MUW is a partner institution of the study abroad program known as The Abbey.  The Abbey, a fully restored and modernized edifice in France's Loire Valley, houses exciting semester-long programs.  These programs include a whole range of humanities, fine arts, and social science courses taught in English as well as French-language courses.  Students will also have the opportunity to explore neighboring Pontlevoy, Paris (during a week-long academic excursion to the city), and other European cities (during their spare time).  If The Abbey sounds promising to you, click on the following site:

In addition to semester-long programs, the Abbey offers summer programs. This summer the Abbey Writers' Workshop: A Summer Salon for Poetry, Fiction, and Songwriting in France's Loire Valley will feature three courses. One of those courses will be taught by Dr. Michael Smith, one of MUW's own English professors. This three-week fiction-writing workshop will ask writers to use the Loire Valley and Paris as their inspiration as they do work towards a novel or a short-story collection. Other courses include songwriting and poetry writing.The dates for the program are June 8-29, 2008. The cost, $4099 for undergraduates, includes tuition and fees, transportation associated with the program, round-trip airfare from New Orleans, and accommodations with some lunches. See Dr. Smith for more details.

If you would like to attend The Abbey, please follow this recommended timetable:

1. Make an appointment with Dr. Daffron, the Coordinator of Study Abroad Programs, early in the semester prior to the semester in which you plan to attend the program. You should also consult with your academic advisor and your financial aid advisor about the academic and financial feasibility of the program. If the program seems like a good fit for your goals, submit the on-campus study abroad application.

2. Once your on-campus application has been approved, get program materials from Dr. Daffron and make an appointment with your academic advisor.  At that meeting, review course descriptions, and ask your advisor to fill out course transfer forms for the courses that you plan to take and to send those forms through the proper academic channels.  

3. Make an appointment with your financial aid advisor if you plan to use federal financial aid.  At that meeting, review the cost breakdown, and ask your advisor to help you plan for an increased financial aid package. Also, make plans with your advisor for filling out federal financial aid forms for the next academic year because you may be out of the country when they are due. Finally, ask Dr. Daffron about the availability of study abroad scholarships.

4. Fill out an application for the Abbey in consultation with Dr. Daffron or your advisor, and ask Dr. Daffron to submit that application. You must pay the application fee out of pocket.  If you expect to receive federal financial aid, submit with the application a letter from the Financial Aid Office indicating any expected aid.

5. At pre-registration for the semester in which you plan to attend, sign up for UN 390: Study Abroad for the appropriate number of hours.  This course will serve as a placeholder for you in computer for financial aid and enrollment purposes.

6. On the day set for finalizing fees, you must pay the entire balance on your account at the Comptroller’s Office. 

7. Before departure, you must sign a liability waiver.

8. If you make any changes to your schedule while at the Abbey, you must notify your advisor and me.  Unless you fill out a new course transfer form and it gets accepted, you may not receive proper transfer credit.

9. Upon returning, make sure that the Registrar’s Office has received a copy of your transcript and that you have received appropriate credit.  You will receive an S or a U for UN 390.