ESPACES - PROGRAM SAMPLER

C U L T U R E À L A L O U P E 52 cinquante-deux Leçon 2 A C U L T U R E ES PAC E A C T I V I T É S 1 2 Réfléchissez Answer the following questions. 1. Describe French university degrees. What are they called and how long does it take to earn each one? 2. What are the grandes écoles and what do students study at them? Can you think of any similar institutions in your country? 3. Based on the information in the reading, how does the French higher education system compare to your own? How do attitudes around higher education in your culture compare to attitudes in French culture? À l’université At the end of high school, French students take an exam to determine if they may continue on to study in a university. Some French universities are city-based, lacking campuses and offering few extra-curricular activities like organized sports. Others boast both a more defined campus and a great number of student associations . Many students live with their families, but others live in a résidence universitaire , or in an apartment. In 1999, 29 European countries, including France, decided to reform their university systems in order to create a more uniform European system. France began implementing these reforms in 2005. As a result, French students’ degrees ( diplômes ) are now accepted in most European countries. It is also easier for French students to study in other European countries for a semester, and for other European students to study in France, because studies are now organized by semesters. Students are awarded a Licence° after six semesters (usually three years). If they continue their studies, they can earn a Master° after the fifth year and then proceed to a Doctorat° . If students choose technical studies, they receive a BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur) after two years. In addition to universities, France has an extremely competitive, elite branch of higher education called les grandes écoles° . These schools train most of the high-level administrators, scientists, businesspeople, and engineers in the country. There are about 300 of them, including ENA ( École Nationale d’Administration ), HEC ( Hautes° Études Commerciales ), and IEP ( Institut d’Études Politiques, «Sciences Po »). Licence the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree Master Master’s degree Doctorat Ph.D. grandes écoles competitive, prestigious university-level schools Hautes High Étudiants dans les grandes écoles en France SOURCE: MESRI-DGESIP/DGRI-SIES Écoles supérieures artistiques et culturelles 9% Écoles paramédicales (hors université) 16% Écoles d’ingénieurs 21% Autres écoles de spécialités diverses 25% Écoles de commerce, gestion et vente 29% C’est vrai? Indicate whether each statement is vrai or faux . Correct the false statements. 1. French universities don’t have extra-curricular activities. 2. French university students can earn a Licence after only three years of study. 3. A BTS is a degree in technical studies. 4. The grandes écoles are less competitive than universities. 5. The grandes écoles train high-level engineers. Video: Flash culture