Courses

All students enroll in a combination of courses offered through CASA-Barcelona and its local partner universities to complete a total of 29-32 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) per semester. Classes are organized as follows:

Language and Culture Pro-seminar

8 ECTS credits

The Pro-seminar is an intensive course that aims to facilitate the knowledge and adaptation of students to the local environs. It consists of four clearly-defined modules and complementary activities integrated into its curricular program and is taught at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona's campus at Bellaterra. The four modules are: an Academic Spanish module (writing); an introductory Catalan module; a History, Culture and Identity of Catalonia and Spain module (that includes relevant academic and cultural activities throughout the semester); and a research project or internship/volunteer placement during the semester. The class-based sessions take place during the first three weeks of the program, with the rest of the activities organized throughout the semester.

Complementary activities integrated in the Pro-seminar include:

  • Guided tours of the city, coordinated with the history and culture module program
  • Study trips, visits to museums, and workshops throughout the semester
  • Conferences led by specialists, focused on topics related to Catalan and Spanish society and culture

Students will be evaluated through continuous assessment, consisting of ongoing assignments and final exams.

CASA/Pre-selected Universitat de Barcelona (UB) Course

6 - 12 ECTS credits

One program requirement is that all students take one to two CASA/Pre-selected UB course, which must be chosen from those made available each semester. These courses are taught by the resident director, a faculty-in-residence from one of the CASA-member institutions, or a professor from one of the local partner universities. Through CASA/UB Pre-selected courses, students acquire a deep understanding of the subject studied and a better knowledge of the local, regional and national context.

Examples of courses offered in previous semesters:

  •  Picasso, Miró and Dalí
  •  The Spanish Civil War in Visual Culture
  •  Destination Barcelona: New African, Latin American and Chinese Immigrants in Spain During the Era of Contemporary Globalization
  •  The Spanish Civil War and Its Historical Memory
  •  Learning from Barcelona: Barcelona in Ten Buildings
  •  Migrations in Spain: Society, Economy and Dynamics of Migratory Flows
  •  History of Spanish Cinema
  •  Unequal Experiences: Lives of Women in the History of Spain
  •  Migration, Politics and Identity in Modern Catalonia
  •  Cities and Identities: Urban Narratives and Collective Identities in the Global Context
  •  Beyond the Utopia. The Coexistence of Jews, Christians and Muslims in the History of the Iberian Peninsula (8th-17th Centuries)
  •  Technology, Digital Cities and the Urban Experience: Barcelona Smart City
  •  Transatlantic Literature of the 21st century
  •  Modern Art in Barcelona: From Gaudí to Tàpies

Partner University Courses

9-18 ECTS credits

Students complete the rest of their courses at local universities, which offer a wide range of subjects taught in Spanish and/or Catalan. Normally, 9 -18 ECTS corresponds to two or three university courses. Students have access to the full range of courses offered at the partner universities.

It is essential that students consult with their home institution, both before coming to Barcelona and during the registration process, to ascertain the number of ECTS/courses they must complete in Barcelona and to ensure that credit will be awarded for their chosen courses.

Pre-selection of Classes

Students must make a pre-selection of classes before their arrival in Barcelona. To complete the pre-selection, students need to consult the course offerings on the web page of each of the local universities. The CASA-Barcelona team will contact all students with the appropriate links and detailed information regarding how to pre-select classes.

To help students with the course selection process, students have academic counseling sessions with the CASA-Barcelona team. These sessions take place remotely before arrival and once students have arrived in the city, before the beginning of classes at the local universities.

At a glance

City
Barcelona, Spain

Lead Institution
Brown University

Partner Institutions

Housing
Self-catered, single rooms at a student residential facility

Language requirements
Minimum of six semesters of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent). Students who have not reached the six-semester Spanish level, but have completed a combination of at least intermediate/advanced Spanish and some Catalan coursework are also encouraged to apply.

Calendar
Academic year
Fall or Spring semesters

Applications
Students from CASA member institutions apply via their home institution. Non-CASA member students apply through Brown University.

Special Features
Distinctive research, internship, and volunteer opportunities

Member Universities

Brown University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Northwestern University
Trinity College, University of Dublin
The University of Pennsylvania
The University of Melbourne
Vanderbilt University