Oxbridge Academic Programs

Oxbridge academic programs
France Spain
L’académie de paris
July 4–July 31 • Grades 9-12
L’académie de France
July 6–august 2 • Grades 9-12
2011
S u m m e r
La academia de españa
July 3–July 30 • Grades 10-12
La escuela preparatoria
de Barcelona
July 2–July 28 • Grades 8-9

a Welcome From The Founder
Prof. James Basker
About the Founder
educated at Harvard (AB), at Cambridge
(mA), and at Oxford (DPhil) as a rhodes
Scholar, Professor Basker taught at
Harvard for seven years before coming
to Barnard College, Columbia university.
Formerly the Ann Whitney Olin Professor
of english, he was appointed the richard
Gilder Professor of Literary History in
2006. Professor Basker has designed and
directed student programs in Oxford
and Cambridge in england, Paris and
montpellier in France, Barcelona in
Spain, and most recently in New York
City in the united States. He has been an
invited guest lecturer at the Sorbonne,
Cambridge, and Oxford, a Visiting Fellow
at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge,
and a James Osborn Fellow at Yale.
Professor Basker is also President of the
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American
History in New York City, where he
advises on educational projects in the
public school system and on teacher
seminars at Yale, Harvard, Oxford, and
Cambridge.
Dear Students, Parents, and Teachers,
I am delighted to introduce our four programs in continental europe: in France,
l’Académie de Paris and l’Académie de France (in montpellier), both for grades 9-12; and
two programs in Spain, both conducted in Barcelona: La Academia de españa, for grades
10 to 12, and La escuela Preparatoria de Barcelona, for 8th and 9th graders. All four
programs are based on my belief that students of this age can take full advantage of a
european environment to immerse themselves in a foreign language and culture.
The first essential element to our success with these programs is outstanding teaching,
delivered by superbly qualified faculty using imaginative, hands-on methods. Whether
students are marveling at the architectural magnificence of the eiffel Tower, exploring
roman ruins in the South of France, or sketching the Gothic splendor of Gaudí’s Sagrada
Família, they are immersed in a creative, fun, and safe environment with scholars and
professionals who are experts in their field.
The second essential element is outstanding leadership. each of our programs has a
director who represents the very best in education. Dr. richard michaelis, the Director
of l’Académie de Paris, is a Francophone native of Switzerland who teaches history at
Oxford and is a widely published expert in european history. The Director of l’Académie
de France, John Wensman, has taught in independent and international schools for the
past 20 years. He currently teaches at the prestigious St. Paul Academy and Summit
School in St. Paul, mN, and returns to direct l’Académie de France for the third summer.
The Director of La Academia de españa, Jorge rodriguez, is a native Spanish-speaker of
mixed Cuban and mexican heritage, who is a career teacher currently in his ninth year at
the Branson School in California, having worked previously as a teacher and dorm parent
at the Darrow School in upstate New York. La escuela Preparatoria de Barcelona is led by
Jorge Salas, a native Spaniard raised in the united States, who is an experienced Spanish
teacher, soccer coach, and Dean of Students at the Pine School in Florida. Jorge has been
teaching in American independent schools for more than 15 years.
The third essential element is the student body itself. Our students come from all 50
states in the uS, as well as a wide range of other countries, from Canada to mexico and
Brazil, to China, Australia, South Africa, the middle east, and several european nations.
They all share an enthusiasm for learning and an openness to new experience, and they
see international study as a wonderful adventure. Significantly, more than 50% of our
students are the only student from their school—yet by the program’s end the student
body has invariably connected and formed close bonds that endure well beyond the
summer.
These programs are a potentially life-changing experience for students at a crucial age.
Whether the aim is to improve one’s French or Spanish, to sharpen academic skills and
knowledge, to experience life abroad, to learn about european culture—or all of these—
for the right student, there is nothing like it. I hope to see you in europe next summer.
Sincerely,
James G. Basker
Founder
L’Académie de Paris is sponsored and organized by The Foundation for
International Education in cooperation with Oxbridge Academic Programs.

Table of Contents
L’académie de paris ...................................................................................................4
Residence ..................................................................................................................5
Courses .......................................................................................................................5
Faculty .........................................................................................................................9
Typical Day ...............................................................................................................11
Activities & Sports ................................................................................................12
Cultural Enrichment ...........................................................................................13
Field Trips...................................................................................................................14
Guest Speakers ......................................................................................................15
Student Life..............................................................................................................48
Fees & Details ..........................................................................................................50
Application ...............................................................................................................51
L’académie de France ..............................................................................................16
Residence ..................................................................................................................17
Courses .......................................................................................................................17
Faculty .........................................................................................................................20
Typical Day ...............................................................................................................22
Activities & Sports ................................................................................................23
Cultural Enrichment ...........................................................................................24
Field Trips...................................................................................................................25
Guest Speakers ......................................................................................................26
Paris Connection ..................................................................................................27
Student Life..............................................................................................................48
Fees & Details ..........................................................................................................50
Application ...............................................................................................................51
2

La academia de españa ..........................................................................................28
Residence ..................................................................................................................29
Courses .......................................................................................................................29
Faculty .........................................................................................................................33
Typical Day ...............................................................................................................35
Activities & Sports ................................................................................................42
Cultural Enrichment ...........................................................................................43
Field Trips...................................................................................................................44
Guest Speakers ......................................................................................................46
Student Life..............................................................................................................48
Fees & Details ..........................................................................................................50
Application ...............................................................................................................51
La escuela preparatoria de Barcelona.......................................................36
Residence ..................................................................................................................37
Courses .......................................................................................................................37
Faculty .........................................................................................................................40
Typical Day ...............................................................................................................41
Activities & Sports ................................................................................................42
Cultural Enrichment ...........................................................................................43
Field Trips...................................................................................................................45
Guest Speakers ......................................................................................................46
Student Life..............................................................................................................48
Fees & Details ..........................................................................................................50
Application ...............................................................................................................51
3

Paris
Paris is one of the world’s most evocative and inspiring cities, with a
reputation for history and culture unmatched by any other european capital. Originally settled
by a tribe known as the Parisii over two thousand years ago, it has since been conquered by
romans, besieged by Huns and Vikings, wracked by royal and aristocratic feuds, religious
conflicts, and revolutions, and occupied by the Nazis during the Second World War. Yet despite
its turbulent history, Paris boasts the most monumental cityscape in the world, as awesome in
its grandeur as it is endearing in its familiarity. The greatest artists, authors, and thinkers of the
Western world have been inspired by Paris. Philosophers Thomas Aquinas, Voltaire, rousseau,
and Sartre; writers Victor Hugo, Balzac, and Proust; and painters Claude monet and Auguste
renoir all lived, worked, and left their legacies in this city.
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4

L’ACADemIe De PArIS
July 4–July 31 • Grades 9–12
C O u R S E S E L E C T I O n
Our students choose any two courses on the following pages, one as a MAJOR course
and one as a MInOR. Major courses meet six mornings a week and depending on the
nature of the course include in-class time for fieldwork, labs, workshops, guest speakers,
group discussions, and one-on-one instruction. They also include homework and require
project and preparation time outside of class. Minor courses meet three afternoons
a week, with all work contained within the class session. A Minor course presents
highlights of the Major and most students find their Minor a welcome opportunity to
sample a new subject for the first time.
nOTe: There is no final application deadline.
We accept applications on a rolling basis until the program is full. Students who apply
on or before January 28, 2011 and are accepted have their first choice of courses
guaranteed, subject to enrollment levels. This is absolutely not a final application
deadline, but we do begin receiving applications in October so we recommend that
students apply as early as possible for subjects that are in very high demand.
FrencH LanGUaGe LearninG
Speaking and hearing French is in no way limited to class periods. We emphasize use of the
language at all times during the month, including in conversation with staff and peers both
in and out of the residence. Students are encouraged to eat meals at the Table Française
in the dining hall and to request a room on a French-speaking hall of the dormitory (see
Application). Additionally, a wide variety of guest speakers, activities, and excursions are
arranged in French throughout the month.
HOW TO cHOOSe a FrencH cOUrSe
Our programs in France are designed to accommodate students with all levels of language
ability. Complete beginners and students who are in their first or second year of French in
school should simply enroll in French language. They will be evaluated on the first day of
class and placed in a group of the appropriate level. Classes are taught entirely in French, so
as to simulate an immersion environment and optimize students’ learning potential.
Students who have been taking French for three or more years or who are preparing for
AP/IB exams should enroll in one of our immersion courses. These courses approach French
learning through the exploration of a specific cultural theme – literature, philosophy,
art history, political science – allowing students to gain in-depth knowledge in this one
topic while at the same time perfecting their French. The focus is on advanced writing
techniques as well as discussion and debate using more complex grammar skills. Students
wishing to enroll in an immersion course must provide a writing sample in French and a
letter of recommendation from a French teacher. For an english translation of any of
these courses to show your parents, please call or email us.
residence
L’AcAdémie de PAris students reside in the Lycée
notre dAme de sion, a top independent
school in the 6th arrondissement
adjacent to the southwest corner of the
Luxembourg Gardens. The eiffel Tower,
the rodin museum, Notre Dame, and the
Louvre, as well as other famed sites, are all
within walking distance.
Our neighborhood is a sophisticated
and much sought-after area. With an
enormous variety of boutiques, galleries,
cinemas, famous cafés and restaurants,
but notably lacking the numbers of
tourists found elsewhere in the city, the
6th is the perfect environment in which
to experience the enchanting Parisian
way of life. ernest Hemingway lived in
an apartment on the very street where
our school is located, and he wrote The
Sun Also Rises at the nearby Closerie des
Lilas café. The site of Gertrude Stein’s
renowned salon is only five minutes from
our front door.
For four weeks each summer,
students at l’Académie de Paris become
a part of this rich community in the heart
of the world’s most beautiful city. In this
marvelous setting, our students may
indeed come to feel, like Gertrude Stein,
that “America is my country, but Paris is
my hometown.”
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Courses
F R E n C H L A n G u A G E
A n D I M M E R S I O n
C O u R S E S
French Language: Beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Favoring innovative and interactive teaching methods, our
French courses cover elements of language and grammar with a
heavy focus on conversational proficiency. Language learning is
approached through the exploration of various cultural themes
such as theater, cinema, gastronomy, music, regional cultures,
and literature. A special emphasis is placed on exercises that
bring students into contact with local native speakers. Students
are evaluated on the first day of class and placed in a group of
the appropriate level. Classes are taught entirely in French, so as
to simulate an immersion environment and optimize students’
learning potential.
art: culture et rébellion. Les élèves apprennent à lire, décrire
et évaluer une œuvre d’art, par une approche multidisciplinaire
indispensable à une compréhension de sa valeur significative
et existentielle. La démarche permettra à l’étudiant de décoder
le processus créateur de l’artiste ainsi que les réactions souvent
violentes que l’œuvre peut avoir suscitées. Le cours couvre
tous les grands mouvements artistiques, en approfondissant
particulièrement ceux – de David au surréalisme – qui ont
révolutionné l’art depuis 1789, ainsi que l’invention du discours
politique moderne.
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L’avant-garde. En tentant de définir le statut de l’artiste et
de l’avant-garde dans le contexte actuel, ce cours permet aux
étudiants d’évaluer à la fois l’évolution de l’influence française
sur la civilisation occidentale à partir de 1850 et l’univers français
contemporain. Cette analyse s’effectue à travers les thèmes de
l’art (peinture et sculpture), de la littérature, de l’architecture, de
la mode et de la gastronomie. Supplément de $200 US pour la
classe Majeure.
Le Bien et le mal. En alliant les œuvres de grands philosophes
français avec l’histoire même de la France, ce cours propose
de mettre en lumière deux notions des plus fondamentales à
l’expérience humaine, le Bien et le Mal. Les étudiants lisent des
auteurs tels que Gide, Sartre, Camus et Lévi-Strauss et renouent
avec les conflits et débats – Vichy, la guerre d’Algérie, le rôle de
l’Etat, la mondialisation, l’immigration, l’Europe – qui ont alimenté
leur œuvre.
L’Histoire des empires. Débutant avec l’Antiquité, les étudiants
analysent les empires que le monde a connus ainsi que les
éléments géostratégiques, militaires, économiques, sociaux,
épidémiologiques et idéologiques qui les ont façonnés et détruits.
Les étudiants procèdent ensuite à une réflexion pour déterminer
si l’ère des empires est révolue ou si ces mêmes entités ne se sont
pas simplement réinventées sous un autre aspect, et si, le cas
échéant, il leur incombe d’identifier les enjeux fondamentaux de
notre avenir.

