After having orientation at Sciences Po last week, the substantive classes began this week. I thought this post should cover some of the details of the similarities and differences I've noted with the French university system. The remainder of this post will cover some of the history of Lille.
In no particular order....
1. The classes don't start at the beginning of term and go straight-way to the end. Some classes last six weeks, others full term, with yet others lasting one week. Faculty make sure students meet for the required number of ECTS contact hours. So, if a class is a one week class, you might meet three hours a day for five days in a row and then the course is finished.
2. Reading lists on the syllabi are suggested, not mandatory. In America, and when I studied in Britain, the reading list is mandatory, but not so much at Sciences-Po. The lists are provided to give you a basis for your knowledge, but acquiring the books isn't simple. The library maintains copies of books on the syllabi, but there is usually 1-2 copies only, and class sizes are between thirty and fifty students. Books aren't checked out from the library, but read on premises. After speaking with my EU politics professor, I chose a few books off her suggested reading list, and bought or rented Ebook copies from either Amazon or GooglePlay.
3. Similar to Britain and the U.S., graduate and undergraduate students are expected to confirm their understanding of the material in writing, mainly via essays. Essay format is discussed, and students are expected to draw primarily on the lecture content and the readings as secondary to formulate the essay content. The essay should present a theoretical argument early and use the remainder of the essay to support it. A few classes have in-class group presentations that constitute a portion of the grade.
4. Socratic method is used for class discussions. Students are frequently asked open-ended questions, and should respond in a give-and-take manner to elicit further comments from the professor and other students.
5. Powerpoint presentations can be used during lectures/classtime. Professors arrive close to the start of posted class times and begin promptly. They typically lecture with powerpoint presentations featuring the core knowledge you are expected to master. They also use a whiteboard to write down additional student comments or themes for emphasis.
6. You get a lot of handouts given to you. Each professor has given paper copies of the syllabus and other items they feel we need. The French Politics professor has given us the printed copies of the journal articles we are expected to read that week, stapled together in a bundle. Don't lose it! Additional copies are not easily acquired.
7. Availability of professors is during class, via email, and not between 12 and 3 pm (12-15:00). The French culture takes lunch breaks very seriously. Offices close and ARE NOT open until about 2:30 or 3 pm. Some professors have given their office location on the syllabus, others have not. All have been quick to answer emails and have stayed around after class to answer student questions.
8. Taking notes is permitted in class using a laptop or notebook.
9. WIFI is available on campus. You are given the hugely long access code in your orientation packet.
10. There is an add/drop date during the second week of school. When registration began, there was an on-line free-for-all on getting registered for classes, with limited spots available. Most international students found they could not register for one or more classes of interest to them. During drop/add, students are expected to drop the classes they've decided against, after having the first meeting last week. This works in principle, except for the classes which don't meet until later in the term. So, if you still can't get into your favorite class, you notify the international student coordinator via email and he looks to see if additional spaces can be added. Let's hope so, because I was wait-listed for two needed classes!
Okay, now onto the historical uniqueness of Lille.......
In no particular order....
1. The classes don't start at the beginning of term and go straight-way to the end. Some classes last six weeks, others full term, with yet others lasting one week. Faculty make sure students meet for the required number of ECTS contact hours. So, if a class is a one week class, you might meet three hours a day for five days in a row and then the course is finished.
2. Reading lists on the syllabi are suggested, not mandatory. In America, and when I studied in Britain, the reading list is mandatory, but not so much at Sciences-Po. The lists are provided to give you a basis for your knowledge, but acquiring the books isn't simple. The library maintains copies of books on the syllabi, but there is usually 1-2 copies only, and class sizes are between thirty and fifty students. Books aren't checked out from the library, but read on premises. After speaking with my EU politics professor, I chose a few books off her suggested reading list, and bought or rented Ebook copies from either Amazon or GooglePlay.
3. Similar to Britain and the U.S., graduate and undergraduate students are expected to confirm their understanding of the material in writing, mainly via essays. Essay format is discussed, and students are expected to draw primarily on the lecture content and the readings as secondary to formulate the essay content. The essay should present a theoretical argument early and use the remainder of the essay to support it. A few classes have in-class group presentations that constitute a portion of the grade.
4. Socratic method is used for class discussions. Students are frequently asked open-ended questions, and should respond in a give-and-take manner to elicit further comments from the professor and other students.
