The Program

LeBow College of Business provides an excellent opportunity to its MS Finance students to participate in an academic exchange at the Ecole Superieure du Commerce Exterieur (ESCE) in the city of Paris, France. Located in the heart of one of the largest business centers in Europe, ESCE aims to provide the finest training for tomorrow's international business leaders as well as enriching life experiences.  Through this program, LeBow graduate students will enroll in the coursework side by side with French and International students at ESCE. The exchange at ESCE is a fantastic way for LeBow students to understand firsthand an international perspective on their studies, a critical skill for business leaders of the future. Studying at ESCE is also a wonderful way to enhance French language skills. 

Academics

Through its academic program, ESCE develops a strong international, cultural and professional orientation in its students.  Coursework emphasizes interactive learning, case studies, business simulations and team work. Faculty members at ESCE are leaders in their respective fields of research with a particular emphasis in the last decade on the development of research in international trade. The curriculum at ESCE involves two cycles of studies. The first cycle (years one, two and three) corresponds roughly to a BS degree in the United States, and the fourth and fifth years (cycle two) are courses at the Masters level. LeBow graduate students must therefore select their courses from the fourth and fifth year modules. Students are encouraged to select courses with an international focus or coursework that may not be available at LeBow.  Courses are offered in both English and French. Students with a high level of French proficiency are encouraged to select courses taught in French. All exchange participants will participate in French language courses while studying at ESCE.


Sample course offerings include:

Contemporary Market Issues
International Business Negociation
European Business Culture
International Project Management
Managing Across Borders
International Business Development
Navigating Change
Purchasing and International Logisitics
Entrepreneurial Marketing 


Program Options: The exchange at ESCE is only offered to graduate students during the Fall term. Students will need to arrive in Paris in late August which means a likely early departure from summer internships or summer classes at Drexel. Interested students should discuss this issue with their academic advisor before applying to the program to ensure that they are able to arrive in Paris for the start of the program.

Course Equivalencies: As part of the application process, students must obtain course approvals from the relevant departments in LeBow for the courses they intend to complete while studying at ESCE. It is recommended that students approve more courses than they intend to take while studying abroad as course schedules can change or conflict or students may not receive all of their top choices. Students should primarily select elective courses for study abroad and should work closely with their academic advisor in LeBow on the course selections.

Grading: Students are taught and graded by ESCE faculty. Grades are noted as "CR/NCR" on their transcript and will NOT affect their GPA. In order to receive CR students must earn the equivalent of a "B" or above at the host institution. The goal is to be a full-time student at the host institution while also taking the equivalent of a full-time load at Drexel. Students studying for a quarter at ESCE will complete three business courses to maintain their full-time status at LeBow. All students are required to enroll in a non-credit bearing French language course while studying at ESCE.

The Experience

Living and studying in Paris is an amazing opportunity for LeBow students which will give them a unique perspective on one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. ESCE is located near La Defense on the outskirts of the 16th arrondissement of the city. Located near the offices of many of the largest French and international business firms, the ESCE campus is small, but has state of the art facilities for faculty and students including multimedia labs, wireless connectivity on campus, a library, fitness center and student cafes and a restaurant.  

Housing in Paris can be difficult to find and quite expensive. Like many French instititutions, ESCE does not have its own housing, but has established relationships with student residences located near the campus. Most options are simple studio apartments for one person. Information on housing options will be provided to accepted students by ESCE.

ESCE provides a variety of clubs and extracurricular activities for its students, and exchange students are strongly encouraged to get involved in some of the on-campus activities. In addition to activities provided by the school, Paris is full of fantastic opportunities to suit all interests, and motivated participants will find plenty of distractions in the city and nearby suburbs.   

Students participating on the program who are not from the EU will need to obtain a visa prior to their departure. Detailed instructions on the visa process will be provided in the ESCE Welcome Guide for students.