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 in the city 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’Institut d’Etudes Politiques
For over one hundred years, the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) de Paris, or “Sciences Po” as it is commonly known, has been training the best young minds of France and Europe for leadership service. One of Europe’s most distinguished grandes écoles, Sciences Po prepares its graduates to take their place in international business, multilateral organizations, positions of public responsibility, and many other fields. While it has historically focused on politics and economics, it has emerged as leading institution in the fields of law, communications, finance, business, urban policy, management, and journalism.

Students are drawn to Sciences Po – including increasing numbers of students from abroad – for its strength in the social sciences. International students in particular stand to benefit not only from solid training in contemporary history and the synthetic core curriculum, but also from Sciences Po’s famous method-training seminars and other features of an intensive pedagogical approach. Innovation, creativity and excellence in research and education have been the driving forces of Sciences Po since 1872. This unwavering legacy, coupled with a unique and demanding educational mission, has made Sciences Po the leading university in the social sciences in France, dedicated to shaping the leaders of today’s and tomorrow’s global society.

In a constantly changing world, new challenges arise daily, and imagination and initiative become essential skills; Sciences Po instils such capacities through a rigorous academic programme demanding intellectual courage and perseverance. The educational project at Sciences Po is based on the development of self-confidence, negotiation and decision-making skills obtained through teamwork, effective oral and written expression, and multidisciplinary analytical reasoning.

Sciences-Po has a student body of approximately 6,200 with over one-third coming from outside of France. Every year, Sciences Po welcomes around 1,000 exchange students. Its campus is just off the Seine River, and within walking distance of Notre Dame de Paris, the Panthéon, and the Assemblée Nationale. It comprises 17th and 18th century mansions located on and around Rue Saint-Guillaume in the district of the Left Bank. Sciences Po is located in the most prestigious district of Saint Germain des Prés, that has hosted the literary and artistic life of Paris since the 17th century. The famous café’s of “Les Deux Magots” and “Le Flore”, a stone’s throw from campus, is where these traditions of Parisian intellectual culture had its audience.

Program website: http://www.sciences-po.fr

Penn students at Sciences Po
Penn students studying at Sciences Po participate in The Programme International (PI), a one-year program specifically designed for students from abroad who seek to develop their understanding and knowledge of contemporary European society. It provides international students with a broad grounding in social sciences, emphasizing comparative studies in an international context. The program is comprised of courses in contemporary history, economics and business, political science, international relations, law, European studies, and sociology.

The Programme International is perfectly adapted for students from abroad desiring exposure to the principal elements of a Sciences Po education as part of their undergraduate career. A tightly constructed and pluridisciplinary curriculum taught by recognized specialists develops students’ understanding of the questions facing European society today. The Programme International is integrated with the Second Year of the Undergraduate Program in Political and Social Sciences at Sciences Po; thus, students take classes alongside their French counterparts.

Each September Sciences Po conducts an orientation program for international students. This month-long program constitutes an immersion not only in the French language but also in the teaching methods and classroom exercises students will encounter at Sciences Po. At the end of the four-week session, students will have extended their command of the French language, will have become familiar with Sciences Po, and will be practiced in the classroom methods of oral presentation and concise analysis necessary for a successful experience at Sciences Po. Participation in the orientation is not required, but is strongly encouraged.

Course Load
Participants must maintain a full course load during their period of study abroad. The Programme International at Sciences Po is a fixed curriculum which is equivalent to a full academic year course load at Penn (8-10 c.u.’s depending on evaluation of individual courses by departments). Students must enroll in at least four courses each semester: two lecture courses with tutorials, one Special Topics Seminar and one French language. Many Penn students will opt to select an additional Special Topics Seminar. Students have the option of replacing one Seminar with a second language course (in addition to French). In order to become familiar with Sciences Po teaching methods, international students may during their first semester enroll in tutorial sections taught specifically for international students. By the second semester they are free to choose the tutorial sections they wish. Penn students are expected to select only courses taught in French.

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- = 12+, B+ = 11+, B = 10+, B- = 9+, C+ = 8+, C = 7+, C- = 6+, D = 5+. 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
Academic Year only: early September – late June

Sciences Po, 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.

The Sciences Po 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 for students to arrive in Paris in September 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 many of these resources are used most effectively on-site. 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 Sciences Po.

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 Sciences Po will provide exchange students with the opportunity to foster friendships with French and other international students. The university boasts over 60 clubs and societies for a wide-range of interests as well as over 30 sports clubs.

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 Sciences Po, and will cost approximately $260 for the academic year.

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