IAU Aix-en-Provence Art, France

Aix-en-Provence, France (Europe)

Quick Facts

Spring 2023

Early Start Program (Optional): arrival January 14
Dates:  arrival January 21 – depart May 14
Application Deadline:  October 1
Costs:  approx. $19,115 
Costs with Early Start Program: approx. $20,365


Fall 2023

Early Start Program (Optional): arrival August 26
Dates:  arrival September 2 – depart December 14
Application Deadline:  March 15
Costs:  approx. $19,115 
Costs with Early Start Program:  approx. $20,365 

 

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Please note that if you see dates or costs for a prior term above, that future terms will have similar dates and costs.  We will update info as soon as it becomes available.
 
 

Click here to see the robust offering of merit scholarships, grants, and need-based assistance that IAU offers.


Click here for IAU Aix-en-Provence Art Summer Programs


 

Program Overview

The School of Art operates under the auspices of the Institute for American Universities (IAU).   The School of Art is located in the south of France, just outside Aix-en-Provence, and near the Chateaunoir where Cézanne lived and worked.  Provence is one of the most beautiful, varied regions of France, roughly bordered by Toulon to the east, Nómes to the west and Orange to the north. The Mediterranean is the natural boundary to the south.
 

 

Gallery

Contact Program Sponsor and Advisor

This program is sponsored and administered by the College of Staten Island CUNY.

Academics & Program

At The School of Art, all courses are taught in English. The student body usually consists of individuals with a varied range of experience. As students engage in their individual artistic endeavors, this range of age and experience proves beneficial to the quality of dialogue and capacity for growth. The School of Art takes an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to art education.
 
The general purpose of the curriculum is threefold: to enhance awareness of the relationship between perception and imagination, to foster historical and critical perspective, and, above all, to develop the student's capacity to see.


Course Offerings

Language Course Requirement for CCIS Semester Students - For students participating in the semester program, it is required to enroll in at least one French language course to facilitate engagement with the local culture.  Students are then free to choose from among other courses to complete their semester course load.

 

The School of Art in Aix-en-Provence takes an interdisciplinary and holistic-approach to studio art. Painting and drawing, study in museums, and reading/writing assignments encourage students to explore the correspondences between natural and artistic forms. In the studio, figure drawing, portraiture, landscape and still-life painting are interrelated with copying, memory work, and sketchbook journals.
 
Group and individual critiques are integral to the students' work. In seminars, students are asked to seek connections in their work with that of other artists and critics. Music, poetry, and theater are often compared to painting, sculpture, or architecture. Studio disciplines and aesthetics are taught separately but presented as a unified body. Studio, writing, history, and criticism combine to form one seminar in seeing. The faculty considers each student as a working artist regardless of his/her level of experience. Whether beginning or well advanced, the student who will thrive at the School of Art is serious and committed.
 
Semester students must enroll in Painting (3 credits), Drawing (3 credits), and the Art Criticism Seminar (3 credits). Students will then have 6 additional credits to fulfill including a required course in French (3-6 credits) and an optional elective course which is dependent on the number of French credits already selected (3 credits). Museum and painting excursions are also required and included in the program fees.

Click here to read more about semester courses offered.

Candidates

The school's diverse student body is one of its most exciting resources. Each cohort usually consists of twenty individuals who have a varied range of experiences. Studio art and art history majors, working artists, MFA candidates, art minors, and other students with a real interest in art all bring their particular insights to a shared space and common themes. As students engage in artistic endeavors, their range of ages and achievements enriches the quality of dialogue and expands the capacity for growth. An individual's willingness to embrace this challenge of new exchange matters more than work already accomplished.
 
Credits: 15
Instructor's Language: English
 

Student Life & Housing

Student Life

Aix’s location provides numerous travel opportunities for students studying in Aix-en-Provence. Marseilles, the Mediterranean and the Maritime Alps are only an hour away, and Nice, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Saint Tropez, Paris, Milan, Rome and Geneva are all within one day of travel, perfect for a weekend trip.
 
Field study trips are also embedded into many courses; several others are organized by IAU staff. Students are also encouraged to strike out on their own and explore their new surroundings. Provence is known for its sunny, temperate and generally dry climate, so sunshine and outdoor activities abound. Beaches, hiking, skiing in the nearby alps, traveling to European destinations, as well as cinema and theatre, museums, lectures and concerts are just some of the possible activities for students.

Students enrolled in the program also have the opportunity to participate in language partner and volunteer programs, as well as additional excursions, field trips and cultural activities.


Study Abroad - Early Start Program

Students are invited to join IAU for an optional week-long, early-start program before their fall or spring semester abroad. Students studying in France or Spain are encouraged to participate. Please review the weekly schedule for the Early Start Program in Aix-en-Provence as an example to learn more!

