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Paris College of Art
Spring Semester Elective 2021
12 - 19 credits
Spend a semester immersed in the lively creative scene of Paris! The SAI semester program at PCA is geared toward students interested in art and design, and is open to students both with and without previous experience. Visiting students select from a variety of art and design concentrations, usually aligned with their major, and select any elective courses from the array of art, design, management, and humanities offerings for a total of 12 - 19 US credits.
Application: now open
Closes: October 15, 2020
Apps accepted on a rolling basis, and after deadline as space permits
Application Requirements
Complete online application
Personal statement (300-500 words)
Official transcript
Portfolio (see Academics)
Passport scan (photo page)
Digital photo (passport style)
EU privacy consent form
Highlights
- See our revised cancellation policies due to Coronavirus here.
- Take part in art and design events around Paris
- Study alongside some of the most creative young artists in Europe
Program Dates
January 8, 2021 – May 14, 2021
Eligibility Requirements
Age: 18+
Academic Year: Sophomore (2nd year) or above.
Cumulative GPA:* 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale)
* contact SAI if you don’t meet requirements
Art History
Communication Design
Design Management
Fashion Design
Fine Arts
Foundation
Interior Design
Language
Liberal Studies
Photography
Communication Design
Design Management
Fashion Design
Fine Arts
Foundation
Interior Design
Language
Liberal Studies
Photography
Going beyond modernist categories, a new type of artwork was developed in the second half of the 20th century - defined by the ways in which places, spaces and materials are used. Site-specific art intersected with land art, process art, performance art, conceptual art, installation art and public art. These various artistic practices can be seen as variations on the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk - a ‘total work of art’. Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades and Kurt Schwitters’ Merzbau drew attention to the space in which the work was shown, while Minimalism established space as the work in itself. Since then, stimulating considerable controversy, installations have been challenging perceptions of the ephemeral and of the surrounding space. They have provided material for reflection on the relationships between the space and the work of art, as well as on the mechanisms of the art world. The organization of space is based on the artist's choice. It determines the dialectical relationship between the artist and the spectator. The interactive relationship between art and life - established through an appropriate transformation and articulation of space - began an artistic mode that was something entirely apart. This course will address historic and contemporary installations by considering the role of space. We will discuss space, materials and site, focusing on several themes: enclosure of space; sculpture in the expanded field; public/private space; overloaded space; interactive space; immersive space; and construction/deconstruction.
Contact Hours: 45
The industrial revolution made new forms of technology and mass communication possible, allowing not only for the mechanical reproduction of the image and its circulation on a large scale, but also new materials, new processes, and new media. These developments have had a decisive impact on visual culture, on aesthetic categories, and on the status of the image. The aesthetic revolution began in Montmartre in the 1880s, reached a climax in SoHo in the 1960s, and continues to shape visual culture and aesthetic debates today. What status does the image have? What is the difference between a Brillo box produced by industrial means and one produced by Andy Warhol? Does a distinction between high art and kitsch still matter in the age of Pop? How have the transformations in visual and material culture affected the productive activity of artists, or conversely, how does artistsâ activity take up and critically remark upon these transformations? How has the Pop aesthetic translated and transmuted in contemporary global culture? These are the kinds of questions that this course will explore.
Contact Hours: 45
This course is an introduction to the history of photography from the 1960s up to the recent practices of photographers and artists working with photographic technologies in the context of postmodernity. It will explore a broad range of contemporary photographs from around the world. The primary task of the course will be to familiarize the student with the key figures in the photographic history and the artistic movements of the period. By doing this, we shall observe how the media increased and changed. Over the last three decades photography managed to become a fully recognized art form. It entered galleries, museums, libraries and private collections as a highly valuable object. The medium seems to have entered the realm of fine arts. We shall evaluate the relationship between photography and the visual arts in general. One of the key questions for analysis will concern the increasing permeability of boundaries between media. We will pay particular attention to the impact of digital technologies on the medium. We will engage in discussion and debate regarding the meaning, relevance and significance of both theoretical developments and actual practices.
Contact Hours: 45
This course will present the works of those artists who have, at different moments, and for diverse reasons, sought to shock and anger the general public, the art establishment, and even the media. How and why is an artistâs work declared obscene? Who makes the decision? Specific incidents will be examined to see how they developed by exploring the different factors involved. How they concluded will also be scrutinized. This series of lectures is concerned with the interfaces between art and the public, and art and the art establishment. It will evoke the often mutual lack of comprehension that can exist between artists and the mass media, as well as the problematic and troubled interfaces between art and society.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Communication Design | Course #: FCMD 0204 | Open
Pre-requisite: Typography I or equivalent course.
The second part of this yearlong course builds on the fundamental typographical forms and functions acquired during Typography 1. The course extends the vocabulary and approaches more complex problems related to typographic hierarchy, context, sequence and scale. A deeper exploration of typography behaves across media will be the opportunity for students to experiment on complex typographical systems, implementing applications in private or public space, environment, or digital time-based projects.
Contact Hours: 45
For decades, typography has been everywhere. As the art of visual language, typography is inherently communicative. Spoken language is ephemeral and intangible. When written, language is captured in a visual and spatial form, permanent and concrete. Students discover the domain of typography, gain familiarity with typographical language and terms, and learn to work with typefaces for printed matters and digital use. The course will recall the history of typography, from the tradition to contemporary uses and students are introduced to digital typesetting and page layout software.
Contact Hours: 30
2.0 Credits
Communication Design | Course #: FCMD 0221 | Open
Pre-requisite: Graphic Design I, or equivalent course.
This course is the second part of year long course for sophomore students studying Communication Design.
