The Humanities and Western Civilization Program

The Western Civilization Program Abroad consists of four integrated courses, all taught by KU faculty. Two of these comprise the two-semester Western Civilization requirement. The other two courses are the Art and Architecture of Florence and Paris, and European Culture and Society, 1945-Present.

All four courses integrate classroom time with visits to local museums, such as the Uffizi and the Louvre, as well as a number of trips to major historical sites like the Medici Chapel and Chartres Cathedral. In addition, walking tours of Florence and Paris will trace the histories of these two cities as they develop into major political and cultural centers.

In both the Fall and Spring semesters, students will start out in Florence, Italy and then move to Paris, France.

The Western Civilization Program Abroad has also made arrangements for several day trips from each city. In addition, there will be two 3-day excursions, including a visit to Rome and a tour of regional France, usually Normandy and Brittany.

Academic Program

Students will fulfill both semesters of their Western Civilization requirement plus an additional three hours in art history and three hours in European Studies for a total of 12 KU semester credit hours. EURS 302 will satisfy the Historical Studies (HT) component of the Humanities principal course requirement. The course will also satisfy a requirement for the European Studies co-major.

All students take the following 3-credit hour courses:

HWC 204 Western Civilization I

HWC 205 Western Civilization II

EURS 302 European Culture and Society, 1945-Present

HA 305 Art and Architecture of Florence and Paris

Classes, taught by KU instructors, will be held in Accent facilities in Paris and Florence. Class hours are similar to campus. In addition, 1-2 local site visits will be scheduled each week. Most classes and museum visits will be scheduled Monday-Thursday. Fridays will be reserved for group day excursions or additional class time and local site visits. All site visits and excursions are an important part of the academic program and attendance is required. Participants will have one free 3-day weekend in each city.

For more information on the European Studies co-major, visit www2.ku.edu/~ces.

Accommodations

In Florence, students will live in double occupancy student apartments, within the city. Most apartments have one to three bedrooms, a small kitchen and bath.

In Paris, students will live in double or triple occupancy studio apartments in a student residence.

A Europass pass for five days of travel within two months is also included. Most participants choose to use the pass during the 10-day semester break. The Europass provides rail transportation in three countries: France, Switzerland, and Italy. No housing or meals are provided during the 10-day break.

Accent will provide instructions for students who wish to ship luggage between cities. The cost of shipping one bag (max. weight-55 lbs) between cities over the break is included.

Dates

Fall 2009

Depart US: Wednesday, September 9
Arrive Florence: Thursday, September 10
Mid-term Break: Friday, October 23- Monday, November 2
Arrive Paris: Monday, November 2
Depart Paris: Friday, December 11

Spring 2010

Depart US: Wednesday, January 6
Arrive Florence: Thursday, January 7
Depart Florence: Friday, February 19
Mid-term Break: Friday, February 19-Monday, March 1
Arrive Paris: Monday, March 1
Depart Paris: Friday, April 9

Eligibility

Open to students from accredited U.S. colleges or universities who have a minimum 2.75 GPA and have attained sophomore standing by the beginning of the program. Acceptance decisions are based on academic record, essays, and references.

Cost

Fall 2009
KU Students: Approximately $9,900
Non-KU Students: Approximately $12,827

Program Fee: Approximately $9,900 for KU students ($12,827 for non-KU students) The program fee includes all costs of instruction, KU administrative costs, double-occupancy lodging in Florence and double or triple-occupancy lodging in Paris, pre-departure orientation at KU and on-site orientations in Florence and Paris, group entries to cultural sites, program-related excursions and day trips, a 5-day Europass for travel during the mid-term break, rental of some of the required texts, and emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services.

Tuition and Fees: Estimated tuition and fees for 12 credit hours (based on standard tuition rate): $2,627 *
*Actual expenses for KU students will vary by the student’s individual tuition compact. Non-KU students will pay the standard tuition rate listed above.

Additional Costs: Paris transit pass, airfare, passport and visa, meals, some books, accommodations during mid-term break, personal expenses, and insurance. The total estimated additional costs will be approximately $8,975, depending on the student’s personal spending habits.

An optional flight will be arranged for the group.

Note

All dates, costs, and program information are subject to change as necessary due to fluctuations in the exchange rate or other reasons.

Financial Aid

KU students who qualify for financial aid in the form of Stafford and/or other loans, Pell or SEOG Grants, and scholarships may apply the aid to the cost of a Study Abroad Program.

Limited supplemental scholarships are available to KU undergraduates. Applications are available at the Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the scholarship application. The scholarship application deadline is March 1 for Fall and October 1 for Spring.

Non-KU students should check into the resources available to them at their home institution.

Application Procedures

Deadline for Fall: March 1
Deadline for Spring: October 1

Applications are available in the KU Office of Study Abroad, 108 Lippincott, and in the Humanities and Western Civilization Program office, 308 Bailey. You can also download* the application.

*Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download an application. If your computer does not have Acrobat Reader you can download it for FREE.