Our Seminars at Montpellier
Courses and
Activities
The Montpellier Writing Seminars are administered by the
Glories of France, one
of UNO's longest running and most successful study-abroad opportunities.
Montpellier is a medium sized city, offering students all the advantages of a
dynamic and cosmopolitan city but also the provincial charm of southern France,
just minutes from the Mediterranean beaches. Accommodation is in the co-ed
dormitories of the Université de Montpellier, but writing students may, for a
small increase in cost, also opt for hotel-style accomodations in the downtown
area.
Graduate Writers' Workshop, with Kay Murphy
CATALOG
DESCRIPTION: ENGL 6171 Intensive Fiction Writing 3 cr. Admission by permission
of the department. Training in the writing of short stories and novels, taught
in an intensive (short term) format, in residence. May be repeated for credit.
OR ENGL 6173 Intensive Poetry Writing 3 cr. Admission by permission of the
department. Training in the writing of poetry, taught in an intensive (short
term) format, in residence. May be repeated for credit. OR ENGL 6174
Intensive Non-Fiction Writing Workshop 3 cr. A workshop in advanced
non-fiction writing, taught in an intensive (short term) format, in residence.
May be repeated for credit with consent of department.
PROFESSOR'S
ADDENDUM: This mixed-genre
workshop will focus on participants' writing and revising; we will look at
genres within genres and the many possible hybrids. Participants will be
expected to read closely in all genres and provide both written and oral
critiques of peer work.
Kay Murphy teaches writing in the
UNO Creative Writing Workshop. She is the author of two books, The
Autopsy (Spoon River Poetry Press) and Belief Blues (Portals
Press). Her poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, has appeared in Ascent,
Fiction International, New Orleans Review, North American Review, Poetry,
and has been anthologized in Sweet Nothings: Poetry of Rock and Roll.
Her work appears regularly in The American Book Review and other
literary journals.
Note: this
workshop will also feature readings and manuscript conferences by visiting
writers to be announced.
Other Classes
Available for Graduate Credit
FREN
3404 Special topics in French Civilization J. Cranmer, Academic
Director 2003 ENGL 4390 Comparative Studies (Cross
Listing) The period in France, Known as the "Belle Epoque", from the 1880's
to the beginning of WWI, is well-chronicled in poster images of the Moulin
Rouge and Le Chat Noir by Toulouse-Lautrec, Chéret, Steinlein and others. This
course will take a close look at this period in all its manifestations and
will pay particular attention to the visual, musical, and literary arts of the
time. Myriad new inventions and technological advances opened up possibilities
of transportation and communication never before imagined. Artists and
writers, for their part, rejected the esthetic expectations of the past and
sought new means of expression, while a current of political and artistic
conservatism struggled to maintain the status quo. This course will take a
close look at this period in all its manifestations and will pay particular
attention to the visual, musical, and literary arts of the time. Readings will
be from the works of J.-K. Huysmans, Alfred Jarry, Georges Feydeau, Anatole
France, Marcel Proust, Colette, and Guillaume Apollinaire, among others.
DRCM
4093,94,95 Public Speaking and Special Topics in Rhetoric, M.
Kuss This course will emphasize small group communication, discussion,
listening and evaluation. We will drw on our rich European environments for
topics and discussions emphasizing each student's unique European experience.
This course may be taken in conjunction with the literary reading series for
those wishing to improve their oral communications skills. Graduate students
will be asked to critique other students' work as well as the readings
presented by the professional readers.
DRCM 4540
The
Development of the Cinema, M. Kuss A history of the development of the
cinema from the beginnings to the present day. Emphasis on the artistic,
social, economic and technical phenomena which have influenced the growth of
international films. Particular attention will be paid to the development of
European Cinema from the early 20th century to the present, with emphasis on
the films of Renoir, the French New Wave, the German and Soviet Golden Ages
and the impact of American Film.
In addition to
these classes, writing students may take any of the courses offered in the
Glories of France
program, such as French language at the appropriate level. Click here
to view a complete list of available courses.
