JMU Summer in Paris

Summer 2012: June 29 to August 10 (tentative dates)

Program Location

When you think of world-class cities, names like New York and London always come to mind. But Paris is actually the most popular city in the world based on its number of foreign visitors. With over 30 million visitors per year, Paris attracts 15 times more visitors than it has residents!

Paris is both the capital of France, as well as the country’s largest city. While the city has about 2.1 million residents, the total population of the metropolitan area is about 12 million. Its location in northwestern France affords residents easy access to other major cities such as London and Brussels. Those who visit fall in love with its charm, elegance, attitude, cuisine, and culture. There is, after all, a very good reason that Paris is the most popular tourist destination in the world! Living in Paris allows students the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and to strengthen their language skills through continuous use and study.

Academic Program  

Students will be able to take upper-division French and General Education courses.  The six-week Paris Summer Program will fulfill the study abroad requirement for the JMU IBUS Program. All courses are given in French by French professors. All outings will be conducted by the program director and the professors. Students will also attend ballet, theatrical and concert performances at the Paris Opéra, the Comédie Française, the Madeleine, etc. Excursions to Versailles and Strasbourg will also take place.

Instructional methods include lectures, guided tours, journals assignments and/or papers, and tests/exams. Students will register for nine credits (three courses). They will attend regular lectures in regular classroom setting supplemented with outings in Paris.

Students will have daily assignments, classroom quizzes, take a mid-term exam and a final exam for each course.

A six-week program in Paris offering nine credits in French (same as the 2011 summer program).

Tentative course offerings:

• FR 307P—History of French Civilization (3)
  (Fulfills GenEd Cluster 2-Tier One)
• FR 308P— Contemporary French Civilization (3)
  (Fulfills GenEd Cluster 2- Tier Two)
• FR375P - Business and Society in France (3)
  (Fulfills GenEd Cluster 2- Tier One)
• FR 446P-Contemporary of French Civilization (3)
  (Fulfills GenEd Cluster 2- Tier 3)
• FR447P - Practical French Conversation in Contemporary Culture (3)
  (Fulfills GenEd Cluster 2 – Tier One)
  
  Pre-requisiteis: FR 300

Accommodations

Students will reside in residence halls/dormitories in Paris, France. All meals will be provided.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

In addition to the Short-term Application, interested students should submit a faculty recommendation. Applicants must have a 2.8 minimum GPA. Course pre-requisiteis FR 300. Applicants must be 19 years of age or older.

For More Information

For additional information about the JMU in Paris program, please contact the program director:

Christiane Szeps-Fralin
Professor of French
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Tel: 540-568-6506
E-mail: szepsfca@jmu.edu