Program Info
Study Abroad in Paris (Catholic University of Paris, ILCF): Courses
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All students are required to take a French language course. Language classes are held in the morning, Monday through Friday. Session 1 (Intensive French program) also has classes on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
Language level placement is determined by a test taken prior to arrival in Paris and an oral test taken upon arrival regardless of previous French study.
Students should consult with their university advisors prior to departure to have course credit pre-approved for different French levels.
French Language Courses (Mandatory)
June: Session 1 - Intensive
July: Session 2 - Regular
Session 1 courses carry 5 credits and Session 2 courses carry 4 credits.
French 131 A1(5) (4) | French Language - Beginner
The Beginner classes introduce students to the rudiments of the
French language. They learn to introduce themselves, to give
and respond to simple greetings, to express their nationality and
age. Vocabulary work focuses on color, clothes, the family, the
calendar and items encountered in the home. Working in the
present tense, students learn to buy, order and pay for things as
well as to express their likes and dislikes.
French 132 A2 (5) (4) | French Language - Elementary
The Elementary French classes aim to teach students to
understand simple phrases that they will encounter in daily life.
They learn to answer basic questions and to ask for information
on familiar subjects. Students discuss their habits, daily activities
and personal experience and learn to give opinions. They are
able to make comparisons and use both the simple future and
simple past tenses.
French 231 B1.1 (5) (4) | French Language - Intermediate
At this level students learn to grasp the meaning of more
detailed information through discussion of topics such as
their studies, family ties, the work environment and social
relationships. They are able to use the conditional as well as
more complex future and past tenses, including the subjunctive.
They can give orders, express doubts and feelings, relate what
someone else has told them and discuss hypothetical situations.
French 232 B1.2 (5) (4) | French Language - Upper Intermediate
At this level students learn to grasp the meaning of more
detailed information through discussion of topics such as
their studies, family ties, the work environment and social
relationships. They are able to use the conditional as well as
more complex future and past tenses, including the subjunctive.
They can give orders, express doubts and feelings, relate what
someone else has told them and discuss hypothetical situations.
French 332 B2 (5) (4) / French 432 C1 (5) (4) | French Language - Advanced/French Language - Superior
Advanced students learn to interact naturally and with spontaneity
when conversing with native speakers, being able to express the
subtleties of their feelings and thoughts. They work at associating
facts and ideas, moving with fluency between tenses and learning
to alter their register to suit a given situation. In debates and
discussions students aim to make convincing and structured
arguments backed up by concrete examples. They discuss
politics, the economy and history, comparing different written and
spoken styles. Superior French furthers and develops upon the
material covered in Advanced French.
Session 2 Electives (taught in English)
Electives are held in the afternoon. Students have the option of taking one elective taught in English. Each elective course is recommended for 2 semester credits. All electives are subject to a minimum of 10 students.
Economics/Political Science 309 (2) | Politics and the Economy in France and Europe today
The French Republic is a complex web of institutions and
administrative bodies that can seem quite impregnable to
the outsider. Through examination of the French Revolution
and analysis of the values it upheld, students are able to
untangle the French political system and achieve a better
understanding of the workings of the State. Through study
of the trade unions, the media, and the educational system
and in comparing these apparatus to those of other European
countries, students learn to place France as a distinct socio/
political entity on the European and indeed global map.
Art History 311 (2) | Paris, World Capital of Arts and Architecture
With a focus on modernity and through visits to significant sites in the city, students learn to classify architectural function and style. Through discussion of the social and economic conditions in which various buildings were constructed, students acquire an understanding of the historic conditions that defined the changing Parisian landcape of the 17th to 20th centuries.