Contact Hours: 45
This course provides a basic understanding of how to conceptualize and execute sound design across a variety of media including Web Sites, Installation Art, Games, Advertising, and Film. Students will be required to learn techniques in order to create original sound design elements at an intermediate level. This course addresses basic concepts pertaining to sound and digital audio; while also exploring how sound impacts human perception. Emphasis will be placed on learning practical techniques in creating original sound assets for integration with other media.
Contact Hours: 30
4.0 Credits
Communication Design | Course #: FCMD 0301 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore Core studios. Semester 1 or equivalent are prerequisite for semester 2.
This junior level studio course builds on sophomore year's curriculum by contextualizing general design theory and practice to each student's areas of interest. Social responsibility, sustainability, intellectual property, ethics and business practices are introduced into the design process. Research and ideation are integral components of this class, as it prepares students for their senior thesis project. Students apply this to projects for an industry sponsor, NGO/non-profit organization, or competition.
Contact Hours: 45
Through the exploration of traditional printing techniques (such as silkscreen, stencil, block printing etc.) and the combination of them with digital processes, students will design large format printed visuals, focusing on the interaction between typography and photography or illustration.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Communication Design | Course #: FCMD 0342 | Open
Pre-requisite: "Type: Core Concept and Design," or equivalent.
This course is aimed to equip students with a deeper understanding of typography, from its design to its composition. Typography is everywhere: publications (printed or digital), packaging, wayfinding systems, advertising etc. The class will focus on how handling, in detail, typographical compositions applied to these different media and in different sizes (from the very small to the very big). The line, the paragraph, the page and the multi-page product will be studied. A specific vocabulary related to deep typographical concept will be acquired: (not exhaustively) leading, kerning, tracking, hyphenation, white spaces, break characters etc. An historical overview of the evolution of the typography will be also covered, supported by lectures on case studies.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Communication Design | Course #: FCMD 0350 | Open
Pre-requisite: Type: Core Concept and Design or equivalent
The course studies how brands establish their territory, how they grow, prosper, adapt, evolve, stumble and bounce back. Topics we will explore include: naming, logo design, corporate identity, advertising, marketing, merchandising. During the course, students will approach and discuss how to support the online presence of a brand. At the end of the course students will be able to analyse existing brands, evaluate their performance, and propose repositioning strategies that take into account the latest trends.
Contact Hours: 45
For high end brands, printed material, and in particular books, are extremely valuable. These books are not sold, most of the time they are sent, given to business partners, journalists, publicists, in order to advertise or re-position the brand, and to offer a renewed and creative vision. The purpose is to spark interest. These objects stay with the brand over time, marking a moment, but also looking into the future of the brand itself. They will be published on the occasion of an anniversary or the launch of a new series of products, or a seasonal collection… Starting from the analysis of a brand and its values, the students will be asked to create a book-object in coherence with the values of the brand and translating the brand concept into a printed product. The layout and the materiality of the book will exist through a tight dialogue: typography and image editing will be as important as the choice of the paper or the binding, in order to create an innovative and surprising concept for a book. Basic knowledge of InDesign and basic skills in typography and layout composition are needed.
Contact Hours: 30
This studio course explores the use of type and image in spatial contexts: retail design, exhibition design, signage or way-finding systems. It considers the tools and skills of typography, color, images and composition in relation to the human experience of three-dimensional space.
Contact Hours: 45
This course is an introduction to human-centered design methods. Drawing on cultural and social sciences, the course gives an overview, both theoretical and practical, of the different techniques that can be deployed throughout the design process in order to ensure the fit between the design of products and services and the material and socio-cultural contexts in which these products and services are ultimately used and experienced. As such, the course aims at providing students with a theoretical framework to understand socio-cultural and material contexts as well as the practical and analytical tools to explore them.
Contact Hours: 45
The Arts & Culture Management senior year 2-credit course gives an overview of arts and culture professions, from art dealer to auction house operator, investigates how the art market operates and what are the changes that information technology brings about in terms of curatorial practices, fundraising and collection management.
Contact Hours: 45
Managing a fashion collection implies understanding the various steps necessary to produce and sell a designer’s concept. If a person on that chain does not do his/her job properly and on time, the item may not make it to the store. Whoever is interested in “fashion”, a fashion designer or a retailer for example, needs to know the fundamentals of how a fashion collection comes together and how it makes it to the store. Students learn about fashion logistics, the financial aspects of fashion and the relation to retail spaces.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0206 | Open
Pre-requisite: foundation core studios - semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
This course teaches fashion hand drawing techniques mainly from live fashion models; first it will focus on body proportions, body details and body movement to later concentrate on the stylized fashion figure, allowing students to synthesize and create their own ideas. Students will analyze the behavior of the fabric on the body, how different types of clothing hangs and reacts to movement. Volume and perspective will be a subject of study through lights-shadow and forth-shortening techniques, which help students to situate their fashion figures in the space and prepare them to design clothes as soft sculpturesÂÂ, a bridge from 2D to 3D.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0208 | Open
Pre-requisite: foundation core studios - semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
Practical application of appropriate computer software is a must to meet the demands of a hectic fashion market. This course explores CAD software techniques used in the fashion industry to enrich the possibilities of communication skills. Students will learn how to use vector drawings to create technical flats of garments, and basic rendering textile techniques to enhance digital image presentation.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0211 | Open
Pre-requisite: Foundation core studios - Semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
Students are trained to fully explore and exploit various multi- and interdisciplinary sources in order to creatively apply investigative research to a conceptual design process. Students use sketchbooks as documentary tools and through market research gain awareness of fashion and design products and market categories as well as with current issues in international fashion. The second semester includes different methods and conceptual techniques for implementing effective design directions.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0241 | Open
Pre-requisite: Foundation core studios - Semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
This course introduces the 3D form, fabrics and basic garment construction. Through the practice of draping muslin on the mannequin, fabrics workshops and analysis students learn how 2D materials become 3D forms. The foundation of pattern shapes: bodices, skirts, sleeves, and collars are covered as are essential technical skills and garment assembly techniques. Weekly briefs encourage intensive 3D research and exploration of a variety of methods and techniques. The course initiates a flexible, experimental and critical approach towards materials, volumes, and shapes from which design concepts emanate in an individual, personal, problem-solving process.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0298 | Open
