Integrated Studies in Alicante, Spain
Providing unique learning experiences for North American university students since 1969
Program Information
Students that opt to take this course of study attend classes alongside native Spanish students at the University of Alicante (UA). The term of study follows the university’s academic year calendar, and students can select courses from the university’s many disciplines, including humanities, science and technology, social sciences, health science, and education.
Designed as an immersion program at the advanced Spanish level, you will benefit from UA’s wide variety of courses and rich cultural resources for international students, alongside Spanish Studies’ commitment to aid your integration into the campus community. Spanish Studies students in this program can also benefit from a unique culture course taught by the Resident Director called Cultural Realities of Spain. This course allows you to synthesize your immersion experience from understanding daily life in the home stay to the historic and sociological foundations of Spain’s current social reality.
Why choose this program?
- Dedication to academic excellence
- Fall, Spring, or Academic Year
- Classes at Universidad de Alicante
- Local speaking partners
- All courses are taught in Spanish by highly qualified Spanish university professors with extensive experience in teaching American students. For more information on courses available at the Universidad de Alicante, please consult the Universidad de Alicante website.
- 12-18 credits per semester; advanced students may take additional credits with prior approval from their advisor and the Resident Director
- Small class size for personalized attention
- All students live with a local host family or in a residence hall
- All meals included
- Full access to university facilities
- Excursions: immerse yourself in a culture while touring with a group you know
Requirements
- Prerequisite: Two semesters of advanced college Spanish or the equivalent, or native/near-native speakers of Spanish; and approval from Universidad de Alicante, based upon the performance on UA's online examination
- 3.0 GPA in Spanish Language Coursework; exceptions may be made with strong recommendations from faculty
Choose your term
Start Date: Jan, 2024
Apply by: Oct 15, 2022
End Date: May, 2024
Cost: $16.450
Start Date: Sept 2, 2023
Apply by: May 15, 2023
End Date: Dec 22, 2023
Cost: $16.450
Choose your courses
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
SPAN 358UA - TEACHING SPANISH AS A SECOND/FOREIGN LANGUAGE
This course is for future teachers of Spanish as a foreign language or second language, which includes an introduction to the different aspects that will be part of their professional practice.
Pre-requisites: B2 level required (Only Spring)
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Spring
Integrated Course Options
UAINT - INTEGRATED COURSES AT UA
Students in the Alicante Integrated Studies program choose 1-3 courses of integrated coursework in a variety of academic areas. Classes are alongside Spanish students at Universidad de Alicante. See https://web.ua.es/en/undergraduate-degrees.html for course listings. Courses must be taught in Spanish.
Pre-requisites: Integrated Studies: 2 semesters of advanced college Spanish or equivalent
Credits:
Contact hours:
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 452UA - SPANISH LANGUAGE SUPERIOR LEVEL II
As the final language course in a sequence designed to produce fully functional bilinguals, this course is designed to lead students to increasing complexity and subtlety of expression, through the use of appropriate vocabulary and structures. Grammar includes continued work on subjunctive/indicative in adjective and concessive clauses, impersonal and passive constructions, verbal periphrases, signs and symbols.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous work in Spanish as well as placement test score.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 451UA - SPANISH LANGUAGE SUPERIOR LEVEL I
Students in this course are close to native or near-native fluency, and work to perfect their level of expression in writing and speaking, focusing on writing coherently and cohesively using a variety of organizing structures and mechanisms. They learn to recognize errors of pronunciation and how to self-correct. Linguistic topics include regional varieties in Spain and indigenous languages and cultures of Spanish America, as well as the morphology of derived and compound words.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous work in Spanish as well as placement test score.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
Living the Culture
LTC 490UA - LIVING THE CULTURE
All Spanish Studies Abroad students in Alicante have the opportunity to take Living the Culture workshops. These courses may include dance, scuba, cuisine, windsurf or music. They carry 1-3 credits, and are graded pass/fail. Students finalize participation in these courses once in Alicante. For more information, visit spanishstudies.org/living-the-culture/
Pre-requisites: Additional fee applies
Credits: 1
Contact hours: 15
Fall, Spring
Living the Culture
LTC 300UA-B - INTRODUCTION TO LATIN DANCE AND FLAMENCO
In this introductory dance course, students learn the basics of Flamenco and Latin dance. Please note that there are additional fees for LTC courses.