Students can expect to:
·       Earn one course credit
·       Jump-start the French or Spanish immersion process and ease into the new and exciting culture
·       Gain confidence in their language skills and feel comfortable in everyday communication with locals
·       Participate in a hands-on environment with small classes and personal attention
·       Learn to navigate the city of Aix-en-Provence or Barcelona through local excursions in a fun and relaxed setting
·       Attend lectures on local culture to get the most out of their abroad experience
·       Begin their French or Spanish accommodation a week early
·       Learn important intercultural differences such as body language, etiquette, do’s and don’ts, French or Spanish culture and housing expectations, stereotypes and misunderstandings
·       Meet local and foreign students through IAU
·       Learn where to buy the best croissant or paella in town
·       Become a French or Spanish insider!


Housing

IAU prioritizes homestay placements for students due to the cultural and language advantages they offer; however, given the changes in availability and willingness in host families, it is important that students maintain flexibility and an open mind when it comes to housing placements. Moreover, as a result of the reduced number of families available to host students at this time, it will be necessary to place some students in student residence apartments. Students should be prepared that they may not receive their first preference for housing. Note that the costs of all meals, laundry, and cleaning supplies for the student residence apartment are the responsibility of the student.

Students are housed in the homes of French host families when possible. Living in a French home is ideal as it provides an immediate introduction to life in Southern France. Host families come from a cross-section of society; they belong to no particular professional or social milieu, but all are carefully chosen, and many have hosted American students for several years.
 
The homestay option offers students room and half board. Daily continental breakfasts and six dinners a week are provided by the host family. Students are responsible for lunches. 
 
Bed, linen, pillow and blankets, are provided, and the room is cleaned weekly. Students must bring their own towels, and they are provided with one machine load of wash each week. You can request to be placed with another IAU roommate in the host family setting.

There is a multitude of affordable cafés, brasseries, small sandwich and grocery shops from which to choose. Many other food markets are available around town during the week.



 

Duration & Costs

Duration

 

A note to students: IAU advises that students do not make any travel arrangements prior to the first week of classes. Field studies and course excursions can be scheduled during weekends and breaks, so IAU recommends not purchasing any tickets or scheduling any travel until after learning of course requirements on-site.

The calendar is subject to change.
 

Duration

Spring 2023
Early Start Program (Optional): arrival January 14
Dates:  arrival January 21 – depart May 14
Application Deadline:  October 1

Fall 2023
Early Start Program (Optional): arrival August 26
Dates:  arrival September 2 – depart December 14
Application Deadline:  March 15


Costs

Spring 2023
Costs:  approx. $19,115 
Costs with Early Start Program: approx. $20,365

Fall 2023
Costs:  approx. $19,115 
Costs with Early Start Program: approx. $20,365



Please note that if you see dates or costs for a prior term above, that future terms will have similar dates and costs.  We will update info as soon as it becomes available.
 


Costs Included: Tuition and fees, homestay, most meals (breakfast daily and six dinners), pre-departure advising and orientation, textbook rental, insurance, art supplies, field study tours, and scheduled cultural activities. 

Costs Not Included: Airfare ($1,200 – $1,500), some meals, passport/visa fees, and personal expenses ($2,500).
 

*A non-refundable deposit ($800 for Semesters and $500 for Summer and January Intersessions) is due within two weeks of acceptance. This deposit is applied towards the program cost and paid to the College of Staten Island. 

Click here to see the robust offering of merit scholarships, grants, and need-based assistance that IAU offers.

All costs, fees, and dates are subject to change without notification. Contact the program sponsor to verify all costs, fees, and dates for this program.
 
Please refer to your acceptance materials for information on arrival, orientation, and academic calendar. The refund policy is program specific and non-transferable. Refer to your acceptance materials for the comprehensive refund policy or contact the program sponsor.
 

Eligibility & Deadlines

Eligibility Requirements
- Minimum class standing - students must have completed at least one semester (minimum 12 semester credit hours) of college-level coursework at the time of application.
- 2.5 GPA or higher
- Students must be at least 18 years of age

Applications to Include
- Official transcripts
- One letter of recommendation from a teacher who knows the applicant from a classroom setting
- Statement of purpose

Application Deadlines
Fall:        March 15
Spring:   October 1


Entry Requirements
France requires a visa for students studying during the spring or fall semesters. Please allow ample time (6-8 weeks) to apply for your visa starting with the Campus France  visa application. Upon acceptance, you will be provided with detailed instructions on the visa application process. Additional information is available on the IAU Passports & Visa page.



Have you talked with your study abroad advisor about your home institution's application process? Your institution's deadline might be earlier than the CCIS program application deadline. Check now to make sure all of your material is submitted on time!
 
 

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