5. Powerpoint presentations can be used during lectures/classtime. Professors arrive close to the start of posted class times and begin promptly. They typically lecture with powerpoint presentations featuring the core knowledge you are expected to master. They also use a whiteboard to write down additional student comments or themes for emphasis.
6. You get a lot of handouts given to you. Each professor has given paper copies of the syllabus and other items they feel we need. The French Politics professor has given us the printed copies of the journal articles we are expected to read that week, stapled together in a bundle. Don't lose it! Additional copies are not easily acquired.
7. Availability of professors is during class, via email, and not between 12 and 3 pm (12-15:00). The French culture takes lunch breaks very seriously. Offices close and ARE NOT open until about 2:30 or 3 pm. Some professors have given their office location on the syllabus, others have not. All have been quick to answer emails and have stayed around after class to answer student questions.
8. Taking notes is permitted in class using a laptop or notebook.
9. WIFI is available on campus. You are given the hugely long access code in your orientation packet.
10. There is an add/drop date during the second week of school. When registration began, there was an on-line free-for-all on getting registered for classes, with limited spots available. Most international students found they could not register for one or more classes of interest to them. During drop/add, students are expected to drop the classes they've decided against, after having the first meeting last week. This works in principle, except for the classes which don't meet until later in the term. So, if you still can't get into your favorite class, you notify the international student coordinator via email and he looks to see if additional spaces can be added. Let's hope so, because I was wait-listed for two needed classes!
Okay, now onto the historical uniqueness of Lille.......
The photo above is of the Lille Tourism office (Office de tourisme et des congrès de Lille). For €9, I was able to take a guided, English-led tour of the old city (Vieux Lille), which dates to the 1100s. The very knowledgeable guide took us by the main newspaper office, the stock exchange, Chamber of Commerce, historic statue of Marianne (national symbol of liberty), canal pathways, and the Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse in Lille. Up until Louis XIV, Lille had been Flemish. After the "sun king" got involved, Lille became French. Later on, during the Hapsburg reign in Austria, an heir of the Duke of Burgundy married into the Spanish royal family, making Lille a Spanish territory for a while. Now, of course, it's been French for hundreds of years. The mixed heritage of a Flemish, French, and Spanish control bears out in the varied styles of architecture. Like all of Europe, some rebuilding took place after the damage inflicted by World Wars I and II. Still, this is a truly beautiful city!
Below is an example of the coloured paint applied to the limestone exteriors in order to make them more resiliant to the frequently rainy climate.
Below is an example of the coloured paint applied to the limestone exteriors in order to make them more resiliant to the frequently rainy climate.
The building above is the stock exchange building. The city could not afford to pay for the construction, so it was funded by making little shop spaces in the bottom floor. Once merchants purchased the shop spaces on the ground floor, the building was paid for, and the remainder of the building was used for stock exchange purposes.
Below are some photos of the building ornamentations. The two carved ladies are directly above the local Starbuck's cafe :)
Below are some photos of the building ornamentations. The two carved ladies are directly above the local Starbuck's cafe :)
The guided tour of Lille included the back alleys and cut-through paths that were formerly canals. These had been used to transport textiles, when Lille was a huge centre for wool and cotton manufacturing in the 17th and 18th centuries. Gradually the industry died out and the canals were filled in.
The guided tour of Lille ended at the same place that our student-led organization had us tour on Saturday. (At Sciences Po, we have the BDI -Le Bureau des Internationaux de Sciences Po Lille vise à faciliter l’intégration des étudiants internationaux en mobilité.) The Notre Dame de la Treille is a beautiful Catholic cathedral. Construction on the cathedral began in the mid 19th century but was not complete until the late 1990s. The back of the cathedral is Gothic style, modelled after Notre Dame in Paris, and the front portion of the cathedral is a modern architectural style.
Underneath the cathedral is a crypt, which currently hosts a modern art collection - pieces depicting the passion of Christ.
Above is an Andy Warhol portrait of Christ, on loan from America. I had no idea Warhol had even done a portrayal of Jesus!
The bronze sculpture to the left is an artist's rendering of the resurrection of Christ. Though Death wanted to claim his body to decay, He was more powerful than Death. The curled fists are to indicate the power of Christ to conquer and defeat Death.
Next week holds an even busier schedule, as four more of my classes begin at Sciences Po. That means I have SEVEN classes to attend, with fourteen hours of facetime with seminars, plus the reading to manage. This ought to be interesting!