Pre-requisites: Additional fee applies
Credits: 1
Contact hours: 15
Fall, Spring
Living the Culture Courses
LTC 300UA-A - CULTURE OF SPANISH CUISINE
In this introductory cooking course students learn the basics of traditional Spanish cuisine, especially that of the coastal region. Please note that there are additional fees for LTC courses.
Pre-requisites: Additional fee applies
Credits: 1
Contact hours: 15
Fall, Spring
Language and Culture
SPAN 365UA - CONTEMPORARY SPANISH CIVILIZATION
El objetivo principal de este curso es analizar los principales hechos de la civilización contemporánea de España y de Alicante. Se llevará a cabo un estudio interdisciplinar que incluirá la historia, la cultura, la economía y la política durante los siglos XX y XXI haciendo un enfoque principal en aquellos períodos críticos que han transformado substancialmente lo que hoy conocemos como España.
Pre-requisites: 2 semesters of intermediate Spanish or equivalent
Credits: 3
Contact hours: 45
Fall, Spring
Language and Culture
SPAN 361UA - BUSINESS SPANISH
Destinado a estudiantes internacionales que quieran desarrollar competencias en un área que normalmente no forma parte del aprendizaje del idioma. Se familiarizará a los estudiantes con la terminología del mundo de la economía, la administración de empresas, los mercados y temas afines, a fin de permitirle comunicarse correctamente en el idioma de destino.
Pre-requisites: Intermediate Spanish level or the equivalent
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Spring, Fall
Language and Culture
SPAN 357UA - TOURISM AND GASTRONOMIC SPANISH CULTURE
El curso pretende aproximar al alumno a aspectos esenciales del turismo y la cultura gastronómica reciente de España. Especialmente, se buscará profundizar en la restauración, gastronomía y cultura que refleja la cultura española. Además, está planteado de forma que ofrezca la oportunidad para trabajar la competencia comunicativa y ejercitar todas las destrezas lingüísticas en español.
Pre-requisites: Intermediate Spanish level or the equivalent
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Spring, Fall
Language and Culture
SPAN 355UA - GENDER, LANGUAGE AND POWER
Destinado a estudiantes internacionales que estén interesados en analizar las relaciones sociales de género y debatir sobre el planteamiento de los medios de comunicación a este respecto, así como estudiar las consecuencias socioculturales que dicho planteamiento conlleva. Se pretende dotar al alumnado de las herramientas de análisis necesarias para fomentar el sentido crítico y reflexionar sobre la construcción de lo masculino y lo femenino en los medios de comunicación actuales.
Pre-requisites: Advanced Spanish level or the equivalent
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Spring, Fall
Language and Culture
SPAN 350UA - INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH ART
This course leads students to understand the principal expressions of Spanish art. In pursuit of this objective, the course studies the most significant artists, works and periods throughout Spanish history, from prehistoric art to the works produced at the end of the twentieth century. The point of departure is a study of the first artistic expressions on the Peninsula, and neo-Levantine painting, moving on to the art of Roman and Visigothic Spain to the Hispano-Islamic, Romanesque and Gothic periods. The course studies the great artists such as Velázquez, Ribera, Zurbarán, Murillo and Goya, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassic periods. In the twentieth century the course focuses on Picasso, Miró and Dalí, and considers the post Civil War period and the art of the 1950´s.
