Teach a Summer Course in Paris

Why Teach in the Rice Global Paris Summer Program?

The Rice Global Paris Summer Program offers faculty a unique opportunity to bring their teaching to life in one of the world’s most dynamic cities—with full support from Rice Global. This is an exciting chance to offer students an international academic experience without placing additional administrative or logistical burdens on faculty.

By removing the typical barriers to faculty-led study abroad and providing full institutional support, the Rice Global Paris Summer Program enables faculty to deliver high-impact, globally focused courses—and to inspire students through immersive learning in an extraordinary setting.

Faculty Support through the Rice Global Paris Summer Program Includes:

• Comprehensive administrative and logistical support for all aspects of course implementation—from student recruitment and travel coordination to on-site logistics and student housing and support in Paris. Faculty can focus on teaching, while Rice Global handles the rest.
• Pre-departure preparation for students, including cultural orientation and travel planning.
• Post trip budget reconciliation assistance from Rice Global staff.

Faculty Compensation Package

Rice Global provides the following faculty support, funded by course tuition revenue and contingent upon meeting minimum enrollment. Tuition is collected by Rice Global.

• Instructor Funding
  Rice Global supports one instructor per 3-credit course. Proposals for 6-credit courses may be considered for funding of a second instructor.
• Teaching Stipend
  $8,000, disbursed in the pay period prior to the start of the course, pending minimum enrollment.
• Housing in Paris
  Comfortable, market-standard housing for one individual, arranged by Rice Global Paris staff. Housing is typically designed for single occupancy. Limited adjustments may be considered based on individual circumstances. Faculty are encouraged to share any accessibility or accommodation needs (for example, elevator access or medical considerations) during the program kickoff process.
• Flight Support
  Reimbursement of up to $2,500 for one round-trip flight to Paris. Faculty are encouraged to book refundable airfare in case minimum enrollment is not met.
• Transportation Coverage
  Ground transportation to and from airports in both the United States and France
  A Paris transportation pass valid for the duration of the program (metro, bus, tram, and RER)
• Course Budget
  Up to $300 per student (based on a minimum of 12 students) to support course-related activities. Eligible expenses may include museum admissions, local transportation for site visits, and up to three group meals coordinated with the Paris team.

Department Benefits:

• Increased access to global learning for Rice undergraduates—especially those in academically demanding majors who might not otherwise participate in semester-long study abroad programs.
• Visibility and engagement for your department, as these courses can draw students who may be exploring options for majors or minors.
• A strategic recruitment tool – faculty can advertise their participation in the program and help position their department as globally engaged and innovative.
• Access to new learning environments and academic resources.
  

Faculty Please Note:

• Rice Paris Summer courses, like all summer courses, do not count toward your academic year teaching load.
• All proposals must be for summer courses only, as this call is specific to the Rice Global Paris Summer Program.
• Travel outside of Paris may be possible; however, any excursions must be confined to day trips only. Overnight trips are not permitted due to logistical, budgetary, and staffing constraints.
• If you are interested in exploring other opportunities (such as using the center and/or student housing for your own student programs, or other possible student programming), please contact us directly at pariscenter@rice.edu to discuss options.

Course Proposals - Key Parameters

Please keep the following in mind when submitting your proposal:

Instructor Limit:

• Only one instructor may be funded per 3-credit course.
• If you would like to include a second instructor, please note that Rice Global Paris cannot provide support for an additional instructor (unless it is a 6-credit course), and they would need to find funding from other sources.
• You will have the opportunity to include information about a second (self-funded) instructor at the end of the proposal form.

Credit Requirement:

• All proposed courses must be for 3 or 6 credit hours.
• We are unable to fund courses that are fewer or more than 3 credits.
• If proposal is for 6-credit course, you will need to provide additional documentation outlining the breakdown of contact and preparation hours over the 3-week period)

Approval Requirement:

• You will need to obtain approval from your Department Chair for your proposal.
• If you are a department chair submitting a proposal, please obtain approval from your Dean.
• You will be able to request this approval within the InfoReady online application webform.

Repeat Instructor Applicants/Courses:

• In order to provide equitable opportunities for all faculty, instructors may teach in the Rice Global Paris program for a maximum of two consecutive summers. After teaching for two years in a row, instructors are asked to take at least one year off before submitting another proposal.
• Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis. If selected for a third consecutive summer, the course may need to be scheduled during one of our less in-demand sessions (i.e., sessions that are typically harder to fill). This helps us balance faculty participation and distribute teaching opportunities more broadly.

If this applies to you, you are still welcome to submit a proposal—just please be aware of this policy when doing so.

Course Length and Session Dates

Proposals should be for a 3-week short course. Our undergraduate summer program is divided into three separate sessions, each lasting 3 weeks.

Summer 2027 Session Dates
Session 1 • Monday, May 17 – Friday, June 4, 2027
Session 2 • Wednesday, June 9 – Tuesday, June 29, 2027
Session 3 • Monday, July 5 – Friday, July 23, 2027

In the application form, you will have the opportunity to rank your preferred session dates. If selected, you will be assigned to a session, and we will do our best to place you in your top-ranked session, though that is not guaranteed.

