GeoBlue Student Member Guide.pdf Smith in Paris
Paris is an intellectually stimulating hub of humanities, science, art and more. Choose courses from Parisian universities in addition to courses offered at Smith’s center in Montparnasse.
The Curriculum
The Paris Program
The Paris Program welcomes students from every discipline in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences. Students in the Paris Program are free to choose their courses according to their interests and majors, which they may take at the Smith Center, along with our partners in the Three College Consortium—Smith, Hamilton, and Middlebury Colleges—and/or at one of our partner French universities—the Sorbonne Université or Université de Paris. Students majoring in Psychology may take a year-long course at the École des Psychologues Praticiens. Students majoring in Government or Economics may take two of their courses at the prestigious Institut d'études politiques de Paris, also known as "Sciences Po." Studio Art and Architecture students may study at the École Normale Supérieure d'Architecture Paris Val-de-Seine. Excursions and group cultural activities are a regular part of the program. Many students choose to stay in Paris or France after the Smith program ends to do a summer internship or pursue research, often with the support of a grant or fellowship.
Faculty Director: Rob Dorit, Professor of Biology
Local program staff: Marie-Madeleine Charlier, Resident Administrative Director
Les Sciences à Paris Option
Students in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering may choose to enroll in the Sciences à Paris option of the Paris program. While participating in all of the program's excursions and group cultural activities, students who select the year long SAP option follow a customized, science oriented curriculum, explicitly designed to familiarize them with the rich scientific traditions of France, as they acquire competence in French and experience the practice of science in an international context.
Architecture and Art History at Val de Seine
The Smith in Paris program offers students in architecture and art history the opportunity to study at the premier architecture school in Paris, the École Normale Supérieure d'Architecture Paris Val-de-Seine. Participants in this yearlong program combine coursework in architectural history, urban studies, language and culture with intensive studio work. As a result, students are fully immersed in a rigorous design program that engages with the architecture and urban history of Paris, and have the opportunity to interact—both academically and socially—with their French and international peers studying at Val de Seine.
Students begin the year with a short, intensive orientation program that prepares them for the challenges of academic, social, and cultural life in France. Students begin to acquire first-hand experience in the language and culture by living with host families who reside in Paris.
Full-Year Requirements
Four courses each semester, selected from the following:
- Advanced French language at the Smith Center
- Courses in political science and French culture as part of the Smith-Hamilton-Middlebury Consortium courses
- Courses in the humanities, social sciences, and laboratory sciences at the French university. (University registration takes place after arrival in Paris, in consultation with the faculty director.)
Please note: Courses in musical performance, dance, and studio art may be available to majors or minors in those fields. Laboratory science courses are available through the program Les Sciences à Paris.
Credits
Students normally take 34 Smith College credits during the academic year: they receive 16 credits per semester plus 1 credit for the orientation session and 1 credit for the first-semester methodology course.
Language Pledge
Students pledge to speak French at the Smith Center in Reid Hall, during excursions and among themselves.
Non-credit-bearing Internships
In recent years students have pursued non-credit internships with such organizations as the following:
- Conseil National Français des Arts Plastiques at UNESCO (translating documents pertaining to the administration of artistic projects in France)
- Institut Nationale d'Histoire de l'Art
- French Heritage Society (internships in a variety of places in the larger Parisian area (Chantilly, Versailles) offering exceptional opportunities for students in the fields of architecture, cultural management, art history, preservation and horticulture)
- The American Library (internships for students interested in working with books and digital media in a library environment)
- L’institut Gustave Roussy, Public Health Policy (an internship for students interested in public health)
About the Smith Center
Situated in the heart of Montparnasse, the Smith Center is housed at the renowned Reid Hall Global Center, a focal point of intellectual and cultural exchange for over a century. This is where the academic director and the administrative director have their offices. In addition, the Smith Center offers students a library, computer facilities, and classrooms. The academic director in Paris, appointed annually from the Smith College faculty, oversees the program, provides academic advising and offers guidance to university life in France. The program administrative director, a French resident, offers additional support and practical assistance on living in France. Students pledge to speak French at the Smith Center.
Tutoring
To supplement regular university coursework, special tutorials, arranged by the faculty director in consultation with individual students and based upon individual needs, are offered at the Smith Center.
Smith Center Courses
Please note: The following are typical courses taught at the center; actual courses may vary from year to year.
