Undergraduate Programs
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
THE GRIIS UNDERGRADUATE SPANISH PROGRAM COMBINED WITH INTENSIVE COURSE is designed to foster personal and intellectual growth by immersing students in the everyday life of modern Spain. The program offers qualified undergraduate students the opportunity to live and study for either a semester or the academic year in one of Spain´s oldest and most historically significant cities. The program also aims to enhance undergraduate students’ knowledge of Spanish so that they will acquire the proficiency level needed to fulfill their language requirements.An INTENSIVE SPANISH COURSE prior the beginning of classes is designed to enhance the language skills of students to better prepare them for living and studying in Spain.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
1.- SEMINAR IN “SPAIN WITHIN THE 21ST CENTURY: BUILDING BRIDGES”
This seminar will be led by Dr. Amalia Pulgarín, the Program Director, and will meet twice a week.
(45 contact hours).
The Iberian Peninsula was a melting pot of ancient civilizations that shaped a very unique society. The influence of these civilizations has remained through many centuries and has been a key element in shaping the modern amalgam of cultures intermingled in the new XXI century Spain. The seminar will concentrate in the “Andalusí Legacy” to explain why Spain functions as a bridge that not only joins but also tries to bring closer both sides of the Mediterranean Sea. To achieve the course’s academic goals, we will begin by reading and analyzing key literary works written in Spanish by authors from the two sides of the Sea. These works will lead us to think about the past and present stereotypes that hinder the communication and understanding of the West with the Mediterranean Muslim world. We will illustrate our readings with movies and by attending lectures and workshops at the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies. Prominent specialists participate in the programs carried out by the Euro-Arab Foundation. Members of the local Arab community find in this institution a forum to share their ideas with the rest of the city.
2.- SPANISH LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE COURSES
The Spanish Language and Culture courses are designed to increase oral and written proficiency, with discussion and review of the most relevant points of grammar. Readings include works by Spanish authors dealing with contemporary issues which provide topics for written assignments, oral presentations and debates. These courses are taught by faculty of the University of Granada´s Centro de Lenguas Modernas, in coordination with the Program Director. Students will take a placement test and will follow the language and culture courses that best suit their needs. For The syllabus of each course is available at the GRIIS Web page.
3.- TUTORIAL CLASSES
In addition to the above, the program director will be available to students for tutorial classes throughout the program. These classes are aimed at polishing oral and written expression on an individual basis, as well as reviewing the content of the courses the student is taking.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The city of Granada is known as a University City, due in large part to the student population at UGR. The city itself also offers many activities that prove noteworthy for students coming from abroad. The Program has its own calendar of extracurricular activities. These include day-trips to nearby places such as the Tropical Coast or monument cities such as Córdoba and Seville. A three-day trip to El Escorial Madrid and Toledo is also scheduled. Visits to exhibits, lectures or movies are frequent.
EVALUATION AND CREDITS
Students participating in the program will take the University of Granada examinations in order to receive official University grades.Transcripts, which will be sent to your University’s Registrar Office, will be issued by the University of Granada for all courses taken and passed in order to obtain transfer credits.
HOUSING AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
All students are housed in Spanish homes. GRIIS makes the appropriate arrangements for these accommodations. These arrangements provide students an opportunity to experience Spanish family life and to use the language in the context of everyday situations. The program cost covers housing plus three meals a day. Travel expenses are not included in the program´s cost. Students will make their own travel arrangements.
FINAnCIAL AID
Some U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents may qualify for financial aid. For detailed information, please contact your Financial Aid office.
internship DESCRIPTION
The Short-Term travel course will be specially organized for SIMMONS COLLEGE, Boston, MA., although students from other Universities may also enroll. This Short-term travel program offers students the opportunity to travel and study for four weeks in one of Spain´s oldest and most historically significant cities. A short-term travel course enables students to be immersed in a culture other than their own and to broaden their perspective and knowledge of the language or a subject through an intensive learning experience. The program also aims to enhance undergraduate students’ knowledge of Spanish so that they will acquire the proficiency needed to fulfill their language requirements.
Course offered are:
SPANISH 201M: INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I
This course develops communicative skills through a selective grammar review, discussion of topics of interest, and frequent use of audiovisual materials. Expands reading comprehension and cultural awareness through examples of Hispanic prose and poetry.
SPANISH 240M: SPOKEN SPANISH
This course offers intensive oral-aural practice, with emphasis on the language used in daily life. Serves those who wish to perfect pronunciation and increase fluency in Spanish.
SPANISH 253M: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES IN MODERN SPAIN
This civilization course focuses on 20th-century Spain with special emphasis placed on the Spanish Civil War,the Franco régime, the transition to democracy and Spain today. Areas covered include art and architecture as well as historical, political, cultural, social and economic issues. The activities offered through the program complement the course material.
ORIENTATION SESSIONS, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND EXCURSIONS
The first day of the program there will be an orientation session and students will take a walking tour of the city. Granada is known as a «University City» due in large part to the student population at UGR. The city itself offers many activities that are noteworthy for foreign students. Click here for a complete list of activities.
HOUSING AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
All students are housed in Spanish homes. GRIIS makes the appropriate arrangements for these accommodations. Homestays provide students the opportunity to experience Spanish family life and to use the language in the context of everyday situations. The program cost covers housing plus three meals a day. Travel expenses are not included in the program´s cost.
internships DESCRIPTION
Put your knowledge to work! Our internship program provides a unique opportunity to not only practice a high-register Spanish in a professional setting, but also to gain first-hand experience of the Spanish labor atmosphere. You will acquire working experience in a field related to your area of study or interest. By carefully selecting the institutions where you will be placed, together with a close on-site supervision and evaluation, we ensure that you will have a matchless experience.
internships STRUCTURE
1) Workload
Internships require a minimum of 15-20 hours per week of on-site work. In addition, students invest 5 hours per week on the academic components of the internship. A final research paper focusing on relevant issues of the internship is required.
2) Work Plan
Interns submit a Work Plan in the first two weeks of the internship, detailing their goals and academic objectives of the Internship.
3) On-site Supervision
On-site supervisors are designated by GRIIS together with the host institution to keep a close watch on the endeavors of the interns and provide them with all the necessary training and guidance for the satisfactory performance of their duties. The supervisors are fully informed that the interns are not to provide simple labor services. While it is openly recognized that most internships will involve some amount of clerical work, the supervisors are aware of the need to keep such services to a minimum.
4) GRIIS Supervision
Students have regular meetings with the GRIIS director to evaluate the progress of the internship and to receive guidance on the final academic paper as well as to discuss any problems that may arise.
5) Internship Journal
Students are required to write a daily journal related to the responsibilities that the internship entails as well as personal opinions and the vocabulary learned every day, with special emphasis on technical and/or professional terms.
6) Research Pape
Students prepare a final research paper with an extensive bibliography on a topic relevant to the internship. The topic of the paper will be approved by the GRIIS director and the on-site supervisor, if appropriate.
DATES
Internships are typically offered during both semesters to qualified students.
GRADES AND CREDIT TRANSFERS
Like all other GRIIS courses, internships are graded and accredited by the Centro de Lenguas Modernas of the University of Granada. Grades will be obtained based on: the on-site work performance (40%); academic paper (30%); and meetings with the director, regular attendance at the internship and other relevant issues (30%). Students are responsible for obtaining prior approval of the internship plan from their Home Institutions in order to ensure transfer of credits.
INTERNSHIP FIELDS AND PLACEMENTS
Internships in a variety of fields such as education, law, politics, international relations, health care, and other fields are possible. We will make every effort to accomodate the needs of students of interested in areas not listed above.
Some recent internship placements include:
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Pre-departure services
On-site services
GRIIS AT A GLANCE
The Granada Institute of International Studies (GRIIS) total immersion offers include undergraduate as well as graduate-level programs and Special programs intended for the development of language and cross-cultural skills. The programs are carried out at the University of Granada. The Institute has a cooperation agreement with the University of Granada’s Center for Modern Languages to regulate the implementation of academic activities and classes. Transcripts are issued by the University of Granada
GRIIS has a lively cooperation agreement with the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, an Institution which promotes the cooperation between Arab and Western countries.
GRIIS programs are targeted to highly motivated students and designed to reach the goal of academic excellence. All studies are therefore rigorous and demanding, but we provide the adequate atmosphere to ensure your success and to make your stay in Spain a truly enjoyable learning experience. Daily supervision and guidance by GRIIS staff, individual tutoring classes, weekly small meetings and living with select families are key elements of the program. We expect hard work from students, but leave everything else in our hands. Please, click on the links above for individual program descriptions.
