Intensive French in Senegal (UofM Students)

Senegal has long been seen as a crossroads where black African, Islamic, and European civilizations have met, clashed, and blended. Today it is still seen as a bridge between Africa and the West. Yet it is also a place where Senegalese people remain deeply attached to traditional values and cultures. This program is based in Dakar, Senegal's cosmopolitan capital. Heated by the African sun while surrounded on 3 sides by cool Atlantic waters, Dakar has a climate often described as "eternal spring."

This 3-week program provides you with the opportunity to study French in a West African francophone context. The Intensive French in Senegal program can be combined with the MSID Senegal semester or academic year program for an extended experience abroad.

Homestay

Homestays are an integral component of the learning experience and are often a highlight for participants. Your family provides not only housing and most meals, but is also a connection to Senegalese culture. Nearly all families have hosted program participants before and have been chosen for their genuine interest in sharing Senegalese life with you.

Homestay families provide breakfast and dinner daily; you will be responsible for providing your own lunches. Host families can typically accommodate a variety of dietary needs, but if you have severe food allergies and/or restrictions, you should discuss your situation with the program team prior to applying.

Excursions to locations of cultural interest in and around Dakar are included in the program. The program will also include a weekend excursion out to the Lac Rose area.

You will be met at the airport in Dakar (DSS). If you take the group flight, or are able to arrive just before the group flight, our staff will meet you at the airport and bring you to your arrival hotel at no added cost. If you do not take the group flight, we will arrange a taxi for you, but you will need to pay for it on your own. Specific arrival instructions will be sent out prior to your departure.

For immigration purposes, you should purchase a round-trip ticket, since you must be able to show your entry and exit dates from Senegal.

• Foster an understanding of the global context through classroom and experiential learning
• Cultivate awareness and appreciation for diverse communities
• Strengthen communication skills through acquisition of local languages and cultural awareness

A team of dedicated local staff, based in Dakar, work to ensure that your experience is safe, academically enriching, and rewarding. Combined, the Senegal Staff have decades of experience working with students.

Dr. Ousmane Sène, Resident Director

The team is led by Dr. Ousmane Sène, who has been a part of the program since 1995. Dr. Sène chaired the Department of English, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, for 10 years. He received his PhD in literature from the École Normale Supérieure de St. Cloud and the Université Paris III-Sorbonne. He has taught and done research on francophone and anglophone literature at several North American and European institutions. Among his special interests is the portrayal of African social, cultural, and development issues through literature. Dr. Sène is also the Director of the West African Research Association (WARC), the institution housing MSID in Senegal.

Korka Sall, Assistant Director

Korka Sall is the assistant director for the MSID Senegal program and is in charge of the academic planning for the program. In May 2021, Dr. Sall completed a Ph.D. in English from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst). She returned to Senegal after nine years in the US, teaching and taking classes at different universities including UMass Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, and Harvard University. Dr. Sall is a passionate scholar and academic, invested in creating inclusive learning environments, mentoring students, contributing to students’ understanding of themselves as part of a diverse world, and helping them apply transferable skills to their daily life.

Awa Fall, Program Coordinator—Housing & Finances

Marie Guèye, Program Coordinator—Internships 

Papa Samba Niang, Program Coordinator—Student Affairs

• Winter Break 2024–25
• Summer 2024

Pre-Departure Orientations

• Winter Break 2025
• Summer 2024

• Essay
• Transcript

Detailed descriptions and instructions for submitting each checklist item are included on the application checklist assigned to you.

After your application checklist is complete, your application is reviewed by our program team. You will be notified of an acceptance decision by email. If accepted, you will be assigned a confirmation checklist, which you will complete to confirm your participation in the program. If you decide not to continue with the application process, log into the online application system and submit a Cancel Request.

• Gabriel B.—Journalism and Political Sciences majors, French minor, Intensive French Winter Session 2023-24
• Olivia T.—Environmental Sciences Policy & Management major, Intensive French Summer Session 2022
• Sophia H.—Linguistics, Honors, and Global Studies (emphasis on Africa) majors, Teaching English as a Second Language minor, Intensive French Winter Session 2022–23