• Two UNI students enjoying the view of the city of Barcelona

    Faculty-led Program in Spain

  • The Park Guell in Barcelona with lavender plants framing the bottom of the image

    Faculty-led Program in Spain

  • Group with Tarragona Cathedral in background

    Faculty-led Program in Spain

  • The Roman amphitheater in the city of Tarragona, Spain

    Faculty-led Program in Spain

Introduction

Barcelona is Spain's second largest city, as well as the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia. Barcelona has long been considered a tourist destination and a world-wide cultural hub, offering fine food, art, literature, and architecture, as well as a rich and diverse history. Students traveling to Barcelona will learn not only about Spanish culture, but also about Catalan culture and the intersection of the two.

Heather was amazing. She went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing trip! I would highly recommend taking any class with her! - past participant

This program taught me so much about Spanish culture and the history and art in Barcelona. We had the opportunity to take day trips and explore areas outside of the city as well! Heather did a fantastic job of teaching us about the importance of being understanding of other cultures and adjusting to life in a foreign country. Making new friends, trying new things, and visiting some of the most beautiful places in the world made this the trip of a lifetime!  - past participant

 

Location

Course Leaders

Heather Jerónimo​, Associate Professor

Department: Languages and Literatures
Phone: 319-273-2821
Email: heather.jeronimo@uni.edu
Campus Address: BAR 2008


Heather first traveled to Spain as an undergraduate student, spending a semester in Alicante. She has since returned to Spain almost a dozen times. Heather has taken students to Barcelona, Spain for three years. She loves to travel, and has visited several countries, including Peru, Argentina, Poland, Iceland, France, Hungary, and Ireland. Heather believes that everyone should travel, as multicultural experiences allow us to learn more about the world, our own cultures, and our selves.

Academics

LANG 2020: Constructing Cross-Cultural Bridges (3 credit hours)

  • This is a UNIFI: Human Condition Global category course. It can count as a general education UNIFI elective credit under the category of Connect. For students in the Liberal Arts Core, the course can also fulfill the capstone requirement. 

This course fulfills UNIFI’s Human Condition (Global) category, in which students will “analyze ideas, works or institutions as diverse conceptions of the human condition.” In this course, we will study the human condition both through literary analysis and cross-cultural comparisons. Through the various literary texts that students read before traveling to Barcelona, we will explore the importance of geographical space in identity and culture formation. Students will write several short essays related to the readings that allow them to explore how these literary texts position the geographic location of Barcelona as central to identity formation for protagonists. The final presentation for the course asks students to produce a cross-cultural comparison by choosing one aspect of Spanish culture (greetings, personal space, food, etc.) to examine in relation to their own culture. Students will compare how this cultural aspect influences identity and culture formation in Spain and the U.S. 

Participation in this program requires several class meetings throughout the spring semester. The course is scheduled for the summer (May session). Please contact the program's course leader for more information on coursework requirements. 

The Study Abroad Center will enroll participants in their study abroad course. 

NOTES:

  • For Spanish majors and minors who have taken SPAN 3004: Introduction to Hispanic Literature, this course can count as three Spanish credits, specifically SPAN 3018: Survey of Spanish Literature.
  • Students planning to participate in the spring commencement ceremony in May can enroll in this summer term program, however, their degree will not be conferred until the end of the summer term and is contingent on the successful completion of the program and all required coursework.
  • Students attending colleges and universities other than UNI are welcome to participate in this program. If you are not currently a UNI student, but would like to participate in this program, please contact the UNI Study Abroad Center prior to starting your program application.

Itinerary

Tentative Program Dates: Sunday, May 14 (depart) - Monday, May 29 (return), 2023

Sample itinerary is subject to change. 

Day 1: Arrival in Barcelona

Day 2: Guided walking tour of the city with course leader; visit the famous Barcelona Cathedral, see hidden plazas and learn about how Barcelona was affected by the Spanish Civil War, walk through La Boquería Market and sample Spanish delicacies; learn about the history of Barcelona and see ruins dating from Roman times at the Barcelona City History Museum

Day 3: Visit Citadel Park, the largest green space in Barcelona; marvel at the columns of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar; learn about the Spanish War of Succession and see cannonballs on a guided tour of the Born Cultural Center; shop for produce like a Spanish local at the Santa Caterina Market

Day 4: Day trip to Girona: learn about Jewish history in Spain, walk the length of the city wall for spectacular sites, take in the Girona Cathedral and other Game of Thrones shooting locations, and visit the city’s Arab baths

Day 5: Guided tour of Palau Guell; have coffee at Cuatro Gats, where famous artists like Pablo Picasso spent their time

Day 6: Visit to Parque Guell, designed by Antoni Gaudí; visit Casa Vicens, a house designed by Gaudí that has only been open to the public since 2017; Trencadis (mosaics) workshop in the afternoon

