Dickinson in France

Toulouse, France

Toulouse’s five universities are all highly respected institutions, some of which date back to the 13th century. Today, with 97,000 students and a total population of 1,120,000, Toulouse is the fourth-largest city and the second-largest university center in France. This significant student presence makes for a youthful city, offering an array of social and cultural opportunities.  

Toulouse is noted for its many pink brick buildings, earning it the nickname "la ville rose." The city is in the heart of southwestern France, a region rich in history, culture and geographic diversity.  It is located on the Garonne River just north of the Pyrenees Mountains, which span France's southern border from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. In one survey, French citizens rated Toulouse the city in which they would most like to live (excluding the capital) based upon quality of life.

University of Toulouse and the Dickinson Center

While Dickinson's Toulouse program is language intensive and designed for students with an advanced level of French, participants have the chance to study a tremendous variety of subjects at the program's five partner institutions.

• Université de Toulouse 1 for studies in Social Sciences (Economics, Management, Marketing, Policy, etc).  Click here for the website. 
• Institut d’Etudes Politiques for studies in Political Science (International Relations, Media and Communication, Economics, Specialized programs in sustainable development, globalization and other current topics, etc). Click here for the website. 
• Université de Toulouse 2 (Le Mirail) for studies in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (Literature, History, Psychology, Applied Mathematics, Sociology, Anthropology, Art History, Film, Music, etc). Click here for the website. 
• Université de Toulouse 3 (Paul Sabatier) for studies in the Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, etc). Click here for the website.  
• Institut Catholique for studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences (History, Religion, Philosophy, Psychology, Communication, etc). Click here for the website. 

Academics

The program provides an important reinforcement in French language skills and methodology and reflects Dickinson's emphasis on a well-rounded, liberal-arts education. Program participants may study overseas for the full academic year or for the fall or spring semester. In addition to enrolling in the local universities, students can take courses in French language and civilization at the Dickinson Study Center. Classes are taught entirely in French by faculty from the University of Toulouse and Dickinson College.

The Dickinson Center, which serves as a study and resource space for students, is conveniently located within the city of Toulouse on the banks of the Midi Canal. In addition to taking classes, attending conferences, and meeting with classmates at the center, students may use the library and computer stations.

Courses  typically taught at the Dickinson Center include (may vary year to year):
French Methodology and Composition (required)
Internship Seminar 
Intensive French Expression
Topics in Applied French
Toulouse Colloquium
Studies in Intercultural Communication

In addition, students may enroll in a variety of courses up to the master’s level at the university of their choosing (from the list of our five partner institutions). Students may not take all of their classes at the Dickinson Center, but must take at least part of their course load in a local university.

Internships

For academic-year students with a good command of the French language, internship opportunities are available in business and marketing, public administration, journalism and communications, education, the arts and applied sciences and medicine. Students completing an internship also enroll in the required internship seminar at the center, and receive one credit for their work.   

Field experiences are available to students studying in Toulouse for a single semester.

Excursions

Field trips and cultural events enrich the program. Visits to the ruins of the Cathar castles (Montségur), Romanesque churches and monasteries (Conques), fortified villages (Cordes-sur-Ciel) and prehistoric caves (Niaux) reinforce history, culture, and language courses. The program also includes a four-day excursion to Paris.

On-Site Administration

Sylvie Toux is resident director of the Toulouse program and Dickinson Center. She oversees the staff, plans and leads the academic program, advises students and teaches. Assistant Director, Laura Raynaud, a Toulouse program alumna,  manages program logistics, including cultural excursions and the network of home-stay families. A part-time assistant, usually a recent program alumus, assists the staff and provides practical advice to the students. 

Housing

To ensure that students experience local culture to the fullest, all Toulouse program participants are housed with French families. The families are carefully matched with students for compatibility. These host families open their homes and their tables so that students may discover French culture through a family's daily life.

Quick Facts

                                                     Dates                                                  Program Fee*                  Application Deadline
Academic Year                     early Sept. to late May                 $53,410                                  Feb.15
Fall                                             early Sept. to mid-Jan.                $26,705                                  Feb. 15 
Spring                                       early Jan. to late May                   $26,705                                 Sept. 15
* This is the program fee for 20110-2012; the program fee for 2012-2013 will correspond to on-campus tuition and fees and will be determined during spring 2012.

Program Fee Includes

• tuition and fees
• room and board
• pre-departure and on-site orientations
• academic and cultural excursions

The program fee does not include primary health insurance, airfare, passport, visa, immunizations, optional travel, personal expenses, meals and housing during vacations, books or supplies.

Special Requirements

3.0 GPA
FR 236: “Introduction to Cultural Analysis” must be taken before studying abroad

Links

Toulouse Orientation Handbook 
Dickinson in France Blog  

For information on student internships, excursions, cultural activities, and the monthly newsletter, go to the Dickinson-in-Toulouse website.
 

For more information, contact:

Prof. Nancy Mellerski, On-Campus Coordinator
Department of French and Italian
Dickinson College
P.O. Box 1773
Carlisle, PA 17013-2896
Phone: (717) 245-1248
E-mail: mellersk@dickinson.edu