Courses
3 OPTIONS:
-
All French classes
-
For either French Majors/Minors or students who want to learn French via immersion​
-
-
Mixture of French & English classes
-
All English Classes (See subjects below)
Students are guaranteed elective credits for their semester abroad.
​
You will not know which classes you are going to take until you are in Paris, which is why it is recommended to take elective classes.
You may receive major credits upon consulting with your major advisor and chairperson to discuss which classes you need to take in order to meet major requirements.
​
Meet with an advisor and see which classes you need. Once you are in Paris, try to find courses that match up with your requirements; follow up with your advisor in Paris.
​
It is best to be flexible with your classes and take elective credits abroad.
You must be a FULL-TIME student in Paris (12 credits).
VERY IMPORTANT:
FRENCH UNIVERSITY PLACEMENT
The earliest you would know your University Placement would be in June (Fall Applicants)/December (Spring Applicants); however, placements are tentative until students arrive in Paris.
​
Students will have a Skype interview with MICEFA's Academic Director in June (Fall Applicants)/December (Spring Applicants). He will listen to your ideas and plans for study and suggest a campus that might best meet your needs. It is ultimately your choice which university you go to, but keep in mind that certain schools require a high level of French. If you do not meet this level, you will not be eligible to attend that school.
Once you arrive in Paris, you will have the opportunity to take part in campus visits. If the campus that you had discussed does not work for whatever reason, you may choose another campus.
​
COURSE REGISTRATION
You will not know which classes you will be taking until a couple of days before the semester starts in Paris.
​
This is very important to note! Unlike the U.S., where registration opens months ahead of time, the registration process in Paris is very last minute.
​
Once you have an idea of your University Placement, you can try to look for classes online, but it is unlikely that you will find a list. You will not be handed a list of classes; you will have to research the university and go to different departments at the university to see what is offered. Many things are still done on paper in France.
​
INTENSIVE FRENCH CLASS
All students are required to take a 3-week Intensive French Class during their first month in Paris. This will help students to brush up on important grammar topics and vocabulary. Students receive 3 credits for this class. ​
There are different levels of this class:
Your level will be determined through your MICEFA Placement Test, Skype Interview, and On-Site Interview.
-
For students who do not speak any French, a mandatory Survival French class is required.
​
Since the Intensive Class counts as 3 credits, students have the option of taking 9-12 credits during the rest of the semester.
FRENCH CLASSES AT FRENCH UNIVERSITIES
In theory, students can take any classes they want as long as their level of French permits it and his/her department approves of the courses. Students with a high level of French can take classes with French students. They must ensure that they can keep up with the French teaching style, essay format, etc.
Most students take courses in French as a Foreign Language/Français Langue Etrangère (FLE) with international students from all over the world. These include, but are not limited to:
​
French Grammar
French Culture
History of Paris
French Phonetics
French Composition
French Cinema
​
Those who have good reading and writing skills in French have the option of taking courses in the following subjects:
​
​
-Literature
-Linguistics
-Art History
-Cinema
-History
-Economics
-Sociology
-Political Science
-Women's Studies
-Etc.
​
​
Students will discuss their desired classes during their MICEFA Skype Interview, which takes place in the first 3 weeks of December for those applying for the Spring semester and in the first three weeks of June for those applying for the Fall semester.
ENGLISH CLASSES AT FRENCH UNIVERSITIES
Students now have the option to take English Classes in Paris.
Please note that students can only take classes at one French university (not several ones at the same time), and some subjects are only offered at certain schools, therefore, you may not be able to mix certain subject classes.
-
See this document for more information on subjects and universities.
​
Subjects:
-
History
-
Literature
-
Political Science
-
International Relations
-
Business- For Business Majors. Must be a Junior or Senior when in Paris
-
Engineering Science
-
Aerospace Engineering
-
Computer Science
MICEFA CLASSES
Students can enroll in at most two MICEFA courses during their semester abroad, and one during their second semester abroad for yearlong students. Some of these courses are taught in French, while others are taught in English.
Subjects include, but are not limited to:
​
Oral Expression and Comprehension
19th Century Literature
20th Century Literature
Contemporary Film and Film Theory
Human Rights
Creative Writing
Women’s Rights in France
Translation Through the Press
​
NOTE: Classes vary from semester to semester.
For more detailed information about possible class offerings, please consult this MICEFA's website: micefa.org.