Paris Program
Fourth year students in architecture may apply for the option of completing their undergraduate education in Paris, France, while officially remaining students of Georgia Tech. The College of Architecture administers the Paris Study Abroad Program (in continuous operation since 1975), and has complete responsibility for the program and its curriculum.
Paris Program Handbook 2008-9 (*.pdf)
Program Overview
Paris was selected for this program in 1975 because of its central location within Europe, its rich architectural and urban history dating from Roman times to the present, and its tradition of architectural education which has had close ties with education in the United States for nearly a century. Paris is a dense city, full of activity, with a rich mix of public and private buildings and places, all of which contrast with what can be found in Atlanta, and all of which make for an outstanding educational opportunity. The value of cultural enrichment gained from the program is inestimable -- from the special opportunities for the coordination of academic course work to the experience of living and studying within a rich architectural, cultural, and international context. In addition, the value of a year of language study and the use of that language on a day-to-day basis cannot be overestimated.
Affiliation
To provide a home for the program, Georgia Tech has affiliated itself with the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris La Villette (one of the eight remaining successor schools of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, and one of only three remaining within the city of Paris). The school is located in the northeastern part of the city (19th arrondissement). The Paris Program uses classroom, studio, library, and other space within that school. In addition, the recent inauguration of the joint Franco-American Studio has established new levels of intellectual and cultural exchange between the French and American architecture students and faculty. During the winter/spring academic term, the French and the American students work in the same studio on common architectural design projects with the faculty from both countries. Daily instruction and studio reviews at the end of the term are conducted in both languages.
Calendar
Participating students go to Paris for the full academic year. The year is divided into fall and spring terms, which coincide fairly closely with the academic calendar at Georgia Tech; some adjustments are necessary to fit the operating schedule of the host school.
Program Cost & Housing
Students are housed in either apartments or dormitories which are located throughout the city of Paris. The cost of the program covers housing, round-trip transportation from Atlanta to Paris, all fees and registration costs to the host school, and a minimal monthly food allowance. Not included are Georgia Tech tuition, individual travel and entertainment costs as well as expenses for books and supplies. The estimated cost of the program for academic year 2007-8 is from $18,412 to $20,732. However, the cost fluctuates from year to year based upon currency exchange rates and changing Paris Program expenses.
Language Instruction
One year of French Language instruction is offered in Paris (3 credit hours each semester) which counts toward the free elective requirement and is required of all participants in the program. An additional year of French language is also required, whether taken at Georgia Tech or in private lessons, prior to arrival in France. Preference will be given to participants who have this preparatory language instruction. The curriculum is designed to permit 6 semester hours of French in the third year as free electives.
Paris Prep
During the Fall Semester of the junior year, the students are given the opportunity to express their interest in participating in the Paris Study Abroad Program. A presentation outlining the program schedule, requirements, housing, transportation, and costs is made to third year students and all interested parents.
Upon declaring their interest in the program and determining their academic eligibility to participate, students are required to enroll in one credit hour of Paris Prep, which is taught on a pass/fail basis during the spring term. This course is intended to familiarize students with the structure and expectations of the program and to acculturate them to French social, political, intellectual, and artistic practices.
| Typical Course Schedule: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| In Atlanta | JUNIOR YEAR | F | S |
| ARCH 3011-2 | Architectural Design Studio III, IV | 5 | 5 |
| ARCH 3231 | Environmental Systems & Design Integration I | -- | 3 |
| ARCH 3241 | Fundamentals of Structures | 3 | -- |
| ARCH 4801 | Paris Preparation (COA Elective) | – | 1 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 | -- | |
| College of Architecture Elective | 3 | -- | |
| French Language (Free Electives) | 3 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | – | 5 | |
| SEMESTER TOTALS | 17 | 17 | |
| In Paris | SENIOR YEAR | F | S |
| ARCH 4011-2 | Architectural Design Studio V, VI | 5 | 5 |
| ARCH 4125 | French Architecture from Ledoux to LeCorbusier (COA Elective) | 3 | – |
| ARCH 4123 | European Modernism (COA Elective) | – | 3 |
| ARCH 4126 | Paris Urban History (Social Science Credit) | 3 | -- |
| ARCH 4xxx | Visual Arts (Free Electives) | 3 | 3 |
| ARCH 4xxx | French Language (Free Electives) | 3 | 3 |
| SEMESTER TOTALS | 17 | 14 | |
For more information, contact Randall Moody.
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