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Paris, France

French And Critical Studies

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Information for term French And Critical Studies

Application deadline, and cost information.

Application Deadline

The application deadline has passed.

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Tentative Dates: Aug 12 – Dec 14, 2019 (18 weeks)*
  • Credit: 15-16 semester hours / 22.5-24 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 3.0 Overall GPA
$20,450 See full breakdown

Application Deadline

November 1, 2019
weeks
days
hours

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Deadline: November 1, 2019
  • Dates: Jan 6 – May 11, 2020 (18 weeks)
  • Credit: 15-16 semester hours / 22.5-24 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 3.0 Overall GPA
$21,150 See full breakdown

Application Deadline

The application deadline has passed.

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Credit: 15-16 semester hours / 22.5-24 quarter hours
  • Eligibility: 3.0 Overall GPA
$38,855 See full breakdown
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Overview

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Bring your advanced French language skills to the City of Lights and immerse yourself in art, society, culture, and university life. Choose from courses at CIEE’s partner schools, Université Paris Diderot or Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, as well as those at the CIEE Global Institute – Paris. Challenge yourself with fascinating classes in the arts, French academic reasoning and its intellectual tradition, with the vast course offerings Université de Paris. All courses are complemented with CIEE co-curricular activities and excursions beyond the city to enhance classroom learning and provide intercultural understanding.

Unique Experiences

  • LIVE LIKE A LOCAL STUDENT

    by taking courses at either the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3 or the Université Paris Diderot (Paris 7).

  • STUDY FRENCH THEORY

    in cinema, arts, writing, and critical thought.

  • TAKE A TRUE FRENCH GETAWAY

    to destinations like Bordeaux and Marseille - on our rich study tours.

  • LIBRARIES - THE MOST OF ANY CITY IN THE WORLD

    830

  • FILM OR COMMERCIAL SHOOTS ON PARISIAN STREETS EACH DAY

    10

  • annual visitors to the Notre Dame Cathedral

    14M

Location & Culture

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If you’re looking to spend time in one of the world’s most prominent centers of culture, finance, and commerce, look no further than Paris. The capital of France - and the country’s most populous city - is a top tourist destination. You’re destined to fall in love with its historic landmarks, exquisite dining, and charming architecture.

The Culture

EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES

  • Go on a weekend study tour of Bordeaux to learn about the history of the slave trade, sustainability, and the culture of wine.
  • Explore the hidden corners of Paris culture, art, and society through two extra-curricular activities a week.
  • Practice your French through a vibrant language exchange with Parisians, volunteer with one of our community service partners, or live your own passion with an interest group in music, sports, art, or film!

LANGUAGE IMMERSION

Improve your French! Students make the CIEE Community Language Commitment to speak French at all times, which fosters language proficiency and helps you better understand local culture.

Daily Life

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  • HOUSING

    Homestay. Adapt to the French lifestyle by living with a Parisian host. You’ll get a private room with a bed, desk, chair, lamp, and wardrobe, and share common spaces like the living room, kitchen, and bathroom with your host.

  • MEALS

    All breakfasts and five meals a week are provided.

Paris, France

Where You'll Study

  • A

    CIEE GLOBAL INSTITUTE - PARIS

    With classrooms, library space, computer areas, and more, our institute 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.

  • B

    UNIVERSITÉ SORBONNE NOUVELLE PARIS 3

    A 30-minute bus ride away. This institution is known for its courses in literature and language, film studies, and Arab world studies.

  • C

    UNIVERSITÉ PARIS DIDEROT

    The university is located on a new campus near the Bibliothèque Nationale and the Cinémathèque Française, and offers courses in literature, languages, film, philosophy, history, sociology, psychology, economics, and almost every branch of the physical sciences.

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Program Details

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What you need to know

The program details

Students with advanced French language skills (minimum of four semesters of college-level French or equivalent) direct enroll at either Université Paris Diderot or Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, in addition to classes at the CIEE Global Institute – Paris. All students are required to take Writing Workshop I and II to acquire essential French academic writing and reasoning skills needed to succeed at the Université Paris Diderot or Sorbonne Nouvelle. All classes are taught entirely in French by esteemed faculty - active researchers in the fields of cinema, visual arts, textual analysis, and critical theory.

Most students will take a minimum of one course at the Université de Paris, in addition to CIEE elective courses taught in French. More advanced students, with the permission of CIEE Paris faculty and staff, may take two or three of their elective courses at the Université de Paris.

Academic year students must take a minimum of five courses in the spring semester and are encouraged to take all of their second-semester classes at the Université de Paris.

