Brown University - Office of International Programs

Brown in France - Academics

 

Paris Universities

Students directly enroll in approximately five courses in the university which best meets their academic needs. It is possible to combine study at two Paris institutions at the same time.

The Sorbonne, founded in 1257 and the second oldest university in Europe, has evolved into fourteen different universities, including the following which are open to Brown program participants. Click below for course information at the different Paris institutions:

Paris I emphasizes art history, history, and political science; Paris III is well known for modern literature and languages, as well as film and theater studies; and Paris IV offers a traditional approach to the humanities and classical studies; Paris VI focuses on the sciences; Paris VIII offers a wide range of courses in the humanities and social sciences, often from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The Institut d'Études Politiques (Sciences Po), one of the best known European centers for studying contemporary history and politics, has classes with one or two lectures a week and mandatory accompanying discussion sections, known as monitorats. Applicants for the Sciences Po Certificate of Political Studies full year program must take an entrance exam in February at Brown or by arrangement between Brown and the home institution French department. This certificate program is intended for exceptional students with a strong background in European politics and history. Courses at the Institut d'Études Politiques are limited to a fixed curriculum within the International Undergraduate Programme in Political and Social Sciences.

In Paris, students have the option of applying for the one semester Internships in Francophone Europe Program (IFE) and earning four Brown credits. The full-time program begins with an intensive five-week course on contemporary France, followed by a full-time internship, weekly seminars and a final research paper.

Course Work

Please see the Department of French Studies website for the current course lists for Paris institutions.

Lyon Universities

The Université Louis Lumière (Lyon II) offers a full range of courses in the social sciences and humanities. Like its counterpart in Paris (Sciences- Po), the Lyon Institut d'Etudes Politiques delivers a special diploma at the end of a full year of study. Lyon Sciences-Po is particularly renowned for Middle Eastern and North African studies. With advance notice, students may also take courses at the Lyon Conservatory of Music and at Lyon I, where all sciences are offered. Click below for course information at the institutions in Lyon:

Academic Program

All students have a month-long orientation (held in September for fall and full-year students or in January for spring semester students). Language study, an introduction to Paris or Lyon and the French university system, and cultural activities are combined in this orientation to prepare students for their entry into the French university classroom and for life in France.

Tutors are available throughout the year to help students improve their writing or prepare for oral presentations. In addition, monthly social gathering are held throughout the year. One group cultural event per month (such as attending a theater, ballet, or opera performance) is also included in the program. Each semester a weekend trip to a historically or culturally important region is organized. Recent trips have included Burgundy, Brittany, Normandy, and Provence.

For additional information, please see the Department of French Studies website.

Academic Calendar

  • Fall semester: end of August or beginning of September - 3rd week of January.
  • Full-year: end of August or beginning of September - June.
  • Spring semester: beginning of January - June.

The ending date in June for full year and spring only students will depend on final exams; students should plan to stay through June, though many will finish by mid-June.

Credit

Students are graded according to the French system (scale of 0 to 20) in all courses, but final grades are listed S (Satisfactory) on the official Brown transcript for all courses in which students have received a 9 (equivalent of a C-) or better. Students who successfully complete a normal load of 24-30 European credits (approximately 5-6 courses) per semester will receive eight Brown credits for the year (the equivalent of 32 semester credit hours). For one-semester enrollments, students receive four Brown credits (equivalent of 16 semester credit hours) for 24-30 European credits. Sciences Po students receive a transcript from the IEP. A copy of the transcript from each French institution attended may also be obtained through Brown's OIP.

Updated: October 1, 2008