Program Description This program of ten students offers a linguistic and cultural immersion in French through interaction with French natives.
Students will improve their oral language skills and their understanding of French culture by participating in many activities and doing unpaid internships in local businesses.
The small-town setting of Barcelonnette provides students with true immersion, as they will become part of the town and interact with locals in ways not possible in a larger city. We have assembled a group of dedicated individuals with whom students will interact on a daily basis and who will invite students to participate in cultural and outdoor activities and even into their homes and everyday lives.
Cultural activities include festivals, excursions to nearby cities (last year we spent three days in Aix-en Provence and one in Nice), visits to historic sites and museums, dinners with French families, as well as exploring the historic ties of Louisiana and the Ubaye Valley. Moreover, every week we will organize outdoor activities such as picnics, hiking, mountain biking, etc., under the supervision of local guides.
Eligibility
Students must pass an interview in French; interviews will be conducted in December and January. All applications received will be put on the waiting list until the interviews.
This program is open to students from all disciplines. Qualified applicants from other institutions are also welcome.
If you are an undergraduate, you must have at least a 2.5 gpa (A = 4.0); If you are a graduate student, you must have a 3.0 gpa.
If you are not an LSU student, you must submit an official copy of your most recent transcript when applying. Space in this program is limited. If you are from another institution in Louisiana or are enrolled elsewhere but you are a Louisiana resident, you will be charged in-state tuition and fees. If you are an out-of-state student and do not have a nonresident fee waiver, you will be charged out-of-state tuition.
Program Dates:
May 22 - June 23, 2012
May 14-18: pre-departure class meetings at LSU; research papers are due on May 14 and will be presented during the pre-departure classes
May 22: depart the US for France
May 23-26: Paris, France
May 26 - June 23: Barcelonette, France
Location(s) Pre-Departure Program (May 14-18)
Before departure, participants will attend a weeklong class designed to inform them about the cultural and historical links between the Ubaye Valley and Louisiana. This pre-departure class will also allow students to get to know each other, to engage in teamwork, research the internships awaiting them in Barcelonnette, and practice speaking French.
Three Day Paris Visit (May 23-26)
The group will enjoy three days in Paris where we will visit Le Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Le jardin du Luxembourg etc.
Program Homebase (May 26 - June 23)
The program will take place in Barcelonnette, in the French Alps. Excursions are planned to Provence, where we will enjoy the scenic villages of Gordes and Beaux de Provence, as well as Aix en Provence and Nice.
Courses Offered Please consult the LSU General Catalog for course descriptions and prerequisites.
FREN 3058: Advanced Conversation – Bernard Dubernet
The level of instruction that you will receive in this course is actually superior to what you would receive on the Baton Rouge campus, since you are essentially “in class” and with your instructor (and local native speakers) 24 hours a day.
FREN 4915: Independent Study – Carla Vance (under the supervision of Bernard Dubernet).
You will complete a multimedia project incorporating interviews with local persons of interest and pertaining to the area’s rich cultural and historic heritage. You will also give a presentation on one of the monuments we visit in Paris.
As seen from this description, the academic objectives of the LSU in the French Alps program offer the students a unique opportunity not only to study abroad but also to complete course requirements in a culturally rich and historic environment.
If you want real-life French immersion experience that will improve your cultural and linguistic knowledge, join us for LSU in the French Alps 2012!
Expected Program Fee:
$3,600 (includes housing, all meals, ground transportation in Barcelonette, and health insurance)
Expenses not covered in the program fee: airfare, lodging in Paris, travel from Paris to Avignon, LSU tuition, and spending money
Although the program fee includes meals, you should plan for additional expenditures, such as snacks and souvenirs. You will also need extra money for travel and meals if you plan to spend weekends traveling, as well as some spending money for occasional outings with your friends and for souvenirs. The exchange rate may change, so your costs may go up or down. Tuition and university fees, as well as airfare and housing in Paris, are not included.
In the event of an unfavorable change in the exchange rate, some activities may be cancelled or changed.
Faculty Monsieur Bernard Dubernet, Program Director, Department of French Studies (bdubernet@lsu.edu)
Carla Vance, Department of French Studies (cbota1@lsu.edu)
Advice from students who went last year: We asked the students on the 2011 program to tell us what advice they would have for future participants. Here's what they said:
On packing:
Bring all t-shirts. I didn't wear my nice clothes.
Bring hiking shoes and tennis shoes.
Bring clothes for both cold and warm weather.
If you get car sick, bring medicine with you for the mountain roads!
Pack your patience and your sense of humor!
Overpack underwear and socks and make sure you're patient and open-minded
Bring plenty of socks.
On classes:
Don't wait until the last minute to complete the pre-departure assignments.
Pick a topic for the presentation early, so that you get a good one.
Brush up on your grammar and vocabulary.
On the program:
It'll be the best five weeks of your life!
If this is your first trip to Europe, do your research on what travel is like and what to do when you arrive in Paris.
Listen to Carla and Bernard. You'll be fine.
This program is great if you're serious about improving your French.
Application Deadline:
March 16, 2012
A $500 deposit will be placed on your LSU billing statement at the time that you apply to the program. Students at other universities must send in a check or money order (made payable to "Louisiana State University") for the $500 deposit along with their applications. This deposit is nonrefundable after January 31, 2012.
Withdrawal from the program may result in the loss of all or part of your deposit or total payment of the program fee, depending on the date of withdrawal.
