Paris, Strasbourg, Bruxelles : I.F.E.
Watch our video about the Program
Paris, Strasbourg, Bruxelles: the I.F.E program
Credit Hours for Students of French & Francophone Studies @ W&M
I.F.E's newsletter
W&M Students testimonies: learn what they did with I.F.E.
The Program
Field study and Internship program approved by the College of WM for students from all liberal arts fields -with good oral and written skills in French. The workplace is used as a means for language perfection, contact with the society, and research in a student's chosen field. The fully structured program includes extensive classroom preparation, individualized placement according to student goals, guided independent study and final research paper.
The I.F.E. program in Paris, Strasbourg or Bruxelles (both city host European Union's institutions) consists of five weeks of classes (110-120 hours total), followed by a 12-week (400 hours) field research/internship and a required 40-50 page research paper on a related topic (under the supervision of a university professor on site).
William and Mary students will receive 16 credits for this semester abroad. If you have any question, please contact Pr. Giulia Pacini [[gxpaci]]
Preparation Session: 5 weeks
Course 1: "The Political Life of France Yesterday and Today"
45 hours in the classroom and at least 15 hours of site visits, 4 credits.See a Sample Class Syllabus
Course 2: "French Society. Its Composition, Its Problems and Its Place in the World".
45 hours in the classroom and at least 15 hours of site visit, 4 credits. See a Sample Class Syllabus
Field Research: 12 weeks
Seminar: "Towards a European Society"
2,5 hours in the classroom and site visits, 3 credits. Sample Class Syllabus
Field Research and Written Research Project
12 weeks, 8 hours a day, 7 credits
Students who are concentrating in French & Francophone Studies will receive the following credits:
For the first two courses and the seminar:
- FR 300 (3credits)
- FR 306 (3 credits)
- FR 390 (3 credits)
For the field research and research paper:
- FR 390 (3 credits)
- FR 413 (6 credits)
See an example of a research paper written by one of our current students, Lenore Dukes '10 (pdf).
I.F.E's Newsletter
Click on the following links to access I.F.E's Newsletter
Testimonies
Catherine Kang '12 writes:
"After spending a semester abroad, I continue to witness the impact that this experience had on my life inside and outside of the classroom. Through the IFE program, I learned from esteemed French professors, interned at a prestigious music school in Paris, and completed an independent field study of my own choosing. Inspired by the songs that the young students sang in class, I researched the evolution of French children's songs and their role in education today. I visited libraries, observed classes as well as interviewed the instructors and parents of my students, enabling me to directly engage in the community. I entered my last year at William and Mary with greater confidence in my French speaking abilities and vastly improved comprehension skills. The IFE program seems daunting at first, but it takes you beyond the ordinary study-abroad experience. You build incredible relationships and leave feeling like a part of society."
Carolyn Shinn, IFE, Fall 2010
"IFE is an extremely rewarding program and I highly recommend it. After five weeks of classes on French history and culture, each student starts an internship tailored to their interests and goals. I wanted to work in children's museum education and that is exactly what I did. For three months, I worked full-time as a children's tour guide in a solely francophone environment. Each student also writes a research paper related to their internship. On top of vastly improving my language skills, the internship taught me much about my chosen profession and helped me get accepted to my masters program of choice."
William and Mary Profiles:
