“When other interns heard that I was in a homestay, they often asked, “So, are you gl... Read More
Barcelona International College Semester Program
The most affordable and individualized program in Barcelona!
Can you imagine spending a semester in Barcelona, meeting students from around the world, immensely improving your Spanish, and getting university credit? The Barcelona International College (BIC) semester program offers students this and more! BIC is accredited by Jacksonville University in Florida, so students can get U.S. credit for courses in English and Spanish in Business and the Humanities.
All courses have components outside of the classroom whether it be guest speakers, neighborhood tours, or visits to some of the most renowned museums in the world. Most electives are taught in English but students are highly encouraged to take the intensive Spanish language component to get the most out of their Barcelona Study Abroad Experience.
Students studying at Barcelona International College receive the following:
Course Options
During the semester, students can take a Spanish language course worth 3 credits, or an intensive Spanish language course worth 6 credits. As for electives, there are several Business and Humanities courses offered in English. All courses are accredited by Jacksonville University in Florida to ensure easy transfer of credit.
Students can choose to take either 12 or 15 semester credits in one semester.
Both the Area Studies and Spanish Language courses are conducted by PhDs or certified teachers with a Masters degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, or in a related field.
The courses have been designed especially for an international student group – they maintain a Spanish style of teaching but the courses are adapted towards the international make-up of the students.
Spanish Language
Spanish language acquisition is a top priority for the staff at BIC and they encourage language development in every aspect of the program. From the Spanish language classes to the excursions to the printed materials, we provide students with multiple opportunities to use Spanish in their everyday life.
Requirements
Students must have a minimum of a cumulative 2.5 GPA (of a 4.0 scale) or equivalent. No previous Spanish language is required.
Outside the classroom
Barcelona Study Abroad Experience knows that just as much learning takes place outside the classroom as inside which is why we organize several intercultural activities and excursions throughout the term.
Cultural activities are offered almost weekly with events that include cooking class, or learning about Southern Spain’s traditions while enjoying a Flamenco show. Get to know the barrios, or neighborhoods, of Barcelona in greater detail with guided tours or scavenger hunts.
The most affordable and individualized program in Barcelona!
Can you imagine spending a semester in Barcelona, meeting students from around the world, immensely improving your Spanish, and getting university credit? The Barcelona International College (BIC) semester program offers students this and more! BIC is accredited by Jacksonville University in Florida, so students can get U.S. credit for courses in English and Spanish in Business and the Humanities.
All courses have components outside of the classroom whether it be guest speakers, neighborhood tours, or visits to some of the most renowned museums in the world. Most electives are taught in English but students are highly encouraged to take the intensive Spanish language component to get the most out of their Barcelona Study Abroad Experience.
Students studying at Barcelona International College receive the following:
Course Options
During the semester, students can take a Spanish language course worth 3 credits, or an intensive Spanish language course worth 6 credits. As for electives, there are several Business and Humanities courses offered in English. All courses are accredited by Jacksonville University in Florida to ensure easy transfer of credit.
Students can choose to take either 12 or 15 semester credits in one semester.
Both the Area Studies and Spanish Language courses are conducted by PhDs or certified teachers with a Masters degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, or in a related field.
The courses have been designed especially for an international student group – they maintain a Spanish style of teaching but the courses are adapted towards the international make-up of the students.
Spanish Language
Spanish language acquisition is a top priority for the staff at BIC and they encourage language development in every aspect of the program. From the Spanish language classes to the excursions to the printed materials, we provide students with multiple opportunities to use Spanish in their everyday life.
Requirements
Students must have a minimum of a cumulative 2.5 GPA (of a 4.0 scale) or equivalent. No previous Spanish language is required.
Outside the classroom
Barcelona Study Abroad Experience knows that just as much learning takes place outside the classroom as inside which is why we organize several intercultural activities and excursions throughout the term.
Cultural activities are offered almost weekly with events that include cooking class, or learning about Southern Spain’s traditions while enjoying a Flamenco show. Get to know the barrios, or neighborhoods, of Barcelona in greater detail with guided tours or scavenger hunts.
The most exciting and culture-filled schedule in one semester through Barcelona Study Abroad Experience! Our goal is to help you to experience the real Barcelona by taking you to the different neighborhoods, cooking and tasting Spanish food, taking in the fiestas, and maybe even learning to dance salsa! The calendars below give you the outline of the semester, but your pre-departure material will provide information on all of the activities waiting for you.
Please do NOT book flight tickets based on these dates. The exact dates will be confirmed to you from a Barcelona SAE representative.
Fall 2012
| August 30 | Arrival Day |
| Aug 31 - Sep 4 |
Orientation in Barcelona, city tours, day trip |
| September 5 | Classes begin |
| September 16-18 |
Guided excursion outside of Barcelona |
| October 13-16 |
Guided excursion to Morocco (optional) |
| November 11 - 13 |
Guided excursion outside of Barcelona |
| December 10 | Re-entry Workshop |
| December 14 | Final day of classes and Farewell dinner |
| December 15 | Departure day, all students must vacate housing. |
Valencia
Valencia is one of Spain’s largest cities yet and offers visitors an impressive array of cultural and historic sites, as well as culinary delights. Recently, Valencia has reinvented itself as a modern city with parks, museums and aquariums as well as a city-center full of tapas and full of life.
Costa Brava
The beauty of the Mediterranean Sea follows us north from Barcelona to the French border. On the way, our stops include:
Figueres, to visit the impressive and unique Dalí Museum.
Cadaqués, to experience this quaint seaside village with its beautiful blue and white buildings and delicious seafood.
Tarragona
Tarragona is a beautiful town on the Costa Dorada (the Golden Coast) dating back to 218BC. It is one of Catalonia's most historical cities. In Roman times, this city, known as Tarraco, was the capital of Hispania Tarraconensis. In mediaeval times, the Metropolitan See of Tarragona was an important archbishopric of the Catalan-Aragonese court. In 2000, the city of Tarragona was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in recognition of its wealth of archaeological remains dating back to Roman times.
In Tarragona, we will visit Roman Ruins, the Roman Amphitheater, the Cathedral, and take a tour of the old town.
Sitges
Less than an hour away from Barcelona sits an ancient, seaside town that drew sailors and merchants from all over the Mediterranean. Students here can take in a delicious paella, explore the town or spend time on the beach.
Madrid
We experience Madrid to see firsthand how the history of Spain has unfolded through this central capital city and to see the seat of Spanish government. Our experience in Madrid includes an artistic journey with the famous painters of years past, kings and queens who formed the future of this country half a millennium ago, and how contemporary issues such as the fall of the dictatorship and immigration affect the lives of citizens.
Pamplona
The city best known for the running of the bulls and for its representation in Hemingway’s works creates a mystic atmosphere for our students. Our visit will include a guided tour and explanation of the running of the bulls – we will learn how it started, why it continues and how it reconciles the yearly protests by anti animal cruelty groups.
San Sebastian and Bilbao
Northern Spain is known as the Basque Country, a region that boasts a language spoken by 30% of the population which has no known links to any other living language. But language is not the only element that separates the Basque people from the rest of Spain; the culture includes dress, music, food, rituals and sports that are not found in other parts of the Iberian Peninsula.
Our excursion will teach us where and when these differences arose and how they play out in contemporary society. We will also experience the incredible culinary treasures of the Basques and picturesque landscapes that never cease to amaze those who witness them.
Morocco
Once a semester, Barcelona SAE will offer students the exceptional opportunity to take a guided cultural immersion to Morocco. This trip is optional and costs approximately 550 EUR for an all-inclusive trip from Friday – Monday or Thursday - Sunday.
The history of Spain is intimately linked to Morocco dating back to the invasion of the Moors in 711, their lasting occupation in parts of Spain until 1492 and more recently, with large numbers of Moroccan immigration moving to Spain. We will explore these links in-depth and first-hand while providing the students with a very different view of how people live in this world. The experience can only be created through this trip as great lengths have been reached to allow students to stay with homestays, visit rural mountain villages and spend time with Moroccan students.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that comes highly recommended by Barcelona SAE.
Granada
Granada is a wonderful southern Spanish city with so much to offer its visitors starting with allure of the Alhambra, with its woods and the Sierra Nevada as magnificent backdrops, and the mystery of the winding streets of the Albayzín. But what you’ll find if you stick around is Andalucía’s hippest, youthful city, with a free-tapas culture, innovative bars, tiny flamenco holes and thumping clubs. Here, the Islamic past feels recent as a growing North African population has filled the Albayzín with kebab and cake shops and slipper and tea nooks and even a newly-constructed mosque.
