Study Abroad Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne

Housing

In order to enrich the immersion experience, students are housed with host families. Assignments are made after the students’ arrival in Paris, during orientation. Because each person is different, the resident director takes time to meet all participants individually to know their lifestyle and wishes about their French family. Based on that information, the director pairs students and families, some of which have been welcoming students of the program for a long time. The families live within Greater Paris, no more than 45 minutes or so of the program office and classroom. The families vary in size and personality. While a few are older couples whose children no longer live at home or single woman, most are families with children still at home. A few live in apartments, most live in houses with gardens. All family placements have access to the internet. Living and interacting with the host family provides opportunities to communicate in French and increases access to daily life and culture in France.

Meals

Daily breakfast and two dinners per week are provided by home stay family. Students have free use of the family’s kitchen for their other meals.

For More Information…

For more information, email a study abroad representative. To schedule an advising appointment, contact the Office of Study Abroad at 336.841.9280.

Cost Breakdown for Fall 2013 & Spring 2014

Application Fee: $500.00

The application fee is non-refundable. Due at time of application.

Program Fee: $19,112.50

• The program fee is payable to High Point University and includes tuition, fees, housing, and some meals. Participants are billed at the HPU All-Inclusive Fee rate of $20,800 with a less of $1,687.50 for meals not included.
• Meals, not included in program fee, are self-catered.

Additional Costs:

• Meals not covered by program fee
• Round-trip airfare
• Trip cancellation insurance
• Ground transportation
• Immigration visa
• International medical insurance
• Passport
• Textbooks
• Personal travel, expenses, and souvenirs

IMPORTANT: As part of the North Carolina Consortium Program, High Point University affiliates with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) to provide this educational program to HPU students. Students looking for information online may find discrepancies in program fees between what HPU charges and what UNCW charges. Due to the terms agreed upon in our affiliation agreement, HPU students cannot apply directly to UNCW for this program, nor can they opt to pay program fees directly to UNCW.

For More Information…

For more information, email a study abroad representative. To schedule an advising appointment, contact the Office of Study Abroad at 336.841.9280.

What will I experience at Sorbonne?

The program offers frequent cultural activities, many of which are incorporated into and enrich the academic program. Students go on a day excursion (to the châteaux of  Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte or the villages of Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise associated with the artistic life of the nineteenth century), and spend the weekend in the Loire Valley or in Normandy and Brittany.

As part of the program, students also participate in historical and architectural walking tours of Parisian neighborhoods, attend an opera or ballet at the Palais Garnier or Opéra Bastille, attend a concert of classical music or French rock or pop.

Cultural activities vary, of course,  from one semester to another because of the rich but always changing programming of museums, concert halls, and theaters. Check out videos of recent excursions: Rouen and Chateaux de la Loire.

Read about International Business/ French major Emily Vairo’s experience in Paris below:

I would call myself a Francophile. I have always been intrigued by French culture and have been learning French since I was in grade school. In high school, after spending five weeks in France, I knew I definitely wanted to study abroad there for a semester in college. As a French and International Business major, I knew that I could gain a vast amount of cultural experiences by studying and living in France. I chose Paris because I knew my linguistic ability would grow and thrive being fully immersed into French culture, taking all of my courses in French and living with a host family.

Expectations: I expected my experience in Paris to be an incredible adventure. I wasn’t nervous about leaving the country because I had traveled abroad extensively in the past. I didn’t think I would experience culture shock because I thought I knew everything about French culture. I was anxiously awaiting my departure to what I can honestly say was the greatest three months of my life. However I could not anticipate the self-growth and educational growth that occurred.

Accommodations: One of the most rewarding aspects about the Paris program was living with a host family. I was blessed to be placed into a kind and welcoming home. Since the children of my host parents were grown and lived out of the house, my host parents decided to occupy their extra space with students. Therefore I had a truly unique experience of living with French parents and two Swedish host sisters. I had my own personal room and shared a bathroom with the two other students. Even though they were only required to prepare dinner for me two nights a week, I was welcomed to eat with the family every night of the week. Our one rule at home was to always speak French, which definitely improved my confidence and linguistic ability.

Classes: The program consisted of a 9-credit intensive French grammar course, including a phonetics course, at the Sorbonne, and courses from UNCW including Explorations in French, and the option of taking one or two electives in French or English. The intensive French course met five days a week for two hours each session and the UNCW classes met twice a week for an hour and a half. I chose to take the French elective, a literature course, in order to fully immerse myself in the language. Now I feel comfortable writing and reading in French. The Explorations in French course included guided walks around Paris to learn the city’s history and several excursions to other parts of France including Giverny, Rouen, and the Loire Valley.

Travel: Paris doesn’t define France. Living in Paris for three months won’t give you a complete taste of French culture because different regions have different cultural aspects such as food, behavior, and accents. Studying abroad in Europe is incredible because you have the opportunity to travel to numerous countries quickly and inexpensively. There were 17 other students in my program so there was always someone to plan and travel with. We took advantage of inexpensive airlines such as Ryanair and lodging at student hostels. Travel within France was also economical because of student discounts. I personally enjoyed traveling to different cities in France so I could still speak French while experiencing different aspects of French culture.

Advice:
-Don’t be afraid to meet local people! It is the best way to practice your language skills and have a true cultural experience!
-Explore the city on your own- I found some of the more interesting places and best cafes while wandering around Paris alone without a set plan. Just make sure to have a map!
-Plan your budget- make a list of the cities you want to visit when you first arrive and allocate an estimated budget so you can visit each one.
-Carpe Diem! Take advantage of your each day abroad because it passes quickly.
-Always keep a positive attitude! Remember that not everything is going to be sunshine and roses- you will experience culture shock and miss aspects of American life but those feelings are temporary. Embrace the cultural differences and enjoy your experience!

Conclusion: My semester in Paris was more rewarding than I could’ve imagined. I became more independent and self-confident. I have new American friends from different North Carolina schools, international friends from my classes at the Sorbonne, and a new family with French parents and Swedish sisters. I can now speak French at ease and have plans to continue studying French after graduation. I have already returned to Paris over the holidays to visit my family and plan to return again soon. Studying abroad opened my eyes to living and working in France in the future.

STUDENT TRAVEL
Students are encouraged to plan most of their short trips in France during the semester and to travel around Europe after the end of the program. Paris is ideally located in the center of Western Europe. The unique high speed trains railway network combined with the extensive European low cost airplane companies make Paris the perfect place to travel to and from all the main French and European cities, as well as Northern Africa.

France is so much more than only Paris! In a few hours of train, students can visit and spend weekends in Normandy, Brittany, the Basque country, the French Riviera, the Alps and much more. These trips are an amazing opportunity to practice French and discover the diversity of French culture. During orientation, information is presented to students in order to help them plan their trips in France and get the best fares.

For More Information…

For more information about Cours de Civilisation Francaise de la Sorbonne, visit the Cours de Civilisation Francaise de la Sorbonne website or email a study abroad representative.

For an idea of what your semester at Cours de Civilisation Francaise de la Sorbonne may look like, schedule an appointment with a study abroad advisor. Contact the Office of Study Abroad at 336.841.9280.