PARIS, FRANCE

Overview of Course Offerings:

All students will take a French language placement exam which will determine their language level placement at the Institute Catholique de Paris. This level will also determine the classes available to them, as course offerings vary by level. ASA cannot guarantee level or class placement, as this is based solely on your placement exam.

Beginner level students take a set curriculum of French language courses and may not take Culture courses.

Intermediate, Advanced and Superior level students during the FALL semester have two options, either of which earn students a total of 180 contact hours (12 semester credits):
Fall Option 1: Students take one 4-credit French Language class and 4, 2-credit Culture courses. 60 contact hours come from language classes; 120 contact hours come from elective classes.
Fall Option 2: Students take one 6-credit French Language class and 3, 2-credit Culture courses. 90 contact hours come from language classes; 90 contact hours come from elective classes.

Intermediate, Advanced and Superior level students during the SPRING semester will take one 6-credit French Language class and 3, 3-credit Culture courses for a total of 225 contact hours (15 semester credits). 90 contact hours come from language classes and 135 contact hours come from elective classes.

Contact Hours and Credits:
Each elective course meets 3 hours per week. Fall semester students attend 10 weeks of classes and therefore earn 30 contact hours (2 semester credits) for each elective taken during the Fall semester. Spring students attend 15 weeks of classes and therefore earn 45 contact hours (3 semester credit) for each elective taken during the Spring semester.

Beginner Level Course Offerings:

Beginner level students during the FALL semester have a set curriculum of 18 hours of French Language classes per week, for a total of 180 contact hours (12 semester credits).

Beginner level students during the SPRING semester have a set curriculum of 15 hours of French Language classes per week, for a total of 225 contact hours (15 semester credits).

Beginner French language classes for both semesters will include oral and written comprehension, oral and written expression, grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, and culture/civilzation topics.

At the Institut Catholique de Paris, there are 2 Beginner levels: Debutante and A1. These levels may take French language classes only and are not allowed to take Civilization & Culture electives.

French Language - Debutante Level (PDF file) (for students who have no French experience)
French Language - Level A1 (Elementary 1) (PDF file)
Beginner Oral French (PDF file)
Beginner Written French (PDF file)

French Language Courses for Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced and Superior Levels:

Elementary/Intermediate Levels - At the Institut Catholique de Paris, there are 5 Elementary/Intermediate levels which are allowed to take French Civilization and Culture electives along with their French language classes: A2, A2+, B1, B1+ and B1++:

French Language - Level A2 (Elementary 2) (PDF file)
French Language - Level A2+ (Elementary 3) (PDF file)
French Language - Level B1 (Intermediate 1) (PDF file)
French Language - Level B1+ (Intermediate 2) (PDF file)
French Language - Level B1++ (Intermediate 3) (PDF file)

Advanced/Superior Levels - At the Institut Catholique de Paris, there are 2 Advanced levels (B2 and B2+) and 2 Superior levels (C1 and C2). Students in these levels may also take French Civilization and Culture electives along with their French language classes:

French Language - Level B2 (Advanced 1) (PDF file)
French Language - Level B2+ (Advanced 2) (PDF file)

Elective Course Offerings:

In order to take the following elective courses, students must test into Catholique levels Elémentarie 2 (A2), Elémentarie 3 (A2+) or Intermédiaire 1 (B1) on the Placement Exam.

French Civilization and Culture Electives - Levels A2, A2+ and B1:
Business French - Levels A2 and A2+ (Elementary 2 and 3) (PDF file)
Current Events in France (PDF file)
Culture and Religion in France (PDF file)
France through Songs (PDF file)
Discovering Arts (PDF file)
The French-Speaking World (PDF file)
Paris Cinema (PDF file)
Literature, Painting & Music from the 16th to the 20th Centuries (PDF file)
Introduction to the History of France (PDF file)
Discovering Paris (PDF file)

Specialized French Electives - Levels A2, A2+ and B1:
Oral French (PDF file)
Written French (PDF file)
French Phonetics (PDF file)
Oral & Theater (PDF file)
Oral & Photo (PDF file)

In order to take the following elective courses, students must test into Intermédiaire 2 (B1+), Intermédiaire 3 (B1++) or Avancé 1 (B2) on the Placement Exam.

French Civilization and Culture Electives - Levels B1+, B1++ and B2:
Business French - Level B1+ (Intermediate 2) (PDF file)
Business French - Level B1++ (Intermediate 3) (PDF file)
French Documentary Cinema (PDF file)
Art in France from the Renaissance to Impressionism (PDF file)
Art Adventures in the 20th Century (PDF file)
France and its Heritage (PDF file)
Paris, a Capital of Art & History (PDF file)
The Media in France (PDF file)
The Nouvelle Vague: History and Subjects (PDF file)
France - How Does it Work? (PDF file)
Fashion and Design (PDF file)
Main Periods of French History from the 13th to the 19th Centuries (PDF file)
Overview of Literature & Ideas in France - 19th-20th Centuries (PDF file)
Overview of Literature & Ideas in France - 16th-18th Centuries (PDF file)
Europe, Past and Present (PDF file)
History of France & French People in the 20th Century (PDF file)
Art & Architecture in France from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment (PDF file)

Specialized French Electives - Levels B1+, B1++ and B2:
Oral French (PDF file)
Written French (PDF file)
French Phonetics (PDF file)
Synthesis Writing and Argumentation (PDF file)
English-French Translation (PDF file)

In order to take the following elective courses, students must test into Intermédiaire 3 (B1++), Avancé 1 (B2), Avancé 2 (B2+), Supérieur 1-2 (C1) or Supérieur 3-4 (C2) on the Placement Exam.

French Civilization and Culture Electives - Levels B1++, B2, B2+, C1 and C2:
Business French - Level B1++ (Intermediate 3) (PDF file)
Business French - Level B2+ (Advanced 2) (PDF file)
Business French - Level C1 (Superior 1) (PDF file)
Origins of 20th Century Art (PDF file)
Great Figures of 20th Century Art (PDF file)
French Contemporary Cinema (PDF file)
Cultural Route: Perspectives of France (PDF file)
Cultural Route: Convergences (PDF file)
Contemporary French Literature (PDF file)
History of Philosophical Ideas in France (PDF file)
Structure of Literary Texts (PDF file)

Specialized French Electives - Levels B1++, B2, B2+, C1 and C2:
Oral French (PDF file)
Written French (PDF file)
French Phonetics (PDF file)
Synthesis Writing and Argumentation (PDF file)
French Today (PDF file)
French through Cinema (PDF file)
Synthesis Speaking and Argumentation (PDF file)