Costs
Spring 2012 Semester program cost living in an apartment: $11,195 for 12 credits
Spring 2012 Semester program cost living in a homestay: $11,995 for 12 credits
Spring 2012 Semester program cost living in an apartment: $11,995 for 15 credits
Spring 2012 Semester program cost living in a homestay: $12,695 for 15 credits
*Housing is in shared rooms; an individual room can be secured at an extra cost.
*Costs may fluctuate based on currency exchange
The Barcelona International College semester program includes:
* Not included: Airfare to and from Barcelona, visa costs, mobile phones, local transportation, items of a personal nature
Housing is offered on a first-come and availability basis.
Homestays
A homestay can be one part of meaningful cultural integration and increased safety of the study abroad experience. Homestays are designed to be a mutually valuable experience for both the hosts and the participant. We work to find homestays that want to share their culture and language with the students and create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
A homestay “family” does not always mean a husband and wife, two children and a cute dog. In fact, what is more common is to live in the apartment of an older, widowed woman who enjoys the company.
The thorough screening process, regular family check-ins and homestay reviews allow us to monitor safety and the quality of the homestays we place our students with.
Homestays include breakfast and dinner every day, laundry services once a week, a set of keys to the apartment to come and go as you please, and an individual or shared bedroom.
Click here for a homestay testimonial from Jamie M., Baylor University.
Apartments
Living in an apartment in Barcelona provides students with a very realistic experience of life in the city. Apartments are fully equipped shared living spaces that Barcelona SAE students may live in jointly with other students – American or international. The apartments are spread throughout the city in safe areas with easy access to public transportation, restaurants and shops.
Students who choose to live in an apartment do not get meals included but have kitchen and cooking facilities.
Residence Halls
Students may choose to live in one of the several residence halls located throughout Barcelona along with other international students and young professionals. Securing a place in a residence hall is not easy due to limited space and an extra fee applies to this option.
For the Semester program at BIC, students have the following academic options:
Option A (12 credits): 1 Spanish Language course (90 hours, 6 credits) plus
2 Electives (3 credits each)
Option B (15 credits): 1 Spanish Language course (90 hours, 6 credits) plus
3 Electives (3 credits each)
Option C (12 credits): 1 Spanish Language course (45 hours, 6 credits) plus
3 Electives (3 credits each)
Option D (15 credits): 1 Spanish Language course (45 hours, 6 credits) plus
4 Electives (3 credits each)
Option E (12 credits): 4 Electives (3 credits each)
Culture Courses
Spanish Courses
The Barcelona International College
The Barcelona International College (BIC) offers international students the incredible opportunity to vastly improve their Spanish language skills while earning college credit with courses in English, specially designed for them. The Barcelona International College is located in the heart of the Eixample district of Barcelona - a beautiful, area of the city constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries in typical Modernist fashion.
Students studying at the Barcelona International College receive the following benefits:
ACADEMICS
Area Studies courses offered*:
*An expanded list of courses may be available
As the second largest city in Spain and capital of the region of Catalonia, Barcelona provides an ideal environment to experience the local Spanish culture including restaurants, nightlife, parks, sport, art, beaches and outdoor recreation areas. Students will receive intensive language training and have the opportunity to practice their newly acquired language skills both inside and outside of the classroom. Additionally, students can choose from a wide range of Area Studies courses in English or Spanish that count towards their major, minor, or general electives. Affordable cost, various housing options, fun cultural immersion activities and weekend excursions make this the ideal study abroad experience.
Barcelona is situated on its northeastern coast on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona's architecture is a mix between ancient and modern. The Romans settled here 2000 years ago and laid the foundations of a cosmopolitan, coast-lined metropolis located between the Mediterranean sea and the mountains. Today, you can see that and the modernist architecture of Antoni Gaudí – adding to the 9 World Heritage Sites in this vibrant city.
The world renowned Gothic quarter, the Modernist architecture of Gaudí, parks, and beaches combine to make Barcelona a world-class city. Walk down the bustling pedestrian strip of Las Ramblas to enjoy cafes, restaurants, market stalls and museums while marveling at the "statuesque" street performers. The coastline offers a spectacular boardwalk that comes to life at night, as well as seven spectacular beaches. Students will find Barcelona to be an exceptional classroom and are encouraged to soak up all this city has to offer both in and out of the classroom.
Did you know that Barcelona:
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