Langue AVANCEE 1
Offered in the fall
The objective of this course is to help students obtain French speaking and writing skills that are clear, logical, and well structured. In addition, the students will be exposed to correct grammar usage, a rich vocabulary, and the nuances behind expressions all of which can be found in the exploration of French culture. This course consists of a balance between the written and oral activities (structural exercises in grammar and vocabulary-both oral and written, presentations, stories, essays, discussions/debates, and reading/listening tests).
Langue AVANCEE 2
Offered in the fall
The goal of this course is to provide the students with several devices and techniques that will improve their writing skills. More precisely, we will focus on the specific constraints attached to "academic writing": the way the arguments are structured, organized, formulated in the French tradition of academic texts. Among other things, we will study ways to make the sentences more concise and efficient; we will also see how to formulate ideas in a simple and clear way. Grammatical and syntactic rules will be reminded if it appears necessary. This language course is designed for more advanced students in French.
La France aujourd’hui : une société fracturée dans une démocratie en danger?
Offered in the fall
France, “homeland of Human Rights,” “welcoming land” and founding country of the European Union? Absolutely, however, over the past 20 years, out of the five presidential elections, three have seen the far right reach the second round. How to explain this rise of nationalist and xenophobic ideas? France is not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. All of Europe is seeing the resurgence of far-right populist parties, some of which are or have been in power.
To try to understand the specific case of France, we will focus in this course on the French political system and the crisis it is currently going through, but also on the debates that have agitated French society in recent decades, such as immigration., discrimination, secularism, the colonial heritage or even feminism.
The course aims to provide students with a more in-depth knowledge of French society by analyzing the historical roots of the current tensions that prevail in France and by studying political and social news.
Françafrique: Enjeux, Histoire et politique
Offered in the fall
From 1850 to 1960, France's fate and that of Africa have been connected. To some extent, France and Africa have a common history which was led jointly by French regularity in Africa for several centuries, by the presence of Africans on the hexagonal soil, by the presence of African deputies at the Bourbon palace under the IV Republic and, recently, by immigration. We will see how this relationship is strangely prolonged, even strengthened after decolonization.
Sciences, art et cuisine
Offered in the fall
As true culinary alchemists, cooks and pastry chefs mobilize their knowledge and their senses to produce the best and constantly invent new recipes, in skillful games of flavors and textures. "Cooking, without ceasing to be an art, will become scientific" announced Escoffier in the preface to his culinary guide (1907)".
Properties and origins of ingredients, mechanisms of their transformation, taste and nutritional values, emotions aroused by a dish: between nature and culture, materials and manners, culinary science sheds light on all stages of our food.
This course will be an opportunity to approach gastronomy in an interdisciplinary way, by discussing themes as varied as they are complementary such as human evolution and the diet of our ancestors, the ecological issues of sustainable food production capable of feeding humanity, the scourge of malnutrition (deficiencies and undernutrition on the one hand, obesity, diabetes, cancer on the other), the cultural aspects of our diets, new trends (paleo diet, veganism, raw food, ...), the culinary arts (from Lent to molecular cuisine), fermented foods, the heritage issues of our diet, wine and other beverages (alcoholic or not), etc.
The course will also include three immersion sessions in the kitchen: two technical workshops/demonstrations and a lunch with service follow-up (in the kitchen and in the dining room) in an professional restaurant.
Une année à Paris: Comment réussi/r votre projet
Offered in the fall
This fall semester seminar has two intertwined goals: to reflect upon the choices you make during your time in Paris and to do so in the context of cultural differences; and to provide guidance and support as students search for and apply for lab placements and/or internships in either the spring semester or summer. This seminar is required for Sciences à Paris students and it is open to all students. 2 credits (S/U).
Ecrire/s’écrire
Offered in the spring
This grammar and composition course aims to enhance your reading and writing skills while offering the opportunity to read closely and critically and to discover the autobiographical genre in contemporary French literature. Every week, you will be assigned a reading that will be discussed in class (your participation is mandatory). As the semester goes by, you will feel more at ease with reading, writing and discussing complicated concepts or ideas in French. You will write several compositions, and will be asked, at the end of the semester, to create your own piece of autobiographical fiction, or “autofiction”, based on notions and literary themes that we will explore together. By reading and writing so systematically, you will learn how to construct more complex sentences and develop your thoughts in French in a more accurate way. In other words, this is not a typical grammar class, but you will improve your grammar in a very concrete way.
