General

• Six-week immersion program in Quebec City.
• Open to all levels, all majors and minors.
• Eleven credit hours: two French courses + one orientation class.
• Four hours of French per day, five days a week, at the Université Laval, in Quebec City.
• Excursions include: visit of local museums and a two-day trip to Montreal.  Other possible excursions include dinner at local sugar shack, whale watching, water-rafting, cruise on the St-Lawrence River.
• Free activities include: cooking, photography, dance, theatre, cycling, soccer, visit of local museums.
• Financial Aid may be applied to the program costs.
• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until week 6 of Fall Quarter. *Interviews will be conducted during the weekend of week 7.
• Admission is selective. 20 participants maximum.
• Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to Quebec City.

        (Please note that all information, including prices and dates, is subject to change)

Check for updates regarding program fee by September 30, 2008

Click here to watch the program's video
Broadband access (better quality) Quebec Video

 

What kind of program is offered in Quebec City?

The Ohio University Department of Modern Languages is pleased to offer intensive study of French language, literature, culture and civilization during the Summer Quarter in Quebec City.

Quebec is an ideal location for intensive French language immersion at all levels of proficiency.  Quebec City is 99% percent French-speaking and is culturally significant as the capital city of the Province of Quebec.
Courses will be taught on the campus of the Université Laval, 4 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
All students participate in excursions exploring Montreal and Quebec City, including culturally and historically significant sites such as Musée de la Civilisation and Musée de l'Amérique française. Other excursions may include whale-watching, horseback riding, water rafting and many others outings.

Where is Quebec City and what is it like?

To Quebec City from:

Athens: 950 miles (19 hours)
Columbus: 870 miles (17 hours)
Cleveland: 735 miles (14 hours)       

Boston: 381 miles
Montreal: 151 miles        

Quebec City is the rather European-flavored capital of Quebec province. The city is divided between an Old Town bristling with historic ramparts, churches, narrow lanes and former battlefields, and districts revamped with museums, cafes, bars, restaurants and all the other mod-cons of international tourism.

 

How is the weather in the summer?

Mostly warm and dry, though it can be rather humid. Temperatures fluctuate between 10°C (50°F) and 30°C (86°F).

What classes would I be taking?

Students register for an orientation class (ML250K) for three credit hours, and for two French courses at any level for eight credit hours.

ML250K is taught by faculty-director and include a seminar of the history of Quebec, and a grammar refresher course.  As part of ML250K, students also keep a journal in French during the 6 weeks of the program and meet with the director or the assistant to the director once a week on an individual basis.
French classes are taught by professors of the Université Laval's Ecole des Langues for five weeks, five days a week, four hours a day. 
FClick here for more information on classes, including the full list of classes offered at the Université Laval.

Would I be living with a French-speaking environment?

Yes. Students stay in French private homes.  Breakfast and dinner are provided.  Basic "linen" necessities such as towels, bed sheets, blankets, etc. are also provided.  Free laundry is left to the family's discretion.  Other students may be staying in the same home. 

Will there be any excursions?

In addition to the many activities offered on campus (most of which are free), excursions typically include: one two-day trip to Montreal, visit to two local museums, whale watching in Tadoussac, water-rafting or canoeing in Jacques Cartier National Park, dinner and traditional music in a Sugar Shack an hour south of Quebec City, and a night cruise on the St-Lawrence River at the end of the program.

How much would studying in Quebec cost me?

Please note that the program fee may change for 2009.  Please check again for updates on September 30, 2008.

In addition to paying normal O.U. tuition, students pay a program fee of $1950.
This total includes: housing, one monthly bus pass, Canadian student insurance, social and cultural activities, and the excursions aforementioned. 
Students will be responsible for their own transportation to Quebec City (approximately $400 - driving is also possible) and lunches (approximately $300 - affordable cafeterias are available on campus), and ISIC ($20).  Students may also have to pay for their laundry ($5 per load). 
The minimum out-of-pocket expenses will therefore be around $700, which when added to the program fee and O.U. tuition and general fees (approximately $2500) makes an estimated total of $5900 per student (the estimated cost for a regular quarter is $7500).

Is financial aid available?

Yes.  Financial aid does apply to this program.  For more details, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships in 020 Chubb Hall or click here.

What are the travel arrangements?

Students will individually be responsible for arriving in Quebec City on their own the Saturday before the beginning of the Orientation Week.  The program will end on the last day of class.  Students will have to leave their homes the following day.  Students who choose to stay after the end of the program are responsible for their own housing.   
Flying to Quebec City costs approximately $400.  In the past, students have also driven to Quebec City (approximately 19 hours from Athens).  It is also possible to travel by train to Montreal.

Can I apply for the program?

The program is open to all levels and is not limited to students majoring or minoring in French.  In recent years, students from numerous academic areas have participated.  

What is admission based on?

The program is limited to 20 participants.  Admission is selective and is based on GPA (a minimum of 3.00 is required), two letters of recommendation (preferably from O.U. faculty), one letter of interest (in English), and a short interview in English with the director of the program.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the Fall (and possibly Winter Quarter) until the program is full.  Students will be contacted by email to come for an interview shortly after they have submitted their applications.  
The students who are accepted will be notified three weeks after their interview.  Students must then pay a non-refundable $400 deposit and accept our Student Conduct Code (click on it to view its content).

Click here to download the application packet from Education Abroad.

If you are not a student at Ohio University, please click here.

 What are the deadlines and other important dates?