paris à travers les âges. A travers séminaires et visites, ce
cours vise à dévoiler les recoins cachés de Paris afin d’en révéler
l’histoire secrète allant de la tribu des Parisii à la révolution
culturelle de 1968, en passant par les étapes clefs telles que la
Grande Révolution, napoléon, la Commune, et la Deuxième
Guerre Mondiale, qui, notamment, en opposant résistants et
collaborateurs, a contribué à désunir un peuple en marquant à
jamais son identité nationale.
paris: atelier littéraire. En combinant lectures et visites, ce
cours permet aux étudiants de découvrir la topographie créative
des auteurs de langue française, dont Paris à marqué l’œuvre. Les
écrits de Balzac, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Proust, Céline, Simenon,
Duras, ainsi que bien d’autres, qui ont fait de Paris leur muse,
permettent à l’étudiant d’instaurer sa propre relation littéraire avec
la ville, d’abord en tenant un journal puis en s’essayant à d’autres
formes d’écriture.
Sciences politiques. Ce cours expose les étudiants aux concepts
de base ainsi qu’aux principales méthodes de la science politique,
traitant dans un premier temps de ses origines et composantes
majeures – la sociologie, l’économie et le droit – avant d’aborder
ses thèmes dominants – le pouvoir et les idées politiques.
Les cours sont complétés par des visites de Paris, ville qui fut
longtemps le centre du monde politique et diplomatique de
l’Occident.
C O u R S E S T A u G H T I n
E n G L I S H
architecture in paris. As one of the most architecturally
fascinating cities in the world, Paris is the perfect classroom for
students interested in learning about two thousand years of urban
planning and design and about the way in which successive
regimes responded to the changing needs of the city. On-site
workshops, combined with sketching and design, familiarize
participants with the main schools of architecture and help them
understand the contexts that inspired them. Equipment fee of
$50 US for Majors.
art History. This course introduces students to the dominant
themes and techniques of Classical, Medieval, Renaissance,
Romantic, Realist, Impressionist, and Modernist art. Working
in museums, students learn how to read masterpieces by
Michelangelo, da Vinci, David, Ingres, Delacroix, Manet, Renoir,
Rodin, and Monet, as well as important works by prominent
Surrealist, Cubist, and Pop artists. They take daily advantage of
the city’s remarkable resources, including the Louvre, Centre
Pompidou, and Musée d’Orsay, among others.
creative Writing. Led by professional writers, and focusing on
short fiction, poetry, and memoir, students draw inspiration from
the cultural resources of Paris and the rich literary history it enjoys.
Evocative settings, such as Hemingway’s favorite café or the tomb
of Oscar Wilde in Père Lachaise cemetery, as well as readings
by established poets and writers, are used as spurs to creativity.
Students edit and publish their best work in the program’s literary
magazine.
culture and cuisine. Students discover French cuisine, from
the evolution of regional dishes and the invention of the café
and restaurant, to the development of the modern food industry.
Through the study of culinary experts such as Brillat-Savarin and
Julia Child, they are exposed to the roles food plays in French
culture. Classroom sessions are enhanced by visits and tastings as
well as a few practical cooking sessions, during which students
have the chance to try their hand at French gastronomy. Lab fee
of $300 US for Majors; $250 US for Minors.
epidemiology and public Health. Guided by public health
professionals, students discover how populations dealt with
disease in the past and how they do so today. They study
responses to real and potential health catastrophes – such as
AIDS, tuberculosis, or H1n1 – as well as how governments and
international organizations deal with broader, non-communicable
socio-medical challenges such as chronic malnutrition or obesity.
Students evaluate the models – including bio-statistical ones –
deployed to monitor diseases and determine policy.
european History and politics. This course covers the major
political and social movements that have shaped European
history. using Paris as their laboratory, students discover the forces
that spawned the city’s Roman, Medieval, Revolutionary, and
napoleonic moments, before moving forward to assess France’s
role today in the Eu and the world. Daily readings and debates,
held at historic sites, bring the past, in all its glory, back to life.
existentialism. This course explores such themes as the
meaning of life, the nature of freedom and responsibility,
irrationality in human thought, action, and expression, and the
crisis of faith in modernity. With the Paris of Sartre, Camus, Gide
and de Beauvoir as their backdrop, students consider their œuvres,
as well as those of Kierkegaard, nietzsche, Kafka, and Beckett,
while evaluating the effect existentialism had on art, literature, and
society.
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expatriates in paris. Focusing on the first half of the 20th
century, this course studies the writers and artists who were drawn
to Paris as a refuge, a cultural and intellectual hub, and a source
of inspiration. Readings of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein, Joyce,
and James Baldwin combine with visits of the cafés and ateliers in
which these great talents socialized with other émigré artists such
as Picasso, Chagall, and Josephine Baker.
Film in France. Students study the character, composition, and
style of classic French cinema in order to script and shoot their
own distinctly ‘French’ productions. They examine the work of
major directors, including Godard and the new Wave. Producing
their own movies gives further insight into the techniques and
distinct genres of French cinema. The program concludes with a
festival at which students present their movies. French language is
not required. Lab fee of $300 US for Majors; Minors do not make
films, but focus on film history and criticism.
Math for Finance. Led by financial experts and mathematicians,
this course addresses the mathematical bases of modern finance
– from how compound interest is calculated to understanding
the science of derivatives which has provided such dramatic
challenges to the world of high finance in recent years – all with an
eye to better understanding the workings, dangers, and calculated
risks of the financial markets.
paris and the avant-Garde. This interdisciplinary course takes
students behind the scenes of artistic Paris, enabling them to
explore the Avant-Garde in art, literature, theory, fashion, sculpture,
film, cooking, and multimedia. Through a dynamic array of
readings, guest speakers, and visits to studios, fashion houses,
media venues, and museums, students discover the exciting milieu
that, for over a century, has made Paris the world capital of style
and innovation. Supplementary fee of $200 US for Majors.
8
photography. Guided by a professional photographer, beginners
as well as more advanced students transform the city into their
own private studio, honing their skills on assignments that
cover essay, landscape, portraiture, photojournalism, and art
photography, while acquainting themselves with the work of
professional photographers through exhibitions and presentations.
All students exhibit their best work at the end of the program.
Major class participants learn and refine dark room skills. All
students need a 35 mm camera. Lab fee of $250 US for Majors;
materials fee of $75 US for Minors. Minor students do not use
darkroom facilities.
psychology and psychoanalysis. Students investigate a wide
range of case histories, including dreams, memory, anxiety, body
language, gender, and sexuality. At the same time, they conduct
experiments and examine their findings under the guidance of
practicing clinicians. They pay special attention to the evolution
of psychology in France, tracing it back to Rousseau’s concept of
stages of growth, focusing on Freud’s time in Paris, and analyzing
the work of Jacques Lacan in the related field of psychoanalysis.
Studio art. Designed for all levels of expertise, this course uses
art as the medium for imaginative engagement with the city.
Students receive formal instruction in, among other media, oils,
watercolor, pastel, pencil, and charcoal, and spend the majority of
their time capturing sights such as notre Dame, sketching at the
Musée Rodin, or capturing a street scene in Montmartre. Through
their creative efforts, students discover their new home in a truly
personal way and compile their own comprehensive portfolio.
Materials fee of $200 US for Majors; $100 US for Minors.

L’Académie de Paris Faculty
Director, Dr. richard Michaelis
An Oxford graduate, Richard
is a Francophone native of
Switzerland. He has taught and
lectured in European and British
history for nearly twenty years at
Hertford College, Oxford university,
and runs an annual seminar course
there for Princeton university.
Richard taught on The Oxford Tradition for five years and has
directed The Paris Teacher Seminar and The Paris Connection for
our Oxford and Cambridge programs. He edited Walter Scott’s
Life of Napoleon for publication and is currently writing a life of the
French author and statesman, François-René de Chateaubriand.
This is his fifth year directing l’Académie de Paris, and he works full
time in our new York office as Associate Director.
Baptiste Brun. BA, MA Ecole du Louvre. Baptiste started his
studies in mathematics and then entered l’Ecole du Louvre where
he teaches 20th-century Art History with a special focus on the
period of the Avant-Garde. He is currently writing a dissertation
that focuses on issues relative to Art Brut and Outsider Art.
Baptiste is also working on multiple artistic and musical projects
and exhibitions.
Faculty
Dr. Marie-Hélène carpentier. BA Université de Pau et des Pays
de l’Adour, MA, DEA Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle, MPhil
New York University, PhD Université de Paris VII. An experienced
teacher of French language and an accomplished academic, Marie-
Hélène has taught at l’Académie de Paris for many years, as well as
for programs operated by nYu, the American university of Paris,
and Vassar-Wesleyan. During the academic year, she teaches for
programs offered by Hamilton College, Sweet Briar College, Boston
College, and the Emory-Duke-Cornell consortium in Paris.
ava carrère. BA, MA Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts Montpellier.
Ava is the 2002 recipient of the LVMH Young Creator Award.
After graduating with her MA in Fine Arts, she moved to Berlin to
complete her residency in arts and music. Presently in Paris, Ava
works as a freelance translator, visual performer, and musician,
performing regularly at such prestigious venues as Paris’ Les Trois
Baudets and Admiralspalast in Berlin.
perrine chambon. BA (Hons), DEA Université de Rennes, MA
Université de Paris VII. Since graduating with a Master’s in English
and another in French Literary Translation, Perrine has been
working in Paris as a translator with major publishing houses such
as Flammarion and Les Presses de la Cité. Previously, she has lived
and studied in Dijon, Rennes, Cork, and Dublin, where she taught
French at university College Dublin and translated works by
contemporary Irish writers.
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Mehdi clément. BA, MA Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle.
Mehdi is a doctoral candidate in French Literature at the Sorbonne
nouvelle. A specialist in literature of the late 20th century, Mehdi
writes a regular column for the important literary review l’Atelier
du Roman. He also writes articles about his experience living in
London, where he has been for the past two years. His passion is
the study of radical and innovative intellectual ways of thinking
about modern and post-modern life.
Soizic Donin. BA (Hons) Sorbonne, DESS Ecole Pratique des
Hautes Etudes. Soizic is an alum of the prestigious Ecole normale
Supérieure and teaches History and Geography at the Institute of
European Studies as well as in a Parisian high school. She has lived
in Tokyo where she studied at Sophia university and did research
on French artists based in Japan. She is particularly interested in
intercultural dialogue and has been involved in various educational
projects with young people from different cultural backgrounds.
Steven Farrelly-Jackson. BA (Hons) University of Cape Town,
DPhil Oxford University. Born in England, Steven grew up in
Zimbabwe and South Africa. He currently teaches Philosophy at
Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. Steven has published a number
of scholarly articles on ethics, aesthetics, and the philosophy
of Wittgenstein. He has taught on the Oxford Tradition, the
Cambridge Tradition and has directed both l’Académie de Paris
and the Oxford Tradition as well as served as Executive Director of
Oxbridge Academic Programs in new York.
Heather Hartley. BA West Virgina University, MA Middlebury
College. Heather is the author most recently of the poetry
collection Knock Knock. She has lived and worked in Paris for eight
years and is the Paris Editor for Tin House magazine. Her poems,
essays and other work have appeared in Tin House, Mississippi
Review, Post Road and other magazines, and in the anthologies
The World Within: Writers Talk Ambition, Angst,…, Satellite
Convulsions: Poems from Tin house, and elsewhere.
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camille Labro. BA Université de Nice, DEA, MA Université de
Paris X. Camille was born in Berkeley, California, raised in Provence,
and then spent ten years in new York working as a correspondent
for French Vogue before returning to Paris. She’s the author of
the guidebook New York Confidential and has contributed to
various culinary guidebooks and food shows. Camille is currently
a freelance food editor, a gastronomical tour guide in Paris, and is
working on a culinary documentary for TV as well as a cookbook
about her mother’s cuisine provençale.
paul Laufer. Diplôme de Recherche Plastique Université de
Genève, Diplôme d’Art Visuel Université de Lausanne. Educated
in Switzerland, Paul has lived and worked in Paris since 1998. A
professional artist and art teacher, his studio is in an old cookie
factory that our students visit. He has taught at colleges of art in
Geneva, Amsterdam, and Lausanne, and he has held exhibitions of
his work in Lausanne, Amsterdam, and Paris.
Laetitia Mariotti. BA, MA Sorbonne. An experienced French
teacher, Laetitia has taught in Italy as well as her native France
where she was a curriculum counselor and A-level examinations
supervisor. She is an experienced actress and director, having
studied for two years at the Florent acting school in Paris. Laetitia
works as a journalist and culture editor for a French newspaper, and
is now based in new York after two years in Berlin.
Luc Martrenchar. BS, MS Université de Paris V. Luc is a qualified
clinical psychologist, researcher, and teacher of psychology living
in Paris. He conducts research on personality and environmental
factors that determine intelligence. He is also a practicing
psychotherapist.
Dr. Brady Wagoner. BA (Hons) Clark University, MPhil, PhD
Cambridge University. A former Gates Scholar and winner of
the prestigious Sigmund Koch Prize, Brady teaches at Aalborg
university in Denmark. He has created the Sir Frederic Bartlett
Archive and has recently published the book Symbolic
Transformation: The Mind in Movement through Culture
and Society. In addition, he is co-founding editor of the journal
Psychology & Society and sits on the editorial boards of several
other journals.

A Typical
Day
a Typical Day
on l’académie de paris
monday-Saturday
7:45 - 8:45
Breakfast
9:00 - 12:30
major classes
each major class begins with ‘Home room’
(announcements, student questions, settling
in) before moving on to a mix of classroom
presentations, debates, seminar discussions,
field trips, guest speakers, and project work
12:30 - 2:00
Lunch
(options include sandwiches
in the marketplace, picnics along
the river, or local cafés)
2:00 - 4:00
minor classes
(three days per week)
4:00 - 6:30
elective activities and walking tours; guided
excursions to museums, special exhibitions,
historic sites, and other attractions; a daily
choice of sports; free time to read, relax,
complete projects, and explore
6:30 - 7:30
Dinner in the cafeteria
evenings
Concerts, theater, films, evening walks, guest
speakers, socializing with new friends, time for
homework
10:00 - 11:00
Check-in at the residence
midnight
All students in their own rooms, quiet
Note: Sundays are more leisurely, with time for
outings and relaxation
11

Activities & Sports
12
Activities & sports in Paris
Throughout the program, our Activities Directors design and supervise a variety of
activities, including a quiz night, regular movie nights, several dances, and a talent show.
Outings are organized to the theater, the opera or ballet, musical concerts, a local carnival,
and the Bastille Day fireworks. Other recent activities have included a Sunday picnic in
the park of a nearby château, an excursion to the Canal Saint-Martin made famous in
the popular movie Amélie, and a visit to the Parisian sewers, as well as myriad exhibits in
little-known museums. Every year, the program culminates with an awards ceremony
and banquet followed by an evening of dancing.
For athletically inclined students, we have a gym on site where pick-up games of soccer,
basketball or volleyball often occur. The picturesque Luxembourg Gardens, just next
door, are ideal for jogging. Students can also swim at the local sports center and practice
yoga or aerobics.
We seek to emphasize and encourage francophone activities. We create a Table
Française at the dining hall where students, regardless of level, can come together with
faculty to speak French and to exchange views on daily life. We invite all interested
students to request a room on a French-speaking hall if they wish to converse in French
on a daily basis.
These activities and cultural events enable students to make friends and discover shared
interests. The certainty that they are in a secure and comfortable environment, as well
as part of a supportive peer group, encourages our students to open themselves to the
new experiences our program provides.

