The Visual Culture of the French Revolution

What better way to learn about a subject than at the site where it happened? The turbulent period of the French Revolution (1789-1794) and the social and political upheaval it brought marked a radical shift in world history. This course focuses on the crucial and active role art visual culture played during the revolution.

• Program Dates: May 12-30, 2025

• Program Location: Rice Global Paris Center | Paris, France

• Who Can Apply? Any Rice Undergraduate. No prerequisite to take this course. Note for graduating seniors! You are welcome to apply to this course; however, Rice summer aid (i.e. Rice financial aid) is not available to seniors who have obtained enough credits to graduate by the end of the spring semester. Additionally, you will have to postpone your graduation date to the summer in order to participate. You are, however, still eligible to apply for both RICE GLOBAL tuition and travel awards included in the course application.

• Tuition Cost: $1,800 per credit hour (this course is 3 credit hours).

• What's Covered: The program will provide housing for all three weeks, metro card for all three weeks, course-set excursions/tickets, three group meals, and travel insurance.

• Financial Aid: If you already receive financial aid, you are eligible to receive financial aid for up to 9 credit hours a summer for two summer, at 50% of the tuition rate, i.e. if a Paris course is three credit hours and $5,400 total tuition, eligible students would pay $2,700. Rice summer aid (i.e. Rice financial aid) is not available to seniors who have obtained enough credits to graduate by the end of the spring semester.

  After submitting your application, our office is in direct contact with the financial aid office who will let us know if you are financial aid eligible for the summer. If you are accepted, you will immediately know how much financial aid you have available in your acceptance letter.

  To find out if you are eligible before acceptance to a course, contact: fina@rice.edu. To learn more about summer financial aid requirements, please visit: https://financialaid.rice.edu/summer-students.

• Additional Assistance from Rice Global: Students can also apply to receive additional assistance (for both tuition and travel) from Rice Global. Application for assistance is included in the course application.

• Additional Assistance from Art History Department: Additional financial assistance may be available by application to the art history department. Please email arthist@rice.edu to learn more.

• Credit Hours: 3 credit hours

• Course Instructor: Dr. Leo Costello

• Course Description: This course will address the central role that art and visual culture played in the French Revolution. While engaging in a detailed study of the causes, progress and outcome of the Revolution we will pay attention to painting, prints, festivals and the wide range of visual culture that not only reflected the Revolution but helped fuel it. We will mix classroom sessions with field trips to museums and sites across Paris, including Versailles.

• Who is this class for? This course is intended for Rice Undergraduate students interested in history, literature, politics and especially art and visual culture. There are no prerequisites.

• Course Zoom Information Session: Take a look at the Information Session recording to learn more.

• Syllabus: Take a look at a previous syllabus for the course - subject to change for 2025.

• Does this course fulfill a distribution and/or Analyzing diversity requirement? This course satisfies the Distribution Group I requirement for undergraduate students.

For questions, please visit our student program page or email pariscenter@rice.edu. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.