Alicante Courses – 2025 Spring

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Studying abroad can be a more meaningful and invigorating learning experience than at home—both inside and outside of the classroom. You may be more curious and alert than you usually are so use this heightened energy to enhance your studies as well as your cultural and geographical explorations. You may also encounter different teaching styles and course processes; be prepared to adapt and to learn.

Academics

You will enroll in 12 to 18 credits per semester comprised of language courses plus language and literature electives and/or courses in Spanish and European/Mediterranean studies. Although enrollment in a language course is not a requirement of the program, it is strongly recommended as it will increase your understanding of Spanish culture and equip you with language and cross-cultural skills that will be of assistance in your day-to-day life abroad. Course availability is contingent upon student enrollment and is subject to change.

Click the course title to view course details, description, and availability.

Spanish Language Tracks

USAC offers intensive language courses grouped into tracks in which courses are taught sequentially (back to back) within one semester. If you have already taken the first course in a track, you do not have to take it again for credit, but you must audit it to be prepared for success at the next level. Language courses are small and typically have a maximum enrollment of 15 students each.

Language Courses

• Elementary Spanish I

  Spring

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication.

• Elementary Spanish II

  Spring

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication.

  Prerequisite: one semester of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Intermediate Spanish I

  Spring

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication.

  Prerequisite: two semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Intermediate Spanish II

  Spring

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication.

  Prerequisite: three semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Spanish Composition I

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  The focus of this course is to improve learners´ written abilities through the analysis and the production of different types of texts. In addition, several grammatical topics will be reviewed in order to enhance and refine the learners´ grammatical competence.

  Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Spanish Composition II

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  The focus of this course is to improve learners´ written abilities through the analysis and the production of different types of texts. In addition, several grammatical topics will be reviewed in order to enhance and refine the learners´ grammatical competence.

  Prerequisite: five semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Spanish Composition for Heritage Speakers

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to give native or heritage Spanish speakers the opportunity to study the conventions of the Spanish language and to improve their academic writing skills. It provides an overview of the local varieties of the language, emphasizing the idea that there are all equally acceptable and focusing on Spanish as a global language.

  Prerequisite: Native or heritage speaker proficiency

• Advanced Spanish I

  Spring

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed for students who may manage in daily tasks and interactions, but still need to improve their control over different oral and written registers. In addition, these courses will offer them the opportunity to enhance their vocabulary in specific and technical areas, and to improve grammatical accuracy in their oral and written expression.

  Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Advanced Spanish II

  Spring

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed for students who may manage in daily tasks and interactions, but still need to improve their control over different oral and written registers. In addition, these courses will offer them the opportunity to enhance their vocabulary in specific and technical areas, and to improve grammatical accuracy in their oral and written expression.

  Prerequisite: seven semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Integrated Advanced Spanish I

  Spring

  Spanish World Languages and Literatures 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  The Advanced level course for foreign students of the Centro Superior de Idiomas of the University of Alicante corresponds to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Both the general objectives and the system of evaluation described below follow the general guidelines of the aforementioned European Framework and its scale of levels of competence. In order to be accepted into this class, you will need to pass the online placement test of the University of Alicante. Students will not be accepted into this class unless they pass this test. The course consists of 45 class hours.

  Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Integrated Advanced Spanish II

  Spring

  Spanish World Languages and Literatures 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  The Advanced II (Superior) level course for foreign students of the Centro Superior de Idiomas of the University of Alicante corresponds to level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Both the general objectives and the system of evaluation described below follow the general guidelines of the aforementioned European Framework and its scale of levels of competence. In order to be accepted into this class, you will need to pass the online placement test of the University of Alicante. Students will not be accepted into this class unless they pass this test. The course consists of 45 class hours.

  Prerequisite: seven semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

Spring Semester

Language and Literature Electives

• Advanced Translation

  Spring

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Overview of main theories of translation. Extensive practice in translating literary and non-literary texts from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English. Students will review a variety of text from topics including sports, advertising, business documents, and medical records.

