AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FRANCE: Fall 2010 Course Offerings

All students MUST get a total of 8 classes approved by their academic advisor, in case of changes in course availability or schedule conflicts. That way, if a class is full or cancelled, or if 2 of the classes you want to take meet at the same time, you'll already have back-up classes that you know your school will accept. When you pre-register for classes (this happens after you're accepted), you will have to list a total of 8 possible classes on your registration form, in order of preference.

Each course is worth 3 credits, unless noted otherwise. Students are expected to take 5, 3-credit courses per semester. All courses are taught in English unless noted otherwise.

NOTE: Students who have not taken any French before are required to take FRE 100 (6 credits), plus 3 electives of their choosing.

All courses with a course number that begins with FRE are taught in French.

Click here for the Fall 2010 class timetable - use this to plan your schedule!

COURSE OFFERINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

ELECTIVES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH:
ARC 309: Ancient European Art and Archeology - 3 credits
Development of the European Mediterranean societies and civilizations from our earliest origins in Africa, the arrival of the first humans in Europe, the transition from a hunting-gathering way of life to farming, the discovery of metalworking and the deep influence it had on European societies, up to the Roman conquest of the continent. Particular emphasis on southern France, placed in a larger historical and archeological context to show the main aspects of the multiple contacts, exchanges and cultural influences with Greeks, Celts and Romans in this area. Site visits, in Quinson (Musee de la Prehistoire), Arles and Saint-Remy-de Provence, are an integral part of the archeology course.

ART 105: Drawing and Painting (Studio Art) - 3 credits
A beginning course for students with little or no experience in painting and drawing (three credits). Students acquire a basic knowledge of drawing skills, color theory, oil or watercolor techniques. Technical skills are always presented as subservient to each student's vision and imagination in relation to the direct observation of nature and the human form. Individual conferences with the faculty at the beginning of the semester determine if the student will accentuate drawing or painting during the semester. Evaluations and credit are assigned accordingly. Drawing students are required to use color during the semester; likewise, painting students are assigned drawing projects as well. All students must attempt to interrelate the two disciplines in their work. Six contact hours a week. Limited enrollment. An additional $260 fee will be applied to cover the cost of painting supplies.

ART 231: Survey History of Western Art: Prehistory to the Middle Ages - 3 credits
Initiation to the language and techniques of art history. A study of painting, sculpture, and architecture of Western art from prehistory to the end of the Middle Ages.

ART 305: Intermediate/Advanced Painting and Drawing (Studio Art) - 3 credits
A course for students with intermediate/advanced skills. The goal of the course is to develop the student's capacity to see into the visible world and transform his/her vision into art. The student is led gradually toward a deeper understanding of the relationship between natural and artistic forms through the challenges of museum study, landscape, portraiture, model work, and still life. Instruction is individualized and adapted to each student's needs and interests. Painting and drawing are taught concurrently and are complementary. At the beginning of the semester the professor will evaluate and determine if the individual student will accentuate either drawing or painting during the semester. Three credit hours in either drawing or painting will be assigned accordingly. Six contact hours a week. Limited enrollment. An additional $260 fee will be applied to cover the cost of painting supplies.

ART 340: Medieval Art and Architecture - 3 credits
This course searches for the Medieval mind as it is expressed in Christian art and architecture from its earliest beginnings in the Catacombs of Rome, through the rich mosaics and domes of Byzantine culture in the East, to the raising of the great Gothic Cathedrals in Northern Europe. Site visits are an integral part of the course.

ART 381: The 19th Century and French Impressionism - 3 credits
An historical and critical analysis of painting in the 19th Century with emphasis on the history of Impressionism. Previous course in art history recommended. Site visits and special project. Limited enrollment.

BUS 301: Introduction to International Business - 3 credits
The basic principles of international business and management. Emphasis on foreign exchange, risk analysis, comparative management techniques in different countries, interaction between host societies and multinational corporations, and changing government policies affecting business.