. Writing and
literature students are also welcome on any of the weekly field trips to nearby
historic sites such as Carcassone or Barcelona, as well as the trip to Paris.
The program also provides a weekly bus to the nearby beaches, though students
may easily access them on their own.
Other Activities
Readings
and Guest visits: There will be student readings and
also readings by special guest writers who will also visit the workshops on
occasion. This summer Workshop leader Kay Murphy will be joined by Peter Cooley,
Toi Derricotte, and Serge Doubinsky, among others.
Festivals:
Two festivals will be ongoing during your stay in Montpellier. One is a
short train ride away at Avignon. The Festival d'Avignon is a world renowned
gathering of artists in theatre, music and dance. Click here to view
the festival web site. And in Montpellier itself you will find Radio-France, an exciting
annual festival of music and theatre.
Field Trips:
The writing workshops in Montpellier feature several excursions to nearby sites,
including Sete, the burial place of Valery. Included in the program cost is a
weekend excursion to Paris for visits to the Louvre, the Sacré Coeur, the Eiffel
Tower, Notre Dame, the historic Shakespeare and Company, and other Paris' sights
of your choosing. Besides this major trip, one other excursion is offered each
week, with individual professors offering other field trips as needed for their
classes. Likely excursion destinations include the village retreat of Cezanne
and many contemporary artists, Aix en Provence; the Gallo-Roman cities of Nimes
and Arles; the fortified castle of Aigues-Mortes on the coast, where St. Louis
set sail for the Holy Land, beginning the Crusades; and the medieval walled city
of Carcassone, where the movie Robin Hood, with Kevin Costner, was
filmed.
Beaches: Montpellier's Mediterranean beaches are world renowned. Within a short bus ride
of the Glories of France accomodations you will find Palavas, Carnon, or La
Grande Motte, with other options for white sand, blue water, and hot sun nearby
also. It almost never rains in Montpellier, and classes are scheduled to allow
for beach time every day if you feel the urge.
Nightlife and
Culture: Montpellier is a city rich in historical monuments and museums. A
Roman aquaduct runs through the middle of town. The town square, the Place de la
Comédie, is the hub from which the cobblestone streets radiate into the old
city. Along these streets can be found a vibrant nightlife of bistros,
restaurants, and nightclubs.
Graduate
Student Housing Options: As a participant in the Glories of France
2003 program, you will automatically have a room assigned to you in the
student dormitory. This dorm is situated a block away from the university and
cafeteria and it is about 20 minutes walk form the Old Town.Graduate
students will be placed in a separate wing in order to allow more privacy and
quiet for your studies. Keep in mind that you will also be among French
Graduate students living in the dormitory. Normally, our graduate students
find our dormitories very comfortable and convenient to classes, afternoon
activities, and excursions. The rooms are comfortable and well equipped. You have a single bed, a desk, a refrigerator
and a sink in every room. The bathrooms and showers are located down the hall.
These are coed dorms. If you decide to live away from the group, you will
be given an allowance of $150 off the program cost, and you will be in charge
of making your own living arrangements directly. UNO cannot take any
responsibility for problems that arise with your rental. One of the places
you can contact is the Citadines. These are "aparthotels" situated about 40
minutes walk from the university (Citadine St. Odile) and one downtown that
offers air conditioning (Citadine Antigone). Their prices vary depending on
the size of the room or studio you rent (about $1,400.00 for the duration) but
they do have a kitchenette, private bath and are located in very central
places. Contact: http://www.citadines.com/; look under
Montpellier. Another option is a small studio with Bath and kitchen
situated close to the train station. The name is L'Observatoire. This will be
a little less expensive (about $600 for the stay) and it is on a main bus line
that can take you to class in the mornings. Their e-mail is info@residence-lobservatoire.com Please contact Marie Kaposchyn, coordinator, at mkaposch@uno.edu if you decide to take one of these options.
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