Drexel Spring Break in France & Belgium:
World War I Image & Memory
From 1914-1918, World War I raged across the globe, claiming more than 20 million dead, most famously through the deadly trench warfare on the western front through France and Belgium. Even before the war drew to its ambivalent conclusion, contemporaries attempted to find and capture meaning in the destruction, an effort that continued in subsequent generations. In this course, students will study World War I through the ways people have portrayed the war over time, from writings, art, and early video to memorials, cemeteries, and exhibits. We'll travel to northern France and Belgium to visit museums, battle sites, and cemeteries.
Students' academic activities will include preparatory reading, journal-writing during the trip, and a final project due after. Specific learning objectives include analytical comparative history, critical reading skills, and multiple research skills.
Credit/registration: Students will be registered for HIST 280 for 4 credits as a part of their spring term course load. Students must leave space for these 4 credits in their credit load, or will otherwise be billed for exceeding the 20 credit term maximum.
Pre-requisite: None. All undergraduate majors are welcome to apply for this program
Instructor: Kathryn Steen, Associate Professor of History, Department of History, CoAS
Arrival Date: March 21 (students will likely need to leave on March 20 to arrive on March 21)
Departure Date: March 28
*Students may extend their travel independently before or after program dates.
During the winter term, students will undertake preliminary research and complete a short paper on a World War I topic of their choice.
Itinerary Overview
Saturday, March 21: Paris and environs I
- Optional walking tour of sites in Paris relevant to World War I; World War I Memorial
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Sunday, March 22: Paris and environs II
- Day trip to Versailles Palace (location of WWI peace treaty)
- Welcome dinner
Monday, March 23: Meaux/Marne daytrip
- Museum of the Great War (Meaux)
- American memorial of Aisne-Marne
Tuesday, March 24: Paris to Arras, France
- Carriere Wellington museum
Wednesday, March 25: Arras, France, to Ypres, Belgium
Thursday, March 26: Ypres, Belgium
- North Salient tour
- Last Post Ceremony
Friday, March 27: Ypres, Belgium
- Flanders Field Museum
- South Salient tour
Saturday, March 28: departure
Note: This program ends in Ypres, Belgium. Students will be given suggested transport from Ypres to the Brussels airport to return home, but have the option to extend their travels.
Due 11/17/2025: $500
Due 1/15/2026: $2110
*All payments are non-refundable unless declined admission or program cancels for unforeseen reasons.
Included in Program Fee:
- Hotel
- Local transit, train from Paris to Arras
- Breakfasts
- 1 group dinner
- Expert guided tours, entrance fees
- Bus from Arras to Ypres
- Covid quarantine insurance and emergency medical assistance
Not Included in Program Fee:
- Airfare
- All entrance fees and tickets
- Train from Ypres to airport for flight home (itinerary to Brussels will be suggested, but students can choose to extend their travel)
- Spending money
- Visa cost (if applicable)
ICA Financial Aid: Students may request an Adjusted Cost of Attendance by submitting the ICA program fee and estimated out of pocket expenses listed above to Drexel Central (via askdrexel). Doing so could make students’ eligible for additional financial aid. Students may also be eligible to apply for Drexel's
ICA Scholarships.
- Visa: US citizens do not need a visa to participate in this program, but students of other nationalities should confirm entry requirements.
- A recommended flight itinerary will be provided. Students are responsible for booking their own airfare.
