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CASA is a consortium of leading universities including Vanderbilt University, Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University and the University of Pennsylvania. CASA focuses on offering high-quality study abroad opportunities in select locations around the world.
At a Glance
This program is administered by the Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad (CASA): a partnership of Ivy Plus universities including Vanderbilt University. CASA Seville is a multi-dimensional program designed to integrate linguistic, social, cultural, historical, and artistic study with experiential learning. Students achieve this through taking both American-style courses at the CASA study center, and regular Spanish university courses at the University of Seville. Students learn about Spanish culture and society by living with families in the community, by working in local community organizations, and through educational tours. Students receive individualized linguistic support with staff and faculty attending closely to the student’s individualized learning goals.
Students wishing to enroll in CASA Seville must have completed SPAN 3303, or four or more other SPAN courses at the 3000-level. Applicants must have SPAN 3303 on their transcript in order to receive credit toward the Literature distribution of the Spanish major/minor. 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: there is a MANDATORY advising requirement for this program that must be completed before the application deadline**
Academics
CASA Seville is designed for students who have taken at least six semesters of college-level Spanish (the equivalent of Spanish 3303 at Vanderbilt), but is not exclusive to Spanish majors. Students take three types of courses which are all taught in Spanish: a cultural seminar, a course taught by CASA Seville program staff, and courses directly enrolled at the University of Seville.
Areas of Study
Most students take courses through the Facultad of Geography and History, or through Philology. Students may also take courses through Psychology, Economics and Business Administration, Communication, Work Sciences, Law, Philosophy, and Education.
CASA Seville Center Courses
Seminario Cultural
During their first semester in Spain, all students are required to enroll in the Seminario Cultural entitled Más allá de los estereotipos: Encuentros con la historia, sociedad, lengua y cultura de Sevilla. [Beyond the stereotypes: Encounters with the history, society, language and culture of Seville.] This course is designed as a structured way to assist students in setting and achieving personalized learning goals for their study abroad experience. It provides individualized language instruction, preparation for university study at the University of Seville, specialized field trips, and placements with partner community organizations.
The Seminario Cultural runs for several weeks before classes begin at the University of Seville and continues in a condensed form throughout the semester. During the semester, students spend 2–4 hours a week with a community organization and then meet as a group to reflect and share learning experiences. The community organizations vary, but have included social service agencies, community radio, a local hospital, urban garden, and bilingual education center. At the end of the semester students will summarize their learning goals and achievements in a portfolio and individual research project.
Other Study Center Courses
In addition to the Seminario Cultural, the CASA Seville center offers two to three other courses each semester. These courses are designed for US students and will be familiar in their structure and requirements. A list of the current center courses can be found here.
Special Immersive Opportunities
The course Beyond Stereotypes offers the chance to carry out service-learning in a local community organization. Students also have the opportunity to undertake a CASA research project focused on the topic of Historical Memory.
The University of Seville
Outside of the CASA center, students typically take three courses directly enrolled at the University of Seville.
Established in 1502 by royal warrant, the University of Seville is one of the oldest universities in Spain. Today, the University boasts an enrollment of more than 70,000 students divided between seventeen facultades across several campuses. The main university building--in central Seville and convenient to the program center--houses the facultades of history and geography and philology: the principal schools in which program students are most likely to take courses.
Fun fact: This building was once a tobacco factory and is the site where Carmen, the heroine of Georges Bizet's opera, was employed.
Vanderbilt will use the scale shown here to articulate all grades from the University of Seville, regardless of the subject area or language of instruction.
University of Seville
Vanderbilt Grade Equivalents
9.0-10
A
8.0-8.99
A-
7.6-7.99
B+
7.0-7.59
B
6.6-6.99
B-
6.0-6.59
C+
5.6-5.99
C
5.0-5.59
C-
0-4.99
F
Accommodations
All students live in homestays, which are an integral part of the program’s cultural immersion component. All students live with Sevillian families who provide three meals per day.
Location
Seville is the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region. It is a dynamic city with a diverse array of restaurants, festivals, music, theater, outdoor spaces, public parks, and river walks. The contributions of various cultures have left the city of Seville with a distinct personality and a large historical center. Founded by the Romans, the city is over 2,200 years old and boasts several archaeological sites including the extensively excavated Itálica: the third largest city in the Roman Empire. Seville served as the capital of several Moorish dynasties and the economic center of the Spanish colonial empire. Ferdinand Magellan and Christopher Columbus sailed the world from Seville. The General Archives of the Indies, one of the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in Seville, offers opportunities for research of the Spanish colonial period.