How to Submit Your Proposal

Submit your proposal using the Rice Global online proposal form in InfoReady. You must log into InfoReady with your Rice NetID in order to complete the application.

▶CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE PROPOSAL FORM◀

Please submit your proposal by 5:00 PM on September 1; if you hit submit right before midnight (or even several hours before), InfoReady will not accept it.

Please email us if you have any issues with submission!

Helpful Note: InfoReady allows you to save your in-progress application as a draft, so you don't need to complete everything in one sitting.

Before You Begin: Before you start the form, we recommend reviewing the Rice Global Paris Course Proposal – Application Preview & Preparation Guide. This will help you prepare your responses and gather your required materials.

Documents You'll Need to Upload:

For Previously Taught Courses

• Your most recent syllabus
• Your course schedule from the most recent time you taught the course at the Paris Center

For New Courses (this includes courses that already exist at Rice but have never been taught at the Paris Center)

• A draft syllabus
  • If you are proposing a course that already exists at Rice, please make the necessary adjustments to tailor the syllabus for instruction in Paris.
    
• A completed Draft Course Schedule Template (3-week format)
  • Your draft schedule should reflect a clear, day-by-day structure of your proposed course. Include classroom time, excursions, and any independent or group work. We are looking for a linear and intentional plan that clearly supports your course goals and takes advantage of being in Paris.
  • We understand this is a draft, and that your schedule may evolve. However, submitting a clear plan helps us evaluate logistics, budget needs, and alignment with the program.

For 6-Credit Courses (either previously taught or new) - in addition to the draft syllabus and course schedule

• A Summer Course Credit Hour Compliance Report (see example LINKED HERE)
• A 6-Credit / 3-Week STUDENT Daily Schedule Framework (see example LINKED HERE)

Department Chair Approval Requirement: You will be prompted to request approval from your Department Chair directly within the InfoReady online webform. The approval request is configured to automatically set a deadline of one week from the proposal submission date.

• If you are a department chair submitting a proposal, please obtain approval from your Dean.
• Department Chairs/Deans will also be able to log into InfoReady with their NetID to complete the approval.
• Please make sure they complete the approval on time as your proposal will not be considered without it!

Helpful Information

• These courses are intended for current Rice undergraduate students.
• We are looking for courses that use Paris as a key part of the course experience. This could include:
  • Collaborations with Paris-based institutions
  • Guest speakers from Paris or Europe
  • Relevant site visits in the city
  • Any other meaningful integration of the Paris setting into your course content
• Please balance classroom instruction with excursions, field visits, or other experiential learning when designing your course.
  [Click here to review the Registrar’s guidelines on contact hours.]
• Courses must enroll a minimum of 12 students to run. While most courses typically enroll between 12 to 15 students, instructors should be prepared to accommodate up to 20 students if needed.
  • To help ensure your course reaches the minimum enrollment, it is important that instructors actively support outreach and promotion efforts. This may include sharing the opportunity with students, collaborating on targeted messaging, or participating in info sessions coordinated by Rice Global.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Students apply to specific courses, but applications do not guarantee enrollment. Even if your course proposal is selected, it does not guarantee the course will run in Paris. Because not all applicants ultimately enroll, courses typically need at least 15 or more applications to feel confident in meeting the minimum enrollment.
• Courses that fulfill a distribution requirement are more attractive to students.
  • For new courses, consider whether the course can be proposed as a distribution requirement. Note: Your department may have earlier deadlines for these requirements. Please consult your department coordinator.
  • For existing courses, check whether it can be reclassified with a distribution requirement.
    Note: Your department may have earlier deadlines for these changes. Please consult your department coordinator.
• New courses can be submitted as pilot courses, but they are still subject to standard department and school approvals.
  Click here for more information on that process and consult your department coordinator.

Timeline

• Proposal Deadline: September 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM

  Please submit your proposal by 5:00 PM on September 1; if you hit submit right before midnight (or even several hours before), InfoReady will not accept it.

• Department Chair Approval Deadline: Must be completed within one week of proposal submission date. When a proposal is submitted via InfoReady, an approval request will be sent to the Department Chair; InfoReady will automatically set a one-week deadline.

• Summer 2027 Decisions Communicated: End of September 2026

• Summer 2028 Preliminary Selections/Notifications, if applicable: Fall 2026

• Student Application Launch: Fall 2026 (with support from Rice Global staff)

• Faculty-Rice Global Paris kick-off meeting: October 2026

• Faculty-Rice Global Paris planning meeting(s): Spring 2027 - depending on session date

Need Help?

Click the link below to meet with Rice Global's onsite staff in Paris:
(Meeting availability begins July 2; available for the month of July only)
https://calendar.app.google/DPZ1AqcDUyspLEKm7

As you move toward finalizing your proposal, we strongly encourage you to meet with our Paris-based staff. They can provide on-the-ground insight into logistics, local partnerships, site visits, and what is feasible within the program structure. These conversations are especially helpful in refining course design and ensuring your proposal is both compelling and workable in the Paris context.

Email pariscenter@rice.edu with any questions.

Would you like to speak to faculty who have previously taught a course in Paris? Let us know and we can connect you!

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