Le Théâtre Contemporain sur la Scène Parisienne: Analyse de Spectacle
Offered in the spring
This course has three main objectives: its first objective is the discovery of some of major theatrical sites in Paris and in the suburbs). Students will become familiar with trends and the contemporary scene, and will learn - the second objective of the course - how to analyze a mise en scène and develop methodological and aesthetic thoughts. Finally, for the third objective, the course will give the opportunity to read the study of dramatic works, belonging to the repertoire as well as contemporary writings.
L’union européenne
Offered in the spring
This course aims to make students understand the challenges facing Europe as well as the major current debates, both economic and political, through the study of the European Union of today and yesterday. We begin by analyzing the logic that led to Europe and its origin. Next, we discuss the various economic policies to see what are the current issues. Finally, we also study the institutional and legal framework of Europe, which lies at the heart of its construction, as well as current, major issues.
Consortium Courses
Courses offered by Smith, Hamilton and Middlebury Colleges:
France Europe: Chronique d'une Relation Tumultueuse
Offered in the fall
This course aims to study French political life since the post-war (political systems, different governments, policies, reforms, etc.) within its European and international context. Particular emphasis will be put on the European policy of France, its motivation to build Europe, and the ambiguities of its relationship with the European Union. We will examine France's position at the center of the European construction as well as how France may hinder this construction.
Françafrique: Enjeux, Histoire et Politique
Offered in the fall
From 1850 to 1960, France's fate and that of Africa have been connected. To some extent, France and Africa have a common history which was led jointly by French regularity in Africa for several centuries, by the presence of Africans on the hexagonal soil, by the presence of African deputies at the Bourbon palace under the IV Republic and, recently, by immigration. We will see how this relationship is strangely prolonged, even strengthened after decolonization.
L'Union Européenne
Offered in the spring
This course aims to make students understand the challenges facing Europe as well as the major current debates, both economic and political, through the study of the European Union of today and yesterday. We begin by analyzing the logic that led to Europe and its origin. We also study the institutional and legal framework of Europe, which lies at the heart of its construction, as well as major current issues of the EU such as the functioning of the eurozone, the migration crisis, the question of the european citizenship, the climate change, the cooperation on security and defense or the action against COVID.
La Laïcité
Offered in the spring
This course will present the history of French secularism and its key debates. We will address the impact of religious wars (sixteenth century), the absolute power of the state in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the role of the Catholic Church in the monarchy of the ancient regime, the formulation of the idea of secularism in the Enlightenment, the installation of a "model" of secularism active in the Republic (nineteenth and twentieth century), the existence of a "culture" of anti-clericalism, the school quarrel, the new situation posed by the spread of Islam since the 1970's, and the idea of a crisis of secularism today.
Students choose courses from a variety of Parisian universities, including the historic Sorbonne Université, the Université de Paris, and the Institut d'Études Politiques ("Sciences Po"). All courses are taught in French.
Please note: The courses listed here are examples of courses that have been offered in previous years, and may not necessarily be offered at the time of registration. Please check your specific college program for current course offerings.
Sorbonne Université
- Art and Archeology of the Ancient Near-East
- 18th-Century France
- Historic Geography
- History of the Book
- History of the English Language
- Medieval Art
- Modern Architecture
- Modern Europe, 1500-1700
- 19th- and 20th-Century French Literature
- 17-Century Literature
Université de Paris
- 20th-Century French Literature
- Biology (enzymology, structure / interactions of biological macromolecules, molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics, diversity and evolution, molecular biology of the cell)
- Chemistry (inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, thermodynamics, physical chemistry, electrochemistry)
- Computer Science
- Contemporary Ethnology
- Don Juan and Faust
- Economic Sociology
- Ethnographic Cinema
- Environmental Science
- Geology
- Math (modern algebra, probability and statistics, discrete math, numerical simulation)
- Physics
Institut d'Études politiques (Sciences-Po)
- France, 1880–1990: History of French Political Institutions
- Global Economics of the Perfume Industry
- Institutions and Politics of the European Union
- Nation, State, Democracy
- Urban Revolution in Developing Countries
- Discovering Opera
École de Psychologues Praticiens
- Child Development
- Educational Psychology
Ateliers Terre & Feu
- Ceramics
- Drawing
- Sculpture
Micadanses
- Advanced Dance Composition
MetaForme
- Acting 2
The Sciences à Paris (SAP) option is designed explicitly to support students in the sciences, mathematics and engineering. Coursework, research opportunities, and tutoring are combined into a customized curriculum enabling science students to experience the rich scientific traditions of France, acquire competence in French, and experience the practice of science in an international context. Students with at least one year of college-level French or the equivalent are invited to apply.
