University of Wisconsin–Madison
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UW Migration, Immigration, and Asylum in France

View of the Parisian city skyline, highlighting the Eiffel Tower in the background.

This program is currently suspended. We will continue to evaluate circumstances for future durations.

France, Paris

Explore the city of Paris and its long history with immigration on this three week summer program.

With the city as your guide, you will explore the relation between immigration and sport, consider the North African immigration and immersion in Paris through various walking tours, and participate in a community engagement opportunity with immigrants of various backgrounds living in Paris.

Starting in the medieval period, this program will walk students through the history of the movement of peoples in Europe, through exploration, colonization and immigration, up to asylum and international law in the modern age. 

Led by Professor Karl Shoemaker from the Department of History, this three credit course will be taught in English. 

Learning Objectives

We have overall Goals and Expectations for Study Abroad Participants, covering the personal, academic and professional aspects of study abroad. Additionally on this program, you can:

Students participants on this program will be expected:

1) to have command of the major historical developments in the European and French history related to migration and immigration and to situate them within the larger themes of European History,

2) to analyze primary source material relevant to the history of the immigration in France, and be familiar with how historians explain social change,

3) to make clear and organized written and oral presentations

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to providing quality study abroad and domestic study away programs for every UW-Madison student. We work strategically to identify, address, and remove barriers that may prevent participation and to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students. Our staff actively engages with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and prioritizes the continuous development of our knowledge and cultural competence. We also recognize the importance of increasing access to study abroad for historically underrepresented student populations. We are committed to diversity and inclusion so that every student can engage with and understand their identity through a new lens and continue to develop and make progress on their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Sustainability

We recognize that the future of study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship programming requires a Commitment to Sustainability. We are devoted to examining, developing, and improving sustainability in all our endeavors, aligning with campus priorities and following through with UW-Madison's climate action and Resilience Commitment. Join our efforts and learn more about how to study abroad sustainably.

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Eligibility

  • 2.0 cumulative GPA
  • Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Open to UW-Madison degree seeking students and all degree-seeking undergraduate students at a US college or university. Preference is given to UW-Madison students
  • Good academic and disciplinary standing
  • At the time of application and the semester prior to participation, UW-Madison students must be currently enrolled. Transfer Students to UW-Madison need to be currently enrolled at their home institution

Advising Location

Program Structure

UW Signature

Subjects

History

Classroom Language

English

Housing

Hostels

Program Duration

Mid-May to Late-May 

Application Deadline(s)

Summer 2025 - [Suspended] 2/7/2025 Cost Details

Future durations will be posted at a later date.

APPLY NOW

 

Your program will be a mix of classroom lectures, group discussions, and experiences that will allow you to better get to know your studies firsthand. The course includes documentaries and feature films, music, art, literature, personal essays written by the expatriates and scholarly literature about the history of migration, immigration and asylum practices in Europe. To complement your classroom learning, there will be opportunities to experience French culture and history through numerous excursions and day trips around Paris and beyond - including a walking tour of the Belleville neighborhood, exploring North African immigration and immersion in Paris and a soccer game where you will explore the relation between immigration and sport.

When you're in the classroom, it will be at the CIEE program center that will be providing classroom space, housing, and on-site assistance for our program.

You will receive 3 credits for successful completion of this program. Students can select from the following equivlalents: Geography 475, History 223, Legal Studies 600, Political Science 390 or Sociology 465.

The course will be taught in English and no prior knowledge of French is required.

Course Equivalents

Use the links below to see a list of courses that past students have taken on this program and the UW equivalents. Note: This list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses, departments or equivalents. Courses may not be available the semester you are abroad. You will receive instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance. View Course Equivalents

Program Leader

Professor Karl Shoemaker