Submitted by Lauren Brooks on the 2022 spring semester program in Paris, France…
For many students looking to study abroad, I believe that the rigor of courses abroad is a question that is never omitted. From students and parents alike, this question is important as the student likely has priorities to explore the world around them while ensuring progress towards their degree. From my experience in both Madrid, Spain and Paris, France, the course load seems about the same rigor if not slightly easier. However, it is important to research how your organization or host culture’s out-of-class responsibilities may be divided.
A key difference that I’ve noticed here in Paris is the education system’s emphasis on readings. In Newark, I usually have only a few readings assigned. Some of which, we could skim to understand the concepts and be set to continue building those concepts during class time. After discussing with professors, they agree that the French education system heavily values reading comprehension. For example, it is not uncommon in my International Business course for us to be assigned 60-90 pages to read before the next class. The class is held once per week for three hours. Once we are in the classroom, my professor tries to cover the most important bits from the chapters that tend to span 70+ slides of notes. Because of our burst-like contact with our professor, it’s crucial to stay on top of the readings and review material outside of class hours. This different course structure is something I am still getting used to because I’ve been under the American school system all my life.
The responsibilities in my host country outside of classwork have completely changed compared to my responsibilities in Newark. At UD, I’m involved in several organizations and try to also attend campus events. If not with classes, my schedule would oftentimes be filled with various meetings I was expected to attend for these extracurriculars. There’s a bit of a give-and-take now that I’m in Paris. Instead of focusing so much on those campus opportunities, I’ve had to work on my cooking skills, run a lot more errands, and stay fully engaged in my internship. I’d say that the amount of time I spend productively throughout the week has remained similar to my productivity in Newark.
While my experience of course does not apply to all students studying abroad, I hope that I’ve provided a bit of insight into my work life and how it may vary across cultures. If the course load is something that a student looking into study abroad programs is hesitant about, I’d encourage them to get in touch with the program coordinators as well as past participants in the program. Applying for a study abroad program can be daunting at first, but never count yourself out!