BUS 303: International Intercultural Management - 3 credits
Globalization has arrived as one of the major challenges facing managers of the new millennium. Acting in multicultural environments, international companies develop new managerial tools to benefit from extended markets. This course focuses on marketing goods and services in a global market and managing an intercultural workforce.

ECO 301 / ES 301: International Economics and the European Union - 3 credits
Introduction to European economic development - A survey of the European Common Market and the European Union - The EURO currency - The Determinants of Trade and Growth in Europe - The relationship between the EU and its partners - Prior course in Economics required.

EDU 301: Comparative European Education - 3 credits
A study of the social, historical, and cultural factors which have influenced the development of educational institutions in Europe. Emphasis on the French and British education systems. Students will participate in a weekly practicum assisting French students with English. Students will be required to keep a journal based on their practical experience. Limited enrollment.

HIS 301: European History: 1870-1918 - 3 credits
Major social, economic, political and diplomatic developments in European history from 1870-1918. Special emphasis on the pre-war internal political structures of the major European states, and on industrialism and the evolution of working class movements.

LIT 325: The European in the 20th-Century European Novel - 3 credits
With the work of Joyce and Proust, the twentieth century saw the European novel come into its own as the dominant narrative literary genre. Burdened in the previous century by the excesses of the romantic era, the European novel in the twentieth century finally assumed its role as the narrative voice of the era. Reading Proust, Kafka, Woolf, Camus, Kundera and Calvino we will explore the shifting novelistic perspectives that reflect their European landscapes.

LIT 375: European City in Literature and the Arts - 3 credits
This course will explore the rise and the establishment of the urban setting as the nexus of contemporary European culture and civilization. We will focus primarily on the late nineteenth-century up to the contemporary setting, more specifically on Paris, Rome and Prague. Other cities will be taken into account but in complement to the three central urban settings. The main genres will be cinema and the novel but will not exclude poetry, music or painting.

PHI 301: The Art of Philosophy from the Ancient World to the Present - Foundations of European Philosophy - 3 credits
An introduction to one of the most misunderstood disciplines in the arena of human affairs. Neither a science nor an indefinable " way of life ", philosophy is more an art form whose elusive goal is the beauty of Wisdom and whose material is the examined self. With this in mind, Philosophy 301 varies from semester to semester, choosing topics, philosophers or thematic material in view of finding a meaningful " whole " for concerted discussion. Given the course's seminar approach, enrollment is limited. Reading material spans the period from the Pre-Socratic philosophers down to the present.

POL 303: International Relations - 3 credits
The fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold-war and the beginning of a new era in international relations. As the world opened up its borders, it grew ever closer. Technological advances in communication during this same era have had a profound effect on the central role of the state in international relations, by empowering non-state actors, such as multinational corporations, and NGOs as well as supra-national actors such as the European Union. It has also empowered those disenchanted with the international system, terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda. This course will examine the evolution of the role of the state in international security and development issues while scrutinizing both liberal and realist approaches to peace, security and stability in an ever increasing globalized world.

POL 307 / ES 307: The European Union: Integration, Enlargement, Unity - 3 credits
The European Union is a very unique actor in international relations. This course is designed as a comprehensive study of the treaties, events and negotiations that led to the formation of the European Union. It will equally look at the current institutions and policies that make the European Union a global actor today. The course will examine underlying themes pertinent to the European Union such as nationalism, state-sovereignty, supranational governance, democratic accountability and the future of enlargement.

POL 309: Global Environmental Politics - 3 credits
Rapid population growth, increasing demands on natural resources, industrialization and the globalization of world markets have had profound effects on the global commons, 'the environment'.. As the first decade of the 21st century ends, recognition of looming transnational environmental problems (climate change, air pollution, biodiversity loss, deforestation, desertification, etc…) and their potential to cause catastrophe has fostered a basic requirement for global cooperation. At the same time the debate surrounding these issues has created contempt, distrust and competition between developed and developing countries. This class will explore the main environmental problems facing the international community today, analyze the roles of states, international organizations, multinational corporations and civil society in the causation and solution process and examine the effectiveness of global environmental governance and how it attempts to balance national and corporate interests with global environmental welfare.

