Exchange Program in Angers, France

Université Catholique de l’Ouest

Angers is one of the most delightful cities in France. It lies in the heart of the Loire Valley, only a hour and a half from Paris with 15 high-speed rail connections daily (TGV). With the sixteenth largest population in France, Angers is the capital of Anjou, a famous wine producing region. This university town offers a great diversity of cultural activities: a 13th century castle, numerous museums, film festivals, theatres, music. Its inhabitants enjoy a pleasant environment with of 360 hectares of parks and gardens, and 67 kilometers of cycle paths. Angers offers visitors an efficient network of bus routes, a tramway was built in 2011.

 

Université Catholique de l’Ouest (UCO)

The Université Catholique de l’Ouest (UCO) is 135 years old: originally a medieval university founded in 1373, it was later reopened in 1875 and has a current student population of 12,000. The campus is situated in downtown Angers, a five-minute walk from the station and the nearest bus stops; it lies just minutes away from the main shopping area, restaurants, gardens, banks and administrative offices. The university campus boasts an unusual architectural blend of old and contemporary buildings, standing in a 5-hectare park. For more information see Why Choose UCO.

Courses at the UCO

This program is suitable for French majors with an advanced level of French seeking to immerse themselves in the French language and culture.  All courses are taught in French and SIUE students take courses along side native French speakers. The UCO course catalog is available online. Students interested in applying to this program should meet with Dr. Debbie Mann in the SIUE Department Foreign Languages for academic and study abroad advisement for this program.

There is also a selection of courses for Business students taught in English.  These can be seen at http://www.idce.com/fr/idce/international-business/bba-international-business/ Subjects include Management, Marketing, Statistics, Philosophy, Ethics, Information Systems (Intro), Economics.

There is also a series of courses for graduate level Business students taught in English.  These can be seen at http://www.idce.com/fr/idce/international-business/mba-international-business/
 

Centre international d’études françaises (CIDEF)

In addition to the regular courses, SIUE students may wish to enroll in courses at the CIDEF. The CIDEF is a Language Center associated with the UCO. Foreign students wishing to learn French language and culture or simply improve their knowledge of French can enroll at CIDEF, which boasts 60 years of experience in teaching French to foreign students. Normally there is an extra fee associated with the CIDEF courses. However, under the terms of the exchange agreement, the UCO offers up to 2 SIUE students per year a scholarship to enroll in a month long intensive French language program during the month of August. This would be suitable only for students interested in a fall semester placement at the UCO.

Semester Dates

Fall semester:
Early August - early September: CIDEF Intensive French course
Early September - mid-January: Fall semester regular courses at the UCO with exams occurring in January.
Note: Students wishing to participate only in a Fall semester exchange may make special arrangements to take exams in December before returning to the U.S.

Spring Semester:
Mid-January - late May
 

Tuition

Students accepted to participate in this exchange program will pay SIUE tuition for courses taken at the Université Catholique de l’Ouest  Students will be registered at SIUE in the French credit pre-approved by the SIUE Department of Foreign Languages and Literature to correspond to the planned program of study at the UCO. SIUE tuition for the SIUE credit  will be charged to the student's SIUE bursar bill. Only the SIUE information technology fee is charged for exchange program courses; all other SIUE student fees are waived for the exchange semester abroad. Tuition at the UCO is waived for SIUE students.

Additional Costs to Consider:

• Airfare to France (arranged by student)
• Housing - a number of options including residence halls and homestays are available; see Housing Options for more details.
• Meals
• Personal expenses
• Health Insurance
• Local transportation, books and supplies

See Practical Information for more information on health insurance requirements, meal options, and residence permit.


Student Visa Requirement
A student visa will be required for semester long study in France. Please visit the "Campus France" website for additional information and plan accordingly.
 

Students interested in a nomination to participate in this exchange program should contact the following individuals:

Dr. Debbie Mann
Dept. of Foreign Language and Literature
PH 2326, tel: 650-2314

Kim Browning
Office of International Programs
0300 SSC, tel: 650-2419