So you 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. 

     The Linguistic Competency Evaluation (LCE) has two parts: a written exam (listening comprehension and essay) and an interview. What follows is an outline of what you can expect of us, and what we expect of you in the evaluation process. 

WHY ASSESS YOUR  PROFICIENCY? 
     Assessing your proficiency is necessary to ensure that your direct matriculation experience will be as rewarding and successful as possible. This is important for your own fulfillment, as well as for our image as a university. The numerous benefits of immersion and study in a foreign language, culture and educational system can only be reaped by students who have attained a minimal level of proficiency; insufficient preparation will almost certainly result in a stressful and frustrating experience, if not in outright failure in academic terms.

WHAT PROFICIENCY?
As a student in direct matriculation, you need to have acquired a satisfactory level of proficiency in the following areas:

I. LISTENING PROFICIENCY AND NOTE-TAKING 
     Much of your class-time abroad will be spent listening to lectures delivered by a native speaker of French at normal speed, a format to which your classes in the U.S. may not have prepared you. You need to be able to comprehend what is being said, even in less-than ideal listening conditions (large lecture halls, background noise, for instance), and to be able to overcome such obstacles as regional accents and, probably, cultural references and vocabulary unfamiliar to you. In most cases, you cannot expect the instructor to explain or even repeat what s/he has said.  In addition, you need to be able to take detailed and accurate notes --- IN FRENCH --- on each lecture, as its contents may not be available elsewhere and the instructor will expect you to have properly recorded the information s/he  delivered: in the majority of courses, this is an absolute condition to passing exams. As a result, it is imperative that you develop the ability to listen attentively and transcribe in a kind of French shorthand with which you feel comfortable.

II. READING PROFICIENCY 
      Expect to have to complete lengthy readings (several hundred pages) for each course each semester. Not only do you need  to read fairly quickly AND understand what you read, but you must also be able to take notes on your readings. Since French is not your native language, this means also developping excellent proficiency in the use of a dictionary like the Petit Robert.

III. WRITING PROFICIENCY 
       This is by far the most problematic area, for a variety of reasons. Contrary to what you may think, the major hurdle you are facing is not simply the fact that French is not your native tongue, nor is it the fact --- notwithstanding what some of your teachers may have told you! --- that you need to "improve your grammar." Academic writing in France is considered as a reflection of clear, rational and logical thinking expressed in very defined formats (résumé, commentaire composé, dissertation, etc.) which all have precise rules to be followed exactingly. Your understanding of the topic at hand, the relevance, originality --- and even  brilliance --- of the ideas you may have do not matter much if they are not channeled in those accepted formats.  The numerous constraints and rules of each writing form are well known to your French classmates through the force of habit: they have years of intensive practice behind them. To you, it  may all be new and somewhat mysterious. 
     Simply put, your written work will be evaluated according to the following criteria: 

• your ability to meet the demands of a given format in addressing the given topic 
  --- straying off the topic (hors sujet) is severely sanctionned and may be regarded as the equivalent of turning in a blank sheet of paper, which deserves a punishing grade of 2/20 
• the organization of your paper, usually materialized in a detailed outline (le plan): clarity, logical progression, and balance are absolutely essential. 

THESE CRITERIA ACCOUNT FOR AT LEAST HALF OF YOUR GRADE. In other words, if you violate some of the rules for the given format and/or if the structure of your paper is faulty, you will not reach the fateful moyenne, i.e. the passing grade of 10/20. 

• the force and validity of your arguments (i.e., their substance), as expressed in an effective writing style, which includes complex sentences, appropriate use of transitions and precise vocabulary.  
• "good grammar" only matters insofar as it contributes to an effective writing style. In and of themselves, grammatical (and spelling) mistakes are merely regarded as minor irritants. 
   

  It is a good idea, even if you believe that your writing proficiency is strong, to consult our guide to academic writing in France at http://www.georgetown.edu/spielmann/courses/txt/pratiquestextuelles.htm If you are not a French major, we strongly suggest that you consider taking Fr 292 (Writing and Speaking for Study Abroad), a course specifically designed to help you with French writing and speaking formats: http://www.georgetown.edu/spielmann/courses/Fr29200.htm The French Department of Georgetown University offers a Summer program in Tours (France), which can help you reinforce your proficiency: http://guweb.georgetown.edu/ssce/fps/tours.htm

IV. SPEAKING PROFICIENCY 
        As far as academic work is concerned, your ability to express yourself orally will have little bearing on your success. Although you may be asked to deliver short formal presentations ("exposés") and answer questions in class, your speaking abilities will likely be adequate without any additional training, if you reach the level of Literature/Culture &  Writing (or higher) before you go. 

       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.