Paris, Strasbourg, Bruxelles : I.F.E.
The Institute for Field Education (IFE) Program is a field study and internship program. W&M has approved this program for students of all majors, as long as they have very good oral and written skills in French. The IFE maintains a diverse network of host organizations across three cities: Paris, Strasbourg, and Brussels. They will place you in an internship position in one of their host organizations. The workplace is used as a means for language perfection, for contact with European society, and research in a chosen field. This fully structured and well-mentored program includes extensive classroom preparation, individualized placement according to student goals, guided independent study, and a final research paper.
The I.F.E. program in Paris, Strasbourg or Brussels consists of five weeks of classes, followed by a 12-week field research/internship. At the end of the program, a 40-50 page research paper on a related topic is due. The research will be conducted under the supervision of a university professor on site. Here's a list of W&M student projects.
William & Mary students will receive a maximum of 12 FREN credits for a semester abroad. These 12 credits will count for a major or minor in French & Francophone Studies. Any credits on top of this limit will count as generic MDLL elective credits. If you have any question, please contact the Program Director.
Example Internships
List of Recent Internship Placements and Research Project Topics
Zarine Kharazian - Paris - SciencesPo, Centre de recherches internationales
Zarine worked as an assistant researcher with CERI, a renowned center for IR research and a joint laboratory of Sciences Po and the CNRS. Zarine was assigned to a research project entitled ITIC and aimed at analyzing modern political uses of new information and communication technologies. She was assigned to the topic of Five Eyes, an intelligence network federating several Anglophone countries, especially as related to the Snowden affair. Her interest was in demonstrating the limits of any cultural familiarity linking the member countries.
Rachel Larned - Brussels - ESISC - European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center
In her internship, Rachel was a research assistant with this think tank and intelligence consulting service. She was assigned to work on Francophone countries and in particular the Congo and Burkina Faso. She participated in briefings, translated documentation concerning North Africa, and generated analytic notes. Her research topic was tied to events in Francophone Africa, particularly The Republic of the Congo.
Paul Naanou - Paris - École des Loisirs - Children's book publisher
Paul conducted his internship as a staff assistant to the communication service of a prestigious publishing house for children. Combining his interest in publishing with his studies in mathematics and computer science, Paul worked with the firm's webmaster to completely redo their website. At the same time, Paul learned about the firm's departments and services and, more generally, about the publishing business. Paul had the opportunity to assist with staffing the firm's various stands at the Annual Paris Book Fair. Paul chose to research one of the firm's authors, Geneviève Patte, author of “Laissez-les lire !” and a major figure in the democratization of reading among all children in France. His research explored cultural democratization without loss of pedagogical quality.
Jason Nagel - Paris - CERI - Principal French research institute for international affairs
Working as an assistant researcher in this renowned IR research center, Jason was assigned both communication and research tasks. For the Center's administration, Jason translated or corrected scientific articles and websites. His work included an interview with the authors of a work on contemporary Algeria and the transcription of an interview with a US State Department official. In addition, Jason conducted bibliographic research on questions of culturalist theories in international relations. He also participated actively in the programs and events of the Center. His research topic was related to the French intervention in Mali.
Nairuti Shastry - Brussels - Belgian public health agency for birth and early childhood (ONE)
Nairuti was warmly welcomed as an intern and served as an assistant to the director of communications of this important social agency. She was trained to conduct observations and other activities in the field, particularly pre-natal and infant consultations, which then allowed Nairuti to make contact with other organizations. In the Communications Department she worked with translations, press reviews, and preparations for a conference in conjunction with the network Eurochild. She assisted with the updating of the website and in developing new communication instruments. Lastly, Nairuti lead a seminar on healthcare in India. Her research topic touched on health care access for immigrants who do not speak French, asking how much language proficiency influences access to care.
IFE Research Paper of Lou Sheridan (Strasbourg, Fall 2019)
IFE Research Paper of Teddy Wansink (Paris, Spring 2019)
IFE Research Paper of Sophie Higgerson (Strasbourg, Spring 2018)
