Baylor in Paris
Homestays with French Families
A unique advantage of the Paris program is the opportunity to live and interact with French families. These are middle-class families who have been carefully screened and selected by a Parisian staff. Many of them have previously hosted American students. During the program, students have a demi-pension arrangement—they share a room with another student in the program and have breakfast and dinner with the family. Students are reimbursed for lunch and can either eat in a café or buy something at a delicatessen.
Courses
Students register for two courses in intermediate or advanced French. Course offerings will include French 2310 and 2320 (second-year grammar, reading, and conversation), French 3320 (Conversation and Composition in Paris), and French 3348 (A Moveable Feast: An Exploration of Paris and Its Culture). Since students arrive in Paris on Saturday May 27, classes will begin on Monday May 29 and will be held every weekday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Baylor in Paris center. Afternoons are generally reserved for group visits or leisure time. It may, however, be necessary to schedule a class hour or two in the afternoon. Final exams will be given in all classes.
Eligibility
In order to apply, students must be in good standing at a college/university or must have recently graduated. They must also have completed one semester of college French by May 2023 and should be enrolled in a French course during the spring term. Students who have completed two semesters of French will enroll in FRE 2310 and 2320. Students who have completed three semesters will enroll in FRE 2320 and 3320. Students who have completed at least four semesters will enroll in FRE 3320 and 3348. For admission to the program, students must have at least a “C” average in French. Students who receive a final grade lower than a “C” in their spring 2023 French course will be dropped from the program.
Trips and Excursions
In Paris, students will have the opportunity to visit major museums and points of interest such as Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Musée d’Orsay. Outside of Paris, the group will visit the Palace of Versailles, travel to the city of Rouen in Normandy, and take an overnight trip to visit the châteaux in the Loire valley. At the end of the stay in Paris, the group will take a two-day trip to Normandy which will include visits to the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, the coastal city of Saint-Malo, and the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach.
Responsibilities
Student advisement, counseling and enrollment will be provided to all participants on a continuing basis before leaving for France by Professors Bratu and Level, who will teach the courses and direct the program. Neither the university nor faculty in charge assumes any responsibility for personal injury or loss of property. The director reserves the right to modify or change any part of the program (including trips and excursions) if necessary. Applicants will be required to sign a waiver of liability regarding Baylor University and the program directors. No refund can be given to students who terminate their stay with the program before the end of the session, or whose health does not permit them to participate in the program. All students must enroll online in a health insurance plan provided by Baylor in order to ensure coverage while in France. Information on this plan is available on the Baylor Center for Global Engagement website under Study Abroad.
Travel to and from France
Departure date is Friday May 26. Students are free to make their own travel arrangements but need to be in Paris for the program orientation, which will be held the morning of May 28. Since the group will be meeting the families on May 27, any student arriving before this date will have to arrange hotel accommodations in Paris. Pre-departure orientation meetings for the program will be held beginning in January. Further information pertaining to the group flight, packing, the Parisian lifestyle, French family life, excursions and other activities will be discussed at those meetings.
Faculty
Dr. Cristian Bratu, Professor of French and Director of the Division of French and Italian, holds a Ph.D. in French from New York University. He has taught at Baylor since 2007 and will be directing the Baylor in Paris program for the fifth time. His research interests are in French medieval chronicles and histories.
Prof. Marie Level, Senior Lecturer in French, is from Lyon, France. She holds an M.A. from the University of Cincinnati and has served as assistant director of Baylor in Paris for many years.
Application
Students may submit applications to the Baylor in Paris Program on the Center for Global Engagement website under Study Abroad. Baylor in Paris fills on a first-come first-served basis. All students must pay a non-refundable $1,000 deposit to secure their space in the program. Once the program is full, all accepted students who have not deposited will be withdrawn from the trip. The $1,000 will be directly applied to the program fee, and the remaining balance will be due with the summer bill.
To apply for Baylor in Paris 2023, click here.