Academic Program
and The Paris Seminar
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris
Intermediate and above language students
Intitut Catholique
Beginning language students
Elementary language students
Intermediate language students
choose from:
Advanced language students
choose from:
Superior language students
choose from:
Sorbonne
Intermediate language students
choose from:
- Language, literature and civilization: seminar option
or - Language, literature and civilization: elective lecture option
Advanced language students
choose from:
Superior language students
choose from:
Affiliated Institutions
Sorbonne
The Université de Paris-Sorbonne is the oldest institution of higher education in France and one of the oldest in Europe. Since the Middle Ages it has been an important center of teaching and learning.
Students on the Central College Abroad program in Paris study at the Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Française (CCFS) of the Sorbonne, the center for the study of French Language and Culture. Central College has had an affiliation with the CCFS Sorbonne since 1965.
Intitut Catholique
The Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP) is a private university founded in 1875. It is located in the historical Quartier Latin, the student district of Paris and offers degree programs in a range of disciplines at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels.
In 1948 the ICP inaugurated its Institut de Langue et de Culture Françaises (ILCF) for the study and promotion of French language, literature and thought. Central College Abroad students study at the ILCF in a beautiful, campus setting in the heart of Paris. The faculty and staff of the ILCF are supportive and accessible to students from abroad.
On the ICP/ILCF campus there is a small cafeteria, library and internet facilities, and other students services—including informal French conversation groups arranged by the director of the ILCF and open to all interested students.
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris
The Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris (CCIP) represents 300,000 businesses and is at the center of a network of business and professional organizations in France and Europe. The CCIP regulates testing and certification in business and professional French through preparatory programs at a number of institutions throughout France, including the CCFS Sorbonne and the Institut Catholique de Paris.
The CCIP also offers programs designed especially to meet the needs of particular academic or business entities. A program has been designed for Central College Abroad students that combines intensive language and other coursework (7 weeks) with an internship placement (7 weeks full-time). A project paper based on the internship placement is written over the course of the semester under the guidance of a faculty advisor from the CCIP. The final presentation of this project, or “defense” in the traditional French “jury” setting, takes place at the end of the semester.
Central College Abroad in Paris offers a range of academic programs with focus in language, business and/or liberal arts for students with any level of French from true beginners to native speakers. All students choose a core program at one of our three affiliated institutions: the Sorbonne, the Institut Catholique de Paris or the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris. All courses at these affiliated institutions are taught in French. Depending on the program selected, language level and the semester of study, students earn 10-19 credits per semester through their core program. Full year students may combine a fall semester at either the Sorbonne or the Institut Catholique with the spring semester internship program through the Chambre de Commerce.
In addition to this core program, Central College Abroad provides further course offerings that are designed to enhance and enrich linguistic and cultural immersion for our students. All students participate in a month-long intensive language program at the Institut de Touraine in Tours during orientation. Upon arrival in Paris, orientation continues and develops in range and depth through the required French Experience Seminar course taught by the program director. Program participants may also elect to participate in a for-credit service learning project. Students earn three January term or Summer term credits for the intensive language program in Tours, two semester credits for the required Paris seminar, and one or two credits for the elective service learning experience.
Before reviewing the program options and course listings by semester (sidebar), reading about our three affiliated institutions, or reviewing the individual course descriptions below, we recommend you determine your approximate language level. Placement at a given level will be determined finally by an exam administered by the affiliated institution of choice, the Sorbonne, the Institut Catholique or the Chambre de Commerce. We recommend that all applicants, in consultation with language faculty and/or academic advisors, prepare tentative schedules at the appropriate level. Applicants and their advisors should also devise a second schedule to follow in the event final placement is not at the anticipated level.
Program Levels
Program level placement cannot be finally determined until students have participated in the intensive language portion of orientation and taken the placement tests administered by the institution in which they will be enrolled. However, the following guidelines should be of assistance for students and their academic advisors in determining probable placement levels. Applicants and advisors should be aware that level placement labels in paris may not correspond to those on their home campus (e.g. the content of an intermediate level course in Paris may correspond to an advanced level course on their home campus). Please note as well that there are many gradations within a given level of the Paris program courses. This structure is designed to provide the most accurate fit for a student's abilities and to optimize language acquisition. Please contact the Office of International Education if further information is required and/or to ensure appropriate credit transfer.
| Program Level | Previous US College Level French preparation typical of students placed at this level | Focus in this level is on the acquisition/development of: |
| Beginning | From no French language study to some exposure in junior high or high school or one semester of college French. | Introduction of fundamental elements of grammar, vocabulary and phonetics. Ability to express oneself in speaking and writing in limited, concrete contexts. |
| Elementary (1/2/3) | From 1-4 semesters of college level French or the equivalent. | Acquiring control over basic elements of grammar, further development of vocabulary for situations encountered in daily life. Ability to speak/write simple sentences and present-tense narratives in limited contexts with accuracy and clarity. |
| Intermediate (1/2/3) | From 4-6 semesters of college level French or the equivalent. | Oral and written competence in both comprehension and production. Ability to present, develop and defend opinions orally and in short, coherent essays. |
| Advanced (1/2/3) | 2-3 semesters of college level civilization, literature or business courses. | Strong command of grammar and wide range of vocabulary. Ability to participate actively and meaningfully in oral and written discussion of abstract topics. Ability to read and analyze a wide range of texts. Ability to write well-structured, well-argued essays of some length. |
| Superior | 4 semester or more of advanced level college French. | Ability to speak, read and write with near-native fluency and accuracy on a variety of topics and in areas of particular interest or field of expertise. |
Course Load
Intensive language coursework taken during the orientation program in Tours carries four summer term or January term credits. Pre-session intensive language coursework for spring semester only Institut Catholique students carries four regular semester semester credits (3SH). Full academic year students do not repeat the orientation intensive language program.
During the regular semester, students enroll in the French Experience Seminar I or II 2 SH (pass/no record) course taught by the Paris program director and may elect to enroll in the Service Learning experience for 1-2 SH (pass/no record). Full academic year students are required to take the French Experience Seminar I in the fall and may elect to take the French Experience Seminar II in the second semester. Spring semester only students enrolled in the Chamber of Commerce Internship program may request the Paris Seminar II requirement be waived.
The remaining credit hours are fulfilled according to the course schedules of the institution in which students are enrolled. All students must enroll in at least 12 regular semester hours per semester. Students may enroll in more than 18 regular semester hours (19-21) with prior written approval of the program director.
Courses listed for each institution are representative of those typically offered through Central College and at our affiliated universities. The course lists should not be regarded as a contractual agreement with the student. Course schedules are not finalized until registration on site in Paris and after consultation with the program director.
