Region : Nova Scotia
City : Pointe-de-l'Église
Web site : www.usainteanne.ca
Université Sainte-Anne is a francophone university in the southwest area of Nova Scotia, Canada. It and the Université de Moncton in New Brunswick are the only French-language universities in the Maritime Provinces.
At the Université Sainte-Anne, students may pursue the following degrees and diplomas:
Sainte-Anne is known for its French Immersion programs. Programs take place year round including winter, spring and summer intersessions. The program is very strict about using immersion to learn the French language. If a student is caught speaking in any language other than French three times, the student is asked to leave the program, without a refund. The rural location of the university means there are few opportunities for students to congregate outside of earshot, compared to more urban campuses where off-campus outings would provide ample opportunity for communication in English.
Cultural activities and workshops are designed to allow for French to become second nature, even at a beginner level.
The current rector of Université Sainte-Anne is Allister Surette. Jean-Douglas Comeau, dean of the immersion program, employs numerous people known as "les animateurs" who assist with organizing, preparation and execution of the program's activities.
In the French immersion program, offered throughout the year as well as during 5-week summer and spring sessions, there are eight levels of classes. Students are put in these classes based on a two-part (oral et écrit) placement test.
During the summer and spring sessions the levels are:
After completion of Perfectionnement, students receive a bilingual certificate.
However, due to a complete overhaul of the immersion program for the fall and winter university semesters, the new levels are as follows and their equivalents:
After completion of Level 6, students receive a "functional in french" certificate because although students can fully function in French, they are always learning. It is because of this that immersion students are not qualified to receive a "bilingual" certificate. One should note that the immersion program has been compressed to a one and a half year program instead of two. It is also suggested that when attending university in the program of immersion to be wary of participating in spring and summer sessions because since the levels are different, a student may not advance a level upon returning the next university year.
During the spring and summer sessions, a student's level determines what time the class takes place and what workshops are open to him or her. Beginner students may take only conversation, while higher-level students may pick from several. Workshops from the 2006 summer session include:
A regular day during the spring and summer immersion sessions at Sainte-Anne starts off with an hour and a half of class, followed by "La session d'information," which is a thirty-minute presentation by the animateurs and animatrices about the day's activities presented in sketch form. Afterwards, there is another hour-and-a-half class. Afternoon workshops (ateliers) are followed by a sports tournament and an outing activity (sortie). On Friday and Saturday nights there are themed dances (soirées) and on Sunday nights, bonfires (feu de camp).
Sources : Wikipedia, www.usainteanne.ca