PSY 304: Human Development in Cultural Contexts - 3 credits
The cultural context will highlight a European academic approach to Human Development in contrast with a North American one. Thus human development will be studied from a psychodynamic perspective. The course will draw extensively on the theories of such psychoanalytic theoreticians as Freud, Melanie Klein, Wilfred Bion and Donald Winnicott, as well as current thinkers. Overall the emphasis will be on identity formation and the attainment of a "mind of one's own".

FRENCH LANGUAGE CLASSES:
FRE 100: Essentials of Elementary French I - 6 credits
Essentials of French grammar with listening, speaking, reading, pronunciation, and writing; an introduction to the basic structures and vocabulary of French. This class is for students who have never taken French before. This class is equivalent to 1st semester of college French.

FRE 105: Essentials of Elementary French II - 6 credits
Listening, speaking, pronunciation, reading, and writing; an introduction to the basic structures and vocabulary of French, continuation. This class is equivalent to 2nd semester of college French. Students should have taken the equivalent of at least one semester of college French.

FRE 200: Essentials of Intermediate French I - 4 credits
Essentials of Intermediate French I - It introduces students to a full range of structures to complete their initial study of the grammatical system; emphasizes the development of all five skills, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, and listening and cultural understanding through readings and audiovisual enrichment materials. This class is equivalent to 3rd semester of college French. Students should have taken the equivalent of 2 semesters of college French.

FRE 203: Essentials of Intermediate French II - 4 credits
A comprehensive grammar review with emphasis on oral expression and the continued development of oral, aural, reading and written skills. This class is equivalent to 4th semester of college French. Students should have taken the equivalent of 3 semesters of college French.

FRE 217: Living in France: A Conversation - 3 credits
Oral and written practice of French idiomatic expression, everyday language, and syntax. Students will read and discuss texts designed to enrich their understanding of French culture, and will be expected to attend local cultural events. The course is organized around themes including food, leisure activities, politics, popular culture, the media, and holidays. Students will write short papers and make presentations in class. This class is equivalent to 4th semester of college French. Students should have taken the equivalent of at least 2-3 semesters of college French.

FRE 300: Advanced Grammar and Usage - 3 credits
Advanced written practice and grammar review. Essay topics follow a simulation enriched by literary texts and multimedia activities. This class is equivalent to 5th semester of college French. Students should have taken the equivalent of 4 semesters of college French. If you are looking for an advanced conversation course, we recommend FRE 307, FRE 317 or FRE 357.

FRE 307: Advanced Conversation and Composition - 3 credits
Writing and discussion on current topics Oral practice through debates and discussions of current events, and role playing emphasizing cultural content. This class is equivalent to 6th semester of college French. Students should have taken at least of 4-5 semesters of college French. If you are taking FRE 315, FRE 331 and/or FRE 355 and would also like to take a conversation course along with it, FRE 307 is recommended.

FRE 317: Business French - 3 credits
Intensive training in French for business and commercial purposes, emphasizing specialized forms and vocabulary. There will be field trips to local businesses or industries and professional consultants are invited into the class. For advanced students. Offered first and second semesters, if sufficient enrollment permits.

FRE 335: Phonetics - 3 credits
Phonetic theory illustrated by aural practice and pronunciation. Intensive practice in sound reproduction and fine-tuning the ear to new sound combinations. For advanced students. Language laboratory work at the French university. Limited enrollment.

FRE 357 / THE 357: Using Theater to perfect your French - 3 credits
The object of this course is to improve students' oral communication, as well as their knowledge of another culture, through reading, recitation and discussions. Excerpts of certain French plays will be used. We will use a very pragmatic approach, concentrating on exercises designed to explore working on voice, reading and pronunciation via modern theatrical texts. This experience is a direct appropriation of the French language. We will learn how to adapt the works of others, how to express one's own personality through the words of another, how to place one's voice, and how to really incorporate the French language. The students will prepare certain texts: reading and comprehension, memorization of short dialogues, and expressions. For advanced students.