Pre-requisite: Foundation core studios - Semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
Students develop an understanding of professional pattern making, metric pattern cutting, and drafting skills. They learn about the architecture of garments and the technical implications of flat construction for the fit and construct basic patterns for skirts, trousers, bodices, dresses, shirts, sleeves, hoods and collars. In the second semester, more advanced methods and techniques are explored. Individual design projects encourage students to experiment with patterns and construct the garments.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0321 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore core studios - Semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
Junior Design Studio integrates draping and pattern making as a means of achieving the students own designs and realizing them as finished garments. Focus is on the process of executing a design concept from its 2D form, including layout, cutting, construction, fitting, and finishes. Through technical projects, students continue to develop their skills. In the second semester students follow professional sample procedures to develop a garment from an original design under the direction of the instructor and a external designer critic. At the end of the semester they produce a 3 look collection that serves as preparation and practice for collection line-up and time management.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0331 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore core studios - Semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
This class focuses on digital tools for fashion design and fashion illustration. Students use Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign to prepare concept boards and collection concepts completed with scanned sources and original artwork. Exploring a variety of digital design and presentation methods, students will focus on developing new design concepts for defined niche markets; project briefs will involve research and style analysis of a French couture house or a European luxury brand. Applying digital communication and presentation skills, students will develop a new contemporary vision for an innovative product range and their own graphic identity presented in a professional PowerPoint presentation.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fashion Design | Course #: FFAS 0333 | Open
Pre-requisite: Semester 1 is prerequisite for semester 2.
This course teaches students how to generate and develop various highly individual design concepts related to specific, identified market levels and product segments. Different principles of collection work and collection concepts are applied to set project briefs. Methods of presentation in relation to the fashion design portfolio enhance appropriate visuals for the fashion design process. Observational fashion, design, and trend research sketchbooks form part of this course, as well as external project briefs, which are reviewed and assessed by professionals from the French fashion and clothing industry (e.g. Designer Critic Project).
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0202 | Open
Pre-requisite: Foundation Core studios/2D Studio I
Working away from the stretched canvas to different structures and surfaces, exploring scale and more site-specific projects, introducing the notion of space within a 2D context, this course will address in class systematically formal painting issues, i.e.; texture, mark, scale, color, composition etc. These issues will accompany important themes in Contemporary Art without replacing them.
This undergraduate painting course aims to enable each student to pursue their ideas in and around painting in all its forms in the most committed, imaginative and experimental way. Work may manifest itself in a wide variety of different mediums and materials. This course engages with and contributes to the change and development in the expanded field of art. Although its core concern is with practice, it promotes the hybrid nature of current art practices by exploring the boundaries of, and the interface between, art and critical ideas. Furthermore this class aims to develop the individualization of the students' pictorial language.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0206 | Open
Pre-requisite: Foundation Core studios/Sophomore Sculpture 1
Following the first semesters discussions on independent practice, the spring semester will focus on strengthening students personal artistic language and ability to locate and isolate relevant research topics either through intuitive, logical or thematic thinking. Sculpture will be approached as a process of materializing and actualizing connection to Spaces and Objects (including politics, humans, histories...) and will reassess classical connotations of sculptural form by opening them to a wider range of issues coming from video, architecture, document and research approaches to art-making.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0208 | Open
Pre-requisite: Foundation Core studios/Sophomore Drawing I
This course is designed to build on existing technical knowledge and skills, facilitating a more focused approach to the relationship between creative technology and practice. The course seeks to explore drawing within contemporary fine art practice. The workshops will focus on the process of drawing as concept, drawing as subject matter, drawing to create or define context, drawing as source and resource to develop a personal expressive language.
The aims of the course are to extend advanced and technical knowledge, to encourage a broad range of unfamiliar materials, process and to facilitate experimentation. Research methods will be introduced to support your projects and to encourage a critical approach/response to ideas. Instruction is delivered through studio sessions, site work, teaching events and demonstrations, and coordinates thematically with other coursework in the sophomore year curriculum.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0210 | Open
Pre-requisite: Foundation Core studios/Sophomore Video 1
The video course is organized as a creative workshop, where students are encouraged to engage quickly in a personal research. A strong involvement is necessary to achieve any 4D project including in class tutorials and independent work. Based on the acquired technical skills from the fall semester, this course will continue to develop filming, recording and editing tools, based on the students personal research and accumulated images. Interactive software such as Max/ msp /jitter or Isadora will be introduced allowing temporal modifications and arrangements. Prerequisites : Foundation Core studios/Moving Image 1
Contact Hours: 45
Music and technology have become intricately intertwined over the last century. Musicians use a variety of technological tools to create music today and having knowledge of how these technologies work is crucial to musicians. Technology has shaped the music-making process and made it more accessible to more people. This course is designed to give non-musicians the tools to work with audio software to create their own audio. The course will provide fundamentals in music theory, acoustics, digital and analogue audio systems, critical listening, creative studio techniques and audio production practice. This course is available to undergraduate students only.
Contact Hours: 30
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0306 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore year sculpture/Junior Sculpture 1
This course aims make aware students of certain issues in contemporary sculpture and gives them the technical and conceptual means to develop a more personal language and identity. Students are encouraged to experiment with different approaches, media and concepts and continue to explore technical skills necessary to conceiving and executing sculptural work. Over the course of the semester students are encouraged to develop and pursue a personal sensibility within their artistic research.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0310 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore Core Studios/Studio Concepts 1
The Studio Concepts course challenges and encourages the students to explore the different creative processes and contemporary artistic practices. Open to research all media ranging from painting, drawing to photography and video, from objects, sculpture to installations and any un-familiar propositions, the students may experience and develop their ideas that emerge spontaneously out of experimentation and process. Through research and reference the students need to justify and document their ideas and proposals. The projects will include concepts and process; develop context and ideas.
