Academic Year, Fall Semester, Spring Semester in Tours, France
2009 - 2010
Offered every year
PROGRAM DATES:
* Academic year:
mid-August - mid-Dec
early Jan - late March
(institute) or late May (univ.)
* Fall semester:
mid-August - mid-December
* Spring semester:
early Jan-late April (institute & group trip) or
late May (univ.)
ELIGIBILITY:
* Students in good standing
* Minimum GPA: 2.7
* Sophomore Class Status as of July 1
* Three semesters of college French
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION:
* French
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS:
* Hotel in Paris
* Host families in Tours
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
* Fall semester and academic year: February 1
* Spring semester: September 20
The Setting
Facilities
Courses
Academic Calendar
Extracurricular Activities
Housing and Meals
Health Care
Financial Information
Resident Director
Eligibility and Application Information
Additional Program Information
Since 1964, Davidson College has conducted a study abroad program in France. Since 1995, the Davidson program has been located in Tours, where we offer a full academic year program as well as a fall semester program and a spring semester program. The program size is kept relatively small (no more than 25 students) to promote group cohesion and individual attention from the director.
The Setting
In September, fall semester and academic year students enjoy several weeks in Paris - La Ville Lumière - taking an intensive language course at the Alliance Française language institute and living in a student residence.
During the month's stay in Paris, students explore the city with the Resident Director, visiting many museums, monuments, and neighborhoods. In addition, the program provides tickets to the Opéra and/or Comédie française and to concerts of classical music, as well as excursions to sites outside of Paris such as Monet's garden at Giverny, the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte, or the Chartres cathedral.
Toward the end of September, students move to Tours, the cultural capital of the Loire Valley. Known for its historic towns, Renaissance châteaux, and striking natural beauty, the Val de Loire has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The city of Tours boasts a rich and varied architectural heritage, with the old city – Le Vieux Tours – attracting students and visitors alike to its lively Place Plumereau. A network of regional trains connects Tours to Orléans, Chenonceaux, Amboise, and other nearby sites of interest. Paris and its attractions are fifty-five minutes away by high-speed train.
The spring semester program begins in early January when students enroll at the Institut de Touraine in Tours. The Institut courses end around the end of March. Students will have nearly a week in Paris followed by a week-long excursion to another destination, such as Morrocco or another francophone city, chosen and led by the Resident Director.
Facilities
The University of Tours - Université François Rabelais, which offers courses in literature, language, arts, and the social sciences, sits on the banks of the Loire River. Named in modern times for François Rabelais, the university welcomes 22,000 students, many of whom come from other countries in Europe and around the world.
The Institut de Touraine founded in 1912, under the auspices of the Université François Rabelais, specializes in teaching French to foreigners. Highly regarded for its success in language teaching, the Institut offers courses in French language, literature and civilization, including art history and French history for students on both the semester and academic year programs. A proficiency test, upon arrival in Tours, places students in the appropriate language courses.
Courses
Academic Year Course Options
Fall and Spring Semester Course Options
All courses are transferred back to Davidson as ungraded credit for Davidson students, except for the director's course which may be taken for graded credit. Students from other colleges and universities will receive grades for all their courses on a Davidson College transcript. Please read the Registrar's policies regarding grading and credit, for further clarification.
Academic Calendar
Academic Year Program:
Departure from US: end of August
Intensive language course in Paris: month of September
Institut courses: early October - mid-December and early January - late March
Université courses: late September - late May
End of program: end of May
Fall Semester Program:
Departure from US: end of August
Intensive language course in Paris: month of September
Institut courses: early October 1 - mid-December
End of program: mid-December
Spring Semester Program:
Departure from US: end of December
Institut courses: early January - late March
Spring vacation: late March - early April
Group trip: early April - late April
End of program: late April
(For spring semester students enrolled at the university, the program will end after exams in mid-May.)
