Bilbao / Getxo Courses – 2026 Summer Session II
Academics
Bilbao is a dynamic hub for business and innovation, home to global companies, thriving startups, and a strong financial sector. Its strategic location in the Basque Country connects students to both European and international markets. Living and studying in this vibrant city also provides the perfect opportunity to develop Spanish language skills while gaining a global perspective on business.
You will enroll in three to seven credits in Session I and/or three to six credits in Session II. At least one 3-credit course is required each session you are enrolled. No prior knowledge of Spanish is required for the program, though taking a language course while you are abroad is encouraged for a richer cross-cultural experience.
Courses Offered
Course availability is contingent upon scheduling constraints, meeting enrollment minimums, and is subject to change. View course details and descriptions.
Courses marked with an asterisk* are taught in Spanish
Summer Session I
Spanish Language Courses
- Intermediate Spanish I*
- Intermediate Spanish II*
- Spanish Composition I*
- Advanced Spanish I*
- Business Spanish*
International Business & Culture
- Business Finance
- Field Experience in Basque Culture and Language
- Intercultural Communication
- International Strategic Management
- International Marketing
- Surfing
Summer Session II
Spanish Language Courses
- Intermediate Spanish II*
- Spanish Composition II*
- Advanced Spanish I*
- Advanced Spanish II*
- Business Spanish*
International Business & Culture
- Architecture and Society: Bilbao
- International Finance
- International Marketing
- Operations Management
- Spanish Business Culture: Field Experience and Case Studies
- Surfing
U.S. Visiting Professors
While most USAC courses are taught by local faculty, the following U.S. professors will also teach in this program:
Summer Session I, 2026
Course: International Marketing
Elizabeth Payne, D.B.A., University of South Dakota
Dr. Elizabeth Payne is an experienced marketing professor and a highly cited researcher in artificial intelligence who blends global business expertise with experimental learning. She brings a professional background in sales, retail management, customer service, training, HR, and P&L management, along with international experience in Nagasaki, Japan. Passionate about helping students gain global business and cultural perspectives, she emphasizes applied learning and integrates AI into marketing strategies to prepare students for real-world success.
Summer Session II, 2026
Course: Operations Management
Ahmed Deif, Ph.D., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Professor Deif is a professor of Supply Chain and Operation Management at the Orfalea College of Business at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He has extensive teaching experience as well as extensive teaching abroad experience having taught in 10 countries. Professor Deif has been ranked among the top 2% of scientists in the world for 3 consecutive years. He is passionate in engaging with students to share his international perspective with them.
USAC Course Descriptions
Click the course title to view course details, description and availability. To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu
- Summer Session ISpanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in SpanishSummer Session IISpanish 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
- Summer Session IISpanish 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
- Summer Session IIArt History 200-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course provides an enriching exploration of Bilbao's architectural landscape and cultural heritage as we delve into the intricate layers of history, innovation, and urban renewal that define this dynamic city nestled in the heart of the Basque Country. Students are invited to unravel the stories behind Bilbao's architectural gems. From the iconic curves of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to the hidden charms of the Casco Viejo, this course explores the diverse influences that have shaped Bilbao's evolving identity and the visionaries behind the city's most celebrated structures. From the bold statements of contemporary architects to the enduring beauty of historical landmarks, each building will tell a story of resilience, adaptation, and transformation allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of how architecture reflects and shapes the cultural fabric of Bilbao.
- Summer Session IFinance General Business 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
Besides corporate decision-making from the CFO’s perspective regarding their firm’s financing arrangements—the debt/equity mix, e.g., bonds, loans or stock—, we will evaluate what the retail landscape has to offer the individual investor thinking of retirement and personal portfolio decisions/weights. Business/Financial management topics include the importance of cash flow—especially DCF, the Time Value of Money, Net Present Value and the volatility of returns given past—and recent—market history. Currency (Exchange Rate Risk)—the FX market—will also be considered. Discussion of business ethics will be timely and frequent and well.
- Summer Session ISpanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in SpanishSummer Session IISpanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish
The course prepares students linguistically and culturally for using Spanish in business situations. In addition, it will prepare students for successful oral and written communication in the Spanish-speaking business world by studying business concepts and practicing real-life use of oral and written Spanish. Students will also gain knowledge of the importance of cultural awareness when doing business in the Spanish-speaking world.
Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent
- Summer Session IAnthropology Basque Basque Studies 200-level 3 credits Taught in English
Students have a wide offer of theoretical courses about the Basque language and culture to choose from, but this course is an opportunity to really comprehend this ancient and unique culture by experiencing it through field trips.
The organized field trips help students understand the modern-day reality and complexity of the Basques, focusing on what we consider the three most important axes: origins, politics and daily life culture or popular culture.
