Service Marketing and the Science of Taste in Bordeaux, France
This faculty-led study abroad program explores the connections between service marketing, food, and culture in Bordeaux, France. Through spring-semester coursework and an immersive international experience, students examine how businesses create memorable customer experiences and how biology, culture, and environment influence the foods we enjoy.
The program brings together two academic perspectives: Service Marketing with Dr. Carol Azab and The Science of Taste with Dr. Ronette Lategan-Potgieter. Bordeaux’s culinary traditions, tourism, and hospitality provide a setting for connecting classroom concepts with everyday experiences. The program also includes a full day in Paris.
Term: Spring 2027
Primary Location: Bordeaux, France
Additional Destination: Paris, France — full-day excursion
Travel Dates: March 5–12, 2027
Program Type: Faculty-led
Language of Instruction: English
Minimum GPA: 2.0
Housing: Hostel/Hotel
Spring-Semester Courses
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MKTG 425 — Service Marketing in Bordeaux: 4 credit hours, taught by Dr. Carol Azab
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HLSC 290 — The Science of Taste in Bordeaux: 4 credit hours, taught by Dr. Ronette Lategan-Potgiete
This experience connects academic learning with the food, culture, and service industries of France.
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Two Academic Perspectives: Explore how service marketing and the science of taste offer complementary ways to understand consumer experiences.
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Learning Through Experience: Connect course concepts with cooking classes, cultural visits, and opportunities to observe hospitality and tourism.
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Bordeaux and Paris: Experience Bordeaux’s regional identity and culinary traditions, with a full-day excursion to Paris.
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Faculty-Led Learning: Engage with Stetson faculty throughout a spring-semester course and short-term international experience.
Together, these features help students develop a broader understanding of how culture influences both business practices and food preferences.
MKTG 425 — Service Marketing in Bordeaux
Dr. Carol Azab | 4 credit hours
This course examines the principles of service marketing and the ways organizations create value through customer experiences. Students apply classroom concepts to Bordeaux’s tourism, gastronomy, hospitality, and luxury retail environments.
The international experience provides opportunities to consider how businesses communicate value, deliver services, and respond to customer expectations within a different cultural context.
HLSC 290 — The Science of Taste in Bordeaux
Dr. Ronette Lategan-Potgieter | 4 credit hours
Why do we crave certain foods, reject others, and develop lasting food preferences? This course explores the biological, cultural, and environmental factors that shape food choice.
Using France’s culinary traditions as a context for learning, students examine taste, smell, flavor perception, appetite, and consumer behavior. The course considers how physiology, memory, culture, and marketing influence what we choose to eat.
The tentative itinerary combines cultural exploration with experiences that connect to service marketing and the science of taste.
Planned activities include:
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- Cooking classes
- A visit to Cité du Vin with an audio guide
- A vineyard tour and tasting in the Bordeaux region
- Admission to Bassins des Lumières
- A visit to Musée Mer Marine
- A visit to Saint-André Cathedral
- A guided tour of Pey-Berland Tower
- A visit to Saint-Michel Basilica
- An evening dinner cruise with a three-course meal
- Additional museum visits and an art museum pass
- A full-day, self-guided excursion to Paris, with train transportation
Activities are tentative and subject to change. A detailed itinerary will be shared with participants.
Estimated Program Cost: [Insert program price]
The Price Includes
[Insert confirmed details for housing, meals, transportation, insurance, admission fees, and program activities.]
Additional Expenses
[Insert airfare arrangements, tuition or course fees, meals not included, personal expenses, and other anticipated costs.]
Deposit & Payment Schedule
A $500 nonrefundable deposit is due with the application and is applied toward the total program cost.
Application deadline and final program payment: December 1, 2026
All students regardles of their major are invited to apply for a School of Business Administration travel scholarship.
Students can begin their application through the WORLD program page.
Submit your application and complete program payment by December 1, 2026. The $500 nonrefundable deposit is applied toward the total program cost.
For questions about the program, course enrollment, or participation requirements, please contact Carol Azab, PhD