Students taking French courses have the opportunity to participate in a new study abroad in the city of Tours, France.
The dates of the trip are May 22 to June 22. During this four-week period, students will take classes at the Institut de Touraine, which was founded in 1912.
Lydia King, a Mississippi State University French professor, talked about what daily life will look like for students.
“During the weekday mornings, they will study intensive French through courses in conversation, writing and grammar,” King said. “Then during two to three afternoons per week, students will have workshops on phonetics, culture, gastronomy, etcetera. They’ll also have lots of free time to discover the city, walk through the medieval neighborhoods and hang out in cafes.”
King said French host families will house the students, where they will eat breakfast and dinner to get a taste of the local culture while improving their French. King said three cultural excursions to famous chateaux and sites in the Loire Valley region will be included in the price of the study abroad.
“We are also starting the trip in Paris with a three-night stay discovering its history,” King said.
The city of Tours is an hour-long train ride from Paris. King said the purest form of French is spoken by residents there, so students will have an easier time learning and adjusting. Students will also have free time to travel on the weekends and experience surrounding countries, such as Germany and Switzerland.
Annika Campbell, the assistant director of the Office of Study Abroad, spoke about the impact of studying abroad on a student’s university experience as a whole.
“Studying abroad has immeasurable positive impacts on the individual student in terms of their academic career, intercultural understanding, language acquisition, interpersonal communication and interpersonal skills such as leadership, problem solving, work ethic, analytical skills and flexibility,” Campbell said. “But education abroad also has a positive impact on the university as a whole.”
Campbell said data shows with increased study abroad participation, universities see improvement in completion, retention and grade point average.
“Additionally, increased study abroad participation indirectly impacts even those students who, for a variety of reasons, are not able to study abroad,” Campbell said. “The returned study abroad students bring new viewpoints, experiences and ideas to their home campus classrooms that positively impact the learning and growth of everyone around them.”
Teaching assistant Scott Truesdale spoke about why the new study abroad option in France is such a valuable opportunity, especially for students trying to learn the French language.
“Immersion is one of the most effective ways to learn a language, and from personal experience, I can say that it is life changing,” Truesdale said. “Not only does one improve their language skills while studying abroad, but it presents a new way of looking at the world. Studying abroad allows a person to see the world from a new perspective, and teaches one how to appreciate other cultures.”
The trip will count for six hours of credit for French language and culture courses. King said 15 to 20 students can go on the trip, and applications close in February.
The total cost of the trip is $4,960. There are scholarships available through the Department of Classical & Modern Languages and Literatures at cmll.msstate.edu/study-abroad.

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Study Abroad Info