The aim of the studio concept course is to encourage and enable students to create an individual and critical approach/response to ideas and tasks, spanning all disciplines and to assure an underlying connection to the student's construction and deconstruction of their chosen areas and personal practice.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0314 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore Core Studios & Digital skills
The spring course will introduce students on the various concepts, methodologies and tools within the context of live video production, live performance and interactive installations. Students will approach the different possible temporal modalities of broadcast image: real time, deferred, linear or disruptive continuity and the influence of these temporal modalities on the space and place of the audience. Students will be introduced to the reference software max/msp/jitter, a graphical programming environment dedicated to the processing of media images, sounds and data.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0318 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore year painting/Painting Interactions 1
In order to evolve and discover new pictorial horizons painting today must remain open to the possibility of a dialogue with the wide range of multidisciplinary influences that are available. Where once the field of exploration was defined by the rigueur and strict dictates of a formal training, the strength of painting today lies in its flexibility to use such a training and adapt to the influences of other 2D and 3D disciplines and the pictorial possibilities that they offer as art experience. The possibility to create an art experience through research, experimentation and interaction are the key components in the junior year in painting. With this as a core component the dynamics of painting are explored through a variety of set projects designed to stimulate the individual imagination.
Contact Hours: 45
The class is aimed to explore the medium (book), in all its meanings/forms, focusing on the relationships between the content and the container, the inside and the outside, internal and external structure(s).
A book is not content OR shape, but content AND shape. The materiality is part of the project.
In conceiving a piece in a book-form, the process has to take in account the permanent dialogue between all the elements composing the whole : texts, images, paper, ink, grids, typeface, chapters, titles, captions, format, size, number of pages... all this gathered in a hierarchy that takes the form of a network.
Starting with the decomposition of an existing book, going through the recomposition of the existing in a new form, to finally conceive and realize their own book, students will approach the medium with an apparent technical methodology, which will lead them to discover the almost endless richness and complexity of the book structure.
A book is not content OR shape, but content AND shape. The materiality is part of the project.
In conceiving a piece in a book-form, the process has to take in account the permanent dialogue between all the elements composing the whole : texts, images, paper, ink, grids, typeface, chapters, titles, captions, format, size, number of pages... all this gathered in a hierarchy that takes the form of a network.
Starting with the decomposition of an existing book, going through the recomposition of the existing in a new form, to finally conceive and realize their own book, students will approach the medium with an apparent technical methodology, which will lead them to discover the almost endless richness and complexity of the book structure.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0328 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore year drawing, advanced drawing skills
This course will focus on making drawings as a process of investigation and experimental practice. Through set projects students discover new forms of expression, possibilities for mixing media and ways to appropriate the act of drawing. Each exercise is contextualized and provides the starting point for discussion. Over the course of the Semester students will discover potential for their personal work and contribute to the design and content of the course in the Spring Semester. Classes include events and collaborations inside and outside of the school expected to generate new ways of thinking about drawing.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0335 | Open
Pre-requisite: Sophomore year sculpture
This course will focus on the making of sculptural form and installation work with clay, in the art context, and shall encourage the use of varied mediums and materials to combine with clay. It is based on the exploration of different subject matters and the acquisitions of technical skills. This second semester will be focusing on production of sculptural or installation works
The program is set up to help each student to develop a personal vision through sculpture and installation in clay: - By discussing their motivations and contextualizing their work. - By developing their abilities to choose the most suitable technique and the most appropriate medium to use for a project.
Contact Hours: 30
This course encourages students to develop their personal projects experimenting with one or more printmaking techniques based on the idea of the Multiple. With the principles of the Multiple, students will consider how printmaking offers a vast field of research, experimentation, processes and outcomes that dwell in the possibility to produce multiple copies out of one. Students will be encouraged to mix digital and mechanical processes. Attention will be given on developing new forms of printing opening it to original surfaces as fabric, metal, wood, or plastic for example. The aim is to go beyond the limits of a two dimensional design and to open it to the third one.
Contact Hours: 30
This course takes the term 'creative writing' to mean: finding creative ways of using language not to establish a writing practice but exploring the possibilities of writing as a form of artistic expression in its own right. Through a variety of experimental writing processes and methodologies including notation, transcription, constrained writing and productive reading, students will engage with creative writing forms and respond within the context of their artistic practice and process. For example, students will make daily notations using drawing or sound, and observe how this process can produce a body of work without any written sentences. In other words, how we generate writing will be just as important to us as what those methods and procedures produce.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 0404 | Open
Pre-requisite: Prerequisites: Junior Core Studios or equivilent.
Senior Concentration is the synthesis of studio practice and theory. Senior year students will work independently to produce a conceptually coherent body of work expressing their individual artistic identity. Tutorials, guest lecturers and group critiques offer guidance and support as students focus on their chosen media, modes of expression, and research interests. The coursework culminates in a student presentation, final exhibition and assessment by a guest jury, during which students must consider issues of self-editing, display, and public presentation.
Contact Hours: 45
TBA
Contact Hours: 30
2.0 Credits
Fine Arts | Course #: FFAR 3393 | Open
Pre-requisite: Beginning, Intermediate Scuplture
TBA
Contact Hours: 30
Building on the practical knowledge acquired in in Materials and Dimensions I students develop their ideas with more autonomy whilst being supported by the technical expertise of their instructors. In this course students focus on the relationship between design, process and final outcome in 2-Dimensions. After an introduction to color theory and symbolism, students learn about color through print. Students are taught to question and analyze the image-making process. Through set assignments students explore different media and techniques and learn how to select the most effective methods to communicate their ideas.
