Department of French

Would like to Study Abroad, in France, Africa or Québec?...

Have you thought about how to best prepare for directly matriculating in a French-speaking university?

Do you know about the Linguistic Competency Evaluation you must complete before you go?

The information on this webpage has been prepared for you by The French Department of Georgetown University to help you say YES; to all these questions and more, and to assist you in realizing your dream of studying abroad . . .

We all dream of travelling to a foreign country and being able to communicate with native speakers in their own language. One of the chief goals of language study is to allow us to envision and experience the world through a language and a culture other than our own. If we wish to study in a foreign country, however, and directly matriculate with those who have been using their mother tongue since childhood, we need to develop a higher and more specialized proficiency. This is particularly true of the French language, where written and spoken discourses tend to differ on many points. Therefore, it is crucial for anyone wishing a Study Abroad experience in French to prepare adequately, and have expectations commensurate with one's linguistic preparation.

In the French Department, we ask that all those who wish to Study Abroad in a French or Francophone Program present themselves for a Linguistic Competency Evaluation. These evaluations happen three times a year, in October, December and February, prior to the due dates for application to the various Study Abroad programs. You should always take the evaluation at the session closest to the date of the program you desire, unless the programs you select for your first and second choices have different application dates, in which case you should present yourself for evaluation immediately prior to the earliest application due date. The Office of International Programs can offer you the most current information on programs and due dates for applications; you should always check there first when determining at what time you need to take the Linguistic Competency Evaluation.

Linguistic Competency Evaluation

Additional Preparation:

The courses you have taken in the U.S. involve such different requirements that they may not have adequately prepared you to meet the challenges of direct matriculation. This is why we need to evaluate you separately, and why our assessment of your preparedness for study abroad may not fully square with the grades you have earned.

But what can I do to be more ready to study abroad, and to improve my performance on the LCE, you may ask?

ANSWER: That depends on your current level, and on your motivation.

Consider the following situations as guidelines, bearing in mind that your professors will be happy to advise you on how to proceed if your situation is special:

A) If you are not a transfer student and plan to study abroad for one or two semesters in your junior year, by the time you apply, you will have completed four semesters at Georgetown:

1) If you placed in Literature/Culture & Writing (or higher), AND have completed four successive semesters of French with at least a "B+" in each class, you will usually be granted an exemption from the Study Abroad Evaluation, as you are probably at the appropriate proficiency level for direct matriculation.

2) If you placed in Literature/Culture & Writing (or higher), but have NOT completed four successive semesters of French, OR have completed four semesters BUT have earned a grade lower than "B+" in any of your classes, you MAY REQUEST to be granted an exemption from the Study Abroad Evaluation, without guarantee that you will get it. A variety of factors are taken into account towards a final decision; if the evaluation team harbors any doubts as to your preparedness, you will be required to undergo evaluation.

3) If you placed lower than Literature/Culture & Writing, you NEED to go through the Study Abroad Evaluation. You ALSO have to signal to the French dept. your intention of studying abroad in a French-speaking country, as you may likely need extra coursework (e.g., summer courses, tutoring) or other form of reinforcement to raise your written and oral proficiency BEFORE your departure. You should not schedule any firm commitments (such as internships, jobs, vactions) for the summer preceding your departure, as you may be required to take an intensive summer course (45 hours). Alternatively, you may be required to take a shorter intensive course over the winter break if you are going for the spring semester only and come close to being proficient enough.

NOTE: If, in the semester you apply to go abroad, you are enrolled in a level BELOW Intensive Advanced II or Advanced II, you will almost certainly NOT be adequately prepared to directly matriculate in a French university. If you want to Study Abroad in French, you should be considering an Intensive Language Program like the one offered in Strasbourg, where you might be able to directly matriculate in the spring semester, if you place into the appropriate level upon your arrival in the fall. You should plan to do summer study in addition so as to get as much as possible out of your Intensive Language Program once you arrive, and maximize your chances of directly matriculating in the Spring.

B) If you are a transfer student, you NEED to go through the Study Abroad Evaluation. Your intitial placement Transfer (Intensive) Advanced II
or below
Literature/Culture
& Writing I or II
Above
Literature/Culture
& Writing
Further coursework Any Any 1 or 2 courses 3 courses
or more 1 or 2 courses
LCE Status MUST
TAKE MUST
TAKE MAY REQUEST
EXEMPTION EXEMPTION
POSSIBLE EXEMPTION
LIKELY
Study Abroad status Must be reviewed Extra course work probably necessary Extra course work may be necessary Possibly
ready Probably
ready


IN ALL CASES you should expect to intensify your contact with the French language in the term prior to your departure.

This should include:

Reading materials in French for an hour every day (ideally): newspapers, magazines, books, Web sites, CD-ROMs... Check out the resources of our Language Learning Technologies Center (ICC 227)
Listening to French for an hour every day, either on the radio (through the internet), on videotapes, on audio tapes, etc. Check out the resources of our Language Learning Technologies Center (ICC 227)
Writing in French regularly: take notes in class, write a diary, do crossword puzzles, write e-mails to friends.
These activities do not have to be "academic": they are meant to familiarize yourself with an environment in which French is the primary means of communication, so as to minimize culture shock.

Once again, these are guidelines to assist you in preparing yourself for both the Study Abroad Linguistic Competency Evaluation and the Study Abroad experience. If you have any questions, you should not hesitate to contact the Coordinator of the Study Abroad LCE, Professor Miléna Santoro (X 7-4139), or the Chair of the French Department (X 7-5717). Remember: the earlier you start preparing, the more ready you will be! It is never too early to discuss your study plans, and it is never to early to ask for advice on how YOU can improve your command of the French language.


For administrative matters and program descriptions, please refer to the pages of the Office of International Programs (OIP). The final administrative decision and specific program placement rests with the OIP staff, not the French Department Evaluation team.