Hispanic Studies at the UB
The study abroad options at the University of Barcelona are for those students with at least some Spanish language background who want to take all of their courses in Spanish. There are specially designed elective courses that are taught in Spanish but for students who are not fluent. This “content-based” learning is a great way of furthering studies in areas you are interested in while vastly improving your Spanish skills.
Options
You can study during the fall semester, spring semester, the full academic year or a summer term at the UB.
Students will take an intensive Spanish course plus 4 or 5 electives worth 2 credits each.
Courses
Through a special department of courses designed for international students at the UB, you have a wide range of courses to choose from focusing on Hispanic Studies. The courses are taught in Spanish by local faculty, so a minimum of one year Spanish language is necessary.
Spanish Language
The UB is renowned for their Spanish language teaching. Students will take a Spanish language plus electives taught in Spanish meaning that the exposure to Spanish is great.
Requirements
Students must have a minimum of a cumulative 2.5 GPA (of a 4.0 scale) or equivalent
Students should have a minimum of one year of college-level Spanish semester or the equivalent at their home university
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.
Imagine learning a little more about the history of Spain through a 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 small guided tours or learn about immigration affecting the city through diversity scavenger hunts.
The study abroad options at the University of Barcelona are for those students with at least some Spanish language background who want to take all of their courses in Spanish. There are specially designed elective courses that are taught in Spanish but for students who are not fluent. This “content-based” learning is a great way of furthering studies in areas you are interested in while vastly improving your Spanish skills.
Options
You can study during the fall semester, spring semester, the full academic year or a summer term at the UB.
Students will take an intensive Spanish course plus 4 or 5 electives worth 2 credits each.
Courses
Through a special department of courses designed for international students at the UB, you have a wide range of courses to choose from focusing on Hispanic Studies. The courses are taught in Spanish by local faculty, so a minimum of one year Spanish language is necessary.
Spanish Language
The UB is renowned for their Spanish language teaching. Students will take a Spanish language plus electives taught in Spanish meaning that the exposure to Spanish is great.
Requirements
Students must have a minimum of a cumulative 2.5 GPA (of a 4.0 scale) or equivalent
Students should have a minimum of one year of college-level Spanish semester or the equivalent at their home university
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.
Imagine learning a little more about the history of Spain through a 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 small guided tours or learn about immigration affecting the city through diversity scavenger hunts.
Please do NOT book flight tickets based on these dates. Please wait until the dates are confirmed to you from a Barcelona SAE representative.
Fall 2010
| September 4 |
Arrival Day |
| September 5-7 | Orientation in Barcelona, city tours, day trip |
| September 9 | Spanish classes begin |
| September 28 | Hispanic and European Studies Program begins |
| October 9-12 |
Optional guided excursion to Morocco (optional) |
| November 13-15 |
Guided excursion to Madrid (included) |
| December 10 | Re-entry Workshop |
| December 10 | Farewell dinner |
| December 16 | Final day of classes |
| December 20 |
Departure day, all students must vacate housing. |
Spring 2011
| January 22 |
Arrival Day |
| January 23-28 |
Orientation in Barcelona, city tours, day trip |
| January 29 |
Courses begin |
| March 5-7 | Guided excursion to Granada with Barcelona SAE staff (included) |
| April 2-4 |
Optional guided excursion to Morocco (optional) |
| May 7 |
Final language class |
| May 12 |
Farewell dinner |
| May 13 |
Departure day, all students must vacate housing. |
Several intercultural activities will be scheduled throughout the term aimed to get to know the city and encourage integration. The final calendar will be mailed to students with the other pre-departure material.
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
Semester program cost: $11,975
Full-year cost: $22,200
* Costs may fluctuate based on currency exchange.
The Hispanic Studies Semester Program includes:
* Not included: Airfare to and from Barcelona, 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 experiences 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 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 and regular family check ins and home stay reviews that are preformed allow us to monitor safety and the quality of the immersive experience with the homestay family.
Homestays include breakfast and dinner every day (except excursions), 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.
*This option carries an additional fee.
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.
Culture Courses
Spanish Courses
Universidad de Barcelona (UB)
The UB was founded in 1450. The present central building was inaugurated in 1871 and is located in the city centre. Today the university has four campuses, in different parts of the city. The university is particularly interested in fostering international relations, and for many years has been the leader among European universities in a number of student exchanges organized as part of the Erasmus program. UB offers an Estudios Hispanicos program taught in Spanish, adapted to the students’ proficiency levels, based on Spanish and Latin-American culture.
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 towards their major, minor, or general electives. Affordable cost, homestay or apartment living, 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. The beauty of Barcelona lies in the juxtaposition of 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, both of these natural resources still deserve acclaim among the locals along with the incredible modernist architecture of Antoni Gaudí – adding to the 9 World Heritage Sites in this vibrant city. Students from all over the globe come to study in Barcelona.
The world renowned Gothic quarter, the Modernist architecture of Gaudí and the parks, buildings and infrastructure of the 21st century 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 boasts a spectacular boardwalk that especially 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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