  Prerequisite: five-six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Applied Linguistics: Foreign Language Teaching Methodology

  Spring

  Education Linguistics Spanish World Languages and Literatures 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  The goal of this course is to introduce students to the methods and practices of teaching Spanish as a second language in primary and secondary schools, as well as in adult education. Students will be provided with a general introduction to the approaches and methods in communicative language teaching, including the theories of language and language learning that underlie these methods and their principal didactic fundamentals - the learning objectives, the syllabus design, the roles of teachers and learners in the classroom, the role of grammar, the materials, etc. This course will also focus on classroom techniques and practices dealing with the different communicative abilities in Spanish. This includes techniques to promote listening comprehension and stimulate oral interaction in the classroom, to help developing language learners' writing skills, and to teach vocabulary and grammar. Different materials to teach Spanish at different levels will also be analyzed.

  Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Spanish Conversation and Oral Skills

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Optional three-credit course that complements the development of linguistic competences facilitated at the three-hundred level Spanish courses, focusing in the oral skills in particular.

  Prerequisite: two semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Spanish Phonetics and Phonology

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  El curso consiste en un estudio de las nociones fundamentales de fonética (el estudio de los sonidos del habla) y fonología (el estudio de los sistemas de sonidos de las lenguas), al mismo tiempo que describe las características fonéticas y fonológicas de la lengua española en sus variedades europeas y americanas. De igual modo, se consideran las variables dialectales, sociolingüísticas y estilísticas. Asimismo, a lo largo del curso se realizarán dos proyectos en los que poner en práctica la fundamentación teórica expuesta en las clases.

  Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Survey of Spanish Literature II

  Spring

  Spanish World Languages and Literatures 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is a survey of the most significant works in Spanish Peninsular literature from the 18th Century to the present. We will study of the development of Spanish literature through the analysis of literary movements and making comparisons between the most important authors of each period. Texts from different literary genres are studied, which demonstrate underlying ideas, idiosyncrasies of the Spanish people and universal values, and the literary characteristics of the works themselves.

  Prerequisite: five semesters of college-level Spanish; students who have completed second-year Spanish with strong grades may be considered with home university approval

• Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Spanish Narrative

  Spring

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course features several major novelists from the different cultural communities of Spain, who are regarded on both sides of the Atlantic as among the most representative of Spanish 20th century fiction. Their work is considered as a part of the 19th and 20th century project of inventing a novel, which represents a national form of fiction in Spain. Students will read and analyze narrative texts while considering the historical and cultural contexts in which they were produced. Through oral and written reflection students will pay special attention to the connection of literature with other cultural expressions.

  Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

Spanish, European, and Mediterranean Studies Electives

Situated on the Mediterranean and home to the "Casa del Mediterráneo" a government institution that promotes the cooperation among the Mediterranean countries, and to the "OAMI", the European Union Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market for Trade Marks and Designs, Alicante is an ideal location to study Spanish, European, and Mediterranean studies.

• Economic and Political Institutions of the European Union

  Spring

  Economics History Political Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  The subject aims to analyze the past, present and future of European integration, on the basis of historic and economic reasoning. The process of European integration and its effects will be assessed taking into account differences in European Member States economies as well as considering the EU as a whole at the international level.

• Government and Politics in Spain

  Spring

  Political Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course will cover topics related to the Spanish political system including, the crown, parliament, judicial system, constitutional court, autonomous communities, and the electoral system. Students will develop a theoretical foundation for analyzing current political issues related to the European Union, constitutional protection, post-Franco democratic processes, and the development of autonomous communities.

  Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• History of Spain II: Twentieth Century

  Spring

  History 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course will introduce students to the political, social, and economic reality of present-day Spain. Beginning with a brief introduction of the traditions and historic constants, the course will focus on industrialization, the Civil War in 1936, the Franco regime, and the advent of democracy. The course will conclude with an overview of current political parties.

  Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Intercultural Communication in Professional Contexts

  Spring

  English Speech Communications 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  The course is designed to develop professional communication skills to enhance your performance in intercultural contexts in the workplace. Effective intercultural communication skills are important in a multicultural society, particularly for those individuals who would be in positions that require effective management of cultural conflicts.

  This course focuses on fundamental conceptual and practical dimensions of intercultural communication in everyday life in social interactions in multicultural environments. It aims at developing an individual’s intellectual appreciation for cultural differences and sensitivity regarding intercultural interactions.

• Service Learning

  Spring

  Service Learning Social Work Sociology Spanish 400-level 1-3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Service learning combines community service with academic instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking, and personal and civic responsibility. Service-learning programs involve students in activities that address community-identified needs, while developing their academic skills and commitment to their communities. Service learning differs from volunteering, community service, internships, and field education through its use of structured, critical inquiry and the importance placed on reciprocal partnerships between this class and its community partners.