Contact Hours: 45
Building on the practical knowledge acquired in Materials and Dimensions I students develop their ideas with more autonomy whilst being supported by the technical expertise of their instructors. With a specific focus on âÂÂThe Bodyâ students are introduced to the many ways that the human form is central to art and design practices, whether it is in the design of clothes, products, buildings, or furniture. Students gain an understanding of the different possibilities for 3D Design (architecture, fashion, product design, furniture, fine art sculpture) Projects are based on investigations into how the physical structure, dimensions, and the functions of the human body inspire and direct the design of forms. The influence of context and environment on the generation and development of ideas will be essential to the work. Students experiment with the potential and limitations of materials and different material combinations.
Contact Hours: 45
Students develop projects with a growing complexity, employing the computer less as a tool and more as a medium to be manipulated with greater confidence and control. The aim of the course is to create an awareness of the potential for digital techniques to solve visual and communication problems. Advanced skills are taught during the Semester that support and encourage an ambitious approach to the digital field. Students integrate digital and non-digital practice and explore mixing different software and media. All projects are contextualized with examples of work by contemporary artists and designers who are working with digital media. By the end of the course all students are confident to use digital tools as part of their creative work.
Contact Hours: 45
Students explore their immediate neighborhood and the city at large as a site of inspiration. The city and its spaces become an extended classroom. Students respond to a theme designed to encourage interaction and integration with their surroundings and new, unexpected ways of looking at their environment. Site visits, walks, lectures, readings, and practical exercises guide students through different approaches to the creative process with the aim that they develop their own methodologies and engage with the city as potential artists and/or designers.
Contact Hours: 45
Students require the fluency and confidence in the act of drawing developed in Drawing I in order to engage in more ambitious work. Professional drawing classes are designed to relate directly to art and design specialisms (Fine Art, Illustration, Fashion, Interior Design, Communication Design and Photography). Students are encouraged to take a self-motivated and questioning approach to drawing; equipped with the basic skills they become increasingly open to experimentation and the potential to communicate in many forms. Through a series of workshops stereotypical ways of thinking and seeing are challenged so that students understand drawing as an activity that continues to be relevant and re-invented.
Contact Hours: 45
This course aims to introduce and explore the basic components and systems that define the built environment: structure, envelope, floors, walls, roof, stairs, windows, doors, environmental systems (including plumbing, electricity, ventilation, telecommunications, lighting, etc). Over the semester, each session is to address a particular component or system in detail (from exemplary references to technical aspects to graphic representational codes). Sustainability issues and energy-saving systems will also be studied.
The course as a whole intends to provide students with a comprehensive and thorough overview of the numerous aspects and characteristics which need to be considered when developing an interior design project. Bridging with Project Fundamentals 1 and 2, the course will allow students to understand how these components and systems co-exist and interface within the built environment.
Contact Hours: 45
In Project 2, students will focus on the design of temporary retail and exhibition spaces, including trade show exhibits, pop-up stores or corporate / public events. The art of display, lighting, visual and sound communication, color schemes, and materials selection to generate a complete sensory experience for the customers / visitors will be emphasized. Guest experts and suppliers will introduce professional reality in this studio course.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
French Language | Course #: FLIB 3400 | Open
Pre-requisite: Course taught in French - intermediate level required.
Ce cours a pour objectif de fournir aux etudiants les connaissances necessaires pour comprendre la culture francaise mais egalement d’approfondir leurs connaissances linguistiques. Le cours portera sur differents aspects de la culture francaise : faits historiques et politiques marquants, courants intellectuels, economie, mouvements artistiques et vie quotidienne. Les etudiants auront l’opportunite grace a des visites de se familiariser avec l’architecture et les monuments de la ville, mais ils pourront egalement decouvrir les institutions culturelles et artistiques ainsi que la vie professionnelle a Paris. Les discussions seront nourries par la lecture d’articles de journaux, par des analyses litteraires, des documents audio-visuels ainsi que grace a des rencontres avec des professionnels et historiens de l'art. Une partie du cours sera consacree a des revisions de grammaire et des exercices de composition. Le cours est dispense en francais. Pre-requisite: Placement
Contact Hours: 45
In this intermediate-level course, students will focus on their speaking, reading, listening and writing skills. Students will realize multimedia projects in French: illustrated articles, sound creations, video portraits, filmed interviews... The implementation of these projects will consolidate grammar and vocabulary, and extend students' written and oral communication skills. Projects will be published on the class website. French culture and literature will be used to develop critical thinking in a foreign language. By the end of this course, students should be able to communicate in French in simple real-life situations. Class will be conducted in French.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
French Language | Course #: FLIB 4415 | Open
Pre-requisite: Course taught in French - intermediate/advanced proficiency required.
A partir d’une selection de courts et longs metrages, nous tenterons de decouvrir et de definir ce qui constitue le cinema francais. Nous etudierons son histoire, de l’invention et des debuts du cinema (les vues des Freres Lumieres, "Le Voyage dans la lune" de Melies (1902) jusqu’aux films les plus recents, tel "Ni le ciel ni la terre" de Clement Cogitore realise en 2015. Nous explorerons egalement les differents univers et genres du cinema francais (muet, parlant, Nouvelle Vague, film social, aventure et comedie populaire) mais egalement son economie et ses « acteurs » (realisateurs, chefs operateurs, decorateurs, musiciens, comediens, critiques…). Lors de chaque session, nous discuterons des choix des cineastes tant sur le plan artistique, narratif qu’ethique. Les etudiants seront amenes a une reflexion faisant appel a l'ecrit (redaction de critiques) mais aussi a des recherches personnelles (trouver eux-memes des extraits de films pertinents). Il s'agira aussi d'interroger les techniques et les outils (la pellicule, la video, le digital) pour saisir les enjeux esthetiques des nombreuses mutations du medium cinema.