The Sciences à Paris option features:
- A customized course of studies combining coursework in your major with offerings in French language, culture and the arts.
- A scientific advisory board that works with you and your advisor to design your year abroad.
- Small group instruction in French language and grammar, as well as supplemental offerings designed specifically for science students.
- On-site tutoring and support for all coursework undertaken at the French universities.
- Research and internship opportunities (for credit) at leading French laboratories.
Additional information about the SAP program and some of the opportunities the program offers can be found on the Sciences à Paris site.
Possible Course Options
Please note: The courses listed here are examples of courses that have been offered in previous years, and may not necessarily be offered at the time of registration. Please check your specific college program for current course offerings.
Biology
- Organismal Biology and Biodiversity
- Ecology and Population Biology
- Comparative Biology and Evolution
- Neurobiology and Behavior
- Cell Biology
- Systems Biology
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Chemistry
- Applied Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry and Thermodynamics
- Theoretical Chemistry
Mathematics
- Algebra
- Analysis
- Geometry
- Discrete Math
- Applied Math
- Stats
Earth Science
- Paleontology and Earth History
- Structure and Tectonics
- Mineralogy and Petrology
- Sedimentary Systems
- Geophysics
The SAP curriculum can be tailored for students who have had one or two years of college-level French. The following is what the year in Paris would look like for a student on the SAP program.
Fall Semester
- Orientation (1 credit)
- Smith in Paris French Language Course (4 credits)
- SAP Fall Seminar (4 credits)
- Two electives (Smith in Paris, Consortium, or Paris VII courses) (8 credits)
Spring Semester
- SAP Spring Seminar (with accompanying lab or internship placement) (4 credits)
- Two to three electives (Smith in Paris (including optional French language course), Consortium, or Paris VII courses) (12 credits)
Arrive in Paris
Friday, August 25
Orientation
Saturday, August 26 – Friday, September 1
Fall Semester 2023
- Sciences Po courses begin: TBA
- French Language courses at Reid Hall begin: Tuesday, September 7
- Reid Hall (Smith and Consortium) courses begin: Monday, September 11
- Université de Paris courses begin: TBA
- Paris Sorbonne courses begin: TBA
Winter Break
Friday, December 22, 2023 – Sunday, January 7, 2024
Some university examinations
Monday, December 18 - Friday, December 22
Spring Semester 2024
- Sciences Po courses begin: TBA
- Reid Hall (Smith and Consortium) courses begin: Monday, January 22
- Université de Paris courses begin: TBA
- Paris Sorbonne courses begin: TBA
Spring Break
TBA
End of the program
TBA
Please note: Université de Paris, Paris Sorbonne, and Sciences Po each set their own calendars. These will not be published until August. Students must not make return travel plans until that time.
Homestays
Students in the Smith College program reside in private homes in Paris with carefully selected families who are dedicated to helping them to deepen their knowledge of the French language and culture. Boarding with host families has long proven to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the year abroad. Living with a French host family leads both to profound cross-cultural awareness and to rich and lasting friendships. All homestays are within Paris and are near a subway or bus station.
Meals & Allowances
Students normally have breakfast and dinner with their host families five days a week, the cost of which is included in the program fee. Students receive a monthly allowance that covers the cost of lunch during the periods that classes are in session.
Holidays
During the end of the year, holidays and the spring vacation, students are required to leave their rooms in their host families' apartments. Most students use this time to travel in France and more widely in Europe and beyond.
Activities & Excursions
In September and in March or April, students (accompanied by the academic director and the administrative director) take part in two two-day excursions to a region outside of Paris such as Normandy, the Loire Valley, Burgundy, or the Côte d'Azur.
Cultural Excursions
Weekend trips to the Châteaux de la Loire and to Normandie; day trips to the Château de Versailles, to the Basilique de Saint-Denis, to the city of Rouen (with its cathedral made famous by Monet) and to Monet's country residence in the village of Giverny. These excursions may be organized at students’ requests and may be led by a tutor from the Smith Center.
Cultural Activities
Small group and individual outings to the theater, the opera and to lectures on contemporary art and cinema.
Sports Activities
Sample activities may include: a kayak excursion in Brittany; a bicycle trip around Ile-de-France; a ski trip to the French Alps.