Université Paris Diderot is a multidisciplinary university established in 1971 that hosts some 26,000 students. The campus is located in the 13th arrondissement, in the Paris Rive Gauche neighborhood, and specializes in literature, comparative art studies, sociology, linguistics, the humanities, and natural and physical sciences.
 
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle is a branch of the University of Paris, the second oldest university in Europe, the founder of the first doctorate degree, and the alma matter of many historic intellectuals. It hosts almost 20,000 students.
 
CIEE Global Institute – Paris is on the rue du Sentier, just minutes away from the Palais-Royal, and the Louvre. It houses classrooms, library space, computer areas, and more. 

Academics

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Academics

  • CLASS FORMAT

    Courses taught at the CIEE Global Institute are typically for CIEE students only. Classes are scheduled Monday-Friday and meet either two, three, or four times per week, and attendance is strictly enforced both for classes and required co-curricular excursions. Students should expect an average of two hours of preparation required for each hour in class. Instruction is supported and augmented online by our learning management system, Canvas.

  • GRADING

    French university grades are based on a combination of midterm and final examinations and research papers and oral presentations, and are on the French grading scale of 0-20, which CIEE then converts into recommended U.S. letter grade equivalents. The U.S. grading scale of A-F is used for CIEE classes. Students are graded on the basis of attendance, class participation, homework, project work, presentations, and midterm and final examinations. Learning outcomes assessment is continuous through personal reflections, evaluation feedback, self-assessment, and requirements as set out in course syllabi.

  • ACADEMIC CULTURE

    Each six-week CIEE course is a full semester in content, so the pace is accelerated and the workload is demanding. CIEE courses are designed to follow U.S. academic culture and standards. The class environment typically features a combination of traditional lecture and discussion with co-curricular excursions and activities. Heavy emphasis is placed on student participation. To avoid falling behind, students should not plan personal travel out of Paris when classes are in session and plan trips for the long weekends in between blocks. French university courses are often more formal and consist of lectures with little class participation. Great importance is placed on oral presentations, so strong French speaking and writing skills are important. Professors also expect students to work independently and determine their own study and reading schedules. Our Writing Workshops will be there to help you navigate this new academic adventure.

Eligibility

  • OVERALL GPA

    Students need to have a GPA of at least 3.0.

  • PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

    4 semesters of college-level French (or equivalent) required. 

Curriculum

Program Credit

  • ​​Total semester credit: 15 semester credits / 21 quarter credits
  • Course credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter credits unless otherwise noted in syllabus

Challenge yourself with fascinating courses on the arts, French academic reasoning and its intellectual tradition, and the vast offering of courses at the Université de Paris.

CIEE elective courses operate on a block schedule and are condensed into three intensive 6-week blocks. During the first six weeks of the semester, Block I, all students are required to take Writing Workshop I. In Block II (weeks 7-12) students must take Writing Workshop II. CIEE French and Critical Studies students must take at least one university course at the Université de Paris (Diderot or Sorbonne Nouvelle). Students fulfill the rest of their credit requirements with a combination of CIEE and Université de Paris courses.

All CIEE courses and most Université Paris Diderot (Paris 7) courses are 45 contact hours and 3 semester/4.5 quarter credits per course, unless otherwise noted. Most Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris 3) courses are 39 contact hours and 3 semester/4.5 quarter credits per course. Courses are taught in French.

Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.

Spring 2019 Courses

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 Courses offered in Paris are listed below; course list is subject to change. Courses are in French, and 45 contact hours (60 for language courses), 3 semester/4.5 quarter credits, unless otherwise noted in the syllabus. 

REQUIRED CIEE SEMESTER COURSE

BLOCK 1

BLOCK 2

CIEE ELECTIVE COURSES

BLOCK 1

BLOCK 2

BLOCK 3

UNIVERSITÉ DE PARIS COURSES (UP)

  • Students will enroll in UP courses on site. For past course offerings, the websites are listed below. CIEE cannot guarantee courses offered in the past will be offered again.

 

Fall 2019 Courses

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REQUIRED CIEE ACADEMIC PRE-SESSION COURSES

BLOCK I

BLOCK II

CIEE ELECTIVE COURSES

BLOCK I

BLOCK II

BLOCK III

UNIVERSITÉ DE PARIS COURSES (UP)

Students will enroll in UP courses on site. For past course offerings, the websites are listed below. CIEE cannot guarantee courses offered in the past will be offered again.

Spring 2020 Courses

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 Courses offered in Paris are listed below; course list is subject to change.