Contact Hours: 45
Paris Inside/Out is a one-credit course consisting of visits to art and design exhibits, as well as meetings with artists, artisans and designers in Paris. The course will use a wide approach by including a variety of artistic fields, thus allowing students to draw inspiration from any discipline. The course will be held every week in a different location in Paris.
Students are free to participate in as many visits as they wish, however a minimum of 5 visits are required to pass the course. A 1-page essay will be written for each visit, and must be submitted within two days of the visit, along with either a photo or an illustration. The professor will regularly select an essay that will be published in LOOP. At the end of the semester, students will be asked to present in class a personal work inspired by one of the visits during the semester.
This is a pass/fail course.
Contact Hours: 15
This year-long course is designed to improve critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. Students learn to understand the inherent argument and logic of a text, to think more systematically and critically, and to write more effectively by developing skills in the structure, grammar, and mechanics of writing. Students also work toward the more focused goal of situating design and art practices within larger intellectual, historical and philosophical frameworks by exploring the indissoluble connection between ideas and the products of human culture. This is achieved by introducing students to texts representing and describing various methodologies applicable to art and design, which can then be used to critique and analyze visual and material artifacts.
Contact Hours: 45
This course acquaints students with the neighborhoods, cultures, people, customs, institutions and organizations in Paris through a thematic approach based on three main modules: the city and its history; the literary and artistic representations of the city; the city, its citizens, and its future. Students will learn about key moments in French history, from the Romans on, via the Middle Ages, the Revolution, Haussmannization, and May 1968; they will be introduced to such themes as political migrations and colonialism, and will explore the city from a variety of points of views including literary and artistic exchanges, urban history, architecture, and ecology. Active exploration of the environment is strongly encouraged and learning is accomplished through a variety of means: site visits, the examination of texts and images, and first-hand encounters with museums, galleries, and libraries, as well as other art and design-related resources in the city.
Contact Hours: 45
French for Paris is a course open to beginners who would like to expand their knowledge of French culture and develop their listening & speaking skills. The course will cover specific themes relating to everyday life in Paris, its history, its culture and the arts. Emphasis will be placed on phonetics (rhythm, intonation, liaisons, silent letters & some specific French sounds) as well as everyday vocabulary and exchanges. Different subjects will be developed over the semester: cultural life in Paris, French cinema, French and Francophone cuisine, as well as music. Students will be able to engage in short conversations, and will practice describing themselves and their environment along with their studies and artistic practice. Visits in French will be organized. Conscientious completion of homework and class participation is emphasized; a website has been specially designed to accompany students throughout the semester (readings, targeted grammatical exercises, podcasts, phonetics, etc.) Class will be conducted in French.
Contact Hours: 45
This course focuses on how design processes, design products, and design discourse are interrelated. It encourages students to reflect and write critically about design and provides them with a foundation in research methods that impact design practice. Readings from leading designers, theorists and historians lead students to situate their own approaches to design within a swiftly changing contemporary context, while visual materials and visits to design-related exhibitions allow them to broaden their base of design references.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Liberal Studies | Course #: FLIB 2250 | Open
Pre-requisite: Intermediate level French required.
French Language and Culture is a course open to anyone who has some knowledge of French and would like to improve their listening & speaking skills. The course will cover specific themes such as Paris and its architecture, French cinema, French artists and artistic movements, as well as professional life in Paris. Students will develop key vocabulary in order to be able to communicate orally in French in everyday life situations, as well as in professional settings. Using a variety of materials, students will learn how to tell a story, make a description of their work and practice, talk about a personal experience or project, and give their opinion. Four museum guided tours in French will be organized during the semester. Conscientious completion of homework and class participation is emphasized; a website has been specially designed to accompany students throughout the semester (readings, targeted grammatical exercises, podcasts, phonetics, etc.) Class will be conducted in French.
Contact Hours: 45
Students are introduced to basic photography using color materials. Through a year-long study, they learn to master camera controls and film exposure in the format of their choice. Ambient and artificial lighting as well as their impact on various emulsions are examined with an eye towards producing high quality digital color prints, color C-prints and transparencies. Emphasis will be on developing a personal approach and vision using color materials. Exposure to historical antecedents, contemporary readings and criticism are integrated into the course.
Contact Hours: 45
This portraiture course is designed to guide and assist the student during the various steps of the creative process. Students will propose a personal photographic project (outlined in writing) at the beginning of the semester and continue to work on it over the course of 15 weeks, culminating in a finished body of work for a gallery show or book. Students will receive feedback and guidance on a weekly basis and are guided individually in regards to personal photographic skill levels. The course will explore the theme of portraiture: self-portraiture, conceptual, candid and street portraiture. At the end of the semester, students will be asked to give an oral presentation of their work.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Photography | Course #: FHOT 0231 | Open
Pre-requisite: Semester 1 or equivalent are prerequisites for semester 2.
This seminar addresses the creative process as well as the technique and critique. Throughout the semester students will work in the studio and field in order to create a personal project (16 images total) with the theme of " ", "Fine Art Photography inspired by science" or " " (the student can select one or more these themes as long as there is a total of 16 photographs produced for this class). I will be inviting the students to ‘make connections’- by exploring books, films, exhibitions, and discovering emerging talent in today’s fine art photography, mixed with appropriation and science inspired works. By semester’s end an elegant and cohesive 16 image photographic portfolio will have been produced. What is essential will be to deepen visual sensibilities and discover new ways of seeing. Prerequisites: Semester 1 or equivalent are prerequisites for semester 2.
