Academic Focus
The Liberal Arts program offered during the summer at the Institute for American Universities (IAU) is intended for students who want to study in the south of France while participating in an American form of university education. Students will study at le Centre d’Aix, IAU’s center for liberal studies in Aix-en-Provence. With the exception of French language and literature courses, electives at le Centre are taught in English. This allows students of all language levels to study in Aix-en-Provence. The number of courses offered during the summer is limited, but are offered in a variety of fields such as International Business, Political Science, Psychology and Art History. With such a strong liberal arts curriculum, you will not only earn credits toward your degree, but also have the opportunity to learn about French language and culture.
The summer program at le Centre is 6 weeks in length and students will enroll in two courses. Students are encouraged to enroll in a French language course, but there are no required courses. Students are encouraged to select courses that best fit their academic needs. For example, students can enroll in a French language course and an elective course, or enroll in two elective courses.
Each course meets for a total of 45 contact hours and is generally worth 3 credits in the US semester system. By enrolling in two courses, students can earn up to 6 credits in the US semester system. Note, it is up to the discretion of your academic advisor how much credit will be awarded.
Schedule Summary
Each class meets for approximately 2 hours per day, Monday thru Thursday. Timetables will be shared onsite during the registration process.
Course Registration
You will register for courses, including alternates, prior to departure. During the pre-departure process, all students are required to complete a course selection form indicating their course preferences and alternates. Students are encouraged to submit their form as early as possible as popular courses fill up quickly. Based on the course selection form and course availability, a student’s course registration will be finalized. With regard to language classes, students will take a placement exam upon arrival to confirm their language level. If their level is different than indicated on their application, adjustments will be made to the student’s schedule to place them in the right language class.
IAU does its best to accommodate an individual student’s needs. However, scheduling conflicts or French placement text results may necessitate an adaptation of a student’s proposed program. In order to ensure that you receive credit for the language level and courses that you place into, it is in your best interest to have a variety of courses and language levels approved by your academic advisor prior to departure.
