Program Description

Offered through the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE), the program in Alcalá is co-sponsored by UW-Madison. Students attend the Universidad de Alcalá, which is located in Alcalá de Henares, a city only twenty-five kilometers from Madrid (thirty-five minutes by rail), with a population of 160,000 including 16,000 university students. Alcalá itself offers many cultural and artistic attractions and the expanded opportunities of Madrid are readily accessible. Alcalá's historic center is a unique mix of harmonious streets, noble architecture dating back to the 16th century, convents, shops, restaurants, tapas bars, entertainment venues, and graceful storks which nest on the tops of buildings.

This program is a good fit for highly motivated students with a particular interest in cultural, economic, and social issues relevant to contemporary Spain and its capital, Madrid.

Academics

The Universidad de Alcalá was founded in 1499 and quickly gained a reputation for academic excellence. In 1836, the University transferred to the nearby capital of Madrid, leaving its historic facilities in Alcalá unused until 1977 when the University was re-established, first as an extension of the University of Madrid and later as an independent entity. The Instituto Universitario de Estudios Norteamericanos de la Universidad de Alcalá de Henares (the Institute) coordinates all cooperative arrangements between the University and U.S. institutions. The Institute offers academic programs in North American Studies for Spanish students and in Hispanic Studies for U.S. students.

The academic offerings for the fall/spring/year programs consist of a combination of CIEE Study Center language courses and courses offered through the Institute. Class size varies between ten and twenty-three students from U.S. colleges and universities. Students with the necessary pre-requisites are encouraged to enroll in one or two courses at the Universidad de Alcalá with Spanish students. CIEE students can take courses in the following three schools: Philosophy and Letters, Economics and Business, and Law. Students are required to enroll in one language course and three elective courses.

Students on the summer program will take courses at the Institute ranging in subjects such as literature, language, art history, and history. Students are required to take two courses per summer session.

Housing

During the semester or year program, students live in either Spanish homes or in University residences with Spanish and other international students. Students in Spanish homes take their meals at the place of residence. Students in the University residences receive a meal stipend and take their meals in University-run facilities or prepare their own. Summer participants live in residence halls with other international students.

Excursions and Activities

A mandatory two-day orientation session, conducted upon arrival, introduces students to the country, the culture, and the academic program, and provides practical information about living in Alcalá. A language skills diagnostic examination is conducted to identify the linguistic level of all participants so that each student is placed in appropriate courses.

The academic program is supplemented with field trips and excursions. They include visits to museums, theaters, and fairs in Alcalá de Henares and Madrid, excursions to nearby sites of historical interest such as El Escorial, Toledo, Segovia, Avila, and Salamanca. Longer trips may include Andalusia, Extremadura, and Spain's northern coast. Other cultural activities designed to bring together American and Spanish university students are intercambios and student participation in clubs and activities sponsored by the Universidad de Alcalá.