Overview | Academics | Cost | Location | Life Abroad | Student Voices
Co-sponsored by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and International Academic Programs, the exchange program with the Ecole National Superieure Agronomique de Montpellier (SupAgro) is designed to enhance advanced undergraduate and graduate education in both France and the U.S. by providing opportunities for advanced undergraduates and graduate students to do research and study in France in the environmental sciences for one spring semester. As part of the program, students directly enroll in courses at SupAgro. Most courses are taught in French with a few courses being offered in English. Students will also have the option of seeking out research opportunities both within SupAgro and at a variety of science research facilities located in Montpellier.
The program emphasizes cross-cultural environmental and conservation studies. We expect our program to have long-lasting effects on students' career opportunities. By working in alternative cultural and political contexts, students will gain cross-cultural competence and learn to apply interdisciplinary tools to solve real-world problems. This experience should improve your ability to form collaborations and work effectively in an international environment.
Located just ten miles from the Mediterranean coast, Montpellier boasts many cultural activities, manicured parks, and quaint narrow streets. As the administrative capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, Montpellier offers a world rich in Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance history. The people of Montpellier, whether at cafes in the central square or in their own living rooms, mirror the warm and friendly climate. The city, with a population of 250,000, also offers a rich array of international theatre, ballet, concerts, and museums.
Located just ten miles from the Mediterranean coast, Montpellier boasts many cultural activities, manicured parks, and quaint narrow streets. As the administrative capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, Montpellier offers a world rich in Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance history. The people of Montpellier, whether at cafes in the central square or in their own living rooms, mirror the warm and friendly climate. It is a university city, with more then 70,000 students among its 250,000 citizens/ Students also receive discounts to most of its rich cultural life, including theatre, ballet, concerts, and museums.
Getting to Your Program
Students are required to purchase their own airfare for travel to/from their study abroad program.
Visa
A student visa is required. The visa process for can be lengthy; students should begin the process immediately upon notification of visa procedure. Students must have a US passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of the program.
Housing
Students can live in university housing which is located on the La Galliarde campus where students can choose from a single room or studio apartment.
Excursions and Activities
Though excursions are not coordinated directly by the program, SupAgro students organize many trips into the surrounding countryside and cities. Montpellier also affords many transportation options including the SNCF train station with TGV service directly to Paris and Charles DeGaulle airport plus an airport with good connections throughout France and Europe.
Insurance
All participants in IAP programs are enrolled in health insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) and the cost of the insurance coverage is included in program fees.
Handbooks
Use the links below to find out more information on academics, daily life and student impressions for this program.
Montpellier, France SupAgro Student Handbook Spring 2013 (Spring - 2012-13)
Returned Student Network
Click
here to see testimonials from students abroad or to contact a returned student.
The exchange partner in Montpellier is SupAgro, formally known as the Ecole National Superieure Agronomique de Montpellier, is a small, elite, agricultural university that offers a semi-structured Masters program for professional students. It has distinguished faculty who have active research programs and multiple institutional affiliations in Montpellier. The departments are comparable to UW's College of Agriculture (e.g. Soil Science, Plant Protection, Forest Ecology, Wildlife Ecology, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Rural Sociology, Urban Planning, etc.). Exchange students can choose to take several modular (one-at-a-time) courses at SupAgro for UW credit (these are mostly in French, but a few are in English). More advanced students may prefer to focus on research.
The second element in this exchange is independent research. The exchange draws on an unusually broad set of educational and research institutions in Montpellier, ranging from large universities to specialized government research institutes. The affiliated faculty members will work together with participants and their advisor to match them with a host advisor in Montpellier. Participants' research projects should complement, enrich, or extend students' UW undergraduate or graduate research. For students in some MS programs, their Montpellier research may be their Masters project.
Applicants should seek to identify one or more suitable labs in Montpellier at which they could work. Affiliated faculty will help participants make connections and develop a project once the participant has identified candidate labs or advisors. The affiliated UW faculty encourage you to learn more by talking with them, contacting their French colleagues, and exploring the web sites found in the righthand menu.
Affiliate Institution(s)
www.supagro.fr/web/
www.montpellier.infra.fr
www.cefe.cnrs.fr
www.mpl.ird.fr
Foreign Courses
Available Courses
Course Equivalents
Use the links below to see a list of courses that students have taken on this program before and the UW equivalents. Note: this list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses or departments. You will get instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance.
Sort by Foreign Course Titles
Sort by UW-Madison Course Titles
Group by host institution and Sort by Foreign Course Titles
Group by host institution and Sort by UW-Madison Course Titles
