The City of Paris

The capital and largest city of France, Paris has a population of over 2 million people with an additional 10 million living in the outlying suburbs, making it one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe. Known as one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, Paris is a center for the arts, intellectual discourse, and gastronomy. It has been an important and central location for over two thousand years, and is today one of the world’s leading cultural and financial centers. With the river Seine and famous boulevards crossing the city, Paris is made up of twenty arrondissements, each with its own unique character. The city offers a wide array of art museums, musical and theatrical venues, architectural landmarks, literary cafes, stunning gardens, and some of the world's top institutions of higher learning, all of which make Paris an ideal location to explore scholarly and cultural pursuits. Paris’ transportation system has grown quite extensively to accommodate the growing city and allows visitors and residents to easily access the many attractions and points of interest.

The city is home to a number of universities and renowned research and teaching institutes, many of which are located in the Latin Quarter. While Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, studying at Reid Hall will offer the student an opportunity to gain a very different perspective on the city. Living and studying with Parisians, it is hoped that students will discover their own Paris and an understanding of why Parisians love Paris.

L’Université Paris 7-Denis Diderot

Created in 1970 following the reorganization of Paris universities, the Université Paris 7 Denis Diderot is one of the city’s seventeen public universities. Paris 7 is the premier multidisciplinary university in France, setting it apart from other Parisian universities. The Université Paris 7 enrolls about 26,000 students and has science and humanities departments and medical and dental schools which are famous throughout France and the world. It awards 295 different diplomas for undergraduate and graduate study. In 2007, Paris 7 moved from its Jussieu Campus in the 5th arrondissement to a beautiful new location in the 13th arrondissement of the city. Paris 7 cherishes a tradition of supportive teaching to undergraduates who come primarily from Paris and its suburbs.

Program website: http://www.sigu7.jussieu.fr/.

Penn Students at Paris 7

Participants will attend an intensive stage de pré-rentrée universitaire French language course and orientation to the University prior to the start of classes. Non-degree seeking exchange students are permitted to select courses from different Facultés and at different levels simultaneously, although it is highly recommended that students pick one or two Facultés in which to pursue their courses. Paris 7 is particularly strong in the sciences though students have also enrolled in coursework in literature, history, cinema and economics.

Course Load

Teaching is organized in the format of lectures and practical classes. Lectures (cours magistraux) are given in lecture amphitheaters or large classrooms to large numbers of students without opportunity for student/teacher interaction. Practical classes (travaux dirigés) make it possible to explore in more detail what has been covered in lectures through discussions with the lecturer or a lecture tutor in groups of 30 to 40 students. For each cours magistral, there is a corresponding session of travail dirigé.

The standard course load at undergraduate level at Paris 7 is 30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer Scheme) credits per semester. The number of different courses and number of hours of instruction are subject to variation depending upon the subject and level. Since Penn students, unlike regular students, are permitted to choose courses in different Facultés and at different levels simultaneously, only advisors on site are able to determine the proper weighting of course work in different subjects. The Penn Abroad advisor for France will communicate with Paris 7 advisors about an applicant’s preliminary subject selection and will assist applicants to arrange a full course load that meets requirements. Academic credit for business courses will not be awarded.

Grading

French university grades are awarded on a 20 point scale (including decimal points, e.g. 13.5). The scale is not based on an equal distribution of points nor on a percentage. In the French system, a perfect exam or paper may not always be awarded a grade of 20 depending on individual professors’ practices. Students are assessed on the basis of continuous work, and mid-term and final exams. Grades are reported on the French scale and are converted to Penn grades according to standard French – U.S. grade equivalencies: A = 14-20, A- = 13+, B+ = 12+, B = 11+, B- = 10+, C+ = 9+, C = 8+, C- = 7+, D = 6+. As on all Penn Abroad programs, grades are recorded on the Penn transcript and are calculated in the cumulative grade point average. The pass/fail option can be exercised according to the Penn on-campus policy.

Academic Calendar

Fall semester: late August - late December

Spring semester: late January - late May

Living Arrangements

Paris 7, like most French universities does not have housing of its own. Students from Paris generally live at home with their parents or rent apartments of their own if they have the resources. Students from elsewhere in France usually get a room as a lodger in someone’s home, or, more frequently, obtain government subsidized housing in the Cité Universitaire or in a student hostel. Places are at a premium and requests must be made early. Participants must be willing to live under local conditions for students.

The Paris 7 International Relations Office can offer only limited assistance to international students seeking housing. While students are advised to make initial inquiries before leaving the U.S., the best plan is often for students to arrive in Paris early and to look in person on site for suitable homestay lodging or apartments to rent. There are a variety of sources of information to which lodging seekers can be directed, but one needs to be on site to use these effectively. It may be possible to make arrangements to live in the Cité Universitaire or in a student hostel by correspondence in advance. The Penn Abroad office will offer as much assistance as it can to help students find lodging in Paris, but cannot accept final responsibility for living arrangements of students who attend Paris 7.

Student Life

Campus extracurricular life revolves heavily around student-run clubs catering to a wide variety of social, cultural, and sports interests. Penn students are encouraged to participate in one of the many student clubs as an important part of their overall study abroad experience. Joining a club at Paris 7 will provide exchange students with the opportunity to foster friendships with French and other international students. There are numerous student performances, events, and shows throughout the year, often at reduced or no cost for university students.

The city of Paris, itself, offers an abundance of activities for students to explore, and students should take advantage of the many museums, performances and cultural and sporting events that can easily be found in the city.

Insurance and Health Notes

International students attending French universities are required to purchase a supplemental medical insurance policy. This policy can be obtained upon arrival at Paris 7, and will cost approximately $260 for the academic year.

Visa

The French government requires that all program participants obtain a student visa and that year-long participants have a carte de séjour. Instructions are provided to admitted students. Non-U.S. citizens must consult a French consulate for visa requirements.