Spanish in Spain

application form | program syllabi (TBA) | "Preparation & Know Before You Go" (TBA) | Proposed General Calendar (TBA)

Dates
21 May - 26 June 2010

The Program
As the birthplace of the Spanish language, Spain is the ideal location for students to learn its language, experience its customs, and discover its history and art.

The University of Southern Mississippi’s study-abroad program in Spain offers students the opportunity to actively participate in every facet of Spain’s rich culture and heritage. While gaining confidence and proficiency in the Spanish language, students will also experience the excitement of Spanish music, the Spain’s beaches, mountains and countryside, the grandeur of world-renowned architecture, theater, art, bullfights; and most of all, the generosity of Spanish people.

Location
Madrid is located in the heart of Spain. Because it is the capital and the largest city, Madrid is also the economic, cultural, gastronomic, and artistic center of the country. Although comparable to Paris or London, Madrid has a style all its own. Here centuries old places, cathedrals, museums, monasteries, and other historic landmarks coexist gracefully with contemporary technology and infrastructure.

The program offers afternoon excursions to world famous museums such as El Prado, the Museo Nocional de Arte Reina Sofia, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Museo de America, and walking tours to explore such historic sites as the Palacio Real, the Plaza Mayor, the Hapsburg and the Bourbon neighborhoods and the Retiro Park. More informally, students will enjoy spending their afternoons and evenings chatting in sidewalks cafes, sampling “tapas” (Spanish appetizers) and shopping in the fashion district, at malls, or at the famous flea market, El Rastro.

Academic Program
The Southern Miss Spanish program will be hosted by ENFOREX Institutes at its center in Madrid. This center offers e-mail and internet access to students free of charge. Students may also borrow books, videos or music CD’s from the library. Classes meet in small groups led by highly qualified instructors who specialize in teaching Spanish as a foreign language.

Program participants will be assigned to classes based on their academic background in Spanish. All courses emphasize communication skills and oral proficiency.

Southern Miss’ Spanish in Spain Program awards six (6) semester hours of credit in Spanish to students who complete five weeks of coursework with passing grades. These hours may be taken at any level, from beginning Spanish through graduate-level work. The level of credit depends on the individual’s academic background in Spanish, as determined by his or her transcript.

Housing
Every student will live with a Spanish family. Sharing in a family’s home life is an essential part of this program, because it immerses students not only in the Spanish language but also in everyday cultural practices impossible for outsiders to observe. It also provides a safe, comfortable environment and a sense of stability that helps counteract culture shock. Students will share morning and afternoon meals with their host family. Many students from lasting friendships with host family members and continue to correspond with them long after they return to the United States.

Cost
The cost of the program is $4,499 for undergraduate credit and $4,699 for graduate credit. This price includes round-trip airfare from New Orleans on specifically scheduled flights, tuition and fees, international student identity card, books, room and board (light breakfast and evening meal with your family), weekend excursions (including transportation and , when necessary, hotel), afternoon walking tours, and ground transportation to and from Madrid airport. Two full weekend excursions are included: one to Granada and Cordoba; and the other to Salamanca and Avila. Students wishing to make their own flight arrangements must contact the International Programs office at Southern Miss at (601) 266-4344.

Financial Aid
The Spanish in Spain Program qualifies for financial aid in the form of guaranteed student loans, Pell Grants, or applicable graduate assistantships.  Southern Miss students requiring financial aid should contact Frances Sudduth at the International Programs Office before requesting a 2009 - 2010 Study Abroad Financial Aid Application from the university’s Financial Aid Office.

Application Deadline
Completed applications, with $250 deposit, will be accepted until 22 March 2010 , space permitting. Southern Miss will acknowledge receipt of applications and students will be informed of their registration status. The balance of fees will be due on 27 March 2010. Applications are processed in the order of receipt. Students may apply at any time prior to the deadline and are urged to apply early.

Assistance and Information
The University of Southern Mississippi
International Programs
118 College Drive #10047
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Phone: 601.266.4344
Fax: 601.266.5699
E-mail: studyabroad@usm.edu

Dr. Christopher Miles, Co-Director
The University of Southern Mississippi
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
118 College Drive #5038
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Phone: 601.266.4964
Fax: 601.266.4853
E-mail: christopher.j.miles@usm

Dr. Rafael Sanchez, Co-Director
The University of Southern Mississippi
Office of International Programs
118 College Drive #10047
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Phone: 601.266.5540
Fax: 601.266.5699
E-mail: sanchez@usm.edu

click here for Spanish in Spain application

Program syllabi
Spanish 181 | Spanish 182 | Spanish 281 | Spanish 282 |
Spanish 381 & 382 | Spanish 481 & 482