When most people think of Paris, they think of iconic sights, like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Arc de Triomphe. These sites are emblems of France’s history, but today Paris is one of the most important business, financial, and political centers of the world. It has one of the highest GDPs of any city and is home to Fortune Global 500 companies that specialize in insurance, banking, and energy. As an important location in the European Union, Paris is also home to international agencies such as the European Institute for Security Studies, the OECD, and UNESCO.
Enjoy all that Paris has to offer while studying business and international affairs in the City of Light. You can also enroll in an internship, which includes time spent working at your placement and an academic seminar that helps you contextualize what you’re learning.
This program offers IES Abroad courses taught by faculty from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. For students studying Business, International Affairs, and International Relations, we are also offering new IES Abroad Communications courses. Choose from topics like Concepts of Information in Journalism and Communications and The Function of Marketing in Business. While in Paris, you can also earn the IES Abroad Global Leadership Certificate to enrich y our experience abroad. In addition to your IES Abroad courses, you can take English-taught courses with French and international students at Novancia, the premier business school founded by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Enjoy course-related excursions to cities such as Geneva and Brussels.
Paris will also be your classroom. Imagine studying for an exam at a café near the Eiffel Tower, taking in the beauty of the art at the Musée d’Orsay, or strolling along the River Seine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Everything you do will be part of your learning experience.
We want you to feel at home in Paris, so we do everything we can to help you integrate into life in the city. From housing to cultural events, our job is to make sure you have the most authentic study abroad experience possible. Most students live in French homes to get a taste for what Parisian life is really like. Our staff also keeps you and your fellow students informed of affordable local activities and events happening in Paris.
After you are admitted, refer to the Travel Dates section of the Predeparture Information in your MyIESabroad account before booking travel.
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the highest quality academic and cultural experience abroad possible.
We offer unique courses that explore international business, political science, communications, French language, and more through an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world-class professors and course options at prestigious local university enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.
While in Paris, you take 15–19 credits per semester; all courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise specified.
Based on your qualifications for taking Business courses and your language level, your academic experience may include the following required and optional components:
Enrollment Guidelines When planning your term abroad, please note the following guidelines regarding specific courses:
IES Abroad French Language Courses The IES Abroad program begins with one week of intensive language classes. You continue your language instruction for the remainder of the semester for a total of 4 credits.
Enrollment is determined by a written predeparture language exam followed by an intensive language period on-site, during which oral proficiency is evaluated.
This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.
To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication.
Novancia Business School Pariswww.novancia.fr Novancia, the business school of the Paris Ile-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is located in the 15th arrondissement, near the Tour Montparnasse. A member of the Conference des Grandes Écoles (CGE) and applicant for AACSB accreditation, Novancia offers a variety of Business courses taught in English and French. Students who take courses at Novancia participate in practical and group activities with French and other international students.
Most courses are taught in English and are worth 2 or 3 credits. Past course offerings have included:
Course-related excursions are organized to complement IES Abroad courses and contribute to a general knowledge of French culture and society. Participation is based on course registration. In the past, students have visited:
Geneva 1 Day | Fall & Spring Visit international organizations like the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the United Nations, or the World Trade Organization.
The Champagne Region 1 Day | Fall & Spring Visit Champagne producers and learn how Champagne is made at both a large cooperative and a small family-owned farm.
Course-related excursions in and around Paris may include:
Interning while you study in Paris gives you a rewarding job experience with a wealth of long-lasting career benefits. You will:
Internships are open to students who place into FR352 or higher. All of our internships are supervised and earn IES Abroad credit. You participate in a 3-credit seminar to complement the practical experience you gain during the internship.
Placement Examples
Past students have interned in the following fields. Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Abroad Advisor—we are always seeking out new opportunities for our students.
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Paris, it will feel like home.
Homestays - Stay in a French home in the city of Paris or its surrounding banlieues (suburbs), and have breakfast daily and three evening meals per week with your host(s). Other meals are available at university cafeterias and inexpensive restaurants.
International House - A limited number of single rooms with private bathrooms are available at a foyer managed by a Catholic association. Female students of all religious backgrounds are welcome. Students have access to a common kitchen, lounge, and laundry room. Meals are not included.
Apartments - A limited number of shared apartments are available for an additional cost. Apartments include kitchen facilities and shared bathrooms. An IES Abroad Resident Assistant lives on-site or nearby. Meals are not included. Internet is available.
Part of making you feel at home in Paris is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services.
The program begins with a two-day orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad Paris Business & International Affairs staff, your fellow students, and the city of Paris.
A welcome dinner and a bus tour of the city are included in orientation.
Following orientation, you engage in a week-long intensive French language program that prepares you for life in France and includes cultural visits to help you discover the city.
Our Comprehensive Orientation & Re-Entry Experience (CORE™) begins right when you arrive and continues through the semester with activities focusing on academic and cultural adjustment. Detailed information about housing, public transportation, culture, health and safety, and other important topics are also covered.
Redefine the way you live and learn in Paris through our cultural events, such as:
Even though your adventure starts in Paris, our field trips take you beyond the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country. These trips are subsidized by IES Abroad. Here are a few possible destinations:
Normandy WWII Sites2 Days | Fall & SpringDiscover the landing sites of World War II, visit the American cemetery at Colleville, and learn more about the Allied invasion of Normandy at the Caen Peace Memorial.
Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte1 Day | Fall & SpringTour these beautiful châteaux, located only an hour from Paris.
VersaillesHalf Day | Fall & SpringEnjoy a visit to the Sun King’s famous château, in all its gilded glory, and tour the magnificent gardens and fountains.
Note: IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and length of stay may vary according to term and availability.
About the Center
The Paris Business and International Affairs Center is located in the 15th arrondissement, in a residential area between the Vaugirard & Plaisance metro stops. The area has many shops and is well-served by public transportation.
Features include:
Nathalie Lenfant has been the Director of the IES Abroad Paris Business & International Affairs Program since its inception in 2007. She has worked with IES Abroad since 1998, when she began as the Internship Coordinator of the Paris French Studies Center. She was named Associate Director of IES Abroad Paris French Studies in 2002. She holds a French License in English with a specialization in American Civilization from the University of Poitiers and a graduate degree from the École Supérieure de Traducteur Interprète et Commerce Extérieur of the Catholic University in Lille. During her studies, Mme. Lenfant spent a year as a foreign exchange student in Richmond, Virginia, and a summer as a student at Oregon State University. Prior to joining IES Abroad, Mme. Lenfant worked at the French National Office of American Field Service (AFS) as a regional coordinator of volunteering, and as a coordinator of housing, intercultural training, and student activities.
IES Abroad Staff Peggy SchwobAssistant Director and Student Services Coordinator
Chris FaggellaAcademic Advisor
Céline ChataingHousing Coordinator
Laurence LarsenStudent Activities Assistant
Lucille DermercheAcademic and Administrative Assistant
What is it really like to live in Paris? Check out our virtual tour of all the places you’ll come to know and love when you study abroad there—GO!
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