REQUIRED CIEE COURSES

BLOCK 1

  • FREN 3103 PAFR: Writing Workshop I

BLOCK II

  • FREN 3104 PAFR: Writing Workshop II

CIEE ELECTIVE COURSES

BLOCK I

  • FREN 3101 PAFR (FREN): Pensée contemporaine française (in French)

BLOCK II

BLOCK III

UNIVERSITÉ DE PARIS COURSES (UP)
Students will enroll in UP courses on site. Students may only enroll in courses at one UP campus, Paris 7 or Paris 3. For past course offerings, the websites are listed below. CIEE cannot guarantee courses offered in the past will be offered again.

Université Paris Diderot (Paris 7): Courses at Paris Diderot are offered in all disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, philosophy, history, sociology, anthropology, economics, linguistics, life sciences, chemistry, physics, and computing. 

Université de Paris Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris 3): Courses at the Sorbonne Nouvelle focus on literature, language, cinema studies, and theater studies.

Scholarships

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Scholarships & Grants

CIEE offers more than $8 million in scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.

Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:

  • Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
  • Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
  • Stohl International Undergraduate Research Scholarships
  • CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant

To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application. Learn more at the Scholarships & Grants section of our website.

See more scholarship info

Dates, Deadlines & Fees

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Dates, Deadlines & Fees

You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.

YOUR FEE INCLUDES:

  • Tuition
  • Housing
  • Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
  • Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
  • Full-time program leadership and support in your host city
  • Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
  • Insurance and other travel benefits, with CIEE iNext
  • 24/7 emergency on-site support

 

No Hidden Fees

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Fees & Housing
Fall 2019 18 weeks Aug 12, 2019* Dec 14, 2019*
$20,450
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Program Fees

CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits.

Participation Confirmation = $300 *

Educational Costs = $15,983 **

Housing = $4,000 ***

Insurance = $167

Total Fees = $20,450

Estimated Costs

Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.

Meals not included in program fee = $2,600 †

International Airfare = $1,200 ††

Local Transportation = $475

Books & Supplies = $200

Visa Fees = $165 †††

Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500

Personal expenses = $3,000

Total Estimated Costs = $8,140

Financial Aid

CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.

See Scholarships

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 $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

*** Daily breakfast and three dinners 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.

† for students in studio apartment; students living with a French host should budget $1,500 for meals not included in the program fee

†† round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

††† average cost, including Campus France fees
Academic year 2019-2020 18 weeks Jan 6, 2020 TBD
$38,855
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Program Fees

CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits.

Participation Confirmation = $300 *

Educational Costs = $30,388 **

Housing = $8,000 ***

Insurance = $167

Total Fees = $38,855

Estimated Costs

Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.

Meals not included in program fee = $5,200 †

International Airfare = $1,200 ††

Local Transportation = $950

Books & Supplies = $200

Visa Fees = $165 †††

Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500

Personal expenses = $6,000

Total Estimated Costs = $14,215

Financial Aid

CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.

See Scholarships

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 $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

*** Daily breakfast and three dinners 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.

† for students in studio apartment; students living with a French host should budget $1,500 for meals not included in the program fee

†† round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

††† average cost, including Campus France fees
Spring 2020 18 weeks Nov 1, 2019 Jan 6, 2020 May 11, 2020
$21,150
Click to Close

Program Fees

CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits.

Participation Confirmation = $300 *

Educational Costs = $16,683 **

Housing = $4,000 ***

Insurance = $167

Total Fees = $21,150

Estimated Costs

Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.

Meals not included in program fee = $2,600 †

International Airfare = $1,200 ††

Local Transportation = $475

Books & Supplies = $200

Visa Fees = $165 †††

Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500

Personal expenses = $3,000

Total Estimated Costs = $8,140

Financial Aid

CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.

See Scholarships

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 $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students

*** Daily breakfast and three dinners 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.

† for students in studio apartment; students living with a French host should budget $1,500 for meals not included in the program fee

†† round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

††† average cost, including Campus France fees

*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.

To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, ask your college or university study abroad advisor if your school charges additional fees for study abroad.

Looking for funding?

See Our Scholarships

Our Staff

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Our Staff

  • Brent Keever

    Director

    Brent Keever, Ph.D., 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.

  • Lucie Laureillard

    Director, Housing & Health

    Lucie Laureillard has two master’s degrees, one in English history and one in French teaching.

  • Franck Le Gac

    Academic Director

    Franck oversees the coordination, quality, and planning of all courses and educational programing in Paris.

Get Started

Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:
  • 1

    START AN APPLICATION
    You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience! 

    Apply Now
  • 2

    CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE 
    Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. 

  • 3

    Contact Us

    Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program. 

    Contact Morgan

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