Program Description

The University of Wisconsin-Madison works with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to offer students this academic program in Granada, Spain. Granada is an ancient city of almost unrivaled beauty and architectural splendor in the south of Spain. In fact, the entire city has been declared a national monument. The city offers a very interesting mixture of different cultures and backgrounds, creating a mosaic of traditional Spanish customs combined with modern and foreign trends. The city’s current population is approximately 300,000.

Academics

Program participants spend the semester in Granada taking courses at CEGRI, an international center for higher education that specializes in the teaching of Spanish language and culture to foreign university students. CEGRI offers personalized instruction with classes limited to no more than eighteen students. In addition to their University training as foreign language teachers, CEGRI instructors go through a rigorous training program to ensure that they are familiar with the most current methods of Spanish language instruction as well as attuned to the academic concerns of their foreign students. This program is a semester program only; students cannot participate for an academic year. In addition to language courses, CEGRI offers a program related to the rich culture of Spain and the region of Andalucía, where Granada is located. Program participants will choose from classes in Spanish grammar, literature, history, linguistics, art history, contemporary Spanish politics and culture, and Islamic history and art. Advanced students may also find courses in law and business available to them. All classes are taught in Spanish.

Spring term participants with five or more semesters of Spanish may take classes at the University of Granada in addition to CEGRI courses, while students with four semesters of Spanish may only take courses at CEGRI. Courses at the University of Granada allow students to experience the traditional Spanish educational system. Founded in 1531, the University of Granada has become one of the major intellectual centers in Spain. Today, over 60,000 students from throughout the country come to Granada each year to pursue their studies, and that number increases each year as the university continues to flourish. Tutoring assistance is provided to students taking classes at the University of Granada. University of Granada courses end about a month and a half after CEGRI courses.

Housing

Students are matched with a home stay family in Granada. The home stay family provides three meals a day. Students who are taking classes at the University of Granada during the spring semester are responsible for the extended room/board expenses caused by the university’s later examination period.

Excursions and Activities

CEGRI believes that cultural knowledge is just as important as the ability to correctly use grammatical structures so a comprehensive cultural program is combined with classroom time. Students will spend a portion of their semester in the city of Granada, and experience firsthand sites related to the civilization, art, and history of the city. Upon arrival, a several-day orientation gives students practical information about living in Spain, as well as cultural and historical information about the region.