Global Cities
Universitat Pompeu Fabra – Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, is known for its art and architecture. It is home to modernist architectural masterpieces, like the Sagrada Familia of Gaudí and served as an inspiration to artists like Picasso and Dalí. The city was home of the 1992 Olympics, and is known for its own beaches, amazing architecture, cutting-edge cuisine, and a unique nightlife.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) is a public university created in 1990. It was designated as an “International Excellence Campus” by the Spanish Ministry of Education in 2010.
The Ciutadella campus is located in the Vila Olimpica neighbourhood, next to Ciutadella Park and Barcelona Zoo. It was set up in this area as a result of the urban regeneration that came to the city in the wake of the Olympic Games, and breathed new life into three historical buildings that had fallen into disuse. One of these buildings, the Dipòsit de les Aigües, had been built as a reservoir to store water for the nearby Parc the la Ciutadella with a lake and landscaped gardens. Today, transformed into the UPF’s General Library, it offers impressive reading rooms and a magnificent architecture.
Curriculum
Prerequisites
- 2nd, 3rd or 4th year undergraduate students
- A minimum GPA of 3.0
- One semester of college-level Spanish (recommended). Students taking UPF courses taught in Spanish should check the syllabus for specific language requirements.
- Commitment to full-time enrollment throughout the entire summer (Session A and C)
- Commitment to full participation in all scheduled on- and off-campus activities
Program Courses
All students will enroll in two courses (minimum of 10 ECTS) while attending the