Nice Street PhotoThe Canadian Third Year in Nice Program: The University

Studying as a Canadian Student at the University of Nice

University in France

The Université de Nice is quite different from Canadian universities in several ways. Universities in France receive all of their funding from the government and students do not pay tuition fees (just a small registration fee). Admission to university is not based on a selection process; a student who has successfully completed the Baccalauréat ("le Bac"), the French secondary school diploma, is entitled to register in university. The failure rate is, however, much higher than in Canada, and the approach taken to marking exams and assignments, particularly in first year, tends to reflect a "weeding out" process. It is much more frequent in France than in Canada for students to have to take a second attempt to complete a year of studies ("redoubler l'année").

Most assignments are marked out of 20. You will find that French students generally aim to get "la moyenne" (10/20). Do not be discouraged if you get marks which look very bad in Canadian terms; your grades will be adjusted by your Ontario university. Take advantage of the opportunity to gain new literary knowledge and to read and write in French. Don't be frustrated in your courses if you have difficulty taking notes from time to time. It is better to listen and try to get the general idea of the lesson and then to ask other students to lend you their notes. It is sometimes possible, with the professor's permission, to record the class.

The amount of funding provided to universities is not sufficient to offer the same range of services that you find in Canadian universities. In addition, the administration is often inefficient and unresponsive to students' concerns. You will often need to be politely insistent to get something done by administrative offices.

Courses and assignments

You will be guided by the Program Coordinator in your choice of courses at the Inscription en section meeting in September.

Each U.V. (Unité de valeur) consists generally of five marks: two exams (D.S.T.: devoir sur table), two orals ("oraux": one prepared and one improvised), and a "travail libre" which is the equivalent of an essay. The actual work required can vary from course to course.

There are generally four types of assignment: la dissertation, l'explication de texte, le commentaire composé and l'exposé. The requirements for assignments are very different from work you have done in Canadian universities, but you can turn to the Program Coordinator, the course instructor, and your French classmates for guidance in how to prepare them.

You should note that the amount of work required is very light in the first semester and very heavy in April and May and that it will not be easy to find out in advance the due date of assignments and how much they count for in your final grade.

You can also take courses offered by other departments and faculties, but you will have to make sure that your home university will approve the transfer credit.

Professors

Professors' approach to their teaching work tends to differ from what students in Canadian universities come to expect. Generally, professors come to campus just to teach their courses and spend little time there. It is not customary for them to have regular office hours or to be otherwise available to students for extra help. If you wish to talk to a professor, it is best to approach her or him just before class or just after class and make an appointment. Quality of availability can vary widely from one professor to another and it is a good idea to ask for advice from the previous year's students at the pre-departure meeting.

Libraries and bookstores 

The Bibliothèque Universitaire (BU) is much different from the library facilities you are used to in Ontario. French students often complain that there are not many books and that the books that are listed in the catalogue are frequently missing.

The BU does have two floors of tables where you can study. The French language and literature sections are upstairs on the premier étage. You will find a useful collection of dictionaries in the reference section there.

The BU also has computer facilities with Internet connections. You need to reserve a terminal well in advance for getting on the Internet, but with the recent addition of more machines, this situation may improve.

Each department has its own Bibliothèque de Section (BS). The Lettres Modernes BS is located between the 3rd and 4th floors of the Extension building. This library is fairly well stocked, but is only open for about 4 hours per day (weekdays only) and closed from noon to 2 p.m. most days. It also offers tutoring services which Canadian students are encouraged to use. Graduate student tutors are available to help you with your work in Lettres Modernes courses.

The Bibliothèque municipale, 21, boul. Dubouchage behind the Nice Étoile shopping centre, has a better collection than the BU in some areas.

The university does not have its own bookstore, but you will find that the Le Campus bookstore across the street has a good stock and that its helpful and courteous staff is efficient in ordering books for you.

Useful Links on the University of Nice Web Site

The University of Nice: http://www.unice.fr/

Information on the course offerings of the Lettres Modernes department: http://www.unice.fr/lettresmodernes/licence.php