Study Abroad in Paris?

September 23, 2007 2:10 AM

I am looking for a study abroad program in Paris!

A friend and I want to spend next summer in Paris and are thinking about studying abroad. We're both college students and would also be open to internship/volunteer oppurtunities and have about two months to spend in Paris. She speaks French well and I am just learning. We would like the classes to be offered in English.

Thank you!

posted by thebrokenmuse to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

Sorry- thats an extremely run-on sentance. Maybe I should work on my English a little more before tackling the French thing.
posted by thebrokenmuse at 2:11 AM on September 23, 2007

A study abroad program, almost by definition, occurs when your college forms a partnership with a college abroad or offers classes in its own facilities abroad, thus giving you credits for your studies that take place abroad. So, if you want a study abroad program, look at your school's....study abroad program.

If you just want to go to Paris, you can. But it's not a study abroad program.
posted by bunnycup at 7:27 AM on September 23, 2007

I agree with bunnycup. If you're looking to get credit for the study abroad program, talk to the study abroad office at your university to see if they have suggestions or if there are any restrictions as to the credit they can accept. Even if you and your friend go to different universities, it's likely that you can find something your universities will agree on.

If you're not interested in credit at all and just want the experience living in France, I'd recommend starting with IIEPassport's advanced program search. You can search on location, internship options, etc. But a real, live, study abroad adviser is usually better at this because they know all the exceptions, things to look for in the search results and the funny little things that don't necessarily make it into the IIE Passport database.
posted by srah at 8:08 AM on September 23, 2007

What are you interested in studying/doing?
posted by hapax_legomenon at 8:43 AM on September 23, 2007

I studied for a semester at AUP and loved it.

I took Film Theory with Jerome Charyn and Antwerp and Amsterdam with George Wanklyn, who is a great teacher. The Antwerp and Amsterdam class included a field trip to both cities to see firsthand what we had been studying. Do not miss taking Architecture of Paris - it's a great way to learn about the history of the city you're living in through its buildings.

AUP teaches mainly in English, but you can take plenty of French grammar / literature / etc. courses as well. The student body is about a quarter students studying abroad plus lots of international types - Americans wanting to live in Europe, diplomats' kids, wealthy Arabs, and even a few honest-to-god Parisians.

All in all, a great study abroad experience.

If you want more immersion in, say, French grammar or politics, do a semester at the Sorbonne. You could also try Sciences Po, but I'm not sure if they do a semester study abroad program.
posted by charlesv at 9:30 AM on September 23, 2007

Go to your school's study abroad office. Easy.
posted by k8t at 10:05 AM on September 23, 2007

I should have said this before: I live in Paris and have friends who are professors at AUP and was thinking of suggesting it before, so I would certainly second charlesv. Was also thinking of suggesting Parsons Paris (now called The New School Paris) if you're interested in the arts, as I have a friend who is a professor there as well.

Before I moved to Paris, I spent several chunks of time here, and took a month-long half-day intensive at the Alliance Francaise once (which was great) so that might be interesting for you (although maybe not so much for your friend). Half-days gave me the feeling that I was doing something productive, but left me more than enough time to explore this beautiful city.

There are also lots and lots of art, writing and/or cooking classes you could do here. They range in duration from hours to weeks and are offered by various organizations.

If you let me know what you're interested in, I can ask various friends for their suggestions as well.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 10:16 AM on September 23, 2007

Do not go through AIFS. It is way overpriced. You can just register for classes at the Sorbonne in the international school and take French and French Civilization classes. There is a summer session. I don't know exactly how to do it, but you should just check their website. Check with your school's study abroad office before you go to see how to transfer the credits.
posted by Packy_1962 at 1:18 PM on September 23, 2007

I liked NYU in Paris very much. They have a summer program for undergraduates.
posted by CiaoMela at 6:30 AM on September 24, 2007