Day 7: Visit Tibidabo Amusement Park for panoramic views of Barcelona and the Mediterranean, ride the ferris wheel, and eat some delicious churros with chocolate

Day 8: Free day; evening piano quartet concert at the Palau de la Música Catalana

Day 9: Day Trip to Figueres with visits to Sant Ferran Castle (with tour of the canals under the castle and a Jeep ride across the castle grounds) and Salvador Dalí Theater-Museum

Day 10: Excursion to Montjuïc Castle, a mountain-top fortress, to learn about prisoners who were held captive here during the Spanish Civil War; visit the Museu Nacional D’art de Cataluña; take a guided tour of Refugi 307, a surviving bomb shelter from the Spanish Civil War; and finish the day with a light show at the Magic Fountain

Day 11: Visit Gaudí’s most famous work, the Sagrada Familia, projected to be finished in 2026, and Casa Batlló

Day 12: Trip to Tarragona with visits to Roman aqueducts, Circ Roma and Roman Amphitheater; stop in the beach-side city of Sitges for some time on the beach

Day 13: Visit MACBA (Modern Art Museum) in the afternoon; evening guitar concert at Santa Maria del Pi

Day 14: Get lost in the maze at Labyrinth Park, watch locals dance the traditional Sardana dance in front of the Barcelona Cathedral; Born to Cook Market tour and paella cooking workshop with local chef

Day 15: Departure

Participant Info

Important information to review:

Review the roles of the Advisee and the Advisor under the main menu Get Started

Entry and Exit Requirements 

  • Review and follow the travel recommendations of the CDC for International Travel
  • Monitor appropriate websites for updates and information about COVID or other emergencies before departing and while in the destination country. The U.S. Embassy for Spain provides updates that can be found on their website

Housing & Meals

Students will stay in hotel or hostel-style rooms arranged by the Study Abroad Center and paid for before departure.  Only a few meals abroad are included in the program cost.  Students are encouraged to try the local foods.

Program Costs

Faculty-led Program in Spain

Estimated Program Cost:

$6,779*

* estimated total cost of participation, actual amount depends on type of housing accommodation selected, actual airfare purchase price, personal spending habits, and other factors

Click Below to View Detailed Budget Sheet:

Cost of studying on-campus*

*per semester, estimated, will vary per person

Tuition & Fees:

$4,527

Room & Board:

$4,580

Books:

$400

Personal Expenses:

$878

Transportation:

$320

Total:

$10,705

Source: https://admissions.uni.edu/costs

PROGRAM COST COMPONENTS

Airfare

Your airfare may vary by airline choice, number of stopovers, choice of departure city, and actual travel dates.

Housing

Most programs include housing in the U-Bill section. When housing is not included, it will be displayed separately. Housing costs may include deposits, room upgrade charges, and special services fees.

U-Bill Charges

Includes core program costs such as tuition, mandatory fees, int'l health coverage, and many in-country costs for faculty led programs. Housing costs are often included here as well.

Day-to-Day Expenses

Typical costs include personal items, such as toiletries, as well as meals and public transportation when those costs are not included in the core program costs.

Dates & Deadlines

APPLY

Term: 
Summer
App Deadline: 
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Program Dates: 
Sunday, May 14, 2023 to Monday, May 29, 2023

Eligibility Requirements to Study Abroad

The Study Abroad Center reserves the right to determine participants' eligibility to Study Abroad. Students must have a completed study abroad application, including supportive recommendation form(s). Additionally, students must meet all of the following in order to be eligible to Study Abroad:

  • Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher at the time of application and maintain this cumulative GPA prior to departure and throughout the study abroad process
  • If your cumulative GPA is lower than 2.5, submit the following to the Study Abroad Center (103 East Bartlett):
  • Letters of reference from two academic contacts (e.g. academic advisor and former or current professor) supporting your pursuit of study abroad. If you are attending a faculty-led study abroad program, one of the letters must be from a course leader. However, if the program has two course leaders, only one of the letters can be from one of the course leaders.
  • Must be over the age of 18 years old
  • Must meet the course prerequisites (participation in the program is dependent upon meeting these)
  • Must be in good standing with the University
  • UNI's partner institutions may require additional eligibility requirements to be met, these vary from institution to institution. Please consult with the Study Abroad Center staff to discuss these additional requirements, if applicable.
  • Applicants traveling to a region of a country or a country with an overall Travel Advisory Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel) will not be eligible.
  • All study abroad applicants must pass the Study Abroad Applicant Assessment with a score of 70% or greater.
  • Applicants may be selected for an in-person interview before being accepted. Selection for an interview does not guarantee acceptance into the program. You will be contacted directly by the Study Abroad Center if selected for an interview.