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Valencia Courses – 2025 Spring

Academics

Students will enroll in 12 to 18 credits comprised of language courses plus electives in STEM, business (fall only), and Spanish culture. All students must complete a minimum of one language course, although we strongly encourage students to complete an entire language track. 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.

Track I

Prerequisite: None

  1. Elementary Spanish I
  2. Elementary Spanish II
  3. Intermediate Spanish I
    (fall only)

Track II

Prerequisite: 2 semesters of college Spanish

  1. Intermediate Spanish I
  2. Intermediate Spanish II
  3. Spanish Composition I
    (fall ony)

Track III

Prerequisite: 4 semesters of college Spanish

  1. Spanish Composition I
  2. Spanish Composition II
  3. Advanced Spanish I
    (fall only)

Track IV

Prerequisite: 6 semesters of college Spanish

  1. Advanced Spanish I
  2. Advanced Spanish II
    (fall only)

      Spanish Language Courses

      • 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.

      • 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

      • 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

      • 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

      • 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

      • 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

      • 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 Semester Electives

      • Spring
        Mathematics 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

        Introductory course emphasizing 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.

        Prerequisites: two semesters of college-level calculus

      • 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 at least a C-)

      • 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 at least a C-) Calculus III recommended

      • Spring
        Mechanical Engineering 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: Statics, Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, and Calculus II

        Co-requisite: Calculus III

      • Spring
        General Engineering 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

        Describing the conceptual internal structure of materials, its evolution into the real model of microstructure in order to understand the dependence of properties upon these structures. Connecting properties to the behavior of materials in service and materials selection.

        Prerequisite: General Chemistry I and lab, introductory college-level course in general chemistry for scientists and engineers

      • Spring
        Mechanical Engineering 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

        This course focuses on the principles of engineering thermodynamics, including a study of the first and second laws, entropy, and ideal and real gases

        Prerequisite: Calculus II, General Chemistry I

        Co-requisite: Physics for Scientrists and Engineers II

      • Spring
        100-level 3 credits Taught in English

        This course is designed for general chemistry students whose academic plans require advanced study in chemistry. Fundamentals of chemistry including reaction stoichiometry, atomic structure, chemical bonding, molecular structure, states of matter, intermolecular forces, solutions, and thermochemistry will be covered.

        The Laboratory Course: concurrent enrollment in General Chemistry Laboratory II is required with General Chemistry II except by prior department approval. These are co-requisites, if one course is dropped, the other must be dropped as well, no matter the level of success in that course.

        Prerequisite: General Chemistry I and lab, or equivalent

        Co-requisite: General Chemistry II Lab

      • Spring
        100-level 1 credit Taught in English

        This course provides the laboratory component to accompany General Chemistry II in examining the fundamentals of chemistry including solutions, kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, and properties of inorganic and organic compounds.

        Co-requisite: General Chemistry II

      • Spring
        Physics 100-level 3 credits Taught in English

        This course provides an introduction to physics for engineers, especially in the fields of mechanics, which includes kinematics, motion in one and two dimensions, dynamics, the laws of motion, energy, conservation of energy, rotation of a rigid object and angular momentum, statics and elasticity, fluid mechanics, oscillations, and mechanical waves. This course aims to teach basic concepts for understanding the physical world. The acquisition of specific skills and understanding of the material is crucial to problem-solving ability. The lectures are oriented toward helping students understand the concepts and how to solve problems.

        Prerequisite: Calculus I

        Co-requisite: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab I

      • Spring
        Physics 100-level 1 credit Taught in English

        The purpose of the physics laboratory is to allow students to witness the concepts and physical laws introduced in the lecture. Students will also be exposed to elementary laboratory techniques. Every class will have a short course introducing the procedures, concepts, formulas, and instructions relevant to the experiment. The lecture will also cover what is expected in your lab report. Attendance and participation are mandatory. Experiments will usually be performed in pairs, but each student will turn in an individual lab report.

        Co-requisite: Physics for Scientists & Engineers I

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spring
        Physics 100-level 3 credits Taught in English

        Physics for Scientists and Engineers II is an introductory, calculus-based physics course covering mainly electromagnetism and matter. Topics include:

        • Thermodynamics (laws, kinetic theory, states of matter).

        • Electrostatics and electrodynamics (charge, fields, force, potential, current, dielectrics, circuit elements).

        • Magnetism (fields, forces, sources, materials).

        • Electromagnetic oscillations.

        Prerequisite: Calculus II and Physics for Scientists and Engineers I

        Co-requisite: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab II

      • Spring
        Physics 100-level 1 credit Taught in English

        The purpose of the physics laboratory is to allow students to witness the concepts and physical laws introduced in the lecture. You will also be exposed to elementary laboratory techniques. Every class will have a short course introducing the procedures, concepts, formulas, and instructions relevant to the experiment. The lecture will also cover what is expected in your lab report. Attendance and participation are mandatory. Experiments will usually be performed in groups, but each student will turn in an individual lab report.

        Co-requisite: Physics for Scientists & Engineers II

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spanish Cuisine and the Mediterranean Diet
      • Spring
        Anthropology 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

        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, and the changes that have taken place in society related politics, religion, economy, and society.

        Prerequisite: four semesters of college Spanish, or equivalent

      • 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: general physics and one semester of college calculus

      • Spring
        100-level 1 credit Taught in English

        This course is offered by a local windsurfing school at one of the best surfing locations for beginners: Valencia. The class will meet 11 times for 2.5 hours each session. The programmed order of sessions is subject to changes for reasons beyond our control, such as inclement weather, strong rip currents, etc. The windsurf school will provide all necessary equipment (including wetsuits), as well as a changing area and a locker room.

        This course has an additional fee

      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 Valencia internship page.

      • 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

      Apply