Paris American Academy

Meredith College sent its first semester students to the Paris American Academy in the spring of 2005. After a long history of working with the Academy for the Meredith summer program, Meredith worked with the Director to make available a semester option to our Fashion Design students. The Paris American Academy Semester program is designed as a spring semester program, allowing students to learn from the fashion professionals in Paris -- a city unsurpassed for fashion inspiration. In addition to industrial methods, students acquire skills unique to the French Haute Couture.

The Paris American Academy has a long-standing tradition of programs for students worldwide. Since its founding in 1965, the school has been preparing students for careers in Fashion, Fine Arts, Interior Design and Creative Writing. Each year, the Academy enrolls French and international students from over 20 nationalities all over the world, including Japanese, Finnish, Americans and Australians. For more information, go to http://www.parisamericanacademy.fr/

Location
Paris has long been known to the world as the "City of Love" and the "City of Lights" as well as the fashion capital. The architecture, the spruce green spaces, the timeless Seine, the cafe life and its denizens' joie de vivre all add up to make this city a monumental, striking, and fascinating place in which to live, work and study. Participants will get the chance to see what artists, singers, and songwriters have tried to capture for many years -- Paris is an exceptional place, which can be found easily by strolling along the city's impressive avenues, with its remarkable architecture and wonderful parks, gardens, and esplanades. Yet, Paris is not just another pretty face. With over 10 l/2 million people, the city contains more than 18% of France's entire population. And as France's capitol city, Paris is the administrative, business, and cultural heart of the country. Whatever your pleasure, you will find it in Paris!

Curriculum
Students take a full semester of Fashion Design classes, receiving a total of 15 credit hours in the following areas:
Haute Couture and Sewing Techniques; Drawing Techniques; French Draping; Fashion Design; Textile Design; Fashion History; Art History; Foreign Language (French).

For a more up-to-date list and the direct course equivalencies at Meredith, please see Kevin Morrison in the Office of Study Abroad.

Costs
Cost for the program is comparable to the cost of a semester at Meredith College with the addition of the round-trip airfare and spending money. Living expenses in Paris are typically more expensive than those in Raleigh, so students need to budget for additional personal spending money. All federal, state, and college financial assistance (with the exception of work-study) are applicable to the semester or year program. Additional costs besides airfare are excursions, ISIC (International Student Identity Card), passport, visa, spending money, textbooks, and art supplies. Students may also wish to purchase a Eurail ticket for travel throughout Europe before leaving the U.S.

Housing
Students are housed in private apartments within walking distance of the Academy for their stay in Paris. Students are responsible for their own meals, although there are inexpensive meal options at nearby university cafeterias and markets.

Eligibility
Students must be in good academic standing with Meredith College. There are no prerequisite language classes, although students should have had some basic coursework in Fashion Design.

Deadline for Applications
Application deadline for Spring: October lst.