If you are interested or majoring in French/Francophone studies, African studies, international relations, or development studies and are seeking an opportunity to live and study in a French-speaking West African country considered by many to be one of the most developed and democratic nations in that region, then this program is right for you. The program is geared toward students interested in continuing French language study and learning Wolof, while taking other courses in English and having a cultural immersion experience.

What You'll Learn
The goals of the Language and Culture program are fourfold: to offer students the opportunity to live and study in a French-speaking West African country; to introduce students to Senegalese society and to such issues as education, women's roles, the impact of Islam, and development and globalization from a West African perspective; to enable students to develop and/or acquire language skills in French and Wolof; and to provide opportunities for cultural immersion through living with a Senegalese family and participating in a community service project.

Program Snapshot

• Choose from a variety of courses in African studies, development studies, anthropology, and sociology
• Live with a Senegalese family who provides strong cultural immersion
• Participate in African art, dance, and music; community service and an internship
• Visit Gorée Island, Toubab Dialaw, Saint Louis, and the Sine-Saloum region; learn in a rural stay with Peace Corps or NGO staff

Subject Areas

• African Studies
• Anthropology
• Development & Planning
• Economics
• Education
• Environmental Studies
• French Language
• Gender Studies
• History
• Internship
• Literature
• Public Health
• Senegalese Studies
• Urban Studies
• Wolof Language

Eligibility Requirements

• Overall GPA 2.75
• 2 semesters of college-level French or equivalent

Academic Program

The CIEE Study Center in Dakar offers students the opportunity to live and study in a French-speaking West African country and to immerse themselves in two of Senegal's official languages: French and Wolof. Through a broad range of coursework in English and/or French, students are also able to engage in topics concerning Africa in general, and Senegal specifically. By doing so, participants gain a greater understanding of the issues and challenges facing Senegal today and learn firsthand about this multilingual society.

Academic Culture

Students often notice striking differences between their home educational system and the Senegalese model, which is based on the French system. While students in the U.S. are accustomed to a very structured system, the Senegalese method generally requires students to take greater initiative and responsibility in a less structured environment. Some American students could misperceive a course as having a light workload or few assignments, but students are expected to engage in a great deal of individual study and extensive reading outside of the classroom.

The Resident Director oversees all CIEE courses, which are taught in both English and French. Senegalese professors, most of whom also hold faculty appointments at Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), teach these courses. CIEE Study Center courses run for 12 weeks (two 2-hour sessions per week) for a total of 45 hours and include a broad range of subjects.

Classes are generally lecture-based, but CIEE teachers are encouraged to foster more interactive classroom dynamics. In addition to lectures and discussions, many classes involve student presentations, which may take up a greater part of the course schedule than students are accustomed to in the U.S.

Courses are designed to offer opportunities for students to draw a parallel between the theoretical information they receive in the classroom and the social and cultural experiences they have outside of class. Field trips and guest speakers supplement students' education and provide a practical orientation to their learning.

CIEE students have access to local institutions and organizations for research and special activities. These include the West African Research Center (WARC), the IFAN library at UCAD, and the Baobab Center.

Where You'll Study:

CIEE Study Center in Dakar, Senegal

The CIEE Study Center is located in the Amitié III neighborhood near restaurants, shops, cultural centers, and the largest public university in Senegal. Some students walk from their homestay to the Study Center, while others take public transportation. CIEE students study exclusively with other CIEE participants in a building that shares facilities including a library, computer lab, café, and student lounge with L'Insitut Supérieur de Droit de Dakar. ISDD, a branch of the Université de Perpignan Via Domitia in France, offers degrees in Political Science and Law and has a mostly Senegalese student body

Program Requirements

Students take five courses each semester: three required and two elective courses. The three required courses constitute the CIEE core curriculum: Contemporary Senegalese Society and Culture (in French or English, depending on the results of a French language placement test completed upon arrival in Dakar), French language, and Wolof language. Students then choose two elective courses. Students may also take the Seminar on Living and Learning in addition to their course load of five courses.

Recommended Credit

semester: 15-17 semester/22.5-25.5 quarter hours 
academic year: 30-32 semester/45-48 quarter hours

Duration

• Academic Year: 38 weeks late August - mid-May
• Spring: 17 weeks mid-January - mid-May
• Fall: 17 weeks late August - mid-December
• Academic Year: 38 weeks late August - mid-May
• Spring: 17 weeks mid-January - mid-May

CIEE Fees - Check the CIEE website for current fees.
CIEE program fees, inclusions, and estimated additional costs, are outlined below. Please note that CIEE reserves the right to adjust its fees in the event of significant change in exchange rates or other factors beyond its control. The actual cost of the programs may vary slightly for students from different institutions.