Contact Hours: 45
2.0 Credits
Photography | Course #: FHOT 0233 | Open
Pre-requisite: Lighting Techniques 1
Part two of a year long course of learning and mastering the fundamental techniques of studio lighting. The students become familiar with how to create traditional, practical lighting scenarios in a studio and also in an outdoor environment using multiple light sources while mixing studio electronic flash with outdoor light. Electronic flashes and tungsten lights will be used to achieve control of color, contrast and reflection. Emphasis is placed on understanding light and of mastering the technical aspects of the lighting equipment. Lighting techniques are demonstrated and applied in class to various assignments. The class is project based. The students will choose their projects from several themes: headshot/ portraits, nudes, outdoor flash portraits, and in-class still lifes.
Contact Hours: 30
2.0 Credits
Photography | Course #: FHOT 0258 | Open
Pre-requisite: Black & White Photography (or equivalent), Introduction to Digital Photography (or equivalent), Digital Skills & Composition (or equivalent)
This year-long course introduces students to the creative and technical possibilities of digital photography. Through demonstrations and hands-on sessions, students learn the fundamentals of Adobe Photoshop to produce effective digital photographs. Students are taken through all the basic processes encountered in digital workflow, from basic scanning and retouching, image enhancement, and printing fundamentals, to RAW file processing and photographic post-production methods.
Contact Hours: 30
The aim of this course is to give students the fundamental skills to execute professional magazine assignments. This practical course includes the most common editorial themes such as: Fashion, Portraiture, Accessory Still Life, Travel and Architecture. Students will work on various shooting projects; in-class fashion shootings with models, in collaboration with the Fashion Seniors, as well as a range of authentic editorial assignments on location in Paris. Thorough in-class critics will follow each photo shoot.
Contact Hours: 45
This is a year-long course building on the Freshman and Sophomore Seminars, serving as a critical and technical exploration of the language and theory of photography. Students will further develop their individual photographic statements while placing their work within conceptual and historical contexts. Students will work on only one project throughout the second semester, culminating in a body of work which will be presented at the end-of-the-term show.
Contact Hours: 45
The Large Format Photography course is devoted to both the technical and creative use of the view camera. Throughout the semester students will work in the studio and field to develop a personal project and perfect technical skills. I will be inviting the students to discover how the view camera is key to contemporary photographic practice by exploring books and exhibitions. By semester’s end an elegant and cohesive portfolio will have been produced. What is essential will be to improve technical skills and find new ways of seeing through large format photography.
Contact Hours: 45
The relationship between photography and text is fundamental to gain a better understanding of the medium’s behavior in the production of meaning. Since the inception of photography images have circulated with text: titles, captions, inscriptions, artists’ statements, press releases etc. Even when they are presented alone, without any sort of accompanying information, on a gallery wall, photographs are invaded by language at the very moment they are looked at, as suggested by Victor Burgin. Also, within art photography there appears to have emerged a subgenre of photo-textual works that deserves greater attention. The aim of the course is to consider bodies of work and theories on the relationship between words and photographs, from the dawn of photography to contemporary practice.
Contact Hours: 30
Applied Volunteer Opportunities
Visiting semester students at PCA have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of short non-credit volunteer activities. This includes assisting at gallery events, fashion week, and working with individual artists in the city. Students return home with a unique and diverse resume of hands-on experience. Further details are provided to students upon arrival.
Course Concentrations & Portfolio Requirements
PCA offers the concentrations below. Students applying for Studio Concentrations should be able to demonstrate some prior experience in their chosen concentration.
Studio Concentrations – portfolio required at application: 10-20 images, submitted via dropbox/web link
- Communication Design
- Fashion Design
- Fine Arts
- Interior Design
- Photography
Other Concentrations – portfolio required at application (see detail):
- Critical Studies – portfolio: writing sample. This may be an assignment completed for a current or previous class; something that the student feels is a representative example of her/his current style and ability.
Courses & Schedule
PCA courses run Monday – Friday. SAI students are free to enroll in any combination of elective courses, but prerequisites for specific classes must be demonstrated through students’ transcripts.
Course Registration
Students choose their elective courses after they have been accepted into the program. As soon as the PCA semester schedule is confirmed, students are asked to complete a Course Approval form, which is used to specify first-choice and alternate-choice courses. Students are free to enroll in any available courses, but most should be within their determined concentration. All posted schedules of classes are tentative and subject to change unless otherwise noted. After registration is complete, any schedule changes must be made during the add/drop period at PCA, which is typically the first week of classes.
| Pre-Departure Calendar | |
|---|---|
| October 1 2020 |
Application Closes Applications accepted after closing as space permits. |
| Within 1 week of acceptance |
SAI Deposits Due $500 Confirmation Deposit (applied toward program fee) $300 Security Deposit (refundable) |
| November 1 2020 |
50% of Total Program Fee Due Students who are accepted and submit SAI deposits after this date will have an amended pay schedule. Either 50% or 100% of Program Fee will be due within 5 business days, based on the deposit payment date. |
| November 15 2020 |
SAI Financial Aid Verification Deadline Students wishing to defer payment until financial aid disbursement must submit the financial aid verification forms to SAI by this date. |
| December 1 2020 |
Balance of Total Program Fee Due |
| On-Site Calendar | |
|---|---|
| January 8 2021 |
Arrival & Housing Check-in Students arrive into Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport. SAI airport pickup is provided between 9:00am and 12:00 noon, and students are transferred to SAI housing. |
| January 9 2021 |
SAI Orientation Mandatory SAI orientation is held at the SAI Paris office and introduces students to their city while covering safety, policies, housing, and culture. |
| January 12 – 14 2021 |
PCA Academic Orientation PCA orientation introduces students to their school and professors, and includes activities to get to know classmates. |
| January 18 2021 |
PCA Classes Begin |
| May 13 2021 |
Final Exams End |
| May 14 2021 |
Program End & Housing Check-out Students must move out of SAI housing by 10:00am to return home or pursue independent travel. |
| SAI Program Fees* | USD |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $120 |
| Security Deposit Refundable at the end of the term. |
$300 |
| Program Fee Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What’s Included). |
$22,700 |
| Optional / Additional Fees: | |
| Optional Private Room Housing Supplement Private room in a shared apartment, with a shared bathroom. |
$3,400 |
| Optional Homestay Housing Supplement Homestay housing in a private room. Includes daily breakfast and 3, 5 or 7 dinners/week. |
3 dinners – TBA 5 dinners – TBA 7 dinners – TBA |
| French Social Security enrollment (mandatory) Paid to PCA upon arrival |
Euro 230 |
| International Mailing Supplement When applicable, students are charged an international mailing supplement to ensure visa paperwork arrives in a timely manner. |
$90 |
*prices are subject to change
Note: certain SAI-affiliated US universities require specific payment arrangements. These may require that some fees are paid by the student directly to SAI, and other fees are paid to SAI by the affiliated university on behalf of the student. If you attend an SAI-affiliated university please contact your study abroad office or speak with your SAI Admissions Counselor for details.
