Université Paris IV Paris - Sorbonne

Don't do the comparative lit course in the French faculty: it's rubbish. Take the English faculty's Analyse de texte module, which is great. Litt$BqS(Bature g$BqOqS(Bale (aka Intertextualit$B!&(B is a dreadfully boring module.

Teachers must talk more to pupils, especially in the French dept; the English- country educated staff are better teachers, as they know the 'Anglo Saxon' method (i.e., where you discuss, rather than lecture). Lecturers really should abandon the ridiculous (and arbitrary) demand that all presentations be tripartite - one teacher so much as admitted that structure was more important than content.

I studied in the Language and Civilizations program at the Sorbonne; because I did the autumn semester I didn't get much of a course choice. I will say that the courses for the most part were very good. The civilization lectures could have been better though - particularly the Lit. one which was just horrible! BUT the Versailles one - that was magnificent - absolutely magnificent! The Prof. was incredible!!

The dictations you do in language class are atrocious and be warned you'll do horribly on them. Good news is they're excellent prep for the final which will seem easy by the time you're done.

The class on the architectural history of Paris was amazing! Almost every class is scheduled to meet at a different spot in Paris where the professor gives the history and a lesson on the architecture of the place. The professor was excellent too. I would take the course over if I had the chance. If your French is at the beginner or intermediate level I would suggest a more intensive language program. I feel students do not spend a sufficient number of hours a week in language courses to make much progress in a semester.

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In 3rd year level, you don't have much choice but I strongly recommend to really do all the staff, if only to get to know the local students better.

Compared to University in Germany it was totally different and I learned a lot but it didn't count for my studies in Hamburg.

My courses were so challenging because they were niveau A and therefore centered mainly on literary analysis and language history and not so much on grammar and vocabulary. If you want to be in the Cours de Civilisation francaise and you want a well-rounded "education" make sure to follow the conferences on art history and literature because you are not guaranteed to have those disciplines emphasized in your language classes.

A host or home university should provide extra funding or better access to computers if students are unable to bring their own. I would have liked to have met more french students, however the international setting at this particular school of the Sorbonne was eye-opening and completely shaped my experience. The phonetics class changed my french forever.

Go to them.

More extensice use of computers and the internet would be helpful.