French Language Immersion
2010 June 4-Week - Academics

Academic Focus

The French Language Immersion program at the Catholic University of Paris is designed for students of all language levels who are interested in acquiring and improving their French language skills within a broad liberal arts curriculum. You will choose your schedule from a combination of language courses and electives, all of which are taught in French. The Catholic University of Paris is dedicated to teaching French to non-native speakers and offers students flexibility in designing their schedule. The Catholic University of Paris also offers you small class sizes which make the educational experience more personal and engaging. As you earn credits in a variety of liberal art fields, you will certainly perfect your French language skills.

All students, no matter what their language level, will take a language course. Language courses focus on oral expression, vocabulary development, phonetics and listening comprehension. Students also have the option of enrolling up to two electives (or workshops). Electives available in the summer are limited, but give students the opportunity to further study the French language by taking a phonetics or composition course or study French culture by taking a civilization or literature course. The higher one’s language level, the more electives are available.

Each language course meets for 60 contact hours and is typically worth 4 credits in the US semester system. Each elective meets for 12 contact hours and is typically worth 1 credit in the US semester system. If students enroll in and complete 2 electives, they can earn up to 6 credits. However, it is up to the discretion of your academic advisor how much credit will be awarded. If you enroll in consecutive summer sessions, you will be tested at the end of each session and may move up to a higher level at the beginning of your next program. This allows students not only to earn credits for multiple language levels, but also to master a variety of French language concepts in a short amount of time.

Program Goals

Through formal and informal learning connected to the host university, city, people and culture; and by applying appropriate cognitive, affective, behavioral, ethical and intercultural tools; students will develop and articulate:

• discipline-based knowledge in the liberal arts and humanities and level-appropriate French language skills for study in these fields;
• analytic insight into salient cultural differences in the host country’s approach to targeted concepts and issues within these fields, all considered within the larger context of globalization and;
• French language and intercultural communication skills.

Schedule Summary

Language classes meet 5 days a week, Monday thru Friday, for 3 hours each day. Electives meet once a week for 3 hours. Classes may be held in the afternoon or morning and will not be final until students arrive onsite.

Course Registration

Students must register for courses prior to departure for Paris. A course preference form will be posted to your MyCEA Account when course selection is released. This form should be completed upon reception of your language level confirmation. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis so it is in your best interest to submit your course preference form as soon as possible. Course preferences for electives are considered final when submitted to CEA. To aid in the registration process, it is in your best interest to have courses, including alternates, approved by your academic advisor prior to submitting your course preference form.

For Language courses, Institut Catholique will send you an online language placement exam and you will receive a preliminary language level assignment. However, upon arrival in Paris and during orientation, students will take a short oral placement exam with the faculty. The purpose of this test is to verify the students' levels in case the written exam is not conclusive. Any anomalies in the placement will be detected at this time, and changes can be made to the initial placements. Only Institut Catholique faculty can make the decision to alter students' French level based on the oral component of the exam.