| Budget | Low Est. | High Est. |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare to/from Paris |
$900 | $1,200 |
| Visa |
$350 | $450 |
| Books, Supplies & Course Fees |
$100 / course | $450 / course |
| Meals Includes groceries and eating out. |
$400 / month | $800 / month |
| Personal Expenses | $350 / month | $450 / month |
| Transportation within Paris Public transportation with some taxi rides. |
$125 / month | $150 / month |
| Weekend Travel Cost varies greatly by student. |
$300 / month | $1,000 / month |
This is an SAI 360° Services Program; it includes our full services!
- Program tuition and U.S. academic credit
- Accommodation in carefully selected student housing
- Airport pickup and transportation on arrival day
- Welcome reception and events
- SAI orientation to the host city and school
- SAI staff on-site dedicated to providing personal assistance
- SAI Viva Experience: frequent cultural activities & trips outside host city
- Student health insurance providing full coverage and medical emergency evacuation
- Access to and assistance with international cell phone plans
- 24-hour on-site emergency support
- Farewell event with all students
Pre-departure and Re-entry services
- US-based admissions counselor assigned to you, providing friendly assistance
- Helpful pre-departure tools and resources
- Online student groups to acquaint you with other SAI students
- Assistance with student visa application
- Assistance with financial aid processing
- Need-based SAI scholarships
- Paid registration fees for national re-entry conferences
- SAI Ambassador Program for SAI alumni, with paid internship opportunities
- SAI alumni network
SAI offers all students the Viva Experience: frequent cultural activities, at no extra cost, for participants to get to know their community, city and country. Following is a sample of the activities included in this program. Please note that actual activities may differ.
Welcome Walking Tour
Students are welcomed to their new city through a walking tour of the many Parisian sites, including the Eiffel Tower and the Champs de Mars.
River Seine Boat Tour
Students take a boat tour on the Seine river catching a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Paris’s other famous sights. Following the tour the group takes a stroll along the Champs Elysées and coffee break.
Visit Musée Carnavalet & Walk Through the Marais
Students visit the Musée Carnavelet, a museum devoted to the history of Paris, followed by a stroll through the Marais: the Jewish district of Paris.
Night at the Theater
Students have the opportunity to see a ballet at the historical Palais Garnier.
Day Trip to Reims in the Champagne Region
Students travel as a group by private shuttle to the city of Reims where they visit the numerous Maisons de Champagne in the region along the Route Touristique de Champagne. Students have the chance to taste and purchase Champagne directly from the producer. The trip includes lunch in a local French restaurant.
Farewell Dinner
Students celebrate the end of a successful semester abroad and say their goodbyes over a delicious French meal.
Standard Housing: Student apartment
SAI student apartments are convenient and well equipped, with shared occupancy bedrooms (option to upgrade to private bedroom, if available). Typical residences house 2 – 8 students and contain a combination of private and shared bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and living areas. Furnishings, a washing machine, basic kitchen supplies, bed linens and towels are provided. All apartments are equipped with wireless Internet. Housing assignments are single gender; other housing configurations may be available under limited circumstances. SAI on-site staff is available to respond to any maintenance needs that may arise.
Optional Housing: Family homestay (suspended in Spring 2021)
Students choosing the homestay option will be placed with a local family, which could be an older couple or a family with children. SAI homestay families are thoroughly screened and are accustomed to welcoming visiting students into their homes. Homestays provide a private bedroom in the family home with basic furnishings. Wifi is included, as is access to laundry facilities. Students opting for this more immersive housing get breakfast included as well as the option of a certain number of dinners per week (cost varies).
Passports
Passports should be valid for 3 months after planned departure from France.
Student Visas
In accordance with French law students studying in France for 91 or more days are required to obtain a student visa. Those with French/EU citizenship are exempted. Non-US nationals should consult their local Consulate for information on student visa requirements.
Students must appear in person at a VFS Visa Processing Center to present their student visa application. Visa applicants living in the United States are able to set up their appointment at one of the nine visa centers regardless of their location. VFS Global Centers are located in Washington DC, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In some cases the nearest processing center may be in a neighboring state, which might necessitate air travel. Please plan and budget accordingly. Our Student Visa Office is available to assist students in getting ready for their appointment; SAI provides student visa consulting for all our students at no cost.
About SAI
SAI is dedicated to providing academic and cultural learning experiences abroad that enhance global awareness, professional development and social responsibility. We concentrate our programs in Europe, with a focus on in-depth learning of individual European countries and their unique global role in the geopolitical economy, humanities, and in the arts.