Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom this may concern,

My name is Simona Ivkovic, I am going into my third year at Queen¿¿s University this fall, September 2014. I am taking a medial in French and Spanish as well as Concurrent Education. I have made the decision to apply to go abroad in my second semester of my third year, January 2015 to May 2015, to study in Paris, France at The Sorbonne University.

I believe that this will be an incredible complement to my degree in French studies. I am hoping to become a French teacher when I graduate from Queen¿¿s University therefore my degree in French studies is very important to me. I believe that there is no better way to fully learn a language and understand a countries culture and history then to go to the country of origin. I will experience first hand the culture and truly learn French through speaking it everyday. The knowledge that I will obtain will be enriched by my surroundings. I have reviewed my degree requirements with both of my undergraduate chairs, Dr. Peter Thompson and Professor Monique Dufresne, who have helped me to create a plan for my third and fourth years, if I am able to go abroad in January 2015.

I have 18 units to complete for my degree in French Studies and 27 units to complete for my degree in Spanish Studies. Professor Monique Dufresne has given me permission to take a course in France called ¿¿French Language and Phonetics 4¿ which will transfer to Queen¿¿s as a required credit, known as FREN 320 at Queen¿¿s, towards my degree in French Studies. If I successfully complete the course and pass an interview following my return to Queen¿¿s University in September 2015, the credit will transfer to Queen¿¿s.

While in France, I will be taking four other courses as electives, which are all taught in French. These electives will enhance my degree in French Studies and improve my ability to complete future courses taught in French. My plan is as follows: This coming fall semester, September 2014 I will be taking 9 units in Spanish and 6 units in French. In France I will take 3 units of French and 12 units of electives. Upon my arrival to Queen¿¿s in September 2015, I will be completing my degree by taking all the required and optional courses that remain. This will include 9 units in French and 18 units in Spanish leaving me with 3 units in my fourth year to take an elective or to take FREN 320 if I am unable to successfully complete the course in France.

I am confident that I will be able to fulfill these requirements without difficulty. It would mean a great deal to me to have this experience abroad, which can only be an advantage to my French studies as well as my Queen¿¿s Concurrent Education diploma when I graduate. I would like to thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Warm Regards,
Simona Ivkovic
Queens Concurrent Education Student