Madrid Courses – 2025 Summer Sessions I & II

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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.

Courses

You may take three to six credits per session. At least one 3-credit course is required each session you are enrolled. Course availability is conditional on student enrollment.

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

Spanish Language and Literature Studies

Summer language courses are intensive, with three to four credits of Spanish taught in each four-week session. Language courses have a maximum enrollment of 15 students each. Spanish Conversation and Oral Skills is highly recommended to complement Intermediate Spanish I through Advanced Spanish II.

Session I

• Elementary Spanish I

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

• Advanced Spanish I

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

• Spanish Conversation and Oral Skills

  Summer Session I

  300-level 1-3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  300-level 1-3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to improve the knowledge, listening, and expressive capabilities of language

  students. Students will not only learn necessary vocabulary to express themselves in daily situations, but

  will also learn to navigate more complex situations through conversation and free discussion of

  contemporary topics using visual material, listening comprehension exercises, articles, and other course

  materials. The objective of the course is to facilitate the acquisition of language necessary to express

  oneself in daily situations.

  Prerequisite: Two semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent, or instructor approval

Session II

• Elementary Spanish I

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session II

  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

• Advanced Spanish I

  Summer Session I

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  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

  Summer Session II

  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

• Spanish Conversation and Oral Skills

  Summer Session I

  300-level 1-3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Summer Session II

  300-level 1-3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to improve the knowledge, listening, and expressive capabilities of language

  students. Students will not only learn necessary vocabulary to express themselves in daily situations, but

  will also learn to navigate more complex situations through conversation and free discussion of

  contemporary topics using visual material, listening comprehension exercises, articles, and other course

  materials. The objective of the course is to facilitate the acquisition of language necessary to express

  oneself in daily situations.

  Prerequisite: Two semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent, or instructor approval

Art History Studies and Culture Studies

Madrid is a particularly vibrant and wonderful place to study Art History. The courses below are for both Spanish Studies and Art History students. They are designed to take advantage of the art resources in the city as well as familiarize you with the region and provide a multi-disciplinary approach to your studies.

Session I

• Government and Politics in Spain

  Summer Session I

  Political Science Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  In this course, students will develop an understanding of the actual political circumstances of the Kingdom of Spain through an analysis of the post-Franco democratic process and the creation of autonomous communities.

  Visión de las circunsatncias políticas actuales del Reino de España. Especial énfasis se otorgará al análisis del proceso democrático tras Franco, y la creación de la peculiaridad de las Comunidades Autónomas.

  Students will analyze the fundamental elements of the Spanish political system and its institutions: The Crown, Cortes Generales (Parliament), government, judicial system, constitutional court, and autonomous communities. Other topics will include the electoral system, the European Union and Spain, constitutional protections for foreigners, and constitutional considerations regarding international treaties.

  When possible, we will a make a site visit to one of the institutions studied in class: Congress, Senate, Constitutional Court, Supreme Court.

  Siguiendo la Constitución española vigente, analizaremos los elementos fundamentales del sistema politico a través de sus Instituciones Constitucionales; La Corona, Cortes Generales (Congreso y Senado), Gobierno, Sistema Judicial y el Tribunal Constitucional, las Comunidades Autónomas. Asimismo estudiaremos el Sistema Electoral Español, la Unión Europea y España, la protección que la Constitución otorga a los extranjeros, y una visión general de los Tratados Internacionales.

  -Intentaremos visitar alguna de las sedes de las Instituciones más representativas: Congreso, Senado, Tribunal Constitucional, etc.

  Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish

• LGBTQIA+ Spain

  Summer Session I

  Gender, Race, and Identity Sociology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course introduces foundational concepts of human sexual diversity and cultural attitudes towards certain manifestations and interpretations of gender and sexuality. Students will explore how the regional and international human rights standards seek to define and guarantee the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons, and to what extent the current global and Spanish American contexts reflect this. Zooming into the regional LGBTQIA+ movement, we will focus on the path to equality in Spain, with a direct dialogue with activists of a local LGBTQIA+ organization and LGBTQIA+ rights public institution.

• Mass Media and Political Communication

  Summer Session I

  Journalism 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course examines the interaction between media and politics. By studying different media forms, we will explore such issues as the information needs of active citizens, the impact of partisan media, charges, and countercharges about “fake news,” professionalism and accountability in journalism, the use of social media as a tool for bypassing the press, the rise of polarization in the electorate and gridlock in government, and the depictions of American politics in other countries.

• Masterpieces of European Art I

  Summer Session I

  Art 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  The aim of this course is to analyse the fundamental masterpieces that define the evolution of European art from the classical Greek period to the renaissance. The famous Diadumeno of Policleto, The Garden of Earthly Delights of Hieronymus Bosch, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz of El Greco, and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, will be some of the pivotal pieces studied within this course and the instruments we will use to understand the different aesthetic changes in the history of Europe from the 5th century B.C. to the end of the 16th century.

