Academic Focus
The Spanish Language Studies Program at the University of Alicante is designed for students of all language levels who are dedicated to acquiring and improving their language skills. Your language courses will focus on oral comprehension and expression, listening comprehension and grammar components appropriate to your language level. You can also further your language studies with optional Spanish electives in Business, Conversation, Sociology, Literature and Cinema. These electives will help improve your fluency and communication skills. Each semester session consists of three 4-week blocks. You will be tested at the end of each block and may move up into higher levels during the semester. This structure combined with your immersion experience in Alicante provides you the opportunity to advance your language skills at an accelerated pace, as well as gain insight into the Spanish culture.
Each 4-week session consists of 60 contact hours of language. At the end of the semester program, students will have taken three Spanish courses for a total of 180 contact hours, which is generally worth 12 credits in the US semester system. The transcripts will reflect all levels taken and three individual grades. Electives meet for 20 contact hours and are generally worth 1 credit in the US semester system.
Schedule Summary
Spanish language courses are held for three hours a day, either in the morning or the afternoon, Monday through Friday. Your schedule will be determined onsite. Each elective meets for one hour per day, Monday through Friday. Depending on your Spanish language course schedule, your electives will take place either just after or just before your language class.
Course Registration
As part of the registration process, the university requires that you complete a preliminary placement exam prior to your departure to Spain. This exam will be sent to you via email approximately six weeks prior to the start of the program. Based on the results of this test, you will be placed into one of 12 language levels: Beginner I, II; Intermediate I, II; High Intermediate I, II, Advanced I, II, High Advanced I, II; Superior I, II. During the first few days of class, your language level will be assessed by your professor through written and oral in-class exercises in order to confirm and determine the appropriate level of language study. Placement as determined by the University of Alicante faculty is final. In order to ensure that you receive credit for the level that you place into, it is in your best interest to have courses at several levels approved by your academic advisor prior to departure.
In addition, all students are required to complete an elective selection form prior to departure. This form must be returned to the CEA Tempe office with your confirmation deposit, or no later than the application closure date for your program. This form must be submitted regardless of whether or not you will be taking any electives. Please note, additional electives require an additional fee. Payment must be submitted with your registration form in order to enroll in these optional courses. You will automatically be registered for your language courses.
