Drexel in France: Ecole Superieure du Commerce Exterieur (ESCE)
Ecole Superieure du Commerce Exterieur (ESCE) is a business exchange program open to majors and minors of the LeBow College of Business as well as students wishing to focus their study abroad on business coursework. ESCE is one of the top French business schools.
ESCE campus is located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, just a few metres away from the Bir Hakeim and Dupleix metro stops. It is situated in the heart of Paris, within walking distance from the Eiffel Tower, in a living quarter comprising more than 22,000 companies. The campus is an international meeting point and ideal setting to pursue ESCE's mission of training young adults in international business.
This program immerses Drexel students completely into French education and culture as they take classes with local French and international students. Many courses at ESCE are offered in English. ESCE may also assist study abroad students in finding a co-op position while in Paris. Students must have already completed one co-op to qualify. As normal, co-ops in France are not guaranteed.
- 3.0 minimum GPA
- Business majors, minors, and concentrations eligible
- Completion of FREN 103
Course Availability
Drexel students can choose from a wide range of business subjects and classes offered in French and in English. Students should consider advancing their French skills by taking additional language classes prior to studying abroad.
* All students are required by ESCE to take a French language course based on a pre-departure online placement test. The French languages courses are worth 4 ECTS credits and can be found in the ESCE course catelog. This French course is not optional and counts as one of the 4 - 5 courses that students take while studying at ESCE.
Use the
2015-2016 Course Catalog to search coursework offered at ESCE. Courses do not change drastically from year to year, so this is a good reference.
Course Equivalencies
This
spreadsheet is a historical list of pre-approved courses Drexel students have taken at ESCE. Students may choose courses from this list, though there is no guarantee they will be offered in the future. If a course on the spreadsheet is not listed in the catalog, there is a strong chance that it will not be offered.
Courses in the catalog that have not been pre-approved need pre-approval by the appropriate department at Drexel. For example, to take an ESCE marketing course for Drexel credit, the Marketing Department must pre-approve a Drexel equivalent course.
Credits and Grading
Students are taught and graded by ESCE faculty. Grades are noted as "CR/NCR" on their Drexel transcript and will not affect their GPA. In order to receive CR, students must earn the equivalent to a "C" or above. Students must take a course load that fits within the full time credit range of both ESCE and Drexel (12 – 20 credits). Students are strongly discouraged from taking the minimum credit requirement.
Fall Semester Dates and Itinerary
| Program Start |
Early September |
| Program End |
Late December |
ESCE has partnerships with residences located in the surrounding areas, which sometimes require a short commute on the metro or bus system. Most of the rooms are one person studios with individual bathrooms and kitchenettes. Reservations must be made with the
International Relations Department and the contracts offered are for fixed durations.
Students can take advantage of sports facilities thanks to a partnership between ESCE and Forest Hill Aqua boulevard, the largest water park in Europe and sports center. It also includes a fitness center with modern and sophisticated equipment, offering fitness and dance classes.
All students are required to obtain a visa for study in France. Visit the
CampusFrance website to create an account and begin the visa application process.
Program Costs
This is a Drexel sponsored program, thus your Drexel tuition and financial aid remain the same during the term abroad. For additional program cost and budget information, please review the Budget Sheet linked above. Students may also want to submit a revised budget to Drexel Central to see if additional funding may be available.
Students who receive Federal Work Study should consider applying for the Study Abroad Online Journalist work study position (only available to students after acceptance).
Scholarships
To seek additional funding, review the Scholarship & Funding Opportunities. Remember that scholarship deadlines may be much earlier than study abroad deadlines, so plan accordingly.
