BU Madrid: Language & Liberal Arts Program

» General Information

Location:

Madrid, Spain (Population: 3 million)

Description:

The Madrid Language and Liberal Arts Program offers a semester or year of intensive language and cultural immersion in the lively and cosmopolitan capital of Spain. The programs are designed for students who already have a background in Spanish language, and all courses are taught in Spanish by Spanish faculty or the resident director.

Terms:

Fall Semester (Fall Quarter), Spring Semester (Winter/Spring Quarters), Full Year

Sponsor:

Boston University

Website:

Madrid Language & Liberal Arts Program


» Related Links

» Other Programs in Spain

Language Requirements

  • Level I: Intensive Spanish Language Studies: 1 year of college level Spanish, or equivalent
  • Level II Advanced Language Program: 2.5 years of college level Spanish, or equivalent (7 quarters, including Spanish 199-0)
    Recommended: Completion of one 200-level class
  • Level III University Studies Program at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spring Semester only: 3 years of college level Spanish, or equivalent

Northwestern Requirements

  • The Department of Spanish and Portuguese will accept petitions to receive major or minor credit for a course taken at UAM only if you have completed the entire course and taken the same final assessment as the Spanish students in the course, at the same time. See the department’s website for more information on its policies.

Program Requirements

  • Levels I and II applicants need a B average in Spanish courses to qualify for the program.
  • Level III applicants need a B average in Spanish courses and a minimum GPA of 3.3 to qualify for the program.

Academic Specialties

Advanced Spanish language and composition, Spanish literature, culture, history, film and politics, anthropology, archaeology, economics, sociology, psychology, and science.

Course Type

  • Level I: Intensive Spanish Language Studies: Language, conversation and civilization courses, taught in Spanish, at the Instituto Internacional en España.
  • Level II Advanced Language Program: Language study and liberal arts courses, taught in Spanish, at the Instituto Internacional en España.
  • Level III University Studies Program: Students take all courses at UAM, with optional semester-long tutorials to assist with university coursework. Level III is available for Spring Semester only; however, qualified full year students who begin in Level II in the Fall may be able to advance to Level III in the Spring.

Additional Information

  • Excellent volunteer opportunities are available through Desarrollo y Asistencia.
  • There are three to four excursions per semester to locations such as Granada, Toledo, Córdoba, Sevilla, and Segovia.
  • Students receive tuition reimbursement for cultural events.
  • Most of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid's facilities, including libraries, computer labs, and sports facilities, are situated on the 548-acre Cantoblanco Campus located 15km north of Madrid.

Housing

Home stays

Program Costs

Estimated Costs:  Fall 2011
For the most updated program cost information, please refer to your program provider’s website.

  • Tuition:  $20,424
  • Room, Board, Airfare:  $6,355
  • SAAF:  $2,355
  • Local Transportation:  $510
  • Books & Supplies:  $350
  • Personal Expenses:  $3,400
  • HTH:  $134
  • Total Estimated Costs:  $33,528

Additional Information:

For more information on billing and financial aid, visit the Financial Considerations section of the website.

Approximate Program Size

40-50 students

Application Requirements

Northwestern students must complete two applications for this program:
  1. Northwestern University Application for Permission to Study Abroad.
  2. Boston University program application.

Contact Returnees

Northwestern students may enter this section of the site for a list of students who participated in this program.