Academics

Academic Calendar

Fall Semester:

  • Semester Begins: Early September (includes mandatory orientation)
  • Semester Ends: Mid-December (includes exams)

Spring Semester:

  • Orientation: Early January
  • Semester Begins: Mid-January
  • Semester Ends: Mid-June (includes exams)

For exact dates, reference the full academic calendar. 

Courses

ISA Lille's approach is rooted in learning-by-doing and project-based approaches. Therefore, Master's level modules include lectures, and group projects with different intersessions throughout the term. ISA Lille focuses its academics and research in four major areas, detailed below. Students select one area of main focus. The courses are taught in blocks so their is no overlapping classes; however, students may in some cases take one or two modules from another area to complement their studies:

  • Food Science: process, production and quality, unit operations, sensory evaluation, nutrition
  • Agricultural Science: livestock housing, smart farming, crop management, plant biotechnology, geopolitics of food, and special research emphasis on Animal Welfare
  • Environmental Science: focused on sustainable management of pollution, i.e. waste water treatment, soil quality, toxicology, GIS, pollutants behavior
  • Ag-Economics and Marketing: economic and financial themes, business development and innovation, communications and marketing

Students are required to take a beginner French course which is offered throughout your program. 

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

Summer Program (optional)

  1. PURPAN SSAP Summer Program in Food or Viticulture & Enology (Toulouse, France), 12 ECTS credits = 6 US credits.
    • On-campus program: May 28th-June 2nd. The first two weeks are dedicated to culture, agriculture and animal chains in Europe. The last two weeks focus on either crop production and food processing or viticulture and enology. Includes field excursions to the city of Toulouse, PURPAN's experimental fram, Carcasonne and a week-end in the Pyrenees Mountains, and more! View the full Itinerary of courses and activities HERE.
    • Farm Internship Program: June 15th - July 20th. Designated for students with interests in farm/ag business. According to interests, PURPAN places students in animal production, agro-tourism, plant production, and vineyards/wineries. 
  2. ISARA Summer Program in AgroEcology (Lyon, France) - 9 ECTS credits = 4.5 US credits
    • Summer Program: 5-week program (June - mid-July). The agroecology summer program consists of coursework and excursions in applying agroecological practices, managing biodiversity and diversifying food systems and in linguistics & culture. Cultural excursions include visits to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vineyards, cheese makers, chocolate factory, and CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, and tastings of traditional French foods
    • Optional Farm Internship Program: 4 weeks (July - late August). Students need sufficient knowledge of French for this farm stay experience. Examples of farms include goat cheese production, vine and wine, livestock and meat, organic grains, crops, pasture, sheep and aquaponics.
    • Read student testimonials, watch the video, and review the program brochure for more detailed information. 
  3. Lille European Summer Program: Science and Engineering (Lille, France) 7 ECTS credits = 3.5 US credits on campus program: May 24 - June 22nd. The Lille European Summer Program (ESP) is a four week academic course offering with four unique academic tracks. CALS students participate in the Science and Engineering track which includes the following courses: intensive French (beginner to advanced), project management, molecular biology, intro to renewal energies, and French gastronomy and food science. The program includes excursions to Bruges and Brussels, and multiple course field trips.