France: Maryland in Montpellier - French Language and Culture on the Mediterranean

FREN 399 (3 credits)*

*This program is open to students with many levels of French. The minimum requirement is FREN 203, or the equivalent.  There is no maximum, as advanced and superior courses are offered as well.  Participants will take a language placement test upon arrival.

Summer 2010 dates TBD

The Maryland-in-Montpellier program combines classroom work, local excursions, and a family stay. Students experience language learning in an intensive format, strengthen their cross-cultural knowledge and sensibility, and explore a vibrant region of France with deep historical roots.

Students will attend small-group French classes designed for the University of Maryland by the Institut Linguistique Adenet in Montpellier, a thriving city a few kilometers from the Mediterranean. The course will cover all aspects of the language: grammar, vocabulary, training in oral and written expression, and the study of the culture and civilization of southern France. Classes are complemented by guided visits to sites in the region (conducted in French), one per week in the city, and one per week outside, as well as informal outings and gatherings. Past destinations include Avignon, Carcassonne, Nimes and Aix-en-Provence..

The program is designed for students with intermediate competence in French. This might be a student eager for a first study abroad experience, students who would like to advance more quickly in the UMD French program, or students who have had time off from French but would like to become re-immersed. Teaching will be adapted to student needs.

Accommodations

Students will be housed with local French host families in single rooms, receiving half board (breakfast and one meal per day). Families will provide transportation to and from the airport in Montpellier. Students live within walking distance (up to a half hour) from the school.