Extracurricular Activities
In Paris, a rich cultural program proposes outings to plays, operas and other musical events plus visits to museums and to nearby marvels such as Giverny, Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, and Chartres.
Students participating in the academic year and semester programs have access to the university sports facilities in Tours. Cultural opportunities include an interesting and varied selection of plays, concerts, operas, and films. Moreover, Paris is only a short train ride away.
The program arranges visits to a variety of the famous Loire Valley castles, such as Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau and Chenonceaux. In addition, extended excursions are planned to other regions of France. Recent destinations include Normandy with the Bayeux tapestry and the World War II invasions beaches, Provence and the Côte d' Azur or Brittany with its rugged coast and neolithic alignments.
Housing and Meals
In Paris, students live in a student residence where they also take their meals. In Tours, students are housed with families with breakfast and dinner provided by the family. The program provides an allowance for lunch, which students may take at student restaurants or in the many restaurants, cafés, and bistros in the city
Health Care
Tours boasts a medical school and a teaching hospital. Doctors are readily available and their fees are reasonable by American standards. Foreigners are not covered by the French national health service and the program requires that students carry their own medical insurance or be covered under their parents' medical insurance policy.
Financial Information
While in France, most students use their U.S. bank ATM card for cash. Students open bank accounts in Tours for local banking needs.
The program fee for the 2008-2009 academic year based on the Davidson comprehensive fee, is $42,950, covering round-trip Trans-Atlantic airfare, all expenses for the September intensive language course, tuition in Tours, excursions, plus room and board. The fall or spring semester program fee, also covering the above, is $21,475.
Resident Director
The Resident Director oversees the work of each student and is available as adviser and counselor in matters with which students need assistance. With a group limited to no more than 25 students, the Resident Director can give personal attention to the needs and problems of each student. The Director serves as primary liaison with both the Université and the Institut. As a member of the Davidson faculty, the Resident Director exercises his/her authority and that of the Davidson administration in academic and disciplinary questions. For 2008-2009, the resident director is Dr. Henry Buckley.
Eligibility and Application Information
Students in good standing who attain sophomore class status as of July 1, who have at least a cumulative B- average, and who have taken the equivalent of at least three semesters of college French (completion of French 201 at Davidson) may apply.
Application forms can be found at the top right of this webpage. You are REQUIRED TO DOWNLOAD ALL THREE COMPONENTS to the application or pick up a copy in the Study Abroad Office in Duke Residence Hall.
PART 1 - GENERAL APPLICATION
(MUST DOWNLOAD)
PART 2 - APPLICATION RECOMMENDATION FORMS
(MUST DOWNLOAD 2)
PART 3 - APPLICATION WAIVER & RELEASE FORM
(MUST DOWNLOAD)
PART 4 - APPLICATION HOME SCHOOL APPROVAL FORM
(NON-DAVIDSON STUDENTS ONLY - MUST DOWNLOAD)
PART 5 - OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT
(NON-DAVIDSON STUDENTS ONLY - Must have an official transcript from their college/university sent to the Davdison College Study Abroad Office.)
Applications, including all supporting materials, are due in the Study Abroad Office:
Fall Semester & Academic Year: Deadline - February 1
Notification - February 15
Spring Semester: Deadline - September 20
Notification - September 24
Additional Program Information
Davidson College reserves the right to cancel or modify part or all of a study abroad program should changing circumstances make it necessary to do so. In cases where the college has security concerns, the program director and the Dean Rusk Program Director will gather information and make a recommendation to the Dean of Faculty. The dean will take his decision to the president, who retains ultimate authority to decide whether or not a particular Davidson-sponsored trip should proceed.
Davidson admits qualified students without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, handicap, gender, or sexual preference.
For more information, please contact:
Study Abroad Coordinator
Duke Residence Hall
704-894-2250
Mailing Address:
Study Abroad Coordinator
Dean Rusk International Studies Program
Davidson College
Box 7155
Davidson, NC 28035-7155