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Application

What our students say

“My language skills improved remarkably, and I saw many places of incomparable beauty. I would strongly recommend our Paris program to anyone.”

“Being in Paris was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Our program is exceptional because it afforded me many opportunities for personal growth, and being away from home helped me become more independent and self-reliant.”

For further information, please contact Professor of French Cynthia Hahn, the Chair of the Paris Internship Program, at  hahn@lakeforest.edu, or the Assistant Dean of Faculty for Off-Campus Programs, Jan Miller, at jmiller@lakeforest.edu.

DEADLINES
November 15: Eligibility documents.
February 1: Completed program application.

Further information about procedures and forms is available here.

The Paris International Internship Program aims to provide the student with in-depth exposure to French society and culture through a combination of work experience and classroom instruction.

Held in the fall semester each year, the Paris program provides intensive language study with an on-site French Culture seminar and an internship chosen from opportunities in a variety of fields. Students experience full immersion as they work, study, and live with French families.

Requirements

Students must be at the junior or senior level, have demonstrated French language proficiency, and have a solid academic background in their major field(s). Students are normally expected to have a B-average (2.67 GPA). Internships are graded on a Credit/D/Fail basis; the other two courses use the A/B/C/D/F system.

Housing

All students will be housed in private homes arranged by the director in Paris, Dr. Maria Al-Salem ‘67. Students pay regular Lake Forest College tuition, plus room and board in Paris, and activity/excursion fees.

The fifteen-week program (September-December), includes:

• A two-credit internship in a profit or non-profit organization or a government agency.
  Students have been placed in areas such as advertising, broadcasting, education, law, public relations, government, and research. Students have also interned at the International Herald Tribune, the Paris Office of Tourism, not-for-profit agencies, fine arts institutions, Paris schools, and many others.
• A one-credit 300-level language course, Advanced French for International Affairs.
  The intensive language course is conducted during the first month; internships begin after completion of this course.
• A one-credit 400-level seminar on French Society and Culture.
  This seminar meets once a week throughout the semester in different locations in Paris according to the topics studied; this seminar also includes weekend excursions to the Loire Valley and Normandy.