• Week 6 of Fall Quarter:  Friday: last day to submit application in 185 Lindley Hall, Office of Education Abroad.  Early application to the program is highly encouraged.
• Week 7 of Fall Quarter:  Friday and Saturday (possibly Sunday): interview with program director.  Candidates should keep these two days open to come for a compulsory interview with the director.
• End of Fall Quarter:  nomination of candidates.
• Mid-December:  non-refundable deposit due.
• Week 6 of Winter Quarter:  Saturday:  group meets for orientation. 
• Mid-December:  non-refundable deposit due.
• Program dates:  Saturday, June 27 - Saturday, August 8, 2009.

Who should I contact if I need more information?

Program Director, Christophe Corbin:
corbinc2@ohiou.edu

The Department of Modern Languages
Tel.:  (740) 593-2765
modern.languages@ohio.edu

Education Abroad
Tel.: (740) 593-4583
education.abroad@ohio.edu
 

Links:

Office of Education Abroad: www.ohiou.edu/studyabroad

Modern Languages: www.ohiou.edu/modlang

Université Laval: www.ulaval.ca

Ecole de Langues de l'Université Laval: www.fl.ulaval.ca/elv

Christophe Corbin's front page: oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~corbinc2

For information about:

The Province of Quebec: www.bonjourquebec.com

Quebec City and surrounding areas: www.regiondequebec.com

Quebec City's Airport: www.aeroportdequebec.com

Students' experiences

Adam H. Senior French Major
Nothing helps you learn a foreign language like total immersion.  At some point in your French education your professor will tell you that you've come about as far as you can in the classroom; the next step is to live with a French-speaking family.  So true, so true.  After a month of immersion, you will feel like you've learned as much as in an entire year of class back home.
The Quebec program was great because Quebec is relatively close to Ohio, and also because the program itself is only five weeks long. Interestingly, I heard professors say that their students actually seem to make as much progress during the five-week summer session as those who are in the regular 10-week semester.  If you're like me and you are hesitant to spend an entire quarter away from your friends, then take five weeks during the summer to learn some French in Canada.  There is absolutely no better way to learn that by forcing your mind to switch to French 95% of the day. So when your instructor tells you it's a good time to study abroad, then sans doute STUDY ABROAD!

Jamie W. Senior Communication Major/Meteorology and Geography Minor
Going to Quebec was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Living with a host family was a very unique experience especially since I had never taken a French class before. The five weeks I spent living with my host family taught me more than any textbook ever could. The city of Quebec has so much to offer and is only a short bus ride from Université Laval.  There is always some type of music/cultural festival happening every weekend.
Additionally, Université Laval has a wonderful and helpful staff. I was amazed by the end the program how much French I had learned. This is truly a great experience even for those who have never taken French before.

Amanda K. 2006 B.A. Psychology Ohio University, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar (McGill University Montreal Fall of 2006)
I consider myself an auditory learner and french classes at OU were challenging for me. I was working hard in my classes and I was pulling B's & C's in french. When I found out the cost, length, and credit hours earned in the Quebec program, I guess I figured why not? I would probably learn better hearing it constantly and it does not really cost much more than attending school on campus. Five weeks was not long enough. I fell in love with Quebec. My host family treated me like an adult daughter. There were very few rules and they fed me and talked with me every evening. The city is beautiful and charming, pictures cannot really do Vieux Quebec justice. The weather was comfortable and my horrible allergies were not existent there. Do I speak in french ? Bain, Oui! Je parle tres bien francais maintenant! I have been back to Quebec City six or seven times since the summer of 2004, each time I visit my host family, and they are always very happy to see me. Is it worth the money? Absolutely....it was one of the better investments I have ever made.

Daniel H., Junior, Physics major, math minor
I went on the Quebec trip with a background in Spanish and 2 quarters of French. It seemed like not much preparation, but I was still able to jump into the Quebec program and have a great time. The people in Quebec are so friendly and willing to bear with less-than-perfect French. The program is well-organized, and a lot of fun. You will have plenty of people around you who are also trying to learn French, and plenty of fun ways to learn French without taking classes. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for the easiest way to do a French study abroad: it's cheap, you will have a lot of support, you can use English to take care of any real emergencies, and the people are great. There is only one reason that I would suggest that you go to France or Africa instead of Quebec: the cultural norms from Quebec are not radically different from the US. There are important differences, especially in music, politics, and food, but overall, Quebec did not feel very foreign to me. That being said, I have a ton of great memories from Quebec; it was a perfect study abroad for me.

Mark G., Senior, English: Creative Writing major
I loved my summer in Quebec. Staying with a host family was an unbelievably fun and educational experience. My hosts couldn't speak English, so I had to learn quickly how to say essential phrases-- but their food was great no matter how you say it! The excursions were really amazing, and my photographs from the white water rafting trip will be around for a long, long time. I recommend this trip to anybody.

Missy L., Junior Integrated Language Arts major, French and Dance minors
Going to Quebec is by far the best decision I have made thus far in my college career. The experience I had over the summer in Quebec cannot be
compared to anything else I have experienced before. I had an amazing host mom. She cooked for me all the time and always went out of her way to make sure I was happy and comfortable. The people in Quebec were also very friendly. I felt welcome wherever I went, even though it was obvious I was an American. I learned more in my classes there than I could ever have imagined, and even more outside of my classes. My host mom did not speak English, so the only way I could communicate with her was by speaking French all the time. By the end of the six weeks I had almost no problems communicating with her at all. Culture immersion is something that has to be experienced, it is not something that can be described. It was an amazing trip and something I will never forget!
 

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F Complementary information for participants (schedule, addresses, etc.)

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(Updated August 28, 2008)