UCLA Travel Study

History: Medieval to Modern Paris

  • Dates

    June 20 – July 15, 2023

  • Location

    Paris

  • Program Fee

    UC Undergrads: $6,100

    UC Grad Students: $6,700

    Visiting Students: $6,700

    Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents: View full fee disclaimer

*Program Not Running Summer 2024*

Weaving lectures, walking tours, and short day trips into one, this program in Paris presents a two-fold approach to the histories of the kingdom of France in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Additionally, the program explores the development of Paris from a small medieval town into the great metropolis of western Europe.

Join us to learn about the evolution of the French nation from 1000 onwards and follow, through a series of well-planned walks, the parallel making of Paris. The main purpose, beyond the academic experience of learning about French history in the City of Lights, is to gain an enduring intimacy with the streets, byways, and monuments of the French capital.

This program involves a great deal of daily walking. You are expected to walk between 2 and 3 hours per day, as we tour parts of the city seldom seen by visitors. Final grades will reflect the quality of your written and creative work.

Behavior, engagement and a commitment to the ideals of the program will also influence your final grades. This is a unique opportunity to become acquainted with and to gain knowledge of Paris which even long-time residents of the city do not have.

This program is typically best for those whose knowledge of Paris is superficial or who have never been to the city.

Curriculum

Program Courses

All students will enroll in two required courses while attending the program:

  • HIST 119D (4 units)
  • HIST 191B (4 units)

Course Descriptions

HIST 119D: Special Topics in Medieval and Early Modern History — “Paris and the French Monarchy in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period” (4 units)

Prerequisites:  None

This course will focus on the relationship between Paris’ emergence as the capital of France and the formation of the French realm from the early Capetian dynasty in the late tenth century to the early Bourbon kings in the early seventeenth century. Emphasis will be placed on the evolution of new cultural forms in the Ile-de-France (the region around Paris), the growth of royal institutions, and the making of France. Among the topics to be explored are the rise of epic and courtly literature, the central role played by the University of Paris in philosophical developments, the life of medieval students and medieval men and women in Paris, the making of a sacred monarchy, institutional developments, the Hundred Years War, the war of religions, and the growth of royal absolutism in the late sixteenth century. Occasionally, the course will break into small groups and have discussions led by the TA and professor.

HIST 191B: Undergraduate Seminar — “Paris from Ancient to Modern: From Lutetia to the City of Lights ” (4 units)

Prerequisites:  None

This course will explore the development of Paris from a Roman settlement to the great rebuilding of the city in the mid-nineteenth century, and to its present glory. This seminar consists of a series of well-planned walks through the city. After the three weeks of this course, you will know Paris as very few visitors ever get to know the city. This course will complement the lectures of 119D by offering a hands-on intimacy with Paris.

Optional Courses

Students can enroll in optional courses by submitting the Optional Course Registration Form to info@ieo.ucla.edu. You can enroll up until the Friday of the second week of your program.

HIST 19 (1 unit): Fiat Lux, Topic TBD

This course will involve a guided tour of an important historical site in Paris.  Students will write a two-page summary of their impressions. There is an additional fee for this optional course. P/NP.

HIST 199 (4 units): Directed Research

You may earn independent study units by writing an academically rigorous 10-15 page paper or by presenting a carefully annotated portfolio of photographs or video production with an explanatory essay. Subject and format require instructor’s approval. Please note that deadlines dates apply even if you plan to travel after the program ends. There is an additional fee for this optional course. Letter grade.

Grading

Grades will be based on active daily discussion of the assigned readings and the sites visited. 119D will require a paper on one of the topics discussed in class. 191B will require a photographic journal, a diary, or some other creative enterprise (papers are also acceptable). Coursework is due on September 10th. Your grades will depend on the quality of your work, contributions and engagement with the program, and behavior.

Schedule

All schedules, itineraries, and group activities are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

HIST 119D will consist of lectures, Monday through Thursday, typically from 10:15 am to 12:00 pm and at least three excursions during the program.

Tentative Excursions:

  1. Chateau de Vincennes
  2. Chartres
  3. Versailles
  4. Vaux-le-Vicomte

HIST 191B will consist of afternoon walks in Paris, Monday through Thursday, 3 pm to 6 pm.

Sample Walks in Paris:

  1. Roman Paris (the arenes de Lutetia): 5th arrondissement
  2. Medieval Paris: The Ile de la cité, Notre Dame, the St. Severin quarter
  3. Early Modern Paris (Louis XIV and Revolutionary Paris): The Marais, Place des Vosges, Louvre, Place de la Greve, the Palais Royal, the gardens, the Sorbonne, the Latin Quarter, Beaux Arts, Academie
  4. Nineteenth Century (Bohemian) Paris: Montmartre, Montparnasse, the great boulevards, the Opera quarter, la Butte aux Cailles, and other venues
  5. Modern Paris: La Defense, Belleville, Cité Universitaire, rue de Rosiers
  6. Monumental Paris: Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower, Invalides
  7. Parks: Luxemburg on a Sunday, Butte Chaumont, Tuilleries
  8. The canal de St Martin and the basin de la Villette 
  9. The stomach and heart of Paris: La rue Mouffetard and Pantheon
  10. Selected museums: For those sites that cannot accommodate large groups, students must pay entrance fees individually.
  11. Cemeteries: Pere Lachaise, Montparnasse
Textbooks

Textbook information will be available at a later date.  You are responsible for purchasing your own textbooks. We strongly suggest you read as much of the text material as possible before the start of the program.

