Alicante Courses – 2027 Spring

USAC Course Descriptions

Click the course title to view course details, description and availability. To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu

• Advanced Spanish I

  Fall

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

  Fall

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

• Advanced Translation

  Fall

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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 Linear Algebra

  Fall

  Mathematics 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Mathematics 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course emphasizes techniques of linear algebra with applications to engineering; topics include matrix operations, determinants, linear equations, vector spaces, linear transformations, eigenvalues, and eigenvectors, inner products, norms, and orthogonality.

  Linear algebra might be considered a mathematical toolkit for analyzing data and geometry. In virtually every area of human endeavor, data and geometry are or can be used to further understanding and to assist in making predictions. Indeed, linear algebra is behind the majority of technical and scientific discoveries.

  Co-requisite: Calculus III

• 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

• Calculus III

  Fall

  Mathematics 200-level 4 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Mathematics 200-level 4 credits Taught in English

  This course is a continuation of Calculus II, infinite series, three-dimensional calculus.

  Emphasis in this course will be placed on understanding the underlying concepts rather than memorization: knowing why the key is to knowing how.

  Prerequisite: Calculus II (passed with "C" or better)

• Differential Equations

  Fall

  Mathematics 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Mathematics 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Theory and solving techniques for constant and variable coefficient linear equations, a variety of non-linear equations. Emphasis on those differential equations arising from real-world phenomena, particularly in Engineering applications.

  Prerequisite: Calculus II (passed with a "C" or better). Calculus III recommended

• Dynamics

  Fall

  200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  The overall goal of this course is for you to learn how formulate and solve the equations of motion (i.e. the differential equations) that describe motion of a system of particles and/or rigid bodies. To do this you will use Newton’s laws and the principles of work-energy and impulse-momentum to solve a variety of problems involving both the kinematics and kinetics of a system of particles and/or rigid bodies in two and three dimensions.

  Prerequisite: Calculus III (may be taken as a co-requisite). Statics recommended

• Economic and Political Institutions of the European Union

  Fall

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

  Spring

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

  This course will analyze the past, present, and future of European integration based on historical, social, political, and economic factors. The process of European integration and its effects will be assessed at the international level considering the EU as well as examining key differences among European member states.

• Elementary Spanish I

  Fall

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

  Fall

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

• Engineering Thermodynamics I

  Fall

  Mechanical Engineering 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Mechanical Engineering 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Principles of engineering thermodynamics: a study of the first and second laws, entropy, ideal and real gases

  Prerequisite: Physics II (passed with a "C" of better), General Chemistry I and Lab (passed with a "C" or better), Physics for Scientists and Engineers II recommended (may be taken as a co-requisite)

• 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: Applied Linguistics: Foreign Language Teaching Methodology

• 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

• Hispanic Sociolinguistics and Multilingualism

  Fall

  Linguistics Sociology Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is an introduction to Hispanic sociolinguistics, the study of the relationship between language and society. We will look at attitudes, values, beliefs, and practices involving language, including linguistic variation at all levels of language and how such variation constructs and is constructed by identity and culture; attitudes and ideologies surrounding these variations, which will be of particular importance to understanding this relationship; and how these variations can affect issues like educational and language policies, specifically in the national linguistic landscape of Spain.

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

• History of Spain I: Up to the Twentieth-Century

  Fall

  History 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course will cover social, economic, and political history of Spain from pre-history to the 20th century. Students will learn about the pre-history, contact with Iberians, Romans, and the special influence of the Arabs in the region. Students will develop theoretical knowledge necessary to analyze the economic and political geography of Spain, the expansion and decline of the Spanish Empire, the influence of the French Revolution and the Borbon Dynasty, the civil wars, and the consolidation of the liberal state.

