Sponsored by:

Northwestern University Study Abroad Office, in conjunction with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

Dana Bumpus, Assistant Director of the Study Abroad Office
630 Dartmouth Pl. Floor 2
Phone 847.467.2947
d-bumpus@northwestern.edu

Barcelona, Spain (population:  ca. 2 million)

Summer Term (June 14 – July 27, 2008). The summer program will run during UPF’s regular summer session in order to make it possible for Northwestern students to integrate as much as possible into university classes and the overall student body at UPF.

• Students must have completed at least one year of recent college-level Spanish to enroll in this program (i.e. students must be enrolled in a Spanish course during Northwestern’s fall, winter, or spring quarter in order to apply).
• Applicants should have approximately a 3.0 GPA.

Located in one of Europe' s most cosmopolitan and dynamic cities, Northwestern's customized summer program in Barcelona gives students the unique opportunity to increase their Spanish language skills while experiencing first-hand the city's architectural, artistic, and multi-cultural wonders. The Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), one of the leading institutions in Spain known for its international environment and cutting edge academics, has collaborated closely with the Northwestern Department of Spanish and Portuguese to create a special program for Northwestern students that includes Northwestern faculty member Professor Elisa Baena teaching a course on Modern Spain on the 2008 summer program and serving as Resident Director for all Northwestern students on the program. The university is centrally located in the heart of the city, close to La Rambla, the waterfront, and Ciutadella Park. The program will offer Spanish language and culture courses, focusing on the city of Barcelona and the region of Catalonia. Through a combination of coursework, excursions, and integration opportunities, students will experience a city and culture where modernity and tradition go hand in hand.

Academic Specialties of this program:

Spanish Language, the History and Culture of Spain, Barcelona, and Catalunya

This program is designed for students who have completed at least 1 year of college level Spanish. Students enroll in two courses and receive three Northwestern credits on this program. Please be aware that students applying to this program must have taken a recent Spanish course (in other words, students must be enrolled in a Spanish course during Northwestern’s Fall, Winter, or Spring quarters in order to apply). Please also ready very carefully the credit transfer information found in the "Additional Infromation" section of this site.

2008 Courses
Student must enroll in one of the following Language tracks:

• Intermediate Spanish Language
  (ideally for students who have completed 101-1,2,3 or 115-1,2)
• Advanced Spanish Language
  (ideally for students who have completed the 102 sequence and/or 199)
• Superior Spanish Language
  (ideally for students who have completed 201 or beyond

In addition, students must choose one of the following content courses:

• Culture and Society of Modern Spain
  (open to Advanced and Superior track students only, taught in Spanish)
• Barcelona: The City and Its History
  (open to Intermediate students; taught in English)

Additional Information:

• Students taking Spanish language courses on this program are eligible to transfer the language courses back to Northwestern as general credits initially (provided they earn a C or above in the course). If they would like to receive specific major, minor, or other specific credit in the Spanish Department for these courses, students must take a placementexam during the final week of the program to determine the type of credit they are eligible for within the Spanish Department and also which course level they will place back into here on campus. Intermediate students may have the opportunity to pass out of the second year of the Weinberg language requirement on this program; however, it is not guaranteed because credits can only be articulated after a student takes the Placement Exam with the Spanish Department upon completion of the program and the department evaluates individual progress. Please note: the Spanish Department has the final say in what type of Spanish Department credit a student can earn within the department from this program.
• Students hoping to fulfill distribution or other requirements on this program should check with their specific schools and academic advisors to determine policy on transferring distribution and other types of credit credit from abroad.
• Questions about credit transfer from the Barcelona program should be directed to Dana Bumpus in the Study Abroad Office at d-bumpus@northwestern.edu or Professor Elisa Baena in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at e-baena@northwestern.edu.

Students will be housed in the RESA Residencia Campus Del Mar, located in the Barceloneta neighborhood, a five to ten minute walk to the UPF Main Ciutadella Campus where classes will be held. The residence hall rooms resemble small apartments, each equipped with bathroom, complete kitchen, a/c, closet space, a television, a telephone, a desk, and free wireless Internet access. In general, two students will be placed in each residence hall room. The Residencia also has a 24-hour reception desk, a night security guard, a small computer lab, laundry facilities, vending machines, a study lounge, and is located near many grocery stores and markets where students can purchase food to cook their own meals if they wish.  The Residencia is near two Metro stops and is also within walking distance of many of the popular neighborhoods of central Barcelona, including the Barri Gotic, La Ribera and the Borne District.

Costs for the 2008 Barcelona program are estimated to be $8,200 including tuition (for up to three credits), housing, program activities and excursions, some meals. Costs are subject to change based on fluctuating exchange rates.

Financial Aid:

Northwestern students receiving financial aid during the academic year may be eligible for summer aid for this program. If funding is available, it may count as one of their 12 quarters of aid. For more information, please contact the Assistant Director of Financial Services, Sue Kwan, at s-kwan@northwestern.edu or 847-491-7400. Non-Northwestern students should contact the Financial Aid office at their home institution.

No more than 24 students are accepted to this program. 

The program includes a full weekend excursion to Madrid. There will also be several short day or afternoon excursions organized specifically for Northwestern students. Possible afternoon excursions in Barcelona include a trip to the Museu Picasso, visits to famous Antoni Gaudí works (including La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, Casa Milá), the Olympic Stadium, and the Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat. Possible full day or overnight excursions include visits to nearby Girona, Sitges or Figueres. The exact excursion list will be posted on the website once it is finalized. Students on this program will generally have Friday afternoons and most weekends free to travel independently.

Application Instructions:

1. Students applying to the Barcelona summer program DO NOT need to take the 101 session on Blackboard, as is required of other study abroad students.
2. Students applying to the Barcelona summer program must complete the Northwestern Summer Study Abroad Application and in addition must submit the following materials to the Northwestern Study Abroad Office together with the application and required non-refundable deposit of $1000 by March 5, 2008:
   • An additional two passport photos (the Northwestern application requests that you submit two; for this program you will need to submit a total of four)
   • An official transcript obtained from the Northwestern Office of the Registrar
   • A photocopy of your passport picture page*
3.  Students must interview with Dana Bumpus, the Assistant Director of the Study Abroad Office, prior to the application deadline as part of the application process.
4. If you are accepted to the Barcelona program, you must purchase the required HTH health insurance.  You will need to submit a photocopy of the HTH receipt showing proof of insurance to the Study Abroad Office by April 24, 2008. For more information on HTH, please visit this site.