Programs by Region

MADRID, SPAIN

Program Provider: USC

Program Site: USC Madrid Center at the International Institute in central Madrid.

Duration: Fall, Spring, or Year

Eligibility: Minimum cumulative USC GPA of 3.0; two semesters of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent) with a Spanish course or the USC Spanish language placement exam taken within one year before the start of the program. The Spanish courses taken to meet the eligibility requirements must be taken for a letter grade.

Course Load: Students take four 4-unit USC courses for a total of 16 USC units.

Units: Students may earn a maximum of 16 USC units.

Academics: Fields of study available are Art History, International Relations, Political Science, and Spanish. Students take a minimum of two Spanish courses. Program courses are for USC students only. In addition to learning in a classroom setting, students learn on-site at museums and historical sites within and beyond Madrid.

Students may take courses for major, minor, or elective credit and may take no fewer than 16 units of coursework. Courses are taught in Spanish unless otherwise indicated. The course load is similar to that at USC.

Courses are 4 USC units each and are taken for a USC letter grade. The letter grade appears on the USC transcript, and the grades are factored into one's USC GPA. The courses are taught by local faculty approved by academic departments at USC and follow USC-approved syllabi.

Courses:
-    SPAN 220 Spanish III
-    SPAN 240 Spanish IV
-    SPAN 260 Advanced Spanish: Arts and Sciences
-    SPAN 261 Advanced Spanish: Society and the Media
-    SPAN 302 (fall only) Survey of Film
-    SPAN 304 Survey of Fiction
-    SPAN 320 Iberian and Latin American Cultures: Readings on Society
-    SPAN 373 (spring only) Modern and Postmodern Spanish Fiction
-    SPAN 464 Introduction to Conetmporary Spanish Theater
-    IR 468 European Integration (taught in English)
-    AHIS 496 Paintings in the Prado Museum (taught in a mixture of English and Spanish)
-    POSC 469 (fall only) Critical Issues in Comparative Politics--Contemporary Spain (taught in English)

Accommodations: Students live with Spanish host families located throughout Madrid. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided seven days a week. Students with serious food allergies or very particular dietary needs should consider the Bilbao program, which has an apartment option that allows students to shop for and cook their own meals.

Activities and Other Program Features:
Cultural Activities - In addition to learning on-site at museums and historical sites within and beyond Madrid, program participants attend dance, music, film, theater performances. The program directors also take students out to restaurants to sample different types of Spanish cuisine.

Day Trips - Each semester there are several day trips to areas close to Madrid such as Toledo and Segovia.

Multi-day Field Trips - These are also longer trips (usually 4 days) to further regions of Spain or to another country. Professors and program directors accompany students on these educational excursions.

Belgium: The fall semester trip to Belguim is an integral part of the art history, international relations, and political science courses. It includes a visit to European Union institutions in Brussels, guest lectures on European politics, and a visit to the city of Bruges to view Flemish art, which profoundly influenced Spanish art.

Southern Spain: The fall and spring trips to Southern Spain introduce students to a region strongly influenced by the Moorish, Jewish, and Christian cultures of medieval Spain.

Northern Spain: The spring semster trip to Northern Spain takes students to either Catalunya, the Basque Country, or the northwestern regions of Asturias and Galicia.

Independent Learning - While taking courses in Spanish, living with a Spanish host family, and participating in program-sponsored trips and activities will faciliatate a particpant's use and acquisition of Spanish, it is incumbent upon the participant to be highly self-motivated and actively seek opportunities to communicate only in Spanish as much as possible. Students are strongly encouraged to seek out volunteer opportunities and to meet Spaniards through sports and other activities.

Calendar: The fall semester runs from the end of August through mid-December and includes a one-week fall break. The spring semester runs from early January to early May and includes a one-week spring break in the week before Easter.

Estimated Semester Cost:

Tuition……………………………………$21,081
Additional Expenses*…………$11,620
Total………………………………………$32,701

Cost Updated: 12/12/11
Text Updated: 07/11/11

*Additional expenses include estimated costs for airfare, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, and personal expenses (which can vary greatly from student to student). USC financial aid, scholarships, and tuition remission may be applied to program costs. Please visit the Office of Overseas Studies for more detailed cost information.