Pre-requisites: 2 semesters of intermediate Spanish or equivalent
Credits: 3
Contact hours: 45
Fall, Spring
Language and Culture
SPAN 340UA - INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH CINEMA
This course explores those features of Spanish culture which are reflected in her cinema. The student is presented with a broad panorama of the history of Spanish cinema, framed by the socio-political reality in which each stage developed. In addition, the course studies the principal figures of Spanish film, the traditional and the innovative. Students learn to recognize the different phases of Spanish cinema, integrating the phases into a broad cultural framework reaching from the pre-Franco era to the present. The course studies the origins of Spanish film to the cine politico, the cine de la movida, and the internationalization of Spanish cinema. The course pays special attention to the importance of cinema as a reflection of society, such as the growth of productions by women, and works with strong social commentary.
Pre-requisites: 2 semesters of intermediate Spanish or equivalent
Credits: 3
Contact hours: 45
Fall, Spring
Language and Culture
SPAN 330UA - INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH LITERATURE
In this course, students approach the many aspects of contemporary Spanish reality through a study of her literature as seen in her principal authors and works, from its beginnings to the twentieth century. Students are introduced to the idea of what a text is, as well as to the basic concepts of literary theory and criticism. The course begins with the literary creation of the Middle Ages through the Renaissance and the Baroque periods. The Neoclassical and Romantic periods are examined, as are the works and the literary currents of Modernism, and the Generations of ´98 and ´27. The course concludes with the postwar period and the literature of the late twentieth century.
Pre-requisites: 2 semesters of intermediate Spanish or equivalent
Credits: 3
Contact hours: 45
Fall, Spring
Complementary
SPAN 475UA - HIGH-ADVANCED CONVERSATION
Additional conversational practice to complement the study of Spanish at the high-advanced level.
Pre-requisites: Concurrent study at same level or enrollment in SPAN 311, 313, 403, 405, 451 or 452UA
Credits: 1
Contact hours: 20
Fall, Spring
Complementary
SPAN 375UA - ADVANCED CONVERSATION
Additional conversational practice to complement the study of Spanish at the advanced level.
Pre-requisites: Concurrent study at same level or enrollment in SPAN 300, 309 or 310UA
Credits: 1
Contact hours: 20
Spring, Fall
Complementary
SPAN 360UA - SPANISH FOR BUSINESS
A practical examination of the forms of business communication in the Hispanic world including commercial vocabulary, the writing of business letters, and oral practice with business dialogues. Discussons of business news and study of business documents.
Pre-requisites: One course in intermediate college Spanish or the equivalent.
Credits: 1
Contact hours: 20
Fall, Spring
Cross-Cultural Reflection
SPAN 343UA - ADVANCED CULTURAL REALITIES OF SPAIN
This course seeks to guide the students through the cultural adaptation period, leading them to a profound analysis of their experiences in Spain. Through discussion, journaling, and oral presentations, students reflect upon their own adaptation with the eventual goal of integration into Spanish culture. Students explore Spanish culture, society, labor religion, economics and leisure, with the purpose of better understanding their own cultural journey and managing culture shock.
Pre-requisites: 2 semesters of intermediate Spanish or equivalent
Credits: 1
Contact hours: 15
Fall, Spring
Experiential Learning
SVL 490UA - SERVICE LEARNING COURSE
Engagement in the culture through community service in a local organization.
Pre-requisites: Successful completion of one course in advanced college Spanish or the equivalent, prior to program. Separate application required, see https://spanishstudies.org/service-learning-programs/
Fall, Spring
Experiential Learning
IRP 490UA - INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT
For additional information on undertaking an independent research project, visit our website at https://spanishstudies.org/independent-research-project/
Fall, Spring
Experiential Learning
INT 490UA - INTERNSHIP COURSE
Practical experience through placement in a local business or organization
Pre-requisites: Successful completion of one course in advanced college Spanish or the equivalent, prior to program. Separate application required, see https://spanishstudies.org/internship-or-service-learning-course-option/.
