College of Arts & Sciences
Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Barcelona Summer Program

Since 2007, Georgetown University has offered a fantastic program on the campus of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona. In this program, you’ll combine intensive coursework focused on the relationships between the history, culture, and language of your host city with intensive language immersion.  Readings, lectures and discussions go hand-in-hand with guided fieldwork throughout the region to create a space for linguistic and intellectual development. Central topics include the role of the visual arts and of language in the construction of national identity; the integration of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions in the past and today; and the tensions between Catalan and Spanish in the wider context of the European Union. Engaging with Spanish peers from host university is a key program component.

The program offers four 3000+ level courses on language, linguistics, and culture taught by Georgetown University and UPF faculty. SFS students can take the Proficiency Exam at the end of the program, or count any two of the courses to fulfill the language requirement (A/A- minimum). All coursework, including grades and credits, earned on Georgetown-administered programs are automatically applied to Georgetown students.

The University

UPF consistently ranks as one of the top universities in Spain, often considered the best public university in the country. Located in the vibrant Barceloneta neighborhood, right by the beach and adjacent to the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), UPF’s Campus del Mar offers a truly unique academic environment for students in the humanities, political science, and economics through its proximity to key institutions such as the Catalan Parliament.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra Campus de la Ciutadella

The City

Barcelona’s impressive modern architecture — Calatrava, Moneo, and Gehry, among others — complements its Roman, Gothic, and Modernist jewels, including many of Gaudí’s most remarkable structures. It houses exceptional museum collections of Picasso, Tapies, and Miro, and is the stage for el Grec, Barcelona’s highly-acclaimed summer festival that offers the best in international theater, film, opera, ballet, and modern dance.
Barcelona offers a diverse and multiethnic setting with wide-ranging resources for the development of an innovative curriculum that focuses on linguistics, visual arts, and regional politics. 

Useful information about the city

The Neighborhood

For college students seeking an immersive experience beyond traditional tourism, Barcelona’s 22@ district in Poblenou, where the dorm is located, is a must-explore. With its dynamic, forward-thinking atmosphere, this innovative urban regeneration project has transformed a former industrial area into a buzzing hub of technology, creativity, and knowledge, where startups, major tech companies, universities, and research centers coexist. The dorm is situated in a modern architectural setting, surrounded by vibrant coworking spaces and lively cafes.

The neighborhood The residence hall

Fieldwork

The program includes several organized excursions designed to engage students with all major course topics as well as to explore the culture and history of their host country in a direct, hands-on manner. 
Fieldwork includes: 
– Environmental Issues in Southern Europe: Delta de L’Ebre
– Roman presence in the Iberian Peninsula: Tarragona
– The birth of a nation: Reconquista and Benedictine Monasteries of Santes Creus and Montserrat
– Christians and Jews in medieval Girona
– Breaking with tradition: Dalí’s museum in Figueres, Gaudí’s buildings

Fieldwork (click here to get a detailed description)

Students enroll in three of the following 3-credit courses and will receive a total of nine GU undergraduate credits upon successful completion of the program. All courses are taught in Spanish by Georgetown University and UPF faculty.

The Office of Global Education and UPF are committed to making study abroad accessible to all interested and eligible students. OGE hopes that students with accessibility needs will pursue study abroad opportunities and use the available support services on campus for assistance and advice when necessary.

Students reside in a private student residence hall located a short distance from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), the Gothic Quarter, and the beach. Rooms are single occupancy (shared with another Georgetown student). All rooms are air conditioned, fully furnished, and have a private kitchenette and bathroom. Rooms are cleaned and bedding and towels are changed weekly. The building has multiple study rooms, a gym and a pool, a large kitchen to prepare communal meals, a movie theater, and 24-hour security. It is a couple of blocks from the Metro and several bus lines, and it is also within walking distance to a large mall and several supermarkets.  Students are responsible for their own meals during the program, with the exception of meals provided during weekly group excursions, as well as three group dinners included in the program.

Dr. Cristina Sanz, Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Georgetown University ICC 412

Email: Cristina.Sanz@georgetown.edu

For more info, visit the OGE Barcelona Summer Program