San Sebastián Courses – 2026-27 Yearlong

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: six 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

  This course offers an introduction to the theory and practice of translation from Spanish into English and vice versa, through readings and different types of exercises on the translation of different text genres.

  Este curso ofrece una introducción a la teoría y práctica de la traducción del español al inglés y viceversa, a través de lecturas y diversos ejercicios sobre la traducción de diferentes géneros textuales.

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

• Basque Cuisine

  Fall

  Spring

  The Basque Cuisine workshop offers an immersive experience for students passionate about cooking and culture. It provides them with the opportunity to learn about Basque gastronomic history, culture and traditions, and to collectively prepare traditional Basque dishes such as porrusalda (leek and potato soup), merluza en salsa verde (hake in green sauce) and pastel vasco / gateau basque (Basque cake), which they’ll be able to enjoy as dinner together.

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

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

  No previous cooking experience is required.

  This workshop has an additional fee.

  This workshop requires a minimum enrollment of 10 students to run.

• Basque Folkdance

  Fall

  Dance 100-level 1 credit Taught in Spanish

  Spring

  Dance 100-level 1 credit Taught in Spanish

  This course will introduce students to traditional Basque folkdance. Music will be presented in a variety of ways from live performances, small drums, and recorded music. Students will become familiar with dance styles including Makil Txiki, Polka Pik, San Petit, Karrika Dantza, and Sorgin Dantza.

• Basque Language and Culture

  Fall

  Anthropology Basque 300-level 3 credits Taught in English and Basque

  Spring

  Anthropology Basque 300-level 3 credits Taught in English and Basque

  This course will touch on the history and evolution of one of the oldest languages in the world, the mythology and symbolism of the Basques, and their traditions and culture. General notions of the language will be presented, explaining why this language is of such interest today to linguists and anthropologists. Basic conversational Basque skills will be studied, and students will have the opportunity outside of class to interview and practice with local native speakers.

• Cognitive Psychology: Fundamentals of Perception and Attention

  Fall

  Psychology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will begin with an evolutionary approach to the understanding of cognitive psychology and later explore perceptual and attentional processes. It will focus on visual perception. Course topics will be addressed via three different converging approaches: psychophysical, physiological, and cognitive. Finally, four types of attention—vigilant, focused, divided, and executive—will be examined. This course is suitable for students of psychology, as well as those who are interested in course topics.

• Contemporary Spain: 1970-Present

  Fall

  Sociology Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Spring

  Sociology Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course focuses on the complexity of contemporary Spanish life and the profound political, economic, social, and cultural changes that Spain has undergone in the last century. Special attention will be paid to the Franco regime, the post-Franco transition to democracy, and Spain's integration into the European Union.

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

• 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

• Emotional Intelligence

  Spring

  Psychology 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Students will explore the concept of emotional intelligence, its definition, and its historical and empirical constitution. We will study the skills that form the emotional intelligence ability model and the relevance of this kind of intelligence to use emotional information for people´s daily lives and the development of groups. In addition, we will analyze the bases that sustain the growth of the field and the aspects that favor its suitable development through the different stages of life. Finally, the course includes cases and situations to analyze how emotional intelligence can promote a person´s adaptation to different circumstances and emotional experiences. Students will focus on practical orientations to improve emotional abilities, both in themselves and others.

• Food and Culture

  Fall

  Anthropology Nutrition 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Anthropology Nutrition 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Food is a topic with which every student of every ethnicity has personal experience; it is so common that its cultural connotations tend to be overlooked. Food is often an area related to strong identity, whether positive or negative, of one’s ancestry. Cuisines are not just about sustenance, but also about cultural symbols that bind together people in ritual and as a community. How one participates in the act of eating (when/how) and why certain foods are to be prepared are learned and understood at the table.

  This course explores connections between what we eat and who we are through cross-cultural study of how personal identities and social groups are formed via food production, preparation, and consumption. Several films will be used to discuss specific topics, such as festivals/rituals and food as family/community. Moreover, our topics and readings will be eclectic: food taboos; gender and kinship, voice and identity, symbolic and expressive culture, feasts, festivals, fasts, famine, religion and spirituality, race and ethnicity, nationalism, class and social stratification, politics of globalization, among others. Then, we will focus on foodways in Italy, using the tools of anthropology, history, geography, sociology, journalism, and marketing.

• Intercultural Communication

  Fall

  Speech Communications 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Spring

  Speech Communications 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course explores the complexities of intercultural communication, examining how cultural identities shape and influence human interaction. Drawing on insights from foundational texts in the field, students will investigate cultural norms, communication patterns, and barriers to intercultural understanding. Through case studies, discussions, reflective and theoretical analysis, the course emphasizes the impact of language, history, values, politics, economy, or beliefs and practices on verbal and nonverbal intercultural communication. Students will develop skills in cultural empathy, critical self-reflection, and adaptive communication, preparing them to navigate diverse cultural settings effectively.

• 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

• Seminar in Developing Effective Teaching Skills

  Fall

  General Education Spanish 200-level 1 credit Taught in English

  Spring

  General Education Spanish 200-level 1 credit Taught in English

  This course focuses on the most important methods and approaches in the field of teaching of English as a second language. We will cover theoretical and practical aspects of the methods. As a complement, students will do practice teaching of English as a second/foreign language in different educational settings in the community (in local schools and/or local NGOs).

  This course is mandatory for all students participating in TABC program.

• 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 1-3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Spring

  Spanish 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 they 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

• Spanish Culture and Civilization

  Fall

  Anthropology Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Spring

  Anthropology Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course will develop student knowledge of significant geographic, historical, social, economic, and artistic events that have taken place in Spain, starting with the settlers of the Iberian Peninsula. Students will develop a solid theoretical and historical foundation to analyze events throughout Spain’s history effectively. Some topics include the Christian-Islamic cohabitation, the Renaissance, the Baroque, the Neoclassic period, and significant events from the nineteenth/twentieth centuries and the modern period.

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

• Surfing

  Fall

  100-level 1 credit Taught in English and Spanish

  Spring

  100-level 1 credit Taught in English and Spanish

  This course will introduce students to the sport of surfing. Students will meet twice a week for three-hour sessions. No equipment required.

  This course has an additional fee

• Survey of Spanish Literature I

  Fall

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

  Estudio de la literatura española en su evolución a partir del análisis de movimientos literarios y de la comparación de los autores y obras más representativas de cada período desde el siglo XII hasta el siglo XVII.

  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 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  A través de una selección de textos, se estudiarán algunas de las obras más representativas de la literatura española, desde el siglo XVIII hasta la actualidad. Este estudio tendrá dos elementos básicos de análisis: contenido temático y formal.

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

• The Human Animal: Biological Basis of Human Behavior

  Spring

  Biology Psychology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course looks at human behavior from ecological and evolutionary perspectives. Students will explore how behavior can reflect an adaptive response to ecological and social drivers and some neuroendocrinological and genetic processes underpinning human behavior. The approach is comparative, putting the conduct of modern urban humans into context through analysis of behavior in both traditional human societies and non-human primates.

• Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Spanish Theatre

  Fall

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  Spring

  Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course exposes students to the different periods, literary movements and trends of Spanish theatre by exploring key works by the most important 20th century and contemporary Spanish playwrights Students will learn about the social, political, and cultural history of Spain and Europe while they work to understand the complexity of theatre. Students will delve into the reading and analysis of the master works of the most representative Spanish authors, while understanding their historical and social context.

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

Host University Courses

Return to top