Cultural enrichment
cultural enrichment in Paris
Paris is remarkable for the level of intimacy that it grants its visitors. With proper guidance,
outsiders can truly become insiders during their stay in this most beautiful of cities. One
of our main goals is to introduce the dizzying array of cultural and historical riches to our
students in an instructive and entertaining manner. To this end, the program incorporates
a variety of guided activities each day such as walking tours, field trips, and visits to famous
sites. The majority of these activities are elective, giving students complete flexibility to
pursue their individual interests and explore the city independently.
Our focus is not always on the most recognizable destinations. There is a more private,
lesser-known Paris, to which we introduce students – one that provides lasting memories
and creates a profound connection with the city. This can include: the Père Lachaise
Cemetery, the final resting place of Molière, Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison;
the Marché aux Puces, a bustling flea market with more than 2000 stalls; the Musée
Marmottan, widely considered to be France’s leading repository of Impressionist art,
housing the largest Monet collection in the world, as well as works by Renoir, Gauguin,
and Sisley; and the 600-year-old buildings and squares of the Marais district, which
includes the traditional Jewish quarter, the majestic Place des Vosges, and the house of
Victor Hugo. Students also see the museums and attractions that make Paris so famous,
including the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, the Sacré-Coeur, the Centre
Pompidou, the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon, and much more.
13

14
Field Trips
L’Académie de Paris Field Trips
Versailles. Initially a modest hunting lodge, Versailles came to epitomize the
power and the glory of Louis XIV and absolutist rule as well as its excesses and
eventual bloody unravelling. Students receive a guided tour of the spectacular state
apartments and Hall of Mirrors. They enjoy a picnic lunch by one of the great lakes
before exploring the vast, extravagant gardens, the Petit and the Grand Trianons,
and the hamlet that Marie Antoinette built as her personal rustic playground.
Vaux le Vicomte. The grandeur and elegance of this beautiful 17th-century
château and its landscaped gardens, commissioned by Louis XIV’s finance minister,
are breathtaking – so breathtaking that they drove the Sun King mad with envy.
Our group arrives in the late afternoon for a guided tour of the château, which
is majestically furnished in the style of the era. The students then spend an
unforgettable evening strolling among the formal gardens, fountains, and lakes,
exploring the estate, which is entirely illuminated by candlelight.
château de Vincennes. The relationship between royalty and Vincennes goes
back almost a thousand years. Louis VII (1137-1180) dated deeds from the manor,
and Saint Louis (1226-1270) used it as his main residence. Henry V of England and
France died in it in 1422, and Louis XVIII and XIV sought refuge within its walls. It was
later transformed into a prison that held inmates as diverse as Diderot, Mirabeau,
and the Marquis de Sade.

L’Académie de Paris Guest speakers
charles Bremner. The Paris Correspondent for the Times
of London, Mr. Bremner has reported from wars and hot
spots on all the continents, spending several notable years
as Washington Correspondent. He tells the students about
what led him to choose to become a journalist, what it takes
to succeed in the business, and how he sees the press and
associated media evolving over the coming decades. As a
seasoned observer of the French scene, but with a wealth
of experience of the wider world, he also provides valuable
insights into the singularities of the French way of life and
politics.
Dr. Markus cruse. An Assistant Professor of French
at Arizona State university, Dr. Cruse is a specialist in
medieval French civilization. He has published articles on
illuminated manuscripts, heraldry, decorated ivories, and
medieval theater, as well as translated Blue: The History of
a Color and Catherine the Great’s memoirs. Dr. Cruse is the
recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including
a Bourse Chateaubriand from the French government and
an Outstanding Teaching Award from nYu. He has been a
regular lecturer at The Cloisters Museum in new York since
1997.
charles Glass. A broadcaster, journalist and writer, who began
his journalistic career in 1973 at the ABC news Beirut bureau,
Mr. Glass has covered the October Arab-Israeli War, the civil
war in Lebanon, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and numerous other
conflicts around the world. He was ABC news Chief Middle
East Correspondent from 1983 to 1993. Since 1993, he has
been a freelance writer in Paris, Tuscany, Venice and London,
Guest Speakers
regularly covering the Middle East, the Balkans, southeast Asia
and the Mediterranean region. He has also published books,
short stories, essays and articles in the united States and
Europe. For his reporting and investigative pieces, Mr. Glass
has been honored by the Overseas Press Club and has shared
Commonwealth and George Foster Peabody Awards.
clotilde Dusoulier. Ms. Dusoulier is the author of the
cookbook Chocolate and Zucchini, the guidebook Clotilde’s
Edible Adventures in Paris, and the award-winning blog
www.chocolateandzucchini.com. Born and raised in Paris,
she was working as a software engineer when she decided
to begin sharing her recipes with like-minded cooks online.
The instant success of her blog led her to leave her job and
become a full-time food writer. She has had articles featured in
the New York Times, the L.A. Times, Saveur, and Elle, among
many others.
international education Forum. Admissions representatives
from different institutions, including the American university
of Paris and new York university in France, visit our program
throughout the summer to discuss the options available for
study at the undergraduate and graduate levels – whether
for a semester, a year, or for a full degree program. Oxbridge
staff and faculty members, coming from diverse backgrounds
and having pursued various paths in international education,
also share their experiences with program participants. Our
goal is to help our students better understand their future
opportunities for study in France or elsewhere in Europe.
15

ontpellier
montpellier
16
montpellier, which has been called “the secret capital of France,”
is situated on the Mediterranean coast. Once located on pilgrimage
and trade routes, Montpellier is today a magnificent city, celebrated as a
capital of tourism, culture, and technology. Renowned for its charming
maze of medieval streets, its gem of an opera house, and its world-class
art museum, as well as its 13th-century Jewish baths, Montpellier is at
once a delightful provincial town and a cosmopolitan city, the capital
of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Founded in 1220, the university
of Montpellier is one of the oldest in the world, and its botanical
gardens, founded in 1563, are the oldest in France. In such inspirational
surroundings, our students have the opportunity to experience French
culture, civilization, and character. The ancient splendor of Montpellier
is matched only by its modern vibrancy and the beauty of the
surrounding land.

L’ACADemIe De FrANCe
July 6–August 2 • Grades 9–12
C O u R S E S E L E C T I O n
Our students choose any two courses on the following pages, one as a MAJOR course and
one as a MInOR. Major courses meet six mornings a week and depending on the nature
of the course include in-class time for fieldwork, labs, workshops, guest speakers, group
discussions, and one-on-one instruction. They also include homework and require project
and preparation time outside of class. Minor courses meet three afternoons a week, with
all work contained within the class session. A Minor course presents highlights of the
Major and most students find their Minor a welcome opportunity to sample a new subject
for the first time.
nOTe: There is no final application deadline.
We accept applications on a rolling basis until the program is full. Students who apply on
or before January 28, 2011 and are accepted have their first choice of courses guaranteed,
subject to enrollment levels. This is absolutely not a final application deadline, but we do
begin receiving applications in October so we recommend that students apply as early as
possible for subjects that are in very high demand.
FrencH LanGUaGe LearninG
Speaking and hearing French is in no way limited to class periods. We emphasize use of the
language at all times during the month, including in conversation with staff and peers both
in and out of the residence. Students are encouraged to eat meals at the Table Française
in the dining hall and to request a room on a French-speaking hall of the dormitory (see
Application). Additionally, a wide variety of guest speakers, activities, and excursions are
arranged in French throughout the month.
HOW TO cHOOSe a FrencH cOUrSe
Our programs in France are designed to accommodate students with all levels of language
ability. Complete beginners and students who are in their first or second year of French in
school should simply enroll in French language. They will be evaluated on the first day of
class and placed in a group of the appropriate level. Classes are taught entirely in French, so
as to simulate an immersion environment and optimize students’ learning potential.
Students who have been taking French for three or more years or who are preparing for
AP/IB exams should enroll in one of our immersion courses. These courses approach French
learning through the exploration of a specific cultural theme – literature, philosophy, art
history, political science – allowing students to gain in-depth knowledge in this one topic
while at the same time perfecting their French. The focus is on advanced writing techniques
as well as discussion and debate using more complex grammar skills. Students wishing
to enroll in an immersion course must provide a writing sample in French and a letter of
recommendation from a French teacher. For an english translation of any of these
courses to show your parents, please call or email us.
residence
L’AcAdémie de FrAnce is housed in the
Lycée notre dAme de LA merci, a board-
ing school in the historic heart of
montpellier, with the city’s most
charming streets, public gardens,
museums, and monuments located
minutes from our door. The school
itself dates from the 16th century and
consists of modern buildings
surrounding a beautiful courtyard
where students can meet with their
teachers, relax with friends, and take
meals in the outdoor dining area.
The school is adjacent to the
tranquil Jardin du Peyrou, a 17th-
century park with a statue of Louis XIV
at its center. Only a ten-minute walk
away is the Place de la Comédie, the
city’s vibrant central square, which is
always bustling with energy and filled
with cafés, shops, and restaurants.
Our program has exclusive
occupancy of Notre Dame de la merci
and all of its facilities for the month
of July, including a screening room,
gymnasium, weight room, and a
state-of-the-art computer room.
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17

Courses
F R E n C H L A n G u A G E
A n D I M M E R S I O n
C O u R S E S
French Language: Beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Favoring innovative and interactive teaching methods, our
French courses cover elements of language and grammar with a
heavy focus on conversational proficiency. Language learning is
approached through the exploration of various cultural themes
such as theater, cinema, gastronomy, music, regional cultures,
and literature. A special emphasis is placed on exercises that bring
students into contact with local native speakers. Students are
evaluated on the first day of class and placed in a group of the
appropriate level. Classes are taught entirely in French, so as to
simulate an immersion environment and optimize students’
learning potential.
architecture et urbanisme. Ce cours examine le développement
de la ville européenne d’un point de vue historique, sociologique,
culturel, et surtout artistique. Comprenant des constructions de
grands architectes (tels Hadid, nouvel, Bofill) et connaissant une
évolution impressionnante depuis l’ère romaine, Montpellier sert de
modèle parfait pour cette étude à travers le temps. un projet sur le
lieu préféré de chaque étudiant dans la ville complétera le cours.
L’avant-garde. En tentant de définir le statut de l’artiste et
de l’avant-garde dans le contexte actuel, ce cours permet aux
étudiants d’évaluer à la fois, l’évolution de l’influence française
sur la civilisation occidentale à partir de 1850 et l’univers français
contemporain. Cette analyse s’effectue à travers les thèmes de l’art
(peinture et sculpture), de la littérature, de l’architecture, de
la mode et de la gastronomie. Supplément de $200 US pour la
classe Majeure .
18
cent ans de cinéma. A travers l’analyse de films, en portant
une attention particulière à la dynamique des récits, les étudiants
découvrent le cinéma français par l’étude de réalisateurs tels que
Renoir, Clouzot, Bresson, Truffaut, et Godard. Ce cours les incite aussi
à aborder des réalisateurs moins connus sur la scène internationale
– tels Audiard ou Honoré - et à comprendre comment ces
réalisateurs, par des approches novatrices et osées, ont façonné le
cinéma français.
culture et cuisine. Les étudiants découvrent l’histoire de la cuisine
française, en étudiant des œuvres de célèbres experts tels que
Vatel, Escoffier, Brillat-Savarin et Julia Child. Aux cours s’ajoutent de
nombreuses visites et dégustations qui témoignent du haut niveau
de la gastronomie montpelliéraine. Au cours de la dernière semaine,
les étudiants participent à une série d’ateliers en cuisine, sous la
direction d’un grand chef de Montpellier. Supplément de $300 US
pour la classe Majeure; $250 US pour la classe Mineure.
L’economie Mondiale. Ce cours a pour objet de saisir le
développement historique et les mécanismes qui gouvernent
l’économie globale. Les étudiants se familiarisent avec les théories,
les outils, et les différentes structures gouvernementales et
internationales qui sont déployés dans la gestion de la globalisation.
Les rôles des institutions financières et des marchés sont analysés
dans un processus qui permet d’identifier les défis émergeants. En
se fondant sur leurs observations, les étudiants créent des modèles
qu’ils estiment correspondre au futur de l’économie mondiale.
Histoire et culture françaises. Etape du pèlerinage de Saint-
Jacques de Compostelle et bastion du Protestantisme pendant les
guerres de religion, Montpellier est à la fois un haut lieu d’érudition
depuis le Moyen Age, et un palimpseste de styles et d’époque qui

