For the majors and minors in French, study abroad can earn them up to five courses per semester toward completion of their degree requirements, if properly advised during their pre-abroad years. Students who study abroad in the summer normally take two courses. It is important that advising be done prior to departure to insure the most effective use of a student's time abroad. We encourage students to see their advisors in their primary departments, and the study abroad/transfer credit advisor, Dr. Bonnie Youngs.
Located in the Loire Valley region, the Centre International d'Etudes Françaises was created in 1947. Part of the Université Catholique de l'Ouest, itself with over 11,000 French students, the CIDEF welcomes 1,500 foreign students. The CIDEF offers a library, seven audio-visual rooms, three multi-media rooms, one language lab, and one computer lab.
The CIDEF offers year, semester (15 week), and summer weekly programs. Students take a placement test (written and oral) to determine their language skill level: true beginner, elementary, intermediate (3 levels), or advanced. True beginners take 21 hours of required courses per week; all others take between 20 and 21 hours of required courses and electives per week.
Students are lodged in university residences (co-ed or women only) or private homes during the academic year. In the residences (the only option during the summer), students have access to the university restaurant for breakfast and dinner.
Various activities are offered to the students: theater workshop, international choir, visits to surrounding attractions, concerts, movie theaters, and the Ecole des Beaux Arts and the Conservatoire de Musique.
Back to Top*A sponsored program is one for which Carnegie Mellon will apply a student's financial aid and/or scholarships to the cost of the study abroad program. We recommend that students who are in their first two years of study, choose Aix; students in their third or fourth year of study normally choose Avignon.
These programs offer year, semester (15 week), summer (6 week), and intensive (4 week) study options. Tuition includes courses, books, and field trips around southern France, and students live with host families in a demi-pension style (7 breakfasts and 6 dinners weekly). Aix and Avignon both offer libraries, computer facilities, and small intimate classes. The school at Aix is located in a quiet student-oriented neighborhood, not far from the town's center. Avignon's school is located within the walls of the old city, not far from the Palais des Papes.
Both IAU locations offer a variety of courses (history, business, economics, art, psychology, philosophy, foreign literature): Aix offers language and literature courses in French, starting at the beginning level, and content courses in English; Avignon offers all of its courses in French. In addition, there are two schools which offer art courses and studios: the Marchutz School and the Center for Art and Culture. Drama students may also work with the summer theater festivals. Advanced students at both Aix and Avignon have the opportunity to enroll in classes at the French university during the academic year.
Students also have the opportunity to enroll in the Marchutz School, an internationally recognized painting school and the Center for Art and Culture. All four of these programs (Aix, Avignon, Marchutz and the Center for Art and Culture) can be found at http://www.iaufrance.org.
In addition, Le Centre d'Avignon offers interested and eligible students customized internships which, in turn, give students the chance to enrich their study abroad experience through actual work experience in the French business world. They are arranged with the help of faculty at Le Centre after being accepted to the program. These customized internships are available on a first come, first served basis, as Le Centre can only arrange five internships per semester, including the six-week summer term. Each internship is considered an independent study course and will earn students 1-3 credits, depending on the number of hours devoted to the internship, but note that the internships are not paid. For more information on the internships and how to apply, see the IAU's website: http://www.iaufrance.org/avignon/internships.cfm
Back to TopEva Mergner, Director
Office of International Education
Warner Hall 322
Ph: (412) 268-4969
E-mail: em43@andrew.cmu.edu
Institute for American Universities
Programs in Aix-en-Provence/Avignon
Ph: (800) 221-2051
E-mail: iauusa@univ-aix.fr
Web site: http://www.iaufrance.org
Centre International d'Etudes Françaises
Université Catholique de l'Ouest
Angers, France
E-mail: cidef@uco.fr
Web site: http://www.uco.fr/refonte2002/instituts/cidef/
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