Semester course - French for international relations (SFP2 / SFP2C)
Period
Spring and autumn
Duration
Semester
Required levels
B1 to C1
VISA
SFP2C yes, SFP2 no
The French for international relations course is intended for those who wish to become diplomats or international civil servants, or more broadly to work in an international environment.
Semester of professional French for international relations
Designed in particular to prepare for the professional French diploma “Français des relations internationales”, it strengthens your French with a focus on acquiring the specific skills needed for professional life in a French-speaking international environment or in contact with French speakers.
It is offered in two formats: SFP2, focusing on language and phonetics (150 hours), and SFP2C, which adds 90 hours of French civilisation lectures (240 hours, eligible for a student visa).
Course Objectives
- Improve your command of general French and acquire the language of international relations: vocabulary, registers and codes specific to diplomatic and institutional circles.
- Communicate with ease, both orally and in writing, in the professional situations of a French-speaking international environment.
- Understand the major international issues and, with the SFP2C format, deepen your knowledge of contemporary France, its civilisation and its place in Europe and the world.
- Prepare for the professional French diploma “Relations internationales” awarded by the CCI Paris Île-de-France.
Target audience
Students and professionals who are aiming for a career in diplomacy or the international civil service, or who work or wish to work in an international environment: international organisations, embassies and missions, NGOs, local authorities, internationally oriented companies, media.
Detailed Programme - Choice of Two Formats
Intakes in January (spring) and September (autumn): 12 weeks of classes, Monday to Friday. Total hours: 150 or 240 depending on the format.
| Teaching | Hours | Organisation |
| Language classes | 120 h | 10 hours per week: 2 hours a day, Monday to Friday |
| Phonetics in the laboratory | 30 h | An average of 2.5 hours per week: 1 hour a day, Monday to Friday, every other week |
| Civilisation lectures (SFP2C format only) | 90 h | 7.5 hours per week: 5 lectures of 1.5 hours, Monday to Friday |
| Total SFP2 | 150 h | 12.5 hours per week for 12 weeks |
| Total SFP2C | 240 h | 20 hours per week for 12 weeks, course eligible for a student visa |
Classes may take place between 8 am and 6 pm. The administrative office will do its best to accommodate students who have informed it of any constraints.
Topics covered in language classes
Professional speaking
- Presenting an institution, a mission or a project
- Taking part in a meeting, arguing a case in a negotiation
- Speaking in public and defending a position
- Job interviews in an international organisation
- Telephone and protocol exchanges
Professional writing
- Briefing notes and minutes of meetings
- Institutional emails and letters
- Press releases and talking points
- Organising a protocol event
- CVs and cover letters
Specialised comprehension
- Analysis of the international press
- Study of speeches and institutional texts
- Commentary on country data
- Summary of key points in international current affairs
Highlights
- A communicative approach focused on language structures.
- Numerous role plays and simulations: meetings, negotiations, public speaking.
- Phonetics in the laboratory to gain fluency in speaking.
- SFP2C: 90 hours of civilisation lectures.
- Teaching in line with the CEFR recommendations.
Assessment & Certification
- Continuous assessment and final exam.
- Language certificate awarded upon successful completion.
- Certificate stating the hours attended, issued at the end of the semester.
Prerequisites and Admission Requirements
- This course is open from B1 level, subject to a sufficient number of participants.
- An online placement test assigns a level to students. A specific phonetics test is held on site.
- Minimum age: 18; secondary school leaving diploma or certificate.
- Comply with the residence formalities in France, depending on each student’s situation.
Course Materials
Course textbooks, audio and visual materials, exercise books, reading books, access to online resources, communication materials, cultural documents and materials for group activities.
Visa
With 240 hours per semester, i.e. 20 hours per week, only the SFP2C format meets the criteria for student visa applications (outside the European Union).
Tuition Fees and Registration Procedures
Tuition fees
- SFP2: €2,900
- SFP2C: €3,900
Annual registration fees of €100 are payable in addition.
Registration procedures
- Take the online placement test.
- Pay a deposit of 40% of the tuition fees, together with the annual registration fees of €100.
- Receive the certificate of registration within two weeks of payment of the deposit and receipt of the administrative documents: identity document, translated secondary school leaving certificate, identity photo.
- Pay the balance no later than one month before the start of the course.
Detailed information on registration procedures can be found here.