contribuent fondamentalement – à travers un programme de
visites et de cours – à la compréhension de l’histoire et la culture
françaises et au caractère particulier du pays.
Montpellier: atelier littéraire. Ce cours permet aux étudiants
de faire connaissance avec un éventail d’auteurs dont Montpellier
a été la muse : Rabelais, Valéry, Larbaud, et bien d’autres, en les
replaçant dans leur contexte grâce à des visites durant lesquelles
les participants lisent et analysent des textes. Ce faisant, ils créent
leur propre relation littéraire avec la ville, en tenant, dans un
premier temps, un journal, puis en s’essayant à d’autres formes
d’écriture.
photographie. Ce cours donne l’occasion aux étudiants de mettre
en image leur perception de la culture française, en personnalisant
le regard qu’ils portent sur les richesses architecturales et culturelles
de Montpellier. Débutants ou expérimentés, ils développent leurs
compétences sur le terrain à travers des projets allant de l’essai
photographique au paysage, et du portrait à la photo d’art. Ils
organisent une exposition de leurs travaux à la fin du programme.
Supplément de $100 US pour la classe Majeure; $50 US pour la
classe Mineure.
relations internationales. Dans l’optique de cerner la
complexité des relations agissant sur des régions aussi différentes
que le Moyen et l’Extrême Orient, l’Afrique et l’Amérique du Sud, les
étudiants se familiarisent avec les principaux modèles théoriques
qui gouvernent les relations internationales, à l’aide d’une série
d’études de cas spécifiques, menées par des experts en la matière.
Les étudiants seront ensuite amenés à organiser leur propre
sommet traitant d’un important problème d’actualité.
Théâtre. Ce cours est une initiation à la grande tradition du théâtre
français, de Corneille, Racine et Molière à Ionesco, Beckett et Yacine.
Il permet d’aborder toute une palette de techniques théâtrales
dont l’aboutissement est un spectacle créé par les étudiants. un
travail sur la diction, le rythme, et l’intonation accompagne les
exercices, afin qu’ils puissent apprendre à utiliser leurs voix comme
vecteur artistique et progresser dans leur expression.
C O u R S E S T A u G H T I n
E n G L I S H
French History and culture. As a station on the pilgrimage
to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, as a bastion of Protestantism
during the Wars of Religion, and as a high place of learning during
the Middle Ages, Montpellier brings the history of France alive.
Through an exciting series of visits, guest speakers, projects, and
seminars, students gain a profound appreciation of French history
and what makes France unique.
The Future of europe. At the crossroads of ancient history and
technological innovation, Montpellier provides the ideal setting in
which to discuss the challenges facing Europe, including regional,
national, and supranational identity, trade, the environment,
immigration and assimilation. Students analyze, debate, and
write about the pros and cons of globalization, the best ways to
create sustainable growth, and Europe’s future in the international
community.
international Law. Through a series of interactive classes,
discussions, and group activities, students explore topics such as
sovereignty, treaty law, commerce, war, piracy, international dispute
settlement, and human rights, as well as international cooperation,
collective organization, and international judicial authority. They
examine justifications for intervention and consider the role of
institutions such as the united nations and the International
Criminal Court. The course concludes with mock trials.
Medical Science. Home of the oldest medical school in Europe,
Montpellier is the ideal location in which to teach students to
think and behave as future doctors. They learn history-taking and
clinical examination skills, debate the ethics of modern medicine,
euthanasia and cloning, and acquire practical skills, such as
extracting DnA and dissection. Activities include a visit to a Center
for Sports Medicine and assessments of medical TV shows.
philosophy. Beginning with the Scholastics, moving on to
Descartes, Pascal, the Enlightenment – Voltaire, Rousseau, and
Diderot – and continuing into the 20th Century with Sartre,
Foucault, and Raymond Aron, this course introduces students to
the disciplines of philosophy. Discussions focus on issues in ethics,
such as justice, genetic engineering, and business ethics, as well as
broader questions relating to art, education, religion, and politics.
Studio art. Designed for all levels of expertise, this course uses art
as the medium for imaginative engagement with the city. Students
receive formal instruction in, among other media, oils, watercolor,
pastel, pencil, and charcoal, and spend the majority of their time
capturing sights such as the Place de la Comédie, sketching at
the Musée Fabre, and discovering the hidden city through paint
and canvas. Through their creative efforts, students discover
their new home in a truly personal way and compile their own
comprehensive portfolio. Materials fee of $200 US for Majors; $100
US for Minors.
19

L’Académie de France Faculty
Director, John Wensman
John has taught English at
independent and international
schools for the past 20 years,
the last ten at St. Paul Academy
and Summit School in St. Paul,
Minnesota. He holds an MAT
degree from Brown university
and a BA in English and French
from the university of Minnesota.
He spent a year studying French language and culture at the
université d’Aix-Marseille III and has also taught in the International
Baccalaureate program at the Casablanca American School in
Morocco. He returns to Montpellier for a third summer as Director,
having also served as a Dean on l’Académie de Paris.
Dr. armelle cassanas. BA, mA, PhD Université de Montpellier III.
After earning her doctorate in linguistics, Armelle taught nominal
semantics and published research on cognitive semantics and
socio-semantics and on the work of Roland Barthes. She has held
the position of French cultural representative at Epcot Center in
Florida and taught French in new Zealand. Armelle attended high
school at Lycée notre Dame de la Merci – home to l’Académie de
France.
20
Faculty
caroline chaplain. BA (Hons), MA Université de Montpellier III.
Caroline teaches Art History at l’Ecole nationale Supérieure
d’Architecture de Montpellier and at l’université de Montpellier III, where
she is currently completing her doctoral research on the Knights of
Malta and their artistic orders and patronage in the south of France
during the 17th and 18th centuries. She has published articles on
this topic for local reviews specializing in historical architecture.
Caroline also works at the Château de Flaugergues near
Montpellier where she is in charge of the inventory of the château’s
contents and leads tours of the grounds. She is an amateur belly
dancer and a specialist in traditional dances of the Languedoc.
Jérémy cheval. BA, MA Ecole Nationale Supérieure
d’Architecture de Montpellier. A practicing architect, Jérémy’s
work deals with conservation, ecology and sociological issues.
His thesis was on the Shanghainese lilong, an architectural urban
development project, which integrates old and new. Jérémy
often uses video as a tool in his architectural research, and his films
have been shown in Shanghai, Cologne, Paris, Los Angeles, and
Montpellier. His next publication will be a book of watercolors of
the sea of Palavas, close to Montpellier.
Dr. Quentin croft. BA (Hons), DPhil Oxford University. A former
recipient of the War Memorial Scholarship at university College,
Oxford university, Quentin wrote his doctoral thesis in Physiology
on human responses to simulated high altitude. He has served as
Junior Dean at the Centre for Mediaeval and Renaissance Studies at
Oxford and has taught third-year medical student tutorials.

Quentin has held leadership positions with the Oxford university
walking club and the university’s Socrates Society.
agnès ebel Fernández. MA, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon,
MA, Université Lumière Lyon II. A native of Montpellier, Agnès
studied at the prestigious Ecole normale Supérieure in Paris
before going on to earn degrees in Spanish Literature and Literary
Translation. She is currently based in Germany where she teaches
Spanish and French. She is a member of the Spanish Translation
Workshop association, and is currently at work on the translation of
Saúl Ibargoyen’s Toda la tierra.
Mark Fisher. BSc (Hons) London School of Economics, MPhil
Cambridge University. Mark’s research interests are focused on the
life and work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the historical evolution
of the Western understanding of human equality. After living in the
uK for four years and receiving degrees in Political Philosophy from
LSE and Cambridge, Mark relocated to Pune, India where he taught
Philosophy at the Mahindra united World College of India. Mark is
an accomplished athlete, having played baseball at the university
of north Carolina before transferring to LSE. He is currently
pursuing his PhD at Berkeley.
Olivier Gutierrez. BA, MA Université de Montpellier III.
A specialist in photography and the history of cinema, Olivier has
been teaching these subjects at both the university and high
school levels for eight years. The subjects of his lectures range from
the Western short to violence in cinema to individual filmmakers as
diverse as Jim Jarmusch, Gus Van Sant, and the late Claude Chabrol.
Outside of academia, Olivier exhibits his own photography,
serves as the Artistic Director of the annual nightshot festival at
the Centre Méditerranéen de l’Image, and coordinates a wide
variety of festivals, exhibits, and cultural events around the
Languedoc region.
Lauren Henschke. BA/LLB (Hons) Australian National University,
LLM Cambridge University. Before commencing her Master
of International Laws at Cambridge, Lauren worked in public
international law for the Australian government in international
arbitration, advice and treaty negotiation work. She took part in
the representation of Australia as a third party at the World Trade
Organization on a number of cases and provided legal advice
and assisted in the negotiation of recent Australian free trade
agreements. She has also conducted case work on human rights
complaints before the united nations Human Rights Committee.
Bénédicte idier. BA, MA Université de Montpellier III. Having
recently passed the very competitive, national Agrégation exam,
Bénédicte teaches Spanish at the université de Montpellier III,
where she is also preparing a thesis on contemporary Spanish
theatre. A longtime resident of Montpellier, Bénédicte has lived
and studied in Madrid and has taught French both in France and
abroad. She is also accomplished in the dramatic arts.
claire Vernine. BA, MA Université de Montpellier III. A dedicated
French teacher of all levels, Claire has taught in France and Australia
(Sydney and Melbourne), and most recently in Morocco. She loves
to travel, and hopes to continue sharing her passion for the French
language with students around the world.
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21

A Typical day
on l’Académie de France
monday-Saturday
22
7:45 - 8:45
Breakfast
9:00 - 12:30
major classes
each major class begins with ‘Home room’
(announcements, student questions, settling
in) before moving on to a mix of classroom
presentations, debates, seminar discussions,
field trips, guest speakers, and project work
12:30 - 2:00
Lunch
(options include sandwiches
in the marketplace, picnics, or local cafés)
2:00 - 4:00
minor classes
(three days per week)
4:00 - 6:30
elective activities and walking tours; guided
excursions to museums, special exhibitions,
historic sites, and other attractions; a daily
choice of sports; free time to read, relax,
complete projects, and explore
6:30 - 7:30
Dinner in the cafeteria
evenings
Concerts, theater, films, evening walks, guest
speakers, socializing with new friends, time for
homework
10:00 - 11:00
Check-in at the residence
midnight
All students in their own rooms, quiet
Note: Sundays are more leisurely, with time for
outings and relaxation
A Typical
Day
Photo:
The Histoire et culture françaises class gets
immersed in the world of French comics.

Activities
& Sports
Activities & sports
in Montpellier
Our Activities Directors organize daily
outings to concerts, recitals, plays, opera and
dance performances, and local film festivals,
as well as visits to the many local attractions,
including parks (where students can picnic),
the zoo, and the expansive flea market.
montpellier regularly welcomes the arrival of a
stage of the world’s greatest bike race, the Tour
de France, and hosts a major musical festival, le
Festival de radio France, every year during our
stay. evening activities include a talent night,
a quiz night, and regular movie nights and
dances, plus a special night out in a restaurant
with the major class.
For physical activity, students can do laps at the
Olympic swimming pool in the center of town,
take a jog through the Jardin du Peyrou or along
the river Lez, or join others for a game of soccer,
dodgeball, or volleyball. Other options include a
visit to the nearby ice skating rink or a round of
pétanque, an ancient game native to the region.
Our staff also accompany students to the local
beaches so that the beautiful mediterranean
climate can be enjoyed to the utmost.
These activities and cultural events enable
students to make friends and discover shared
interests. The certainty that they are in a secure
and comfortable environment, as well as part of a
supportive peer group, encourages our students
to take advantage of the new experiences our
program provides.
23

Cultural enrichment
24
cultural enrichment in Montpellier
With its big city sophistication and small town feel, Montpellier is an ideal setting in which to get a sense for French
life. Every day, guided tours and activities are organized so that students become familiar with their surroundings.
Teachers and guides lead them through the city’s maze of winding streets and the picturesque, large, open
squares and boulevards. Many of these characteristic, tree-lined squares are centered on distinctive fountains,
lending Montpellier its nickname, ‘City of 100 Fountains.’ Students can enjoy the pleasant cafés and observe the
public life of a typical Mediterranean town, where the focus is traditionally turned away from the home and onto
the streets, the parks, and the local markets.
Montpellier’s cultural resources are extensive: the Musée Fabre houses one of France’s most important public
collections of art and welcomes internationally significant exhibitions such as the ones on American Impressionism
in 2007, Gustave Courbet in 2008, and Alphonse Mucha in 2009; the Musée Languedocien contains treasures of
the Languedoc region from prehistory to the present; the Opéra Berlioz is renowned for its acoustics and its
national orchestra. Despite the fact that much of the city was destroyed by the Wars of Religion, the striking
Saint-Pierre Cathedral dates back to the 14th century, and a 12th-century crypt has been restored to house the
Museum of the City of Montpellier. Other landmarks include two of the original towers from the medieval fortified
city, a late 17th-century Arc de Triomphe dedicated to Louis XIV, and an imposing stone aqueduct modeled on
the Pont du Gard, just around the corner from our residence.

L’Académie de France Field Trips
Field Trips
nîmes and the pont du Gard. nîmes is a Roman town with a temple built in 16 BC.
The town also has one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world, which
is now used for bull fights and annual pageants. The nearby Pont du Gard is the highest
Roman bridge in the world and, even next to modern constructions, remains one of the
most impressive examples of civil engineering in France.
St. Guilhem-le -Désert. St. Guilhem is known as one of France’s most beautiful villages
as well as one of unESCO’s World Heritage sites. The town’s main street winds its way up
the hillside, past antique stores and artisans’ boutiques to the wide open square at the
summit, dominated by an 11th-century abbey, which students visit on a guided tour.
La mer et la campagne. The beautiful landscapes surrounding Montpellier make
it a uniquely diverse area to explore. Throughout the summer, students take several
trips to the beaches of the Mediterranean, visit neighboring port towns, and explore
small country villages where French agricultural traditions are still very much a part of
everyday life. The program culminates with a final soirée under the stars at a familyowned
farm in the rolling hills of nearby Gignac.
25

Guest
Speakers
L’Académie de France Guest speakers
rémi Jeandrieu. Mr. Jeandrieu is a director and producer
of independent documentaries and commercials. He
holds degrees from université de Montpellier III in Cinema
Studies with a specialty in the experimental cinema of
Jean Cocteau. His background includes research in literary
history, philosophy, music, and art.
Stéphane richez. A singer-songwriter and guitarist who
began his career in 1986, Mr. Richez continues to play
concerts in venues and festivals around France. Singing in
the tradition of Brel, Gainsbourg, and Brassens, he entertains
our students every summer with classics from the French
songbook as well as his own compositions.
Valérie Sabatino. Ms. Sabatino is the former chef and
co-owner of the acclaimed Montpellier restaurant, Le Pastis.
A native of nearby Sète, she has cooked under important
chefs in Turkey and the united States, as well as elsewhere
in France. Today, Ms. Sabatino shares her passion for cooking
with students from around the world at her own cooking
school, L’Atelier de Valérie. She offers a dégustation for
the entire program, where she explains the preparation,
ingredients and origins of the many different regional
recipes that she prepares for the students to sample.
26
Don Winslow. novelist, military historian, theater
director, screenwriter, actor, and former private
investigator, Mr. Winslow is also a founding faculty
member of Oxbridge Academic Programs. Mr. Winslow
reads excerpts from his many novels (which include
The Power of the Dog, The Winter of Frankie Machine,
and The Dawn Patrol), discusses the art of writing
experientially and offers his unique perspectives on
transferring the written word from the page to the
stage, the small screen, and the cinema.
international education Forum. Admissions
representatives from different institutions, including
université de Montpellier III and the American university of
Paris, visit our program throughout the summer to discuss
the options available for study at the undergraduate and
graduate levels – whether for a semester, a year, or for a
full degree program. Oxbridge staff and faculty members,
coming from diverse backgrounds and having pursued
various paths in international education, also share their
experiences with program participants. Our goal is to help
our students better understand their future opportunities
for study in France or elsewhere in Europe.

