Location

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Program Description

This 9-credit academic program is open to students of all majors interested in living and learning in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is also open to non-JMU students. It requires no prior study of Spanish. Program participants will hone their knowledge of Spanish by taking two language-acquisition courses.

Each student will take whichever two courses are the next two courses appropriate for them within the sequence of language-acquisition courses offered at JMU from among: SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 231, SPAN 232, SPAN 300, SPAN 320, SPAN 400, and SPAN 490.

For example, a student who has already taken SPAN 231 would take SPAN 232 and SPAN 300 in this program. A student who has taken SPAN 101 already would take SPAN 102 and SPAN 231. Students will also take a course in Argentine politics and society (that can count as either HIST 341, POSC 371, or SPAN 447). This course explores Argentina’s past and present with an eye toward its political, socioeconomic, and cultural future.

The Spanish courses in language acquisition provide small-group learning where the emphasis is always on student participation in a manner appropriate to their current proficiency in Spanish. All students are listening and talking with each other and the instructor in each course session. In turn, the course on Argentine politics and society immerses students in the rich history and present-day of Buenos Aires via outings to theatre, tango performances, and a number of museums and exhibitions.

Location Description

This 9-credit study-abroad program is designed to introduce students to the dynamics of the fifth-largest country in the Western Hemisphere – Argentina. The program is housed in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, one of the world’s most vibrant cities with a population of 15 million people. Group activities and excursions in Buenos Aires provide multiple opportunities to learn about Argentine society from a variety of angles and forms of cultural expression.

Director

Charles H. Blake | blakech@jmu.edu | Political Science

Kristen McCleary | mccleakl@jmu.edu | History

Accommodations

The residence hall is located in the heart of the Palermo district of Buenos Aires. Roughly 60% of the residents in this facility are university students from Latin America, with the remaining students coming from various countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. Students live in double or triple rooms with private baths, a telephone for receiving calls, and cable TV. Pending availability, students can request a single room for an additional cost beyond the standard program fee.

Meals are covered by a weekly meal allowance paid out from within the program budget. There is a kitchen and a sizable dining area in the residence facility.

Additional Items to Consider

Travelers with U.S. passports do not need a visa to participate in this program.

This program is best suited for students interested in learning Spanish, exploring Buenos Aires, and learning about Argentina.

Students from a variety of majors have succeeded in the JMU in Argentina program. The common characteristic shared by successful students is a desire to improve their Spanish and their cross-cultural competencies by living in Buenos Aires for two months. 

Students will conduct some readings and hold two initial class sessions in the Argentina Politics & Society course during the second half of the spring 2026 semester. This will help students to make the most of their time in Argentina.

Applicant Criteria

Applicants must have a GPA minimum of 2.0

Open to all undergraduate majors and class levels, including non-JMU students

No prior study of or proficiency in Spanish required