France

French Language at the Sorbonne

Program

About Paris

Courses

Faculty

Excursions

Accommodation

Travel

Cost

Calendar

Eligibility

Application Deadline

PROGRAM

For the 58th consecutive year, Temple University invites students and teachers of French to spend an unforgettable summer in Paris studying at the Sorbonne. Join people from all over the country, of various ages and backgrounds, and share a valuable learning experience in an ideal setting. Temple University offers students the opportunity to study at one of the world’s great universities, to develop language skills, and to make lasting friendships in a relaxed and congenial atmosphere.

Courses at the Sorbonne are designed to fit individual needs, whether you are a beginner, a student with some experience, or a teacher wishing to sharpen your skills. Although Temple in Paris is a university-level program, selected high school seniors may be accepted. Large enough to provide diversity and courses of a professional quality, the Sorbonne Study Program is small enough to ensure personal contact and attention.

PARIS

Paris is indeed one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Participants will be able to enjoy the cafés of the Latin Quarter and Montparnasse, explore the small streets of Montmartre, stroll down the Champs Elysees, enjoy classical theater or the latest film, listen to Baroque music in Gothic churches, visit the Musee d’Orsay or the Picasso Museum, and discover the modern sites at the Bastille, the Louvre, and La Villette. The possibilities — intellectual, cultural, and gastronomical — are endless.

COURSES & ACADEMIC CREDIT

Temple University will grant six semester hours of credit for the six-week course and four hours for the four-week course to all students admitted to the Temple in Paris program, provided they attend class regularly and meet academic standards. Students will be placed in the appropriate language course following the Sorbonne placement test given upon arrival in Paris and a review of the students’ transcripts. Graduate credit will be given only to students meeting the standards of the Graduate School of Temple University, who have 24 hours of credit in French above the intermediate level, and a B average in French.

Cours Pratique de Langue Française

Monday through Friday, with native French professors. Offered on five levels (beginning through advanced), this course includes review of grammar, phonetics laboratory, dictation, and method of explication de textes. The Cours Pratique may be taken for either four or six weeks and offers four or six credits, respectively. The teaching staff has taught Temple in Paris students for many years.

Workshop in the Teaching of French

Teachers of French may participate in a four-week course consisting of pedagogical lectures and on-site visits.

Conferences de Civilisation Française

Free, non-credit bearing lectures will be given by specialists on various aspects of contemporary France, including literature, art and aesthetics, and economic problems.

Advanced courses, taught in French, in language, literature, art, history, culture, and related subjects, available to participants in the four-week program only, may also be taken for credit. Advanced courses must be arranged through the director, with additional fees paid directly to the Sorbonne.

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FACULTY ADVISOR

The faculty advisor will be Dr. Ruth Thomas. Dr. Thomas is Professor of French at Temple University. She received her BA degree from Bryn Mawr College, and her PhD in French from Yale University.

EXCURSIONS

During the first four weeks of the program, four faculty-led excursions are scheduled during the weekend to such sites as Chartres, Reims, Giverny, or the Châteaux on the Loire.

ACCOMODATIONS

The Temple in Paris program offers several options for housing. For the four-week program, lodging is from the night of July 1 through the night of July 31. For the six-week program, lodging is provided from the night of July 1 through the night of August 14. Any lodging before or after these dates is the entire responsibility of participants. Please indicate your housing preference in the space provided
on the program application form.

French Family

Accommodations with selected French families, normally a single room, include continental breakfast each day and three evening meals a week. Students live in Paris or in the near suburbs.

Foyer International des Etudiantes

The Foyer International accepts both men and women of various nationalities in a dormitory-type atmosphere. An older residence located close to the Sorbonne in the heart of the Latin Quarter, it has double rooms with mini-refrigerators, telephones, hand basins in the rooms, and shared bathrooms on each floor, as well as internet access.  Single rooms are available for an additional fee. Continental breakfast is included at the Foyer cafeteria. There are many cafes and restaurants in the vicinity for other meals.

Pension           

These residences are open to both men and women, providing the atmosphere of a traditional French-speaking pension and the possibility of closer contact with French-speaking people. A pleasant walk along the famous Luxembourg gardens or through Latin Quarter streets takes you to the Sorbonne in a matter of minutes. The residences have double rooms equipped with showers. Accommodations include continental breakfast and dinner Monday through Friday and breakfast and a light meal on Saturday. A few single rooms are available (first come, first served) at an additional fee of $10-$15 per night, payable before departure. Please note that space in the Pension is limited, and is normally not available until on or around July 7. Students opting for the Pension will be housed in temporary accommodations until they are able to move into the Pension. The cost of temporary accommodations is included in the Pension fee.

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TRAVEL TO & FROM PARIS

Travel arrangements are the responsibility of individual participants; students should plan to arrive in Paris on July 1.

2008 COSTS*

Undergraduate Four Weeks (4cr)           

Undergraduate Six Weeks (6cr)

*Please note that these costs are based on last year's costs and will be updated

The program fee covers undergraduate tuition, accommodations, meals in some cases (as outlined under descriptions of housing options), and a series of excursions. Graduate tuition and single-room accommodation costs at the Foyer or Pension are additional and vary. Students also need to budget money for personal expenses, including meals not provided through the housing arrangements, travel to and from Paris, local and personal travel, health insurance, visa-related expenses (approximately $100), and the International Student Identity Card (currently $22).

2008 CALENDAR (Summer II)

Dates are tentative and subject to change

Note: In 2008, the program begins before the official close of summer session I, which is July 1.

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ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Please see General Summer Information for program eligibility and application requirements that apply to all programs.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15

For more information, please contact Dr. Ruth Thomas, Department of French, German, Italian and Slavic, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, 215-204-1758, rpthomas@temple.edu.