The Paris Connection
The Paris connection - August 2-6, 2011
For many, the experience of French culture cannot be considered complete without a visit
to Paris. For this reason, we offer students the option of extending their European experience
for five additional days in France’s capital. Students travel to Paris by TGV accompanied by
Académie de France faculty and stay in the heart of Paris in a stunning, converted 17thcentury
hôtel particulier located on the Right Bank in the Marais district.
The program consists of educational visits, led by expert historians and art historians, to
the city’s famous monuments, museums, and historic neighborhoods. Each day, students
visit a variety of possible destinations including, among others, the Bastille, the Rodin
Museum, the Picasso Museum, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, the Pompidou Center, and
notre Dame. In addition, students enjoy meals in traditional French restaurants, relax in
any number of enchanting parks and cafés, and engage in enlightening discussions with
their group leaders. Our goal is to give participants a meaningful experience of Paris to
complement what they have already learned about France and French culture.
Students selecting the Paris Connection should book their flight home from Charles de
Gaulle airport in Paris. The comprehensive fee of $1345 US includes transportation from
Montpellier to Paris, room and board (two meals per day), tuition, museum admissions,
excursions, activities, and all scheduled events of the program. To reserve a place, include a
deposit of $300 uS at the time of initial application to l’Académie de France.
27

Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is a city of
distinct culture, character, and
natural beauty situated on the Costa Brava
in northeastern Spain. Located between
the white beaches of the Mediterranean
and the mountains of Montjuïc and
Tibidabo, Barcelona is known as “the pearl
of the Mediterranean.”
For over a thousand years, Barcelona has
been a seat of civilization. It has been
home to Romans, Carthaginians, barbarian
invaders, and Moorish settlers. Such a rich
and dramatic history has turned Barcelona
into a unique city whose past now enriches
its vibrant cultural life.
Barcelona has fostered many important
figures in literature, art, and architecture,
from Cervantes to Picasso, but none as
everywhere apparent as the city’s most
beloved son, Antoni Gaudí. Known
throughout Spain as “God’s architect,” Gaudí’s
fantastically distinct architectural creations
define Barcelona’s modern spirit and make it
one of the top cultural destinations in all
of Europe.
28

LA ACADemIA De eSPAñA
July 3–July 30 • Grades 10–12
C O u R S E S E L E C T I O n
Our students choose any two courses on the following pages, one as a MAJOR course
and one as a MInOR. Major courses meet six mornings a week and depending on
the nature of the course include in-class time for fieldwork, labs, workshops, guest
speakers, group discussions, and one-on-one instruction. They also include homework
and require project and preparation time outside of class. Minor courses meet three
afternoons a week, with all work contained within the class session. A Minor course
presents highlights of the Major and most students find their Minor a welcome
opportunity to sample a new subject for the first time.
nOTe: There is no final application deadline.
We accept applications on a rolling basis until the program is full. Students who apply
on or before January 28, 2011 and are accepted have their first choice of courses
guaranteed, subject to enrollment levels. This is absolutely not a final application
deadline, but we do begin receiving applications in October so we recommend that
students apply as early as possible for subjects that are in very high demand.
SpaniSH LanGUaGe LearninG
Speaking and hearing Spanish is in no way limited to class periods. We emphasize use
of the language at all times during the month, including in conversation with staff and
peers both in and out of the residence. Students are encouraged to eat meals at the
Mesa Española in the dining hall and to request a room on a Spanish-speaking hall of the
dormitory (see Application). Additionally, a wide variety of guest speakers, activities, and
excursions are arranged in Spanish throughout the month.
HOW TO cHOOSe a SpaniSH cLaSS
Our programs in Spain are designed to accommodate students with all levels of
language ability. Complete beginners and students who are in their first or second year
of Spanish in school should simply enroll in Spanish Language. They will be evaluated
on the first day of class and placed in a group of the appropriate level. Classes are taught
entirely in Spanish, so as to simulate an immersion environment and optimize students’
learning potential.
Students who have been taking Spanish for three or more years or who are preparing
for AP/IB exams should enroll in one of our immersion courses. These courses approach
Spanish learning through the exploration of a specific cultural theme – literature,
philosophy, art history, political science – allowing students to gain in-depth knowledge
in this one topic while at the same time perfecting their Spanish. The focus is on
advanced writing techniques as well as discussion and debate using more complex
grammar skills. Students wishing to enroll in an immersion course must provide a writing
sample in Spanish and a letter of recommendation from a Spanish teacher. For an
english translation of any of these courses to show your parents, please call or
email us.
residence
the residenciA universitAriA JoseP mAnyAnet
is LocAted in the uPscALe residentiAL AreA oF
BArceLonA known As Les corts. During the
academic year, the residence, which is
operated by the religious order of the
Sons of the Sagrada Família and named
for the order’s founder, houses students
from the university of Barcelona.
Josep manyanet is centrally located
in the city, equidistant from two main
arteries, Avenida Diagonal and Avenida
entença. The residence is ten minutes
from the elegant shopping district
around the Passeig de Gràcia and
walking distance to many of the
city’s monuments and museums. It is
convenient to a wide variety of shops,
restaurants, and cafés, as well as to all
forms of public transportation.
each room has its own bathroom,
and the residence is fully air conditioned.
Students eat breakfast and dinner at the
residence restaurant; all classes are held
on site and in adjacent buildings. There
is a rooftop garden where students can
sunbathe, play volleyball or just enjoy
the spectacular view of the city. La
Academia de españa also has access to
a fully equipped gym, tennis courts, and
basketball courts.
29

S P A n I S H L A n G u A G E
A n D I M M E R S I O n
C O u R S E S
Spanish Language: Beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Favoring innovative and interactive teaching methods, our
Spanish courses cover elements of language and grammar with
a heavy focus on conversational proficiency. Language learning
is approached through the exploration of various cultural themes
such as theater, cinema, gastronomy, music, regional cultures,
and literature. A special emphasis is placed on exercises that
bring students into contact with local native speakers. Students
are evaluated on the first day of class and placed in a group of
the appropriate level. Classes are taught entirely in Spanish, so as
to simulate an immersion environment and optimize students’
learning potential.
Barcelona y la cultura moderna. Este curso examinará el arte,
la arquitectura, la literatura, la música, la moda y la cocina que
tanto han influenciado y transformado Barcelona. El Modernismo,
la Guerra Civil Española y acontecimientos más recientes (la
pertenencia a la unión Europea y las Olimpiadas de 1992) han
hecho a Barcelona mundialmente conocida. Las clases incluirán
lecturas, conferenciantes especiales y visitas a estudios de arte,
museos, etc. El objetivo principal es dar a conocer los artistas y
pensadores más destacados –Gaudí, Miró, Borges, José Carreras y
Ferrán Adrià, entre otros.
Barcelona: Taller literario. El primer objetivo de este curso es
que los estudiantes se familiaricen con escritores españoles y
latinoamericanos cuyas obras se centran en Barcelona (Vázquez
30
Courses
Montalbán, Rodoreda, Marsé, Mendoza, Falcones, Ruiz Zafón).
Mediante visitas a los diferentes barrios, cafés y monumentos y
el análisis y lectura de extractos de novelas y poemas, las obras
adquieren otro sentido para los estudiantes. El segundo objetivo
del curso es que los estudiantes creen su propia relación literaria
con la ciudad mediante la escritura de un diario y de escritos de
diferentes estilos.
cultura y cocina. Los estudiantes aprenden la historia de la
cocina española centrándose primero en las especialidades de
las diferentes regiones - paella, gazpacho andaluz, pinxos. La
segunda parte del curso se centra en el papel que Barcelona tiene
en el mundo culinario. Las clases se complementarán con visitas
a mercados, pastelerías, carnicerías y panaderías, testimonio de la
extraordinaria gastronomía de la ciudad. Durante la última semana
se ofrecerán prácticas de cocina. Honorarios de $300 US para la
clase Major; $250 US para la clase Minor.
Deporte y sociedad. Los recientes triunfos de España hablan por
sí solos de las habilidades deportivas del país. También echan un
velo sobre las viejas y profundas fisuras relacionadas con el deporte
en España. Los estudiantes descubrirán la variedad de papeles que
los deportes juegan y cómo se explotan estos en diferentes centros
de influencia para fines específicos a través de visitas y charlas con
investigadores y profesionales. Los alumnos estudiarán deportes
mayoritarios como el fútbol, pero también examinarán otros
regionales como la pelota y, cómo no, asimismo las controvertidas
corridas de toros.

españa en el cine. Este curso ofrece una visión caleidoscópica
de España cultural, política, histórica y geográficamente a través
del cine. Los estudiantes compararán el trabajo de directores
españoles como Buñuel (Tristana), Almodóvar (Kika, Tacones
Lejanos) o Amenábar (Tesis), con el de directores internacionales.
Este curso muestra la España de la Guerra Civil (en Tierra y Libertad
de Ken Loach y La Guerre est Finie de Alain Resnais) cuando la
censura era la protagonista. A través de este curso, los estudiantes
ampliarán sus conocimientos de una cultura compleja y fascinante.
La Guerra y las artes. En este curso los estudiantes examinarán
el tratamiento histórico y artístico de algunos conflictos. Cómo
Picasso, Miró y Dalí vivieron la Guerra Civil Española y Goya la
Guerra de la Independencia. Los estudiantes también observarán
el ‘arte’ de propaganda. Se estudiará el papel del arte (y su censura)
como arma al lado de otras instituciones en tiempos de guerra. El
curso combinará historia del arte con la historia cultural y militar de
Barcelona.
Música. Este curso combina elementos de teoría musical con
un examen práctico de la rica herencia musical de Barcelona.
Los alumnos desenmascararán las bases de la tradición musical
occidental y descubrirán su influencia en músicos catalanes y
españoles durante el último milenio, estudiando numerosos estilos
y probando instrumentos de géneros tan variados como pueden
ser las canciones de trovadores, la polifonía del Renacimiento,
flamenco, rumba, el jazz catalán y la composición electrónica.
C O u R S E S T A u G H T I n
E n G L I S H
architecture. Students receive an introduction to architectural
history and theory amid some of the world’s most recognizable
monuments and buildings. Students spend each day venturing
through the city to examine over two thousand years of urban
development and design, from the city’s ancient Gothic Quarter
to the creations of the modernistas and Barcelona Football Club’s
majestic Camp nou.
art History. This course introduces students to the dominant
themes and techniques of Classical, Medieval, Renaissance,
Romantic, Realist, Impressionist, and Modernist art. Working in
museums, students learn how to read masterpieces by Valázquez,
Goya, and Tàpies, as well as works by prominent Surrealist, Cubist,
and Pop artists (Picasso, Miró, Dalí). They take daily advantage of the
city’s remarkable resources, including the Dalí Museum, the Picasso
Museum, and the celebrated Museum of Modern Art.
Barcelona and Modern culture. This interdisciplinary course
examines how Barcelona has taken shape over the last century,
from the Modernismo movement to the Spanish Civil War to the
1992 Olympics. Students are introduced to artists and thinkers
– from Gaudí and Miró to the writer Jorge Luis Borges, the tenor
José Carreras, and the celebrated chef Ferran Adriá – whose
contributions have shaped, and continue to shape, Barcelona.
31

creative Writing. Led by professional writers, and focusing on
short fiction, poetry, and memoir, students draw inspiration from
the cultural resources of Barcelona and the rich literary history it
enjoys. Evocative settings, such as the famous café frequented
by Spanish writers and artists, Els Quatre Gats, as well as readings
by established poets and writers, are used as spurs to creativity.
Students edit and publish their best work in the program’s
literary magazine.
Global Medicine. Students examine the role of charities, aid
agencies, and other nGOs (WHO, Médicos Sin Fronteras) that
employ doctors, nurses, and aid workers to deal with international
medical emergencies, and then debate the ethical and logistical
dimensions of modern-day global health issues, such as AIDS
treatments, genetic engineering, and the challenges that civilians
and aid workers face in war zones.
international Business. Taking advantage of our residence’s
proximity to Barcelona’s financial center, students gain firsthand
knowledge of current issues in the world of business and
economics by studying local corporations, performing case
studies on topics ranging from brand positioning to crisis
management, and – to cap off the course – developing a
theoretical start-up venture.
32
international politics. Through a number of case studies and
hands-on projects, students examine how such bodies as the un,
WTO, Eu, and ICC act upon the world stage, and how sovereign
nations influence (and are influenced by) the world beyond their
own borders. Globalization, peacekeeping, diplomatic negotiation,
legal arbitration, the media, and the interface between Islam and
the West are examined.
postwar europe: From D-Day to eBay. In 1945, after the most
violent and destructive war in its history, Europe was physically
devastated, bankrupt and, according to many observers, doomed.
This course charts the dramatic story of Europe’s rise from the ashes
– covering the periods of the Cold War, violent decolonization,
and widespread social turmoil – and culminates in the remarkably
successful creation of the Eu.
Studio art. Designed for all levels of expertise, this course uses art
as the medium for imaginative engagement with the city. Students
receive formal instruction in, among other media, oils, watercolor,
pastel, pencil, and charcoal, and spend the majority of their time
capturing sights such as the Sagrada Família, sketching at the
Fondació Joan Miró, or capturing a street scene on las Ramblas.
Through their creative efforts, students discover their new home
in a truly personal way and compile their own comprehensive
portfolio. Materials fee of $200 US for Majors; $100 US for Minors.

