IES Abroad Paris: French Studies
Northwestern Requirements
- Students must have completed two years or the equivalent of college level French.
- Full Year students must take at least one regular course at a French university during the fall and two during the spring. Students staying for the Fall Semester only or Winter-Spring Quarters only must take at least one regular course. We encourage students to take more if they are up to the challenge. A “regular course” is defined as a course taught in the host language, for local university students (not study abroad students). This allows students to experience what it is like to be a local university student.
- The Northwestern Department of French and Italian recommends that students take at least 2-3 200-level French courses at Northwestern before beginning the program.
- Please note that Northwestern students attending the IES Paris program may only participate in the "French Studies" track. Northwestern does not accept credit from the IES Paris Business and International Affairs program.
Academic Specialties
- French language study (including courses in grammar, phonetics, and translation), Political Science, Humanities, Music, Economics, Social Sciences and the Francophone world with courses in Art, Cinema, and Francophone History and Literature.
- Music students have the opportunity to audition for the prestigious Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, and either take individual courses or participate in the Ecole's full curriculum (in addition to one IES French language course).
- Several IES Abroad program courses have a special focus on Francophone Africa, immigration and other social issues in France.
Course Type
Students select from a combination of IES Abroad program courses and university courses (directly enrolling in a French university within Paris). The IES Paris Center is located near the Montparnasse train station, within walking distance to the Latin Quarter and easy commuting distance to all areas of Paris.
University courses are located throughout the city depending on which university a student enrolls in.
Additional Information
Students on this program may have the opportunity to do internships at leading French museums, companies, schools, and NGOs. Be sure to read information on Northwestern's procedures for transferring international internship credit.Housing
Homestays. Although the IES Paris French Studies program offers an apartment option, Northwestern students are required to live with a host family to enhance the immersion experience.Program Costs
Estimated Costs: Fall 2011
For the most updated program cost information, please refer to your program provider’s website.
- Tuition: $14,170
- Room & Board: $5,495
- SAAF: $2,355
- Transportation: $1,200
- Books & Supplies: $150
- Personal Expenses: $2,700
- HTH Health Insurance: $190
- Consular & visa fees: $215
- Total Estimated Costs: $26,475
Additional Information:
- Billing Arrangements: Find out what you will be billed for by Northwestern and by your study abroad program.
- Study Abroad Budgeting Worksheet: Estimate total expenses associated with study abroad.
For more information on billing and financial aid, visit the Financial Considerations section of the website.
Approximate Program Size
90 students, depending on termApplication Requirements
Northwestern students must complete two applications for this program:- An IES application, available from the IES website.
- The Northwestern University Application for Permission to Study Abroad.
Note: Students interested in auditioning for a spot at the Ecole Normale de Musique must submit an audition CD to IES Abroad as part of the application process. When sending in the CD to IES Chicago's headquarters, make sure to use a traceable carrier, such as FedEx or UPS. In addition, let your IES Abroad adviser know that you are sending in the CD so that they can keep an eye out for it.