  This class has partnered with the following community-based organizations: Fundación Dasyc (working with children, teens, and elders in risk of social exclusion), Proyecto Paloma (working with women and immigrants), Colegio San José (working with children with disabilities), Ozanam (working with children, teens, and young adults dealing with social and educational issues), and Margarita Nasseau (working with orphans). Students will choose to work with one of these organizations over the course of the semester to experience these organizations first-hand and learn about the challenges they are facing.

  Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Spanish Cuisine and the Mediterranean Diet

  Spring

  Anthropology 200-level 1 credit Taught in English and Spanish

  This course is designed to teach typical Spanish and Mediterranean recipes, as well as tips, serving ideas, and a bit of etiquette and customs. The lessons are arranged by meal, so that one can easily translate the lessons to real life cooking situations. In addition to learning how to make appealing appetizers and entrees, students take several classes in baking and pastries. They learn tricks and tips that can be used in daily life. Students will spend time chopping onions, peeling potatoes, cutting meat, kneading dough and beating eggs, all of it under the supervision of the cooks who can teach them the tricks of the trade and correct any mistakes. Generally, classes include one to two hours of lectures, along with a practical hands-on component in the school (fully equipped and stocked kitchens where students cook).

  This course focuses on traditional Spanish and Mediterranean recipes, which typically include a variety of meat, dairy, and gluten products, and may not be suitable for students with dietary restrictions.

  This course has a maximum capacity of 20 students.

  This course has an additional fee

• Spanish Culture and Civilization

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course will develop student understanding of topics related to contemporary Spanish culture and civilization. Students will build a strong theoretical and historical foundation to effectively analyze life in Spain in the present. This course will first introduce historical events during Franco’s dictatorship, the civil war, and the politics of Spain since the late 1970s. Then, students will have the opportunity to evaluate the changes that have taken place in society related politics, religion, economy, society, and LGBTQ rights. This course will also cover topics related to Spanish traditions, regionalism, and nationalism.

  Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

• Sustainable Development: Principles and Policies

  Spring

  Environmental Science Geography Political Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course introduces the main elements of sustainability and its relationship with development and consumption. It provides a perspective of economic and human development in the definitions, scope, and global policies on sustainable development. There is a double focus: analyzing and fully understanding the climate emergency and its impact, on the one hand, and sustainable policies and procedures to set goals (such as SDGs) and measure improvement on the other. The course explores theories and tools for tackling climate change through sustainable consumption.

To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu

Internships

For eligibility requirements and application information, see the USAC internship page.

For more information about placement options, see the Alicante internship page.

• Internship

  Spring

  Internships 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  USAC skills-based internships abroad are designed to complement a student’s program of study while providing a structured work or field experience under the direction of a professional supervisor and with the oversight and support of an on-site USAC internship coordinator.

  USAC internships facilitate the academic and professional development of students through:

  1) the practical application of knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a professional work environment.

  2) the further development of practical competencies essential to the ongoing work of the placement site.

  3) the cultivation of a network of professional contacts.

  USAC internships will expose students to the workplace culture, norms, and expectations of their respective placement site and host country, deepening cross-cultural understanding and helping students develop intercultural communication and language skills in an internationally focused organization or other professional work setting.

  Through the consistent participation in the processes and practices of a professional field, students will acquire a working knowledge of that field and will apply that learning to their own career and academic choices and goals.

  This course has an additional fee

Host University Courses

Service learning is a particular type of course offering that combines the classroom with the community and academics with action. Prepare to make yourself a part of the city where you study in a way that most visitors cannot experience. It will call for some initiative and a willingness to become involved. Service Learning is a course and counts as part of your credit load. It cannot be taken for audit. Note that non-credit volunteer opportunities may also be available.

Additional Offerings

Courses

• Foreign Language Teaching Internship

  Spring

  General Education Spanish World Languages and Literatures 400-level 1-3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This internship will help students pursuing a teaching career to gain hands-on teaching experience. Offered for 1 to 3 credits, this internship is a faculty-supervised opportunity for practical experience in the field of teaching. It is an opportunity to turn theory into practice. Students will prepare, teach, be observed, and also reflect on/ evaluate their own teaching abilities, as well as receive professional feedback from internship supervisors.

  Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

  Co-requisite: Foreign Language Teaching Methodology