Budget and Financial Aid

Budget Estimate UC Undergrads UC Grad Students Visiting Student
Program Fee $6100 $6700 $6700
Textbooks (estimate)  $100  $100  $100
Airfare (estimate)  $1800  $1800  $1800
Meals (estimate)  $1200  $1200  $1200
Spending Money (estimate)  $800  $800  $800

Program fee includes registration and course fees, accommodations, program excursions and health insurance. Program fee also includes a few dinners.

Airfare, textbooks, optional courses, other meals, optional excursions, and any COVID-19 testing required for travel are additional.

Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.

Document Fee

Non-UCLA students will be charged a $50 Document Fee. This is a one-time document fee which covers fees for first-class mailing of official transcripts, diploma and much more. Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for more information. Matriculated UCLA Students: Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for document fee information.

IEI Fee

All undergraduate students will be charged a $61 IEI fee per summer. The IEI (Instructional Enhancement Initiative) fee is a course materials fee that is charged in order to support the use of technology in undergraduate education at UCLA.

Budgeting

We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, internet cafes, emergencies, etc.  How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment, and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. Take the time to research the cost of living in your destination and the activities you want to participate in while abroad.

Purchasing Airfare

Please do not purchase airfare until instructed to do so by your Travel Study Program Coordinator.

Optional 19 or 199 Course Fee
Optional 19 UC Undergrads UC Grad Students Visiting Students
Course Fee $279 per unit $349 per unit  $360 per unit
Optional 199 UC Undergrads UC Grad Students Visiting Students
Course Fee $279 per unit $349 per unit  $360 per unit

Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.

Teo Ruiz Undergraduate Travel Study Fellowship

The UCLA History Department is pleased to announce that they will award a $1,500 fellowship to a UCLA History major participating in one of this summer’s History Travel Study programs. Eligible students must be UCLA History majors going on their first summer Travel Study program with a 3.5 GPA or better in History and a 3.0 GPA overall. Students must financial aid recipients who have applied for aid for Summer Travel Study Financial Aid. See Scholarships page.

Financial Aid

Financial aid for Summer Sessions Travel Study programs is available to qualified UCLA students. All other students should inquire about financial aid at their home institution. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this website.

On Location

Accommodations

Students will reside in a centrally-located hotel in Paris.

UCLA Travel Study reserves the right to change housing location. Should this be necessary, we will arrange comparable accommodations elsewhere.

Meals  

A few lunches and dinners will be provided. Breakfast is no longer included in this program, however the program fee has been reduced accordingly. Accommodations include small kitchens to prepare meals and there are many local eateries and markets near the hotel where you can purchase breakfast food at a low cost.  

Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs as well as any physical or medical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.

Excursions

Planned excursions include Chartres, the site of the most impressive cathedral in western Europe and a town that came under the control of the French monarchy early on. In addition, the program will visit Vaux-le-Vicomte on a Saturday evening. This is a beautiful castle (served as a model for Versailles), and on Saturdays during the summer it is lit only by candles. This is an unforgettable experience. The group will also visit Varsailles (pending schedule) and the Chateau de Vincennes.

Also planned are the following walks in Paris:

  1. Roman Paris (the arenes de Lutetia): 5th arrondissement
  2. Medieval Paris: The Ile de la cité, Notre Dame, the St. Severin quarter
  3. Early Modern Paris (Louis XIV and Revolutionary Paris): The Marais, Place des Vosges, Louvre, Place de la Greve, the Palais Royal, the gardens, the Sorbonne, the Latin Quarter, Beaux Arts, Academie
  4. Nineteenth Century (Bohemian) Paris: Montmartre, Montparnasse, the great boulevards, the Opera quarter, la Butte aux Cailles, and other venues
  5. Modern Paris: La Defense, Belleville, Cité Universitaire, rue de Rosiers
  6. Monumental Paris: Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower, Invalides
  7. Parks: Luxemburg on a Sunday, Butte Chaumont, Tuilleries
  8. The canal de St Martin and the basin de la Villette (one of Professor Ruiz’s favorite places)
  9. The stomach and heart of Paris: La rue Mouffetard and Pantheon
  10. Selected museums: For those sites that cannot accommodate large groups, students must pay entrance fees individually.
  11. Cemeteries: Pere Lachaise, Montparnasse
  12. Teo’s tours (a series of additional tours Professor Ruiz has designed over the years). The first one will be on the first Saturday the group is in Paris, followed by a picnic on the Pont des Arts to see the sunset on the Seine river.
Optional Excursions

Limited free time is built into this program for independent sightseeing. If you plan to sight-see independently, we recommend that you budget additional spending money. Students are encouraged to visit museums on their own and suggested options will provided in the syllabus.

One feature of the program is that, besides some scheduled dinners and picnics, the faculty would be delighted to take small groups of students (each person paying for her/his tab) to experience intimate gourmet dinners. This is part of the Parisian experience: to visit small bistros and to see how Parisians really eat and are served in French restaurants.

On Location

For more information about the city of Paris, visit http://www.paris.fr/.