French Immersion: Fall and Winter sessions

In today's competitive job market, bilingualism is a valuable asset, providing enhanced employment opportunities on both the national and international scenes. By learning French in a francophone university set in a francophone community, students will increase their chances of securing employment in fields where both cultural sensitivity and language skills are required.

Our French Immersion Program provides an opportunity for students of all proficiency levels to improve their French skills in an immersion setting. By eating, sleeping, studying, working and playing in French 24 hours a day, they can gain a considerable degree of proficiency and confidence.

Many students enroll in the French Immersion Program in order to gain the proficiency required to enter Université Sainte-Anne's degree programs. Others come to the immersion program after having earned a degree from another university, seeking to improve their chances of employment. Still others are seeking to acquire the second language skills needed for acceptance into the RCMP, the public service, the tourism sector, the airline industry, etc. Some immersion students are public sector employees who need to upgrade their language skills in order to advance in their field. Others are high school graduates who haven't yet chosen a field of study and who wish to learn French in the interim, knowing it will be an asset in whatever field they choose later. Mature students are very welcome, whether their objective is work-related or for personal enrichment. In fact, everyone is welcome in our program, whatever their reason for wanting to learn French may be.

Classes are kept small in order to promote oral interaction. Typical class size is between 8 and 12 students

Program structure

The French Immersion Program is divided into six levels, from beginner (Level 1) to very advanced (Level 6). Students normally complete one level during each 6-7 week session, or two levels per semester. There are six entry dates during the year: September, November, January, March, May* and July*. Level 1 is not offered during the sessions beginning in November and March.

As they advance through the program, students become progressively more proficient in the four basic language skills: speaking, understanding, reading and writing. Their newly-acquired skills are practiced in a variety of situations, both oral and written. Students are also given the opportunity to explore the cultural diversity of the French-speaking world.

In the course of a semester, students can complete 18 credits (2 six-credit courses and 2 three-credit courses). Some credits from Levels 5 and 6 can be transferred towards our degree programs. For more information, see the Academic regulations.

Students who are at the most advanced level (Level 6) at the beginning of a semester have the opportunity to take one or two courses from our degree programs in addition to their immersion courses. This 'bridging' can facilitate the transition from French Immersion courses to courses in the student's chosen field of study.

For a more detailed view of the program, see the Profile of Study .

* For the May and July sessions, see French Immersion: Spring and summer schools.

Certificate

Upon leaving the program, students will receive a certificate for the last block completed, provided they have obtained a passing grade in each course in that block.

Admission requirements

A high school diploma is required for admission to the French Immersion Program. Mature students are also considered for admission.

Placement Test

Upon entering the program, students must take a test designed to identify their level of linguistic proficiency.

Students who obtain passing grades in their courses and who continue in the immersion program during the following term will progress to the next level without having to repeat the placement test.

Students who are absent for two terms or more must be retested and will be placed accordingly.

The French-only rule

Our French Immersion Program is based on the belief that the learning process is enhanced by communicating in French in a variety of real-life situations. All immersion students must therefore promise to abide by the French-only rule.

Residence requirements

Immersion students must reside on campus in one of the immersion residences and must take their meals in the cafeteria*.

Residences are co-ed with both single and double rooms. (Most of the time, we are able to accommodate students' wishes in terms of room preference.)

Some residences are quite small and have a family-type atmosphere, whereas Beaulieu, our newest and largest residence, is in the more conventional style.

Student monitors and animateurs are on hand to help students adjust to residence life, make them feel at home, help them with their French, inform them of on-campus activities, help with problems, and organize social activities. At the onset of the term, a residence meeting is held in English so that rules and regulations can be explained and students' questions can be answered more easily. Weekly meetings are held in French thereafter.

*In exceptional cases only, a student may be given permission to reside off-campus. Please communicate with the Director of the French Immersion Department.