Description of Term:

• This program is the Catho's January Intensive Month session + the standard spring semester. In January you will take an intensive French language course, followed by your regular semester of coursework.

Course Availability and Scheduling

• The course list below indicates the proposed courses for the upcoming term. The host university has not yet confirmed the current course list at this time. This site will be updated once ISA receives the updated list of courses, along with a notification of the change to currently accepted students.
• Culture & Civilization courses are typically in the afternoon, and French language courses are in the morning. You will very likely need to take a French language course to fill your schedule and to avoid course scheduling conflicts.

Course Selection and Language Requirement

• Most students will take one French language course which counts as the majority of their total credits/hours. You may then fill the remainder of your schedule with culture courses in French or English, described in more detail. The below structure is subject to change based on enrollments and course offerings at the Catho each semester.
  • If you place into the True Beginning (A1-1), Beginning (A1-2), High Beginning (A2-1) or Low Intermediate (A2-2) level, you will be required to take a French language course as most of your credits.
  • If you place into the True Beginning (A1-1) or Beginning (A1-2) level, you will primarily take French language and can choose to take one course in English. 
  • If you place into the High Beginning (A2-1) or Low Intermediate (A2-2) level, you can take up to three French civilization courses or two English courses in addition to French langauge during the semester.
  • You can take three courses in English maximum (if offered), and only if you are at a high level of French language.
• Courses and course hours of instruction are subject to change.
• Eligibility for courses may be subject to a placement exam and/or prerequisites.

Course Credit

• Credits earned vary according to the policies of your home institution. According to ISA policy and possible visa requirements, you must maintain full-time enrollment status, as determined by your home institution while on the program.
• Each contact hour at the host university is 60 minutes in length. The ISA website and cover page provided with the transcripts are adjusted to reflect the standard U.S. 50 minute contact hour.

Transcripts

• The transcript from the Institut Catholique de Paris will reflect contact hours for each course listed below.  Please be in touch with your U.S. University regarding credit transfer for this program.

Language Placement

• Enrollment in French courses is determined by the results of a language placement exam administered by the Institut Catholique de Paris. Please note that your performance on the placement exam may not reflect the number of semesters of language instruction you've already completed at your home university. We strongly suggest that students who are trying to place into any level of language beyond true beginning prepare for the language placement exam by reviewing previous coursework.