Internship, Spanish Language & Culture
2011 Spring Semester - Early Start - Academics

Academic Focus

The Internship, Spanish Language & Culture program at the University of Granada is designed for students who wish to gain practical experience while focusing on continued language acquisition and improvement, as well as Spanish cultural studies. Depending on your language level, you will enroll in an internship course along with at least one Spanish language course and electives taught in either English or Spanish.

Your language course will focus on oral comprehension and expression, listening comprehension and grammar components appropriate to your language level. Your Spanish electives will help you continue to develop your language skills while allowing you to further explore the history, literature, geography and sociology of Spain. Students interested in studying an additional foreign language will be allowed to do so in place of one elective. Please contact a CEA representative for more information regarding course details and available languages.

Internships are a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the culture and everyday life of Granada. Explore potential career fields and continue developing your talents through these unique possibilities. Students with a low intermediate or above level of Spanish have the opportunity to serve as English language teaching assistants to primary and secondary students. For those with high intermediate and above levels of Spanish opportunities exist in event planning and hotel operations, as well as health care. You will work 4-5 hours per week in your placement, supervised by a faculty member from the University of Granada.

You will apply for an internship site once you are accepted to the program. You must submit a letter of interest, along with a resume or C.V. Once the Granada staff has received your information they will place you with an appropriate organization. Students will receive notification of placement at least one month prior to the start of the program. Once onsite, you will have an introductory interview with your organization to ensure that it is a good fit and that both you and the organization will benefit from the internship. After your interview, if it is determined that the organization will not be a good fit, CEA will work with you to find a suitable replacement. Keep in mind that CEA cannot guarantee placement at a particular site but will work with you to accommodate your requests.

Example Internship Positions Available:

Click here for detailed descriptions of possible internship positions or read more under course descriptions.

Early Start

This program also features a unique Early Start option, where you will arrive early and take an intensive language preparation course. This course, which is four weeks in length during the fall and three weeks in length during the spring semester, is focused on grammar and conversation and is designed to help you adjust to the university setting and prepare you for the semester placement exam. Please note, students interested in taking electives in Spanish are strongly encouraged to take the Early Start program to ensure they reach the required language level.

All courses meet for a total of 45 contact hours each semester. Students generally receive 3 semester credits per course, for a total of 12 - 15 credits per semester. The intensive language preparation course meets for 80 hours in the Fall and 60 hours in the Spring. Student who opt to participate in the Early Start option typically receive an additional 4 or 5 semester credits. Note, any student needing additional contact hours for a semester course or a language preparation course can make arrangements on a case-by-case basis for an additional fee.

Schedule Summary

During the fall semester, all courses will meet for 4 hours each week, while during the spring semester all courses meet for 3 hours each week. Classes will be held on Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesday/Thursdays at various times throughout the day. During the intensive language portion of the program, students will meet Monday through Friday for a total of 20 hours per week. Internship placement hours will be arranged on-site, but require a 4-5 hour per week commitment. Class times vary and your final course schedule will be determined onsite.

Course Registration

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 program confirmation, or no later than the application closure date for your program. You will automatically be registered for your language courses.

You will be given a language placement exam on the first day of class. Though you will register for courses prior to your departure for Spain, final registration will not take place until after your language level has been assessed. You will receive further information regarding registration deadlines after acceptance to the program. To aid in the registration process, it is in your best interest to have courses, including alternates, approved by your academic advisor prior to departure. Any changes to your course selection after registrations have been finalized must be coordinated through the onsite director.