Location

Tarragona, Spain

Program Description

In this course, health students will explore the health care system of Tarragona, Spain, through a partnership with the Faculty of Nursing at Universitat Rovira I Virgili. Through an international lens, students will learn about the Spanish nursing profession and related health fields, as well as the unique history, language, and culture of this Catalonian region of Spain. 

Students will explore the ways that Spanish health professionals address health needs in both acute and community care settings in the context of the national health system, and will compare and contrast this with their knowledge of the U.S. health system approach.

This immersion experience includes home stay with a Spanish nursing student and Spanish language study.

Location Description

Just an hour south of Barcelona by train lies one of the prettiest and most underrated small cities on the Spanish Mediterranean coast—mesmerizing Tarragona. When you arrive, one of the first things you’ll notice is the wealth of impressive Roman ruins scattered throughout the city, especially south of the Old Town. At one time, Tarragona was the Roman capital of the Iberian Peninsula and this certainly shows in its magnificent architecture, much of it situated to take full advantage of sparkling views of the Mediterranean.

Like Barcelona, Tarragona has two official languages: Spanish and Catalan. While the locals usually speak Catalan among themselves, I found English and my sub-par Spanish worked fine for communication. The only occasional challenge was trying to match up Catalan street signs with the Spanish equivalent.

Director

Christine Argenbright | argenbca@jmu.edu | Nursing

Erika Metzler Sawin | sawinem@jmu.edu | Nursing

Accommodations

Students will be assigned to host families. Two students will be with one host family.

Students will be allocated a weekly meal stipend.

Additional Items to Consider

Students must comply with the Study Abroad and Spain and entry criteria to participate in the program

COVID-19 Location Information:

Each country has different requirements upon entry with regard to COVID-19. Please check this website for the most up-to-date information on what is required for the country (or countries) that are part of this program. Please note that this changes often, so we encourage you to check back frequently.

Applicant Criteria

Applicants must have a GPA minimum of 2.0

Elementary to full proficiency in Spanish

All undergraduate levels considered for this program.