This course has an additional fee
- Summer Session ISpeech Communications 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
The purpose of this course is to develop the skills necessary to build and maintain positive communication and business relationships across cultures. Students will explore the definition, nature and manifestation of culture while examining their own values, traditions, and beliefs. Through active in-class and out-of-class activities, students will learn about the similarities and differences in communication behaviors and explore language usage, nonverbal actions, and perceptions to see how they influence face-to-face communication between individuals of different cultures in the United States, Europe (in particular Spain) and the rest of the world.
Prerequisite: introductory coursework in college-level communication
- Summer Session ISpanish 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
- Summer Session ISpanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in SpanishSummer Session IISpanish 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
- Summer Session IIFinance International Business 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course is comprised of a series of topical modules focusing on the theory of international capital movements, including Foundations of International Financial Management: globalization, multinational firms, international monetary systems, balance of payments, and corporate governance; The Foreign Exchange Market, Exchange Rate Determination, and Currency Derivatives: foreign exchange markets, parity relationships, forecasting rates, futures, and options; Foreign Exchange Exposure and Management: transaction, economic, and translation exposure management; World Financial Markets and Institutions: international banking, bond and equity markets, swaps, and international portfolio investment; and Financial Management of the Multinational Firm: foreign direct investment, international capital structure, capital budgeting, cash management, trade finance, and international tax environment.
Prerequisite: Principles of Macroeconomics.
- Summer Session IInternational Business Marketing 400-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSummer Session IIInternational Business Marketing 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
The course is designed to enable students to develop marketing strategies and plans in and across a range of different international market environments. While extending students' marketing and strategic skills obtained in earlier courses into a global context, students also develop knowledge and skills in international marketing processes.
Prerequisite: Principles of Marketing and Macro/Microeconomics
- Summer Session IGeneral Business International Business Management 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course examines the challenges facing managers that are competing in a global economy. We will devote our attention to strategic management in a globally competitive environment and the role of culture in motivation, leadership, communication, negotiation, decision-making, HRM practices, and the management of a multicultural workforce abroad or at home. We will cover the process of management based on both the macro (organizational) level of environment and strategy and the micro (interpersonal) level of culture and human resources. Some of the critical topics to be explored include:
• The international environment: politics, economy, culture, technology, and law.
• Managing international strategic planning and implementation.
• Managing people and processes across borders and cultures.
• Ethical dilemmas in international management.
Prerequisites: introductory coursework in business or management
- Summer Session IIGeneral Business Management Supply Chain Management 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course covers topics related to decision-making concepts of operations planning, implementation, and control. Students will develop a strong theoretical foundation to effectively forecast and analyze customer service inventory management processes, just-in-time productions, supply chain management processes, and quality assessment/improvement in services and manufacturing.
- Summer Session IIGeneral Business Management 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
In this course comprised of seven in-person site visits, students will learn first-hand about the business culture of and management styles in Spain through a practical, real-world analysis of the ways business processes are designed and implemented. Students will have the unique opportunity to learn first-hand how management is practiced in a diverse selection of business types in Spain, including industrial, financial, service, start-up, state owned, public, cooperative, and sports companies as well as non-profit organizations. This allows them to compare, not only the ways of doing business in Spain, but how business is conducted in a variety of different Spanish business models and provide insight into the different ways critical aspects of business, such as human resources, investment, indebtedness, customer service, technology, internationalization, etc., are understood in different types of companies in Spain. The profiles of the companies to be visited have been selected so that students can observe a wide variety of management styles and perspectives.
Prerequisite: Introductory coursework in management recommended.
This course had an additional fee
- Summer Session ISpanish 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
- Summer Session IISpanish 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
- Summer Session IRecreation / Physical Education 100-level 1 credit Taught in English and SpanishSummer Session IIRecreation / Physical Education 100-level 1 credit Taught in English and Spanish
This course is co-produced by USAC and “Quiksilver Surf Eskola”. The number of meeting sessions will be determined on site considering tides and weather conditions. The class meets usually 10 to 12 times for two and a half hours.
FALL:
In order to take full advantage of the mild weather conditions and water temperature before onset of the winter, all surfing sessions will take place during the first months of the Fall semester, i.e. from September through October. This means that class will sometimes meet two times a week. Also, the programmed order of sessions is subject to changes for reasons beyond our control, such as inclement weather, very big waves, strong rip currents, etc.
SPRING:
All surfing sessions will take place during the last months of the spring semester, i.e. towards the end of March until mid-May. This means that class will sometimes meet two times a week. Also, the programmed order of sessions is subject to changes for reasons beyond our control, such as inclement weather, very big waves, strong rip currents, etc.
This course has an additional fee