Spain Term (Fall 2009)

Courses | Location | Accommodations | Travel |Program Dates | Cost| Next Steps/Contact |

Spain Term

Highlights
Immersion in the language, culture and lifestyle of Segovia • Interaction with local students and families through homestay • Travel to Madrid, Andalucía, and regional areas of interest • Seamless integration of courses with Bethel’s Spanish language curriculum.

Program Description
At the Center for Hispanic Studies, an on-site director and qualified faculty teach all classes in Spanish, taking into consideration the proficiency of the students. Students will live with a Spanish host family and will also be able to interact with native Spanish speakers and university students through organized cultural and language exchanges at the Center. Though geared toward Spanish majors and minors, Spain Term is open to any student who has completed two years of college level Spanish or the equivalent.

Courses (15-18 credits total)
Classes are held at the Center for Hispanic Studies, located in a renovated 15th-century mansion that is spacious and centrally-located. The center is well-equipped with a computer lab, photography studio, and meeting rooms, and shares the facility with Horizonte Cultural, an organization offering support to Spanish university students.  For an additional fee, students can take classes not for credit in cooking, photography and dance along with Spaniards associated with Horizonte Cultural. Spain Term fulfills the Z-tag general education requirement.

SPA120A  Photography in Spain (carries cross-credit in Art)
SPA300    Introduction to Hispanic Literature
SPA303    Spanish Civilization and Culture (“U” pending approval)
SPA311    Advanced Communication in Spain (“G” pending approval)
SPA316    Modern Spain:  An Examination in Ethics
SPA318    Classical Literature in Spain
SPA499    Senior Seminar (with departmental approval)
TEL240     TESOL Practicum Abroad    
EDU318G  Issues in Education Seminar

Dr. Donna LeGrand, Associate Professor of Spanish Education (Department of Modern World Languages) is the Director of Spain Term.  She can be contacted via e-mail at legdon@bethel.edu.

Academic Extras
Multiple internship or service-learning opportunities are available. The prestigious Museo de Esteban Vicente offers an internship to a Bethel student with the appropriate art-related interest and level of Spanish proficiency.  Other students have completed internships with the municipal government or local businesses.

Location
A United Nations Heritage of Humanity site, Segovia is a quaint, yet modern city just one hour from Madrid. Beautiful mountains and vast cultural and natural attractions surround Segovia. This city of 55,000 also offers numerous plazas, cafes, museums, historic sites and its famous Roman aqueduct. It is an ideal setting for language study and interaction with Spaniards.

Travel
Students have the opportunity to explore many different regions in Spain through travel (included in program fee):

• Andalucía  Five days in southern Spain, exploring Moorish influences in the cities of Sevilla, Córdoba, and Granada.
• Madrid  Two days in this exciting city, Spain’s capital and a major European cultural center.
• Barcelona  Three days in in this Catalonian city on the Mediterranean coast, known for Gaudí architecture.

Five one-day excursions:

• El Escorial / Valle de los Caídos An amazing complex which once housed a monastery, basilica, palace quarters, and tombs of the royals. Nearby is the Valley of the Fallen, where visitors can climb a massive granite cross which stands as a memorial to those who died in the Spanish Civil War.
• Toledo Considered the “gem” of Spain’s history, a famous city influenced by three major religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
• Salamanca / Avila Quintessential Spanish towns with a medieval feel. Considered to be free from advertisements and pollution, these towns boast stone walls from the 12th century.
• Ruta de los Castillos Castles are one of the most impressive images of Europe, and Spain offers many of them. The “route” of castles features many constructed in the 12th century.
• La Granja de San Ildefonso / Real Fábrica de Cristales La Granja is considered to be the most extravagant of the four royal summer palaces and houses the Royal Crystal Factory.

Accommodations
Living in Spanish homestays provides students with maximum cultural and linguistic interaction with one student per home. The on-site director chooses the families with great care and excels at communicating his expectations with them. Students receive their meals at home. On group excursions of more than one day, students are responsible for their meals.

Faith Formation
Students have the opportunity to explore faith integration in a variety of ways, including participation in a local church and a student-led Bible study; students also may volunteer in community outreach activities in a suburb near Madrid.

Requirements

• Completion of two years of college-level Spanish (through Intermediate II) or the equivalent
• Minimum sophomore standing
• Minimum 2.5 GPA
• See application for additional policies

Cost
Students pay a comprehensive fee which is the equivalent of Bethel tuition, room (junior level), and full board (Royal meal plan). For Fall 2008, this was $16,545. This includes tuition, room, most meals, approximately eight trips/ excursions, and round-trip airfare (Minneapolis–Madrid). Financial aid applies (with the exception of work-study and Bethel performance scholarships, i.e. orchestra, forensics). Additional costs include meals on excursions longer than one day, Spanish student visas (may involve a trip to the Spanish consulate in Chicago or other location), passports, immunizations, and personal spending.  For scholarship information, check out www.StudyAbroadFunding.com.

Next steps

• Talk with Dr. LeGrand, Spain Term program director, x6544, legdon@bethel.edu.
• Talk with your advisor – off-campus study should complement your field of study.
• Ask questions – feel free to contact the OIS for any additional information.
• Obtain an application from CC320A.

Dates
Tentative dates are Aug. 29 – Dec. 12.

Important dates

Dec. 1    Application deadline (includes $50 non-refundable application fee; a $250
    confirmation deposit will be due 2 weeks after acceptance)
March 1    Secondary application deadline schedule as above)    
April 18 or 25    Study Abroad Orientation (mandatory)--date TBD
May    Four pre-departure meetings (mandatory)
August    Final program payment due with Fall bill
Aug. 29    Tentative departure date
Dec. 12    Tentative return date