  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

• Human Rights and Global Development

  Fall

  Geography Political Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Geography Political Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course introduces the major themes and debates concerning the relationship between human rights and development. The course begins with an examination of the different conceptions of ‘development’, including its evolution in theory, policy, and practice, and its linkages with human rights. Participants analyze the human right to development, which treats development itself as a human right and not just a process which leads to improvement in human rights. The doctrinal and policy implications of adopting a ‘human rights-based approach to development’ based on the ‘right to development’, are discussed along with what such approaches mean, and what are the tools to implement them in the field. Participants will also explore the new streams of critique that have enabled a confluence as well as a questioning of the human rights-development linkages. These include a critical analysis of the successes and failures thus far of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. The role of strategic litigation in the interface between development and human rights is also looked at with the help of case studies from around the world. In the latter part of the course, selected current issues in the human rights-development interface that are salient from a policy perspective will be examined, including the role of trade, finance, investment, development aid, and aid for trade, why we need to address gender inequalities in the implementation of the SDGs and how climate change is addressed in the 2030 agenda and its inter-relationship with human rights and sustainable development.

• Integrated Advanced Spanish I

  Fall

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

  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

  Fall

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

  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

• Intercultural Communication in Professional Contexts

  Fall

  English Speech Communications 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  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.

• Intermediate Spanish I

  Fall

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

  Fall

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

• Internship

  Fall

  Internships 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  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

• Introduction to Spanish Linguistics

  Fall

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is an introduction the basic concepts and techniques of linguistic analysis, applied specifically to the Spanish language through an analysis of the form, meaning, and function of the linguistic components, including phonetics/phonology, morphology, semantics, and syntax. Additional topics include a study of the varieties of Spanish language as well as the characteristics of the Spanish language in the United States and the basic principles of language learning and acquisition.

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

• Sailing

  Fall

  Recreation / Physical Education 100-level 1 credit Taught in English and Spanish

  This class is co-produced by USAC and “Real Club de Regatas de Alicante”. Students will take ten three-hour sessions to learn the critical components of sailing with experienced teachers. All sailing sessions will take place during the warmer weather months of each semester, i.e., from September through October in the Fall. The class will sometimes meet two times per week. Also, the programmed order of sessions is subject to changes for reasons beyond our control, such as inclement weather, waves, strong rip currents, etc.

  This course has an additional fee

• Service Learning

  Fall

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

  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

  Student are required to obtain an FBI background check prior to departure to participate in this course. Details will be provided once course enrollments are finalized.

• Spanish Composition for Heritage Speakers

  Fall

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

• Spanish Composition I

  Fall

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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

  Fall

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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 Conversation and Oral Skills

  Fall

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  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, or instructor approval

• Spanish Cuisine

  Fall

  Spring

  The Spanish Cuisine workshop offers an immersive experience for students passionate about cooking, providing them the chance to learn about and prepare traditional Spanish dishes such as paella, fideuá, tortilla de patatas, tapas and more.

  Through hands-on cooking sessions, students will not only learn culinary techniques but also practice their Spanish and deepen their understanding of Spanish culture.

  The workshop menu is seasonal and updated based on the availability of fresh market products, ensuring a unique and varied menu with each session.

  No previous cooking experience is required. This course is not suitable if you have food allergies or strict dietary restrictions.

  This workshop has an additional fee.

  This workshop requires a minimum of 8 students to run.

• Spanish Culture and Civilization

  Fall

  History Sociology Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Spring

  History Sociology 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

• 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

• Statics

  Fall

  Mechanical Engineering 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Mechanical Engineering 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  The engineering of humanity’s superstructure marvels all started with the basic statics of equilibrium (Newton’s First Law). This introductory course on statics (required of most engineering and architecture programs) includes topics of force decomposition, equilibrium of force systems, friction, centroids, moments of inertia, cables, beams, fluid statics, and work.

  Prerequisite: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, Calculus II (may be taken as a co-requisite)

• Survey of Spanish Literature I

  Fall

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

  A study of the development of Spanish literature through the analysis of literary movements and the comparison of the most important authors of each period from the 12th to 18th century. Texts from different literary genres are selected, which demonstrate underlying ideas, idiosyncrasies of the Spanish people and universal values, as well as 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

• 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

• Sustainable Development: Principles and Policies

  Fall

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

  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.

• Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Spanish Narrative

  Spring

  Spanish World Languages and Literatures 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

• Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Spanish Short Story

  Fall

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

  The objective of the course is to become familiar with outstanding Spanish short-story writers and gain an appreciation for their most important literary works. Additionally, students will learn to conduct a literary analysis of the works read. To facilitate your literary analysis, there will be a series of questions that review content and provide discussion and essay topics.

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