Faculty
La Academia de españa Faculty
Director, Jorge rodriguez
Educated at Harvard university,
where he did a BA in Philosophy,
and Middlebury College, where
he did his MA in English, Jorge has
twelve years experience as a teacher
– in English, History, and Spanish
– in new York and California.
Fully bilingual, Jorge comes from a family of mixed Cuban and
Mexican ancestry.
After three years at the Darrow School in upstate new York,
where he taught fulltime while also serving as a Dorm Parent
and Assistant Director of Activities, he joined the Branson School
in California, where he has taught for the past nine years while
also serving in various advisory and mentoring roles. During
his graduate training, he studied for a term in Oxford with
Middlebury’s acclaimed Bread Loaf School of English, and he has
presented scholarly papers at Columbia and other universities.
Jorge has served as a Dean on La Academia de España and
now returns in his new role as Director. His passions outside the
classroom include international travel, modern theater,
and science.
richard Brinton. BA Byam Shaw School of Art Central Saint
Martins College of Art and Design. Originally from London,
Richard is based in southwestern France where he works as
an independent artist. His two-dimensional works on paper
and canvas are a melting pot where both magical and social
realism converge. His three-dimensional works are experimental
sculptures of an architectonic nature with recycled plastic and
neon light. Richards has taught in art schools in France and for
the French state education system.
Dr. alex castilla. BA University of Rhode Island, MA New York
University, PhD Columbia University. Alex recently published
the book Re-Imagining European Identity Politics in the 21st
Century and is currently working on a documentary about
the social integration of Muslims in Barcelona. He has had over
ten years of experience in the field of education, working as
a professor at the Institute for the International Education of
Students in Barcelona, as an educational consultant with the
Municipal Institute of Education in Barcelona, and as an ESL
teacher for immigrants and refugees in the uS.
Mónica cruz Guáqueta. BA Universidad de los Andes, MA
Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona. Originally
from Colombia, Mónica lives in Barcelona where she leads the
33

documentary project for the inventory and catalogue of the
Gaudí Chair Archive collections. She was a staff member of the
architectural journal DC, Papeles de crítica arquitectónica,
published by the Barcelona School of Architecture, from 2003
to 2005. She has frequently contributed to seminars and
conferences on the history of architecture, as well as various
international architectural journals.
andrés enrique Goldberg aimeri. BA Universidad Simón
Bolívar, MA Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de
Barcelona. Originally from Venezuela, Andrés is a professional
architect based in Barcelona. Dividing his time between his PhD
research and his practice, he has collaborated with architectural
offices in Barcelona developing a wide range of building and
remodeling projects as well as designing furniture.
José Jimenez perez. BA Université de Paris I, MA Ecole
du Louvre. A museologist originally from Andalucía, José’s
experience is in the organization and management of museums
and their collections. José has worked in galleries, museums,
archives and institutions throughout France and Spain, such as
the Galerie Lina Davidov in Paris and the Galería José Pedraza in
Montilla. Fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, José’s
interests include gastronomy, the environment, architecture, and
politics.
inti Velez Botero. BA Universidad de los Andes, MA Ecole
Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble. Inti is a
trained architect living in Barcelona where he heads his own firm,
focusing largely on ephemeral architecture. His work has been
critically acclaimed in such magazines as Living Deco, Casa Viva,
and Deseño Exterior.
Leandro Sebastian Bruno Frasno. BA Universidad
Empresarial Siglo 21, MA Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
Leandro is an export account executive at Fr. Meyer’s Sohn, where
he is in charge of overland, air, and maritime exports from Spain
34
and Portugal. He has worked previously for Italian, Spanish, and
Argentine logistics companies as well as the Italian Chamber of
Commerce in Córdoba, Argentina. He has extensive teaching
experience in the fields of International Trade and International
Marketing, including as Assistant Professor at the universidad
Empresarial Siglo 21 in Córdoba. Half-Argentine and half-Italian,
Leandro spent a high school year abroad in California.
Scot esposito. BA University of Illinois. Scot is an up-andcoming
collage artist and writer who has lived in Barcelona for
the last decade. He coordinates English classes for young learners
at International House Barcelona. A Chicago native who studied
linguistics and anthropology during his undergraduate years,
he has lived in Hawaii, San Francisco and Berlin. Scot is an avid
mountain explorer.
patricio rodriguez Del Monje. BA Universidad del Salvador,
MBA Ecole Supérieure de Commerce International du Pas-de-
Calais. Born in Corrientes, Argentina, and raised in Córdoba and
Buenos Aires, Patricio has also earned degrees in International
Marketing at the Escuela Española de negocios (Madrid), and
in Foreign Trade and Economy at Camara de Comercio Exterior
(Córdoba). He works in the fashion industry in Barcelona, where
he owns two businesses and is developing his own clothing
brands. He is also the president of Ravaltres, a cultural and
design association of independent fashion and graphic designers
in Barcelona.
Sonia Mota perez. BA Universidad de Valencia. Sonia is a
Spanish and Catalan teacher based in Valencia. She holds a post
at the Centro de Idiomas de la universidad de Valencia, and also
works for an association whose mission is to help disadvantaged
women learn to read and write. Sonia speaks Spanish, Italian,
Catalan, English, and is learning Arabic.

A Typical Day
A Typical day
on La Academia de españa
monday-Saturday
7:45 - 8:45
Breakfast
9:00 - 12:30
major classes
each major class begins with ‘Home room’
(announcements, student questions,
settling in) before moving on to a mix of
classroom presentations, debates, seminar
discussions, field trips, guest speakers, and
project work
12:30 - 3:00
Lunch
Options include local cafés, restaurants, and
take-out stands, offering a wide variety of
familiar and traditional meals
3:00 - 5:00
minor classes
(three days per week)
5:00 - 6:30
elective activities and walking tours; guided
excursions to museums; a daily choice of
sports; free time to read, relax, explore
6:30 - 7:30
Dinner in the cafeteria
evenings
Concerts, theater, films, evening walks,
guest speakers, socializing, time for
homework
10:00 - 11:00
Check-in at the residence
midnight
All students in their own rooms, quiet
Note: Sundays are more leisurely, with time
for outings and relaxation
Photos:
On the roof of Gaudí’s spectacular La Perdrera.
35

Barcelona Barcelona
Barcelona lends itself to a younger
age-group with access to magnificent
cultural and historic tradition. One of the
great European capitals, Barcelona attracts
artists, scholars, and thinkers from around
the world. Our program allows students to
experience life in this exciting city, where
literature, art, music, fashion and design,
technology, and cuisine are all of the
greatest quality. For those whose goal is
to improve their Spanish, they can
immerse themselves in the language as
well as the culture.
36
36
3636

LA escUeLA PrePArATOriA
de BArceLOnA
July 2–28 • Grades 8–9
C O u R S E S E L E C T I O n
Our students choose any two courses on the following pages, one as a MAJOR course
and one as a MInOR. Major courses meet six mornings a week and depending on the
nature of the course include in-class time for fieldwork, labs, workshops, guest speakers,
group discussions, and one-on-one instruction. They also include homework and require
project and preparation time outside of class. Minor courses meet three afternoons
a week, with all work contained within the class session. A Minor course presents
highlights of the Major and most students find their Minor a welcome opportunity to
sample a new subject for the first time.
nOTe: There is no final application deadline.
We accept applications on a rolling basis until the program is full. Students who apply
on or before January 28, 2011 and are accepted have their first choice of courses
guaranteed, subject to enrollment levels. This is absolutely not a final application
deadline, but we do begin receiving applications in October so we recommend that
students apply as early as possible for subjects that are in very high demand.
SpaniSH LanGUaGe LearninG
Speaking and hearing Spanish is in no way limited to class periods. We emphasize use
of the language at all times during the month, including in conversation with staff and
peers both in and out of the residence. Students are encouraged to eat meals at the
Mesa Española in the dining hall and to request a room on a Spanish-speaking hall of the
dormitory (see Application). Additionally, a wide variety of guest speakers, activities, and
excursions are arranged in Spanish throughout the month.
HOW TO cHOOSe a SpaniSH cLaSS
Our programs in Spain are designed to accommodate students with all levels of language
ability. Complete beginners and students who are in their first or second year of Spanish in
school should simply enroll in Spanish language. They will be evaluated on the first day of
class and placed in a group of the appropriate level. Classes are taught entirely in Spanish,
so as to simulate an immersion environment and optimize students’ learning potential.
Students who have been taking Spanish for three or more years or who are preparing
for AP/IB exams should enroll in one of our immersion courses. These courses approach
Spanish learning through the exploration of a specific cultural theme – literature,
philosophy, art history, political science – allowing students to gain in-depth knowledge
in this one topic while at the same time perfecting their Spanish. The focus is on advanced
writing techniques as well as discussion and debate using more complex grammar
skills. Students wishing to enroll in an immersion course must provide a writing sample
in Spanish and a letter of recommendation from a Spanish teacher. For an english
translation of any of these courses to show your parents, please call or email us.
residence
LA escueLA PrePArAtoriA de BArceLonA is
housed in coLLegi mAJor sAnt Jordi, one
of the most sought-after university
residences in the city of Barcelona.
It is located in a safe, residential
area, within walking distance of La
Academia de españa and many of
Barcelona’s famous sights. It is also
convenient to many stores and an
array of restaurants that serve food
typical of the region.
This recently constructed residence
houses university of Barcelona
students during the academic year.
All rooms are double-occupancy with
en suite bathroom facilities, and the
whole building is air-conditioned.
Students at La escuela
Preparatoria de Barcelona attend
classes at Sant Jordi, and eat their
meals in the dining hall at the
residence. The post-modern style
buildings surround a private garden
where classes can meet or students
can relax with friends. Students
have access to a gym, and there are
laundry facilities, a game room, and a
state-of-the-art computer room
on site.
37

S P A n I S H L A n G u A G E
A n D I M M E R S I O n
C O u R S E S
Spanish Language: Beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Favoring innovative and interactive teaching methods, our
Spanish courses cover elements of language and grammar with
a heavy focus on conversational proficiency. Language learning
is approached through the exploration of various cultural themes
such as theater, cinema, gastronomy, music, regional cultures,
and literature. A special emphasis is placed on exercises that
bring students into contact with local native speakers. Students
are evaluated on the first day of class and placed in a group of
the appropriate level. Classes are taught entirely in the target
language, so as to simulate an immersion environment and
optimize students’ learning potential.
Barcelona: artes y letras. En este curso interdisciplinario,
estudiantes exploraran la ciudad de Barcelona a través de las
vidas y trabajos de artistas y escritores que son responsables de la
riqueza de las tradiciones artísticas y literarias de esta importante
ciudad. Estudiantes examinarán y compararán las obras de algunos
escritores y artistas selectos (Cervantes, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Picasso,
Miró, Dalí, entre otros) cuyas obras se centran en Barcelona o bien
la toman como musa de inspiración. Los alumnos tendrán la
oportunidad de crear una relación literaria con la ciudad mediante
la escritura de un diario personal y textos en diferentes estilos.
38
Courses
cultura y cocina. Los estudiantes aprenden la historia de la
cocina española centrándose primero en las especialidades de
las diferentes regiones - paella, gazpacho andaluz, pinxos. La
segunda parte del curso se centra en el papel que Barcelona
tiene en el mundo culinario. Las clases se complementarán con
visitas a mercados, pastelerías, carnicerías y panaderías, testimonio
de la extraordinaria gastronomía de la ciudad. Durante la última
semana se ofrecerán prácticas de cocina. Honorarios de $300 US
para la clase Major; $250 US para la clase Minor.
Historia y cultura hispánica. Los estudiantes empiezan viendo
el intercambio cultural que supuso la presencia musulmana para
después tratar las vicisitudes de la Reconquista, la expansión
hacia el nuevo Mundo y la Edad de Oro española, sentando las
bases para la extraordinaria variedad y dinamismo de las culturas
hispanas que prevalecen hoy día en muchas partes del mundo.
Pasan luego a identificar los lazos históricos y culturales que han
entrelazado y entrelazan el mundo hispanohablante así como los
factores que lo separan y diferencian a su vez.

elaciones internacionales. Aventajándose plenamente de la
posición de Barcelona en una encrucijada entre continentes, este
curso trata asuntos corrientes clave como las responsabilidades
de los países desarrollados hacia los que están en vías de
desarrollo, la propagación del fundamentalismo, y el futuro
de Oriente Medio, Europa y África en un mundo cada vez más
centrado en Asia. Los estudiantes examinan diferentes modelos
y perspectivas teóricas a la vez que participan en talleres que
culminan en la organización de su propia cumbre regional.
Teatro. Este curso descubre a los estudiantes la gran tradición
teatral española, desde los trovadores hasta García Lorca pasando
por el teatro clásico de Gil Vicente y Lope de Vega que culmina,
durante la semana final, en una representación de obras selectas.
Al estudiar los clásicos, los estudiantes aprenden sus partes y
redefinen sus técnicas teatrales, a la vez que mejoran su español,
trabajando la elocución, el ritmo y el acento.
C O u R S E S T A u G H T I n
E n G L I S H
Barcelona and the arts. Students in this course do a
comparative study of the work and lives of Barcelona’s great
artists – Picasso, Miró, Gaudí, and Dalí, to name a few – all while
discovering the different parts of the city they influenced and
that influenced them. The course looks at the various movements
associated with these artists – cubism, dada, surrealism,
symbolism, modernism – as well as their lasting impact on the
worlds of art, politics, fashion, and popular culture.
creative Writing. Led by professional writers, and focusing on
short fiction, poetry, and memoir, students draw inspiration from
the cultural resources of Barcelona and the rich literary history it
enjoys. Evocative settings, such as the famous café frequented
by Spanish writers and artists, Els Quatre Gats, as well as readings
by established poets and writers, are used as spurs to creativity.
Students edit and publish their best work in the program’s literary
magazine.
History’s Secrets. What happened during the Civil War and
where are the bodies of Franco’s victims? Who was responsible
for the Inquisition and how did they manage to carry it out? Was
Spain truly neutral during the Second World War? In this course,
Barcelona serves as a living text book, allowing students to gain
fascinating insights into a country that has shaped world history.
international relations and current affairs. Students read
and analyze newspaper articles on a variety of current topics.
They then apply the theoretical aspects of international relations
to the world today, learning how and why policy decisions are
made, how they are enforced, and how their repercussions
affect us. At the end of the course, students select a country to
represent in a model un project.
Marine Biology. With Barcelona situated in a prime
Mediterranean seaport, our students are able to combine trips
to the coast with visits to the renowned Institut de Ciències
del Mar and the city’s world-class aquarium, as well as classes
on the ecology and environment of oceanic life. Topics include
indigenous marine life, the local ecosystem, coastal preservation,
and evolutionary biology.
psychology. Students investigate a wide range of
psychological topics that include dreams, memory,
consciousness, anxiety, body language, gender, sexuality, and
learning psychology. As well as examining the history of the
subject, select case histories and various mental disorders,
students are introduced to research methodologies and
diverse analytical frameworks in order to design their own
experiments under the guidance of research specialists and
practicing clinicians.
Spain in the Literary World. Through readings, discussions,
and relevant excursions, students are introduced to selected
readings from the great masters of classical Spanish literature,
from Cervantes onward, as well as to the spectacularly varied and
vibrant literatures that have emerged over the past century in the
wider Spanish-speaking world (including neruda, Lorca, Borges,
Márquez). They also analyze the influence Spain has had on
non-Hispanic writers such as Hemingway and Orwell.
Studio art. Designed for all levels of expertise, this course uses
art as the medium for imaginative engagement with the city.
Students receive formal instruction in, among other media, oils,
watercolor, pastel, pencil, and charcoal, and spend the majority
of their time capturing sights such as the Sagrada Família,
sketching at the Fondació Joan Miró, or capturing a street scene
on las Ramblas. Through their creative efforts, students discover
their new home in a truly personal way and compile their own
comprehensive portfolio. Materials fee of $200 US for Majors;
$100 US for Minors.
39

