In this program, facilitated by CIEE, students take courses in Barcelona: the largest city on the Mediterranean Sea and brimming with culture, sport, fashion, finance, media, and entertainment. Coursework consists of a required Spanish language course and 3 choice courses taught in English with fellow CIEE students at the CIEE study center or at Pompeu Fabra University. Students live either with a Spanish-speaking family, in a residence hall with other Spanish and international students, or in a shared apartment with CIEE students. In addition to their coursework students can opt for an internship to gain practical experience with NGOs, schools, businesses, and more. Students can visit nearby Roman ruins, see Salvador Dali's work, summit Tibidabo Mountain, and take weekend trips to other Spanish cities.
Students wishing to enroll in CIEE Barcelona: Language and Culture should have either no SPAN credit or only the SPAN 1000-series on their transcript. Students who have completed SPAN 2203 should not enter this program, as they will repeat 5-6 credits in the required CIEE Spanish language course. To avoid repeating credit, it is recommended that students who have completed SPAN 2203 take one SPAN class at the 3000-level prior to going abroad, and then apply for CIEE Barcelona: Liberal Arts. Students should be sure to check the external section of their Vanderbilt transcript to verify any transfer or AP credit on their record. Students should consult the Undergraduate Course Catalogue for details and limitations. Contact the GEO advisor or the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Spanish with questions.
PLEASE NOTE: Students CANNOT opt-out of the required Spanish language course. Therefore, students who have completed SPAN 2203 will repeat and loose 5-6 credit hours, which will put them in danger of underloading. Students who take less than the required VU 12 credit hours a semester, are subject to academic probation. Please click the link for more information about underloading. https://as.vanderbilt.edu/internal/policies/overload-underload.php.
Regarding visas, please note that it is student's responsibility to complete and submit visa applications within the appropriate processing timeframe. Visa applications submitted late may not be processed before the start of the program, and may impact students ability to study abroad. Students that choose to submit their Spanish visa applications independently must account for BLS Visa processing times: Once the visa application is received and marked as complete by the BLS office, the period to receive a visa decision is up to 2 months from the day following the registration of the application in the visa system, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents.
