Fall Semester:

Semester Begins: Late Aug. (includes orientation)

French language course: Lat Aug. - Mid-Sept.

Semester Ends: Late Dec.

Students will study:

• Food Identity - main focus on food science and social economics: 29 ECTS = 14.5 US credits. If you have any major or distribution requirements that require you to complete a minimum of three credits to fulfill that requirement, it is important to discuss with your academic/faculty advisor about being able to meet that requirement if one of the courses taken at ESA will not meet the full three credits (i.e., a course that is worth 3 ECTS is only 1.5 US credits). Students will gain knowledge and experience in local and traditional foods products, the processing of traditional food products, food quality management and methods of characterization, and do bibliographical research. You can view the course syllabi for more details. 
• While you may see there is a wine identity program for the fall semester, it is unavailable to Cornell students unless you are studying abroad your final semester due to the program dates. 

Spring Semester:

Semester Begins: Early Jan. (included orientation)

French course: begins in January

Semester Ends: Mid-May

Students select one of the two-semester study programs:

• Innovation and Transformation of local food products (scroll to page 3) - main focus on food production, characterization, management, and innovation: 30 ECTS = 15 US credits. If you have any major or distribution requirements that require you to complete a minimum of three credits to fulfill that requirement, it is important to discuss with your academic/faculty advisor about being able to meet that requirement if one of the courses taken at PURPAN will not meet the full three credits (i.e., a course that is worth 3 ECTS is only 1.5 US credits). Students will gain knowledge and experience in product assessment and characterization, quality labels, food production, diversity of local product, branding, management assessment and innovation, European food law and policy, and project management. 

Students are required to take a beginner French course which is offered at the start of each semester. 

A credit hour equivalency and grading scale conversion chart is available for reference.

Summer Program (optional) - not covered by semester financial aid

1. ESA Summer Program: "The Value Chains of a Terroir-Driven Food System" (Angers, France), 13 ECTS credits = 6.5 US credits
   • Summer program: June 2nd - July 1st. Students are based in Angers, France with host families and lodging is provided when on field trips. The program includes cultural excursions to Paris, Loire Valley, Brittany and Normandy. The purpose of the program is to introduce students to the French way of life, the France’s role in the European Union and the rich heritage of French culture, while at the same time providing study in sustainable agriculture and food systems.