Exchange Programmes with France
The Programmes
The Department participates in two annual exchanges programmes which bring two French students to Memorial and send two of our students France for the academic year. Through the French Embassy in Ottawa, we participate in the assistantship programme, which is designed for students who have just graduated from an undergraduate programme; by means of an exchange agreement with the Université de Bordeaux, we bring a French graduate student to Memorial and send one of our own graduate students to France each year.
The Assistantship Programme
Each year, the Department welcomes a student from France as an assistant or assistante de français. These students are normally graduates of programmes in English studies (which can include not only English language and literature, but the folklore, political science, history and other aspects of the culture of the English-speaking world). During the academic year that they spend with us, they conduct conversation classes for advanced students registered in French language courses. But they are also available to chat with our students about life in France, so you should take full advantage of them.
Students who are completing a first degree in French may be interested in applying to go to France as an assistant or assistante d'anglais. Students who are selected for this competitive programme spend the academic year following graduation working in a French junior high (collège d'enseignement secondaire or CES) or high school (lycée). While in France, they may be given duties ranging from conducting conversation classes in English to giving presentations or teaching English to groups of students. They are paid a salary which is sufficient to cover living expenses, and may be able to take advantage of travel arrangements through the school to which they are assigned, so that it is often possible for them to visit other regions of France or other parts of Europe during their stay. Applications are reviewed by a committee each year which makes recommendations to the Head; in some years, more than one student may ultimately be able to participate in this programme.
Students who wish to apply for an assistantship place should complete an application form, which is available through the general office or on-line.
The Bordeaux Exchange Programme
Thanks to an exchange agreement with the Université Michel de Montaigne-Bordeaux III, our department welcomes a Bordeaux graduate each year and is able to send one of our graduate students to Bordeaux as a lectrice (or lecteur) d'anglais. The position of lectrice is similar to that of an assistante d'anglais, except that students at Bordeaux work in a university setting rather than in a school, so that they are working with more advanced students normally majoring in English studies.
While at Bordeaux, students are generally asked to supervise English language courses from first- to third-year level in the language laboratory, conduct conversation classes, and help run the English club together with the Bordeaux students. The club's activities are similar in many ways to those of Memorial's cercle français, and include organising social events and other activities.
The French university year does not begin until October, but students are well advised to relocate to Bordeaux in September in order to find a place to live and to be able to attend organizational meetings in the English Department. The position is better paid than that of an assistant and should enable most students to live fairly comfortably for the academic year; normally, the salary is paid over 12 months, and no income tax is deducted (though you should expect to pay Canadian income tax if you have a taxable income).
Students who wish to apply for a position as a lectrice or lecteur at Bordeaux should normally be registered in the M. A. programme in French, and should consult the departmental office about application procedures. They should be prepared to submit a current curriculum vitae and the names of three referees who can speak to their academic and personal qualities.