Cultural Immersion
Occasional invitations from French families to join them in their homes for discussions of the "French way of life."
Applying
Please be sure you meet Smith College's eligibility requirements for approval to study abroad. In addition, Smith in Paris has its own program-specific requirements.
- Two years or the equivalent of college-level French, normally four 4-credit courses, including one course at the 250 level or above in the spring semester of the year before study in Paris (Sciences à Paris students are only required to have one year of college-level French or the equivalent)
- Students normally take four 4-credit French courses, including one at the 250 level or higher in the semester prior to their study in Paris. Those who enter Smith at the 230 level or above are required to take three semesters of French prior to study in Paris, including one course at the 250 level or higher in the semester prior to study in Paris. Students beginning with FRN 101 and 102 (Beginning French I and II), or FRN 101 and 103 (Accelerated Beginning French I and II) must take three 4-credit French courses in their sophomore year including the 250 level course (or higher). Students who do not meet these requirements are encouraged to consult with a member of the Department of French Studies.
- The ability to follow coursework in French: aural comprehension, reading and writing ability; and to converse in French
- Evidence of maturity, responsibility, preparation for study abroad and demonstrated interest in French culture
Application Materials
- Smith Programs Abroad Application
- Language Recommendation
- Non-language Faculty Recommendation
- Personal statement
- Copy of passport
Applicants from other colleges must also submit:
- Home School Statement of Support
- Official transcript
- Original sample of written work in language of the program which has been submitted for a course and graded by an instructor
Students can find the application materials and apply to a Smith Program Abroad online using the new Smith International Travel Experiences System (SITES) by clicking on the appropriate log in option below.
Smith Student Log In Guest Student Log In
Before applying to a Smith Program Abroad be sure to:
- Read the Guide for Education Abroad
- Meet with a peer adviser to ask questions, discuss plans or explore options.
- Confer with your major adviser and the departmental study abroad adviser.
2023-24 Semester Fees
Tuition: $30,630
Room and Board: $10, 655
Coverage
The Smith Program Abroad fees in Florence, Geneva, Hamburg and Paris include intensive language instruction, cultural orientation, tuition, academic advising, assistance with university enrollment (if applicable) and course selection, supplemental study abroad insurance, medical evacuation and repatriation coverage, excursions and cultural events, room, board, cell phones or SIM cards, and the services of on-site directors
Smith Program Abroad fees do not include international travel, passport and visa fees, books and art supplies, and personal expenses including phone calls.
Financial Aid
Smith College students are eligible for financial aid on the same basis as when they are studying in Northampton (with a few exceptions). For questions about Smith financial aid related to study abroad on a Smith program, please visit Student Financial Services.
Smith College does not provide financial aid to students from other institutions; those students should contact their own college for financial aid assistance.
Health Insurance
All students enrolled in one of the four Smith Programs Abroad are automatically covered by a supplemental study abroad insurance policy through GeoBlue.
Please note that this is a supplemental plan only. All students participating in these programs are also required to be covered by a U.S.-based primary health insurance and will be automatically enrolled in and billed for the Smith College student health insurance plan through Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk at the beginning of the term abroad.
For students who are U.S. citizens, this insurance plan may be waived online at Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk if the student has another primary health insurance policy that provides comparable coverage. International students are required to be covered by the Smith College student health insurance plan through Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk as you would on campus.
More information about insurance is available on our Health & Safety section.
Visas for Studying in France
The French government requires all students staying longer than three months to obtain a student visa before arriving in France. Students who plan to participate in the Smith in Paris program must have a valid passport when they apply to the program, valid six months beyond the planned time abroad. A copy of the passport photo page or proof of application or renewal must be submited with the program application.
Students studying on the Paris program will apply for their long-stay student visas independently. Guidance is provided by the Office for International Study, but students are responsible for researching, understanding and following visa application requirements, which vary by French consulate. Students may apply to the French consulate in Boston or the consulate responsible for their home state.
Things to Consider
Before making any summer plans, students intending to study in Paris must consider the following:
- Applicants must appear in person at the consulate to apply for a visa; applications are not accepted by mail.
- Visa applications cannot be made more than 90 days in advance of departure for France.
- Applying for a French visa requires surrender of the passport to the French consulate for a period of two to four weeks.
Please note that students who stay in France during the summer are responsible for all living expenses, visa requirements, medical insurance, etc.
Accepted Students
For resources and information about the French visa application process, please visit the Paris Accepted Students website.