, toujours passionnante. Puisant dans les arènes de l’univers intellectuel parisien—des instituts philosophiques et académiques aux lieux d’exposition, de projection et de représentation artistique—vous pourrez vous créer une boîte à outils théoriques qui vous aidera à monter, démonter et démontrer les échafaudages de cette pensée qui ne finit pas de se faire construire et démolir. Penser Paris: le chantier de l’esprit critique.

— Brent Keever, Resident Director

Staff Bios

Resident Director Dr. Brent Keever received his B.A. in English and Literary Criticism from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in English and Modern Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has taught and lectured all over the U.S. and France, on such topics as satire and humor, the literary and cinematic representations of sound, mysticism, and technology, and ethics in cartoons. His research interests include the history of critical theory and criticism, film studies, musicology, and modernist poetry and prose. An avid translator and film sub-titler, he has worked with the French children’s literature group, l’école des loisirs, as well as with French politicians. He is currently working on a project that throws into question certain theories about listening and sharing.

Natalie Malacrida, Student Services and Housing Coordinator, is responsible for housing, excursions, and student well-being. She is a former CIEE student and has a B.A. in English and French from the University of Iowa, and a Master’s in French and Comparative Literature from Middlebury College, with a thesis on study abroad and international education.

Lucie Laureillard, Program Coordinator, has a Master’s degree in French language teaching and is a doctoral candidate in linguistics at the Université de Paris VIII. She organizes cultural events and outings and is responsible for the conversation exchange program and the French language-teaching internship program with the Université de Paris. The internship program brings French students into the Center to help CIEE students perfect their French language skills.

Recommended Credit

fall semester: 16 semester/24 quarter hours
spring semester: 15 semester/22.5 quarter hours 
academic year: 31 semester/46.5 quarter hours

Eligibility Requirements

  • Overall GPA 3.0
  • 5 semesters of college-level French or equivalent
  • Demonstrated interest in critical theory and coursework in one or more of the following areas: philosophy, semiotics, film studies, visual studies, French, or comparative literature

Program Dates

Fall 20098/19/2009 - 12/19/2009
Academic Year 2009-108/19/2009 - 5/22/2010
Spring 20101/13/2010 - 5/22/2010

Application Deadlines

Fall 20094/1/2009
Academic Year 2009-104/1/2009
Spring 201011/1/2009

Click here to check for deadline extensions.

Duration

Fall 200922 weeks
late August - mid-December
Academic Year 2009-1041 weeks
late August - mid-May
Spring 201021 weeks
mid-January - late May

CIEE Costs

CIEE program fees, inclusions, and estimated additional costs, are outlined below. Please note that CIEE reserves the right to adjust its fees in the event of significant change in exchange rates or other factors beyond its control. The actual cost of the programs may vary slightly for students from different institutions.

For comprehensive fee breakdowns and estimated additional costs, click the costs below:

  • Fall 2009 $16,500
    The CIEE fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and one meal per week, orientation, cultural activities, day trips, excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$11,626
    Housing$4,800
    Medical Insurance$74
    Total$16,500

    The CIEE fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and one meal per week, orientation, cultural activities, day trips, excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Meals$2,000
    Personal Expenses$3,000
    Local Transportation$390
    Visa Fees$185
    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$1,250
    Books and Supplies$200
    Potential Travel to Consulate for Visa$400
    Total$7,425


  • Academic Year 2009-10 $29,700
    The CIEE fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and one meal per week, orientation, cultural activities, day trips, excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$20,026
    Medical Insurance$74
    Housing$9,600
    Total$29,700

    The CIEE fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and one meal per week, orientation, cultural activities, day trips, excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Local Transportation$780
    Visa Fees$185
    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$1,250
    Personal Expenses$6,000
    Meals$4,000
    Books and Supplies$400
    Potential Travel to Consulate for Visa$400
    Total$13,015


  • Spring 2010 $16,700
    The CIEE fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and one meal per week, orientation, cultural activities, day trips, excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits. *One meal per week is included for students who choose to live with a French host.  No weekly  meals are included for students staying in studio apartments or apartments with roommates.

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$11,826
    Medical Insurance$74
    Housing*$4,800
    Total$16,700

    The CIEE fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing and one meal per week, orientation, cultural activities, day trips, excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits. *One meal per week is included for students who choose to live with a French host.  No weekly  meals are included for students staying in studio apartments or apartments with roommates.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Potential Travel to Consulate for Visa$400
    Meals**$2,000
    Personal Expenses$3,000
    Books and Supplies$200
    Local Transportation$390
    Visa Fees (average)$100
    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$1,050
    Total$7,140

    **Estimated meal costs for students living with a French host are $1700.


Scholarship Information

For a complete list of scholarships available, please vist our Scholarships section.