Online Pre-Departure and On-Site Orientations
Students begin their study abroad experience in Dakar before even leaving home--by participating in a CIEE Online Pre-Departure Orientation. Meeting with students online, the Resident Director shares information about the program and site, highlighting issues that alumni have said are important, and giving students time to ask any questions before leaving home. The online orientation allows students to connect with others in the group, reflect on what they want to get out of the program, and learn what others in the group would like to accomplish. The CIEE goal for the pre-departure orientation is simple: to help students understand more about the program and site, as well as their goals for the program, so that they arrive to the program well-informed and return home having made significant progress toward their goals.

The program begins with a one-week mandatory orientation held in Dakar. Sessions are devoted to personal safety, medical issues, and Senegalese customs and values, including family life and gender relations. During the orientation week, students also take a French placement test and have daily instruction in Wolof. In addition, a program of expanded orientation activities fosters integration by having students explore specific places or organizations in Dakar, in some cases with Senegalese students. Ongoing support is provided on an individual and group basis throughout the program.

Housing & Meals

Housing and meals are included in the program fee. All students live in a Senegalese home in a furnished room. Living with a Senegalese family enables students to have daily contact with French and/or Wolof languages and learn about family and social life in Senegal, which are crucial aspects of the culture. While French is the official language of the country, Wolof is most commonly spoken in the homes of CIEE host families, and CIEE students will realize the challenges of living in a multiethnic and multilingual society, as they learn to function in both languages.

Host families tend to view U.S. students as "adopted children" and expect them to eat meals and spend time with their family and friends. Homestay placements are determined on the basis of a preliminary questionnaire and confirmed on site in consultation with the program's Housing Coordinator. It is important to keep in mind that the Senegalese live simply, and such amenities as washing machines and microwaves are not commonly available. Meals tend to be considerably less varied than in the U.S.--rice and fish are considered staple foods in Senegal. A bi-weekly meal stipend is given to students so that they may supplement and vary their diet.

Although some students are within a 10- to 15-minute walk from campus, others should expect to commute by bus or taxi on a daily basis. A transportation stipend is given to students living in the neighborhoods that are not within walking distance of campus.

Academic year students can stay with their host families during the break between semesters.

Internet

Computers with email access are available for students' use free of charge at Suffolk University-Dakar Campus. Wireless Internet access is available on campus, so students may choose to bring their own laptops. Students also have access to the Internet at the numerous Internet cafés in Dakar.

Cultural Activities

Included in the program are day trips to historic Gorée Island, including the Slave House, Women's Museum, and the Historical Museum; and to Toubab Dialaw, a fishing village and artist's colony. Occasionally, the program organizes excursions to Touba and other important religious centers. In previous semesters, CIEE has taken students on weekend trips to the mangroves of the Sine-Saloum region; Saint Louis, the former capital of French West Africa; and other parts of Senegal, where they experience rural life.

Depending upon students' interests and course topics, additional trips and cultural activities in and around Dakar may be organized or subsidized by the program.

Language Peers
The Conversation Exchange Program pairs CIEE students with Francophone students from the Suffolk University-Dakar Campus. Students typically meet twice a week for the duration of the semester, conversing in French or Wolof during one session and in English during the other. The program not only assists students in developing their conversational abilities, but also helps them make friends with Senegalese students.

Rural Stays
Weeklong visits to rural areas in Senegal are an essential component of the CIEE program in Dakar. Mid-semester, students travel in groups or individually, depending on their preference, and stay with either Peace Corps volunteers or local NGO staff working in the field. These visits provide CIEE students the opportunity to better understand the contrasts and connections between rural and urban realities.

During their visits, students are encouraged to observe thoughtfully, pose questions, and converse in the local language (whether Wolof or another national language). The rural stays allow students to identify key revenues and community resources, listen to the history of the village, and discover the role of and reactions to the volunteer or the NGO staff in the community. As part of the required Senegalese Society and Culture course, students are asked to submit a critical paper based on their rural visit experience.

Time and time again, CIEE students have cited the rural visit as the most profound and memorable experience during their semester abroad.

Message from the Colleges of the Fenway
Global Education Opportunities Center

Please be aware that study abroad involves two application deadlines - the application deadline for "the Council on International Educational Exchange" (CIEE - the provider of this study abroad program), and the deadline to seek approval from your home campus Study Abroad Director (in order to receive credit for participating in this program). 

In general, you will need to inform your home campus Study Abroad Director by the "Application Deadline" indicated below.  By pressing on the "Apply Now" button, you will begin the process of notifying your home campus Study Abroad Director of your intent to study abroad.  In order to participate in this program, you will also need to follow the application instructions of CIEE, as indicated above.

Keep in mind that if it appears that a deadline date has already passed for the time that you wish to study abroad, you should still make contact with both your Study Abroad Director and the program provider, by pressing on the "Request Info" button and stating clearly your desired dates.  While it can never be guaranteed, there are cases when last-minute requests can be accommodated.