Faculty
La escuela Preparatoria de Barcelona Faculty
Director, Jorge Salas
A native of Malaga, Spain, Jorge
is Dean of Student Life at the Pine
School, an independent day school
in South Florida, where he teaches
Spanish, coaches soccer, and also
serves as the school’s webmaster.
The school named him Teacher of
Excellence in 2009. Prior to joining The Pine School, Jorge was
Orchestra Director at the Lovett School in Atlanta for twelve years,
where he was also the head soccer coach. Jorge holds a Bachelor
of Music Education in Instrumental Music from Loyola university
new Orleans and a Master of Music Education from Georgia State
university. He returns to direct La Escuela Preparatoria for his third
year. Jorge lives in Palm Beach Gardens with his wife and two
children.
40
Dr. Fabiola alcalá. BA Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara, MA
Universitat Autonama de Barcelona, PhD Universitat Pompeu
Fabra. Fabiola teaches film and media at the universitat Pompeu
Fabra. She has worked extensively in film production, both in
Spain and in her native Mexico, where her short, Si el Señor
nos da licencia – a documentary on how to obtain a driver’s
license in Guadalajara – was selected as the national submission
to FELAFACS 2003, a forum representing the best student
productions in Latin America.
cristina aliagas Marin. BA Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CAP
Universidad de Barcelona. After graduating with a degree in
the humanities, Cristina won a grant to do research as a PhD
candidate in multilingual communication. She has taught
Spanish at the university level and to professionals, and has
taught French literature in the humanities department at the
universitat Pompeu Fabra. Cristina is interested in the role that
literacy has in the daily lives of young people outside of the
classroom. A Barcelona native, Cristina has also lived in Venice,
Edinburgh, and Lancaster.

arianna Bucci. BA University of Insubria, DEA Universidad de
Barcelona. Born in Italy, Arianna has worked in collaboration
with international teams in different marine research fields,
studying benthic ecosystems, demersal organisms and
small-scale fisheries, also taking part in research cruises on
board oceanographic vessels. She has participated in several
educational and science popularization programs. Arianna
holds a Spanish Government doctoral fellowship in marine
ecology at the Centre d’Estudis Acançats de Blanes. Her
thesis deals with phytoplankton diversity, ecology and the
biogeochemical cycle of silicon.
Sandra Luque Florido. BA, MA Universitat Oberta de
Catalunya. Currently writing a dissertation on international
relations between China and Japan, Sandra is interested in the
role of education and textbooks in the construction of national
identity, history and political discourse. She has lived in London,
Paris, Lisbon, Seoul and Beijing, where she studied Chinese
while doing part of her research.
Dr. camilo Hoyos Gómez. BA Universidad de Los Andes,
PhD Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Camilo works in the
Investigation Group of the Bibliotheca Mystica et Philosophica
Alois M. Haas at the universitat Pompeu Fabra and at various
publishing houses such as Alfaguara, Belaqcua and Roca
Editorial. His main lines of research are French surrealism, Latin
American Modernism, and European 19th century and 20th
century avant-garde.
Matthew Schlosser. BA (Hons) University of Illinois. A
former Fulbright scholar, Matthew first came to Europe to
study German Language and Literature and Rhetoric. After
completing his thesis on filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder
and graduating with distinction from the university of Illinois
urbana-Champaign, Matthew traveled to Berlin to work as
an assistant teacher in a high school. He moved to Barcelona
to teach English and German, becoming fluent in Spanish
and Catalan and receiving the Cambridge DELTA. Matthew
occasionally works as a translator, dabbles in acting and is also
an aspiring singer-songwriter.
Brendan Lynch. BS McGill University. Brendan has lived in
Barcelona since completing his training as an architect at
McGill. He has worked with Estudio Barozzi Veiga Arquitects
on projects ranging from private residences to schools and
theaters, and has served as a 3D visualization designer with
multiple firms. Brendan also teaches English, and is a practiced
painter, graphic designer, draftsman, and photographer.
A Typical day
on La escuela Preparatoria de
Barcelona
monday-Saturday
7:45 - 8:45
Breakfast
9:00 - 12:00
major classes
each major class begins with ‘Home room’
(announcements, student questions, settling
in) before moving on to a mix of classroom
presentations, debates, seminar discussions,
field trips, guest speakers, and project work
12:00 - 3:00
Lunch
Options include local cafés, restaurants, and
take-out stands, offering a wide variety of
familiar and traditional meals
3:00 - 5:00
minor classes
(three days per week)
5:00 - 6:00
elective activities and walking tours; guided
excursions to museums; a daily choice of
sports; free time to read, relax, explore
6:00 - 7:00
Dinner in the cafeteria
evenings
Concerts, theater, films, evening walks, guest
speakers, socializing, time for homework
9:00 - 10:00
Check-in at the residence
11:00
room checks and lights out
Note: Sundays are more leisurely, with time
for outings and relaxation
41

Activities & Sports
42
Activities & sports in Barcelona
Our extracurricular program maintains a healthy balance between study and leisure time that allows
students to relax and unwind. To that end, the Activities Directors organize a full daily program of elective
social events and sports. These typically include dances, quiz nights, talent shows, movie nights, cinema
trips, and poetry readings, as well as other options.
Students may choose to participate in structured activities or take advantage of the hundreds of other
opportunities the city provides. Onsite or just nearby, students have access to a gym, tennis courts, and
basketball courts. Our sports program includes soccer, basketball, yoga, fitness classes, and jogging, as
well as outings to swimming pools and local beaches. Our Activities Directors plan these events regularly,
ensuring that students can truly make the most of every available opportunity.
In addition to the sports facilities, there are a range of spaces where students can gather to hang out with
new friends or do homework. Our residences have a TV room for watching movies, a laundry room with
full facilities, and an area for quiet study. Students on both programs have access to a gymnasium for sports
and recreational purposes.
These activities and cultural events enable students to make friends and discover shared interests. The
certainty that they are in a secure and comfortable environment, as well as part of a supportive peer group,
encourages our students to take advantage of new experiences our program provides.

Cultural enrichment
cultural enrichment in Barcelona
Whether exploring the Roman ruins in the Barri Gòtic, or attending a classical music concert in the glorious
Palau de Musica Catalunya, students always have a range of stimulating activities available to them. Our
program is timed so that students have the opportunity to participate in the Barcelona Grec Festival, which
features theater, dance, and music performances throughout the entire city every night.
One of the highlights of the city is a stroll down las Ramblas, the most famous street in Barcelona. Stretching
from the Plaza de Cataluña to the statue of Christopher Columbus, las Ramblas is a kaleidoscope of flower
and animal stalls, merchants selling crafts and trinkets, outdoor cafés, and artists and performers. With the
constant atmosphere of a carnival, it is an irresistible gathering place, alive with the excitement of this
cosmopolitan city.
One cannot take in the splendor of Barcelona’s rich culture without noting the wondrous architecture,
especially that of the city’s most revered son, Antoni Gaudí. The visionary’s otherworldly works form an
intrinsic part of Barcelona’s identity. From the spires atop the majestic Sagrada Família, to the organic shapes
and formations that make up the Palau Güell, Casa Batlló, and La Perdrera, one marvels at Gaudí’s genius,
or his influence on the Modernismo movement.
Barcelona also boasts a vast collection of museums, including the Picasso Museum, the Miró Foundation,
the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona, and the Catalan Museum of Archeology. The vast
array of both ancient and modern presents unlimited opportunities for cultural enrichment and
intellectual adventure.
43

44
Field Trips
La Academia de españa Field Trips
Figueres/empúries. In Figueres, students visit the Dalí Museum, one of the most popular museums
in all of Spain and the burial place of the celebrated surrealist Salvador Dalí. The afternoon is spent in
Empúries, an ancient coastal town on the Mediterranean, which possesses ruins dating back over two
thousand years.
Girona. This walled city dates from Roman times when it occupied a strategic location between the
Pyrenees and Barcelona. It combines narrow, cobbled streets with magnificent monuments, Arab baths,
convents, churches, and a cathedral. Students can visit the Museum of Jewish History, which contains the
world’s finest collection of medieval funerary slabs engraved in Hebrew.
Montserrat. This Benedictine monastery was founded in 880 AD and offers spectacular mountain views.
Montserrat is a national park, and students can take a funicular railway to the top of the mountain where
they can hike among the unusual rock formations and listen to the bells of the abbey. The monastery
also contains a museum that includes paintings by world famous artists, such as El Greco, Carravagio,
Miró, Picasso, and Dalí.

La escuela Preparatoria de Barcelona Field Trips
Girona. This walled city dates from Roman times when it occupied a strategic location between the Pyrenees and Barcelona.
It combines narrow, cobbled streets with magnificent monuments, Arab baths, convents, churches, and a cathedral. Students
can visit the Museum of Jewish History, which contains the world’s finest collection of medieval funerary slabs engraved in
Hebrew.
Tarragona. Located to the south of Barcelona, this ancient Roman city on the Mediterranean boasts some of the best
preserved Roman ruins on the Iberian Peninsula. Tarragona remains a major seaport and center of commerce. Students spend
their day here visiting the Roman amphitheatre, the Praetoriam – a Roman tower from the third century – and taking a guided
tour of the national Museum of Archeology which contains the most important collection of Roman artifacts in Catalonia.
Afterwards, students visit the lovely beaches of the Costa Dorada.
45

Guest Speakers
Guest speakers in Barcelona
Greggory D. crouch. Prior to his current assignment as
the u.S. Consul General in Barcelona, Mr. Crouch served
as the Senior Deputy Director in the Office of Press and
Public Diplomacy in the u.S. Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs. Mr. Crouch’s previous assignments in the
foreign service include Hamburg, Islamabad, Fukuoka,
and Oslo, as well as a variety of posts in Washington,
prior to which he enjoyed a career in broadcasting and
advertising. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in
Paraguay.
Jeffrey Koehler. Mr. Koehler grew up in Seattle, was
educated in England at King’s College London and the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and has spent much
of the past 15 years traveling the world, writing about
and photographing food. His work has been published
in Gourmet, Food and Wine, the Washington Post,
and the Los Angeles Times. His latest book, Rice, Pasta,
Couscous: The Heart of the Mediterranean Kitchen
explores the role of the three regional staples at the
center of celebrations and family meals. Mr. Koehler
46
conducts a program-wide degustación and speaks to
students about the particularities of Spanish cuisine.
Dr. adriana patiño Santos. With a doctorate in
Linguistics from universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Dr.
Patiño has lived and worked in Barcelona since 2004,
teaching and conducting research both at universidad
Autónoma de Barcelona and universitat Pompeu Fabra.
Her academic interests are centered around the fields
of sociolinguistics, multilingualism, and intercultural
communication and education. Dr. Patiño has trained
teachers and created intercultural teaching resources
for the City of Madrid, and is currently doing research on
the integration of foreign – especially Latin American –
students in Catalan classrooms.
Dr. enrique Sacau-Ferreira. Dr. Sacau-Ferreira is an
analyst at Xchanging Global Business in London. A
former winner of Oxford university’s James Ingham
Halstead Prize from the Faculty of Music, having received
a Distinction for his Master’s in musicology, he went on

to complete his doctorate on the use of music in post-
WWII Europe as propaganda, specifically in Franco’s Spain.
He has taught widely, in Oxford and at the university
Ca’Foscari in Venice.
Héloise Vilaseca. With degrees in Chemistry and
Food Engineering from such prestigious institutions as
université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris, Ecole nationale
Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier, and Institut Quimic
de Sarria in Barcelona, Ms. Vilaseca has based her career
on the dialogue between science and cuisine. A native
of both France and Spain, she works with the Fundación
Alimentación i Ciencia (Alícia), led by Ferran Adrià, the
Spanish chef known for his experimentation in haute
cuisine, often dubbed ‘molecular gastronomy.’ Presently,
Ms. Vilaseca is heading up FuTuRAL, a nationwide project
in cooperation with the Spanish government and
Alícia, aimed to promote research and development in
the food industry.
international education Forum. Admissions
representatives from different institutions, including
the universidad Autonoma de Barcelona and the
universitat Pompeu Fabra, visit our program throughout
the summer to discuss the options available for study at
the undergraduate and graduate levels – whether for a
semester, a year, or for a full degree program. Oxbridge
staff and faculty members, coming from diverse
backgrounds and having pursued various paths in
international education, also share their experiences with
program participants. Our goal is to help our students
better understand their future opportunities for study in
Spain or elsewhere in Europe.
47

student Life in Paris, Montpellier, and Barcelona
Each day is a balance of classes, activities, and free time guided by the principle that
students always have something interesting to do. At various points in the day,
students can join a field trip or activity, play sports, or use free time for
independent study, relaxation, or adventure. Students are free to explore the
city in small groups without adult supervision during the day, but staff
are available at all times to accompany student groups and help
ensure the city is welcoming, safe, and accessible.
accOMMODaTiOn. In Paris and Montpellier, all rooms are
simple and comfortable singles or doubles with shared
bathroom facilities on the hallway. In Barcelona, all
rooms are simple and comfortable doubles and have
a private toilet and shower. On all programs, the
rooms have space for studying and the schools
have larger common areas where students can
socialize. Students’ rooms are furnished with a
bed (linen provided), a dresser or wardrobe
and a desk and a chair. Students must bring
their own towels.
MeaLS. Students enjoy a buffet-style
breakfast and dinner in the residence
cafeteria. Breakfast is continental-style
with choices such as cereal, fruit, yogurt,
cheese, and bread. Dinner is a variety
of American cuisine and regional foods,
including a vegetarian option, fresh
fruit and vegetables, bread, and dessert.
Lunch is at each student’s discretion and
provides an opportunity to sample the
cuisine at various restaurants, to grab a
delicious crèpe or bocadillo nearby, or to
dine in local cafés.
cOLLeGe FaciLiTieS. Beyond the classrooms
and dining hall, students have the use of a
common room for socializing and watching
television or videos. There are onsite public
telephones and message boards, and students
collect their mail daily from the Program Office.
48