Credits: 3-4
Contact hours: 135-180
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 405UA - SPECIAL TOPICS IN ADVANCED LANGUAGE STUDY II
Students work on skills related to the transmission of information, justification, possibility with semantic subtlety over multiple registers. Grammar points include discourse in the present and the past, use of future perfect, imperfect and probability, vocabulary of economics, and colloquial expressions in Spain and Latin America.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous work in Spanish as well as placement test score.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 403UA - SPECIAL TOPICS IN ADVANCED LANGUAGE STUDY I
In this course students refine their skills at requesting, giving orders, advice, and instructions, persuading, and influencing across various registers; expressing sequence of actions in the present and the past; contrasting ideas, opinions, and arguments. Grammar points include structures to express influence and concession, subordinate noun clauses, the vocabulary of advertising and business. Some linguistics topics are also discussed, such as leísmo, laísmo, and loísmo, and an introduction to the lexicon of Caribbean and South American countries.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous wok in Spanish as well as placement test scores.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 313UA - HIGH ADVANCED SPANISH II
Students in this course learn how to construct hypotheses, define and describe abstract concepts, write critically and prepare formal letters and reports. Grammar points assisting in the development of these functions include compound conditional and past perfect subjunctive, probability, intensifiers and impersonal constructions.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous work in Spanish as well as placement test score.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 311UA - HIGH ADVANCED SPANISH I
This level focuses on advanced topics of oral and written narration in Spanish, including tone, intent, organization of ideas for written and oral argument, and describing abstract concepts. Grammar points support these applications.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous work in Spanish as well as placement test score.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 310UA - ADVANCED SPANISH III
This intensive course is designed to develop advanced language competence. Includes extensive review of Spanish and the acquisition of vocabulary, complex structures, and understanding of linguistic registers through activities and materials created to introduce students to contemporary Spanish usage, culture, and daily life.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous work in Spanish as well as placement test score.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
Language
SPAN 309UA - ADVANCED SPANISH II
This intensive course is designed to develop advanced language competence. Includes extensive review of Spanish and the acquisition of vocabulary, complex structures, and understanding of linguistic registers through activities and materials created to introduce students to contemporary Spanish usage, culture, and daily life.
Pre-requisites: Admission to courses based upon previous work in Spanish as well as placement test score.
Credits: 4
Contact hours: 60
Fall, Spring
What are you spending your program fee on?
Chart by Visualizer
For a specific price for this program please reach out to us, as fees vary depending on the destination.
What does the program fee include?
Tuition
Double occupancy room & full board
Laundry
Overnight & local study visits & cultural activities
Orientation
Health Insurance
Spanish Studies transcript
Support of onsite staff
Special Dietary Needs
Students with food allergies, intolerances, or other medical conditions that require a special diet may incur an extra fee to cover related dietary expenses. Please contact Spanish Studies for additional details.
All fees are in U.S. dollars and based on current exchange rates. Any considerable decrease in the value of the dollar will affect fees.
How much spending money should I budget for?
Table by Visualizer
These costs are merely orientative*
This plan estimates personal and miscellaneous expenses at approximately $175 per week.
If you need to travel to a consulate for the purpose of obtaining a visa before your program abroad (semester students only), remember to budget for that travel expense.
Some students will spend more and others will spend less, of course. Consider your lifestyle and budget accordingly.
The “Short Term” estimate is for one 3.5 week program; if you are participating in two, multiply by two.
Spanish Studies Programs
Integrated Studies Programs
Internship & Service Learning Programs
International Studies in English Programs
Short-Term Programs
Meet your Resident Director
My role is to provide you with the necessary resources with which to maximize your experience in Alicante. You will choose courses to satisfy your intellectual and academic requirements. Extracurricular activities supplement your coursework, allowing you to live the culture as you further your own interests. These activities include dance, theater, sports, cooking, volunteering, tutoring in English, etc. The key is to find a good combination of study and leisure so that you may achieve your individual objectives and benefit each day from this unique experience.
Pepa Vives