FRE 411: Translation and Stylistics I - 3 credits
In this course, students will work individually and in groups on the translation from English to French and French to English of business, journalistic, advertising, and some literary texts. Students will improve their understanding of the nuances of technical writing in both languages, and will also be exposed to theoretical and technical questions related to translation. For advanced students.

OTHER ELECTIVES GIVEN IN FRENCH
COM 307 / JOU307: Introduction to Contemporary French Media (Given in French) - 3 credits
Students will follow major French and international news stories as reported in French newspapers and on radio and TV. Students will learn to read and think critically about the media, to make informed judgments about the political, economic, social and cultural life of French and the European Union, and to write about current events using the principles of formal French expository writing.

FRE 315: Readings in French Literature (Given in French) - 3 credits
Readings in French literature and introduction to methods of literary analysis for students with the equivalent of at least two years of college French. The course includes works by poets from the 16th to the 20th centuries, including Labe, DuBellay, Ronsard, la Fontaine, Hugo, Nerval, Baudelaire, Mallarme, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Apollinaire, Aragon and Prevert, fiction by Voltaire and Maupassant, and plays by Moliere and Anouilh.

FRE 331: Contemporary French Civilization (Given in French) - 3 credits
Political, cultural, and social issues are viewed in this study of contemporary French civilization. Public health, education, employment, family life, secularism, religions, racism, minorities, French-speaking communities, French overseas departments and territories, France and globalization etc., are analyzed and compared with the American experience.

FRE/FLM 355 : France as seen through its Movies : Post-WWII to the 1970's (Given in French) - 3 credits
Marcel Carné/Jacques Prévert / Claude Autant-Lara/ Jacques Tati /François Truffaut/ José Giovanni/ Yves Robert. A cinematic look at French society, this course provides an historical, cultural and aesthetic approach to French films of from post-WWII to the 70's. Students will learn to describe, question and understand the multiple representations of France proposed by its films. Each film will be approached according to its relation with the socio-cultural events of the era of its production and to its relation to France today. At the same time, the class will provide techniques for a deeper understanding of cinematic image.

HIS 325: Provencal History and Culture: An analysis of Monuments (Given in French) - 3 crédits
An introduction to the History of Provence and a study of its most exemplary monuments. These historic landmarks, which include the city of Aix-en-Provence, the Popes Palace in Avignon and the Roman Amphitheatre in Arles, will serve as a background to an explanation of the historical, political, economic and social questions from Antiquity to the early 20th century. The modern cultural aspect of Provence will be covered in the second half of the semester with presentations on folk traditions, provencal literature, linguistics, movies, typical provencal sports... Both aspects will allow students to understand those factors which through the centuries have contributed to the creation of a distinct Provencal culture. Site visits on Saturdays, in Marseille, Arles and the archaeological site of Glanum (Saint-Rémy de Provence), are an integral part of the Provencal History course.


Volunteer Opportunities

Participation in volunteer opportunities in Aix-en-Provence is an excellent way to immerse yourself in your host country's way of life while helping those in need. In effect, this will add another dimension to the study abroad experience through daily exposure and interactions, resulting in a greater understanding of the language, culture, and community of the host country.

If you're interested in volunteering, simply ask the staff at The Aix Center for details after you arrive in Aix. Please note that these volunteer opportunities are not for credit.

The following are the volunteer opportunities in which students can participate. A minimum Intermediate level of French is required to participate.

- English language tutor for schoolchildren ages 9-14
- English language tutor for adults ages 19-28 who are going back to school to try and pass their BAC
- Trimming olive trees on local farms
- Planting trees on Mte. Ste Victoire (Spring semester only because of planting season)
- Volunteering in a soup kitchen (December only)