STaFF anD SUperViSiOn. All programs have central offices open daily from
breakfast until midnight where students can seek advice and answers to their
questions. The Program Director and residential staff members live in the
same residence as the students, thus ensuring availability and care around
the clock.
cUrFeW. L’académie de paris, L’académie de France, and
La academia de españa students must check in to the
residence with a member of our staff between 10 and 11
PM. Once students are inside the residence, they are free
to make use of the common rooms, watch movies, or
socialize quietly with their friends. They are expected
to be in their own rooms and quiet at midnight.
La escuela preparatoria de Barcelona
students must check in to the residence with
a member of our staff between 9 and 10
PM. Once students are inside the residence,
students are free to make use of the
common rooms, watch movies, or socialize
quietly with their friends. They must be in
their beds with their lights out at 11 PM.
Please note that on all programs students
are not permitted to leave the city on
their own during the program.
GeneraL BeHaViOr. Students are
expected to maintain a standard of
behavior commensurate with life in a
residential college that they share with
adult faculty and staff. Excessive noise,
abuse of property or facilities or other antisocial
behavior is strictly forbidden. Smoking
is not allowed. Our faculty and
staff members in residence take responsibility
for maintaining standards of order and
decorum in addition to their roles
as teachers and advisors.
ZerO-TOLerance pOLicY. Students accepted into
our programs must sign an agreement not to purchase,
possess or consume alcohol or drugs or associate with
any student who does. Any student found in violation of
this policy will be immediately expelled and sent home at the
family’s expense.
49

Fees & details
TUiTiOn
L’Académie de Paris......................................$7295 uS
L’Académie de France..................................$7295 uS
La Academia de España..............................$7295 uS
La Escuela Preparatoria de Barcelona....$6995 uS
This comprehensive fee includes: all tuition and instruction,
accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily, transportation to
and from the airport, all books and materials, guest presentations,
workshops, field trips, and all cultural and social activities organized
by the program, including sports, excursions, museum and gallery
admissions, and theater tickets. It does not include airfare, lunch
daily, or personal expenditures, such as snacks, laundry, souvenirs,
and so on.
APPLicATiOn
Students must currently be in the appropriate grade to apply to each
program: L’Académie de Paris and L’Académie de France – grades
9-10; La Academia de España – grades 10-12; La Escuela Preparatoria
de Barcelona – grades 8-9.
• Rolling Admissions Policy. We accept applications throughout the
year until the programs are full.
• Course Guarantee. We recommend that students apply as early as
possible. Students whose applications are postmarked on or before
each program’s course guarantee date and who are accepted into
the program will automatically receive their first choice of courses,
subject to enrollment levels. The course guarantee date for all
programs in France and Spain is January 28, 2011.
Please note: This date is not an admission deadline. We accept
applications on a rolling admission basis until the program is full.
Students who cannot be placed into their first choice of Major or
Minor course will be automatically placed in their second or third
choice, subject to the availability of that course, and also placed on
the waiting list for their first choice.
• Admissions. Decisions are made within 4 weeks of a completed
application’s receipt, at which time the student’s courses are
confirmed in writing. If wait-listed for a class, the student will be
notified as soon as a space becomes available. Applicants are only
considered for admission to a program once all of their necessary
documentation is completed and received.
A completed application consists of four parts: a completed and
signed application form, a deposit check, a copy of a transcript or
most recent report card, and three copies of a personal statement.
• If a class is cancelled due to low enrollment levels, students will be
notified immediately and placed in their second choice. Students
who wish to change courses may do so by writing to our new York
office before June 1, 2011.
PAYMenT
Applications require a deposit check of $1050 uS ($1175 uS with Medical
Emergency Cancellation Insurance), payable to F.I.E. or The Foundation for
International Education. nOTE: Scholarship applicants are not required to
send a deposit check as part of their separate application. The balance
of payment for tuition is due by April 1, 2011.
50
MedicAL eMerGencY cAnceLLATiOn insUrAnce
non-refundable Medical Emergency Cancellation Insurance is
available for $125 uS per application to protect against unavoidable
cancellations due to documented medical emergencies involving the
student or immediate family members. This insurance can OnLY be
purchased at the time of application.
The policy is as follows:
Payments refundable,
including deposit
Payments refundable,
minus the deposit
no refunds
With Medical Emergency Without Medical
Cancellation Insurance Emergency Cancellation
Insurance
up to May 1, 2011* up to April 1, 2011
May 2 to June 30, 2011* April 2 to May 1, 2011
July 1, 2011 and onward May 2, 2011 and onward
*With Medical Emergency Cancellation Insurance, refunds will be
made only in the case of a documented medical emergency.
scHOLArsHiPs
A small number of scholarships are available based equally on
financial need and the student’s ability to contribute to the program
in the broadest sense. Applicants can either contact our new York
office directly to obtain an application form or download one
from our website. The application form in this brochure is not a
scholarship application. Completed applications for France and Spain
scholarships must be received in our new York office by March 4,
2011. Please ensure that you send your application early enough to
allow time for delivery. Applications received after this date cannot be
accepted regardless of postmark date.
reFerences
We are happy to provide names of students, parents, and teachers in
your area – perhaps even in your school – who are familiar with our
programs. Please call us in new York for a list of references.
PresenTATiOns
During the academic year, Professor Basker and other members of
our staff make presentations at secondary schools, conferences, and
open houses throughout the united States, Canada, Europe, South
America, and Asia. Please contact our office or visit our website for
information regarding our schedule of school-based and public
presentations. And please do not hesitate to let us know if you would
like to propose a visit to your school or community.
sUPPLeMenTAL inFOrMATiOn
Full information on travel arrangements, packing lists, and other
pertinent details are sent in the student’s acceptance packet. Once
accepted, all supplemental information can be viewed on our
website.
Photo credits: Catherine Addington, Carrie Angoff, Trisha Baca, Violette Bérato,
Bastien Boutonnet, Russ Dantzler, Cécile Droz, Lauren Henschke, Clare Haley,
Jennifer Huxta, Michele Klapper, Laura Mayron, Allyson McGrath, Richard Michaelis,
Sonia Mota, Liz Pinner, Mario Suarez, Janice Tse.

APPLICATION FOrm
inSTrUcTiOnS:
S U M M e r
2011
1. Fill out this application form (please PRINT or TYPE) and mail it to us with your deposit check for $1050 US
(or $1175 US) with Medical Emergency Cancellation Insurance) payable to F.I.E. (The Foundation for International
Education).
2. Include a current transcript or a copy of most recent report card. (An unofficial photocopy is acceptable.)
3. On a separate sheet, type a personal statement of at least 500 words. Please read Section V of this Application Form
for further instructions.
SeLecT YOUr prOGraM BaSeD On YOUr GraDe in ScHOOL (cHecK OnLY One BOx):
I. STuDeNT INFOrmATION
49 West 45th Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10036
1-800-828-8349 • (212) 932-3049 • FAX: (212) 663-8169
info@oxbridgeprograms.com • www.oxbridgeprograms.com
n n
NAME First Middle Last Male Female
HOME ADDRESS CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP/POSTAL CODE COUNTRY
TELEPHONE STUDENT E-MAIL (PLEASE PRINT IN CAPITALS) DATE OF BIRTH: Month
/ /
Day Year CITIZENSHIP
FATHER’S TITLE FATHER’S NAME PROFESSION E-MAIL (PLEASE PRINT IN CAPITALS)
FATHER’S ADDRESS, IF DIFFERENT FROM YOURS HOME TELEPHONE WORK TELEPHONE CELL
MOTHER’S TITLE MOTHER’S NAME PROFESSION E-MAIL (PLEASE PRINT IN CAPITALS)
MOTHER’S ADDRESS, IF DIFFERENT FROM YOURS HOME TELEPHONE WORK TELEPHONE CELL
Have you ever attended an Oxbridge Academic Program before? n Yes n No
If yes, please give program(s) and year(s) attended:
II. ACADemIC INFOrmATION
Save time, apply on-line! www.oxbridgeprograms.com
n L’Académie de Paris (Grades 9-12) n La Academia de España (Grades 10-12)
n L’Académie de France (Grades 9-12) n La Escuela Preparatoria de Barcelona (Grades 8-9)
n Add The paris connection (include $300 US deposit)
CURRENT SCHOOL CURRENT GRADE LEVEL SCHOOL TELEPHONE
SCHOOL ADDRESS CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP/POSTAL CODE COUNTRY
Have you ever been suspended or dismissed from school? n Yes n No If yes, please explain on a separate sheet of paper.
Name and telephone number of a teacher or counselor from your school who can speak knowledgeably about you.
(Although not required, a letter of recommendation is welcome.)
TITLE NAME OF TEACHER OR COUNSELOR SUBJECT E-MAIL (PLEASE PRINT IN CAPITALS) TELEPHONE NUMBER
51

APPLICATION FOrm (continued)
III. COurSe SeLeCTIONS
Major course
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
Minor course
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
IV. LANGuAGe
Knowledge of French or Spanish is not required to participate, but students who have selected to take a language class must
fill out the following:
n I have never studied French. n I have studied French for ___ years or speak it at home.
n I have never studied Spanish. n I have studied Spanish for ___ years or speak it at home.
• All students taking a language course are welcome (but not obligated) to submit a short comment from a French teacher
attesting to their language level.
• Students taking an Immersion course are asked to submit a writing sample in French as well as a comment from their
French teacher
V. PerSONAL STATemeNT
Please include a personal statement of at least 500 words about why you are applying, why you are choosing your Major
and Minor courses, and what you feel you can contribute to the program. Also include your name, city, and state in the top
right-hand corner and enclose three copies of your personal statement with your application. Feel free to write about your
academic and extracurricular interests, and anything else that will help us to get to know you.
VI. FOr Our reCOrDS
How did you hear about Oxbridge Academic Programs? (please tick all that apply)
n Former Student– Name? n Poster – Where?
n Teacher/Counselor – Name? n Newspaper Ad – Where?
n School Visit? – When? n Website – Which?
n Open-house reception - When? Where? n PSAT email
n Brochure in the mail? - When? n Other – Please specify
VII. SHArING INFOrmATION
• I permit Oxbridge academic programs to share my travel details and contact information solely with other
program participants. n Yes n No
VIII. rOOm reQueSTS
paris/Montpellier Barcelona
n I would like to be housed in the French-speaking
part of the residence.
X. remINDerS
n I would like to be housed in the Spanish-speaking
part of the residence.
IX. SIGNATureS
My parent/s and I have read and understood the information provided in the Rules & Behavior and Fees & Details sections
of this brochure. I attest that all the information I have provided here is accurate and truthful.
STUDENT SIGNATURE DATE
PARENT SIGNATURE DATE
A. Applications will only be considered once complete. Please check the following to indicate completion and inclusion in your
submitted application.
n Application Form n Transcript n Personal Statement (3 copies) n Deposit Check
n Language Course Materials (see Sec. IV)
B. Please ensure that your deposit check is made payable to: The Foundation for international education.
52

Other programs in europe and america
The Oxford Tradition
July 10–august 6, 2011
Oxford, england
Grades 10-12
Courses include: Art History,
British History, Literature
and Psychology, Archeology,
International relations,
Physics, Politics and
economics, Film Studies,
Journalism, Law, Bioethics.
The Oxford prep
experience
July 8–august 3, 2011
Oxford, england
Grades 8-9
Courses include: Literature
and the Fantastic, Psychology,
Speech and Debate, Global
economics, medical Science,
Paleontology, Greece and
rome, Photojournalism.
The Teacher Seminars
Oxford, cambridge,
paris, Barcelona
Week-long residential seminars
in July, designed for teachers,
librarians, and other
educational professionals.
Study Groups include:
english Literature, The Library
and the Academy, Shakespeare
in History, Science and
Philosophy.
S U M M e r
2011
The cambridge Tradition
July 11–august 7, 2011
cambridge, england
Grades 10-12
Courses include: english
Literature, Architecture,
Filmmaking, Business and
Finance, medicine and the
Brain, Latin, european
History, Drama, International
espionage, Speech and
Debate, Studio Art.
The cambridge prep
experience
July 4–30, 2011
cambridge, england
Grades 8-9
Courses include: Criminology,
History’s Secrets, Science of
the Future, Weapons Strategy
and War, Art History, Drama,
Computer Science, molecular
Biology, Creative Writing.
The new York college
experience
July 3–30, 2011
new York, nY
Grades 9-12
Courses include: International
relations, math & Finance,
Human rights, American
Literature, medical Science,
International Business,
American Histories, museum
Studies, musical Theater,
Writing New York, Studio Art.
OXBrIDGe ACADemIC PrOGrAmS
49 West 45th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10036, uSA
TeL: 800-828-8349 • +1-212-932-3049 • FAX: 212-663-8169
www.oxbridgeprograms.com • info@oxbridgeprograms.com
53

2011
OXBRIDGE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
49 West 45th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10036, uSA
TEL: 800-828-8349 • +1-212-932-3049 • FAX: 212-663-8169
www.oxbridgeprograms.com • info@oxbridgeprograms.com