International Education
Semester Program in Paris, France

Academics at Sciences Po -- a Grand École

The "Diplôme de Sciences Po" is comprised of a "Premier Cycle," a three-year undergraduate curriuculum followed by an obligatory two-year Master's specialization program. The philosophy of the "Premier Cycle" is to provide students with broad foundational knowledge and multidisciplinary reasoning skills based on the social sciences: international relations, law, economics, history, sociology, and political sciences. In this manner, the comprehensive undergraduate program serves as a development phase of critical analysis and methodological skills in a comparative perspective. These analytic tools, transferable to any professional sector, are then applied to a specific concentration through one of the 18 Master's programs at Sciences Po.

You may choose to study at Sciences Po's main campus in Paris or at one of six regional campuses with their own distinct academic themes: Dijon focuses on Eastern European studies; Nancy on French-German; Poitiers on Latin America, Spain, and Portugal; Menton on Middle East and Mediterranean; Le Havre on Asia; and Reims on transatlantic relations. Read more about Science Po's campuses outside Paris.

Exchange students may participate in the Undergraduate Exchange Programme for one semester or one year. The vast majority of students enroll for one academic year in order to fully benefit from the Exchange Programme design. Students may choose to study in English, in French or in both languages.

Exchange students are considered regularly enrolled Sciences Po students, and as such, benefit from access to all campus facilities and services. You will be encouraged to take part in campus life through the more than 60 student clubs, associations, sport activities, as well as daily conferences and special lectures.

Source: Sciences Po Undergraduate Exchange Program Brochure

For information on Sciences Po's journalism school program with Columbia University, visit http://www.journalisme.sciences-po.fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=39

Academic Credit for Coursework Abroad

Credits earned abroad will count toward your degree at St. Mary's, often fulfilling Core Curriculum, major requirements, or elective credit. Each course is evaluated for its equivalency at St. Mary's.

To transfer credits to St. Mary's, SMCM students complete the Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit Form and return it to the Office of International Education. The IE Office will work with the Registrar and department chairs to determine equivalencies for individual courses taught abroad.  As stated in the catalog, the College may refuse to grant credit for study-abroad courses taken by the student that have not been pre-approved. 

More information about how to ensure credits earned abroad transfer successfully to St. Mary's is available in the College catalog under Academic Policies and on the Pre-departure Blackboard course.