Summer Intensive Program in Alcala de Henares, Madrid

Summer 2008: May 30 to June 30/July 30 (4 or 8 week option, tentative dates)

Program Location

Alcala de Henares is a university city that is approximately 25 minutes from Madrid by Train.  The university was established in 1499 and classes for this program are in a 17th century convent that was converted to classrooms in 1989.  The city itself has a large cultural offering to the student including Roman ruins, cathedrals and other historical monuments.  Nonetheless, it also is close enough to Madrid to allow students the opportunity to spend the afternoon or evening in Madrid and still go home.  Its proximity to Madrid also makes travel both within and outside of Spain very easy. 

Academic Program

The purpose of this program is to offer students of all levels an opportunity to study in a center that houses an excellent program for American students who desire to study Spanish.  While studying at Alcala you will have the opportunity to take classes with other students from JMU and also students from other universities from the USA.  The majority of classes are taught in Spanish and include Language, Literature, Culture & Civilization, Art and Film classes.  Class size is usually under 20 students which allows each student the opportunity for more one-on-one time with the professor.  Students will take 2 classes in the month of June and then 2 additional classes in the month of July and these classes meet four days a week, but never on Fridays.  This program is also open to students who may not have ever studied Spanish and would like to study Spanish in Spain, and also to Graduate or Upper Level students wishing to take pedagogy courses. 

Instructional methods include lectures, guided tours, field work, journal assignment and/or papers, and exams.

Tentative course offerings:
SPAN 109 Accelerated Review of Elementary Spanish, 4 credits
SPAN 212 Intensive Spanish, 6 credits
SPAN 111 Intensive Spanish, 6 credits
SPAN 300 Grammar and Communication, 3 credits
SPAN 307 Spanish Civilization, 3 credits
SPAN 315 Spanish Phonetics, 3 credits
SPAN 320 Oral and Written Communication, 3 credits
SPAN 335 Spanish Literature, 3 credits
SPAN 407 Aspects of Spanish Civilization, 3 credits
Other courses to be included: Pedagogy for Teachers of Spanish, Introduction to Spanish Pragmatics, Introduction to Spanish Linguistics, Comparison between Spain and USA: Culture, Politics / Social Structure, Spanish Society as Seen Through the Movies.  See Director for Full Course Offerings.

Accommodations

Students will reside with host-families in Alcala, Spain. Group meals will be provided.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

For More Information

For additional information about the Summer Intensive Program in Alcala de Henares, Madrid program, please contact the program director:

John A. Tkac
Lecturer of Spanish
Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures & Cultures
Tel: 540-568-5109
E-mail: tkacja@jmu.edu