• Museum Studies

  Summer Session I

  Anthropology Art History 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course explores critical debates on museums in society and the core functions of museum practice. This course will take several approaches to studying museums as an interdisciplinary course. Readings and lectures will provide perspectives on such topics as the history and philosophy of museums, types of museums, exhibit design, collections acquisition and management, the staffing and financing of museums, educational programs, and more.

• Travel Photography

  Summer Session I

  Art Journalism 200-level 1 credit Taught in English

  This course offers students the chance to develop personal perspectives of the city through photography. They will discover an urban environment, make it their own, and share their vision. Travel photography allows students to create different individual perspectives from shared views. Students will develop observation skills and master technically and creatively and produce collective work. This course will also help you capture memories, tell a story with images, and give your impression of a place through photographic expression. In particular, the course will go through the basics of exposure management, getting to know the main features of your camera, managing studio lighting, and understanding composition. The course will also go through the work of the masters of travel photography to encourage students to find their style of visual expression.

Session II

• Drawing and Painting in Madrid

  Summer Session II

  Art 100-level 1 credit Taught in English

  Students in this studio course will investigate a variety of approaches, techniques, and processes in the art of drawing. Students will also take advantage of Madrid’s world-famous museums and monuments to learn about the city as it is reflected in its architecture, landscape, paintings and sculpture, and its people.

  The objectives of the class are based on the following elements:

  • Learning the vocabulary, language, and techniques of drawing.

  • Visiting Madrid’s many museums and monuments.

  • Putting charcoal and pencil to paper to make drawings related to what we have been viewing in situ.

  • Informal critiques as a tool for students to evaluate their own and one another´s work and to learn from each other.

• Economic and Political Institutions of the European Union

  Summer Session II

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

  From Ancient times, many thinkers have tried to create a politically united Europe. After WWII the conditions materialized and since then, we have experienced the process of integration and the creation of European Law. Currently, EU´s political, economic and legal agreements affect not only its Member States but also the rest of the World, in a similar way that the USA does. This course is designed to provide a broad understanding of the major political and economic changes occurred in the European Union (Economic European Communities until 1992) after the Second World War. Special attention will be given to the study of institutional and public policy issues. The course will examine the ongoing process of the making of the EU. In addition to a review of the history of European integration, its nature and functioning will also be analyzed. Finally it will focus on a discussion of specific issues related to current problems facing European construction, and the challenges ahead.

• Gender and Communication

  Summer Session II

  Gender, Race, and Identity Speech Communications Women's Studies / Gender Studies 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course introduces students to gender-related communication integrating theory and practice to heighten awareness of the importance of gender as a variable in communication. Emphasis will be placed on perception, verbal and nonverbal similarities and differences in interpersonal, small group, and public settings, with emphasis on the host culture.

• Masterpieces of European Art II

  Summer Session II

  Art 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  The aim of this course is to analyse the fundamental masterpieces that represent the important changes in European art after renaissance. The baroque culture in the 17th century can be seen as the transition to a more modern definition of art building to the contemporary age: impressionist painters recognize in El Greco and Velázquez their predecessors on the brushstrokes techniques, Caravaggio paintings represent for the first time the physical truth of the common people, and the Classics helped the revolutionaries of all Europe at the end of the 18th century for their new political purposes.

• Photojournalism/Visual Journalism

  Summer Session II

  Art Journalism 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course is an introduction to visual storytelling. Students will be provided a brief history of photojournalism, discover the field’s career paths, and take a look into the future of this discipline. Students will engage with their new, foreign surroundings by way of the camera as we will investigate many of the factors which define photojournalism, and explore photography’s power to convey a message. Lectures, critiques, demonstrations and assignments will educate students in communicating with photographs. Students will be expected to meet project deadlines and participate in both class discussions and critiques.

• Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Spanish History and Cinema

  Summer Session II

  Art Film History 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  The course explores the history of twentieth-century Spain through the study of selected texts and the analysis of relevant films of the period in Spanish culture and society. We will examine such questions as women´s roles, dictatorship and censorship, exile and migration, experience of war and repression, economic development, democracy, social movements and globalization, and how these issues are represented through cinema in Spain.

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

To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu

U.S. Visiting Professors

While most USAC courses are taught by local faculty, the following U.S. professor will also teach in this program:

Summer Session II, 2025

Course: Economic and Political Institutions of the European Union

Jennifer Wilking, Ph.D., CSU, Chico

Dr. Jennifer Wilking is Chair of the Political Science and Criminal Justice Department at California State University, Chico. She studies and teaches in the field of Comparative Politics. More recently, her broad focus on development and justice has led her to study housing and homelessness, consistently incorporating students in her research.

Internships

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

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

• Internship

  Summer Sessions I & II

  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