The FSP in Paris provides an advanced program of study designed to expand the curriculum of Dartmouth College into new areas of significant intellectual discovery and cultural understanding through supervised study and residence. Students who complete the FSP will have all three of their courses count toward the major or minor in French.
Students live with local families and take three Dartmouth courses taught exclusively in French:
- French 29: French Civilization. This course has two parts and meets three times a week. One weekly class meeting is devoted to history (with Professor Blanc), and the other to art history (with Professor Léglise-Costa.) The history component focuses on 19th and 20th century French history using narratives drawn from a variety of disciplines, namely literature, sociology, and history. The art history component includes both classroom study and site visits, such as excursions to monuments and museums.
- French 30: French Literature. Taught by the Dartmouth Professor who directs the program. In this course, students read representative works of French literature depending upon the choice and specialization of the director. The class may also attend plays and films in the city, or go on local excursions that are relevant to the course material, which often focuses on representations and discussions of Paris in a wide range of texts, documents, photographs, paintings, and films.
- French 31: French Language and Civilization. Taught by Professor Mathilde Sitbon, this course is designed to improve students' spoken and written French. The review of the more complex grammatical points is combined with exposure to aspects of contemporary French society and life in France, such as the educational system, new trends in French society, every-day life in Paris, and cultural differences between France and the US. Classes will sometimes be held in the city.
In addition to their coursework, students explore the city and the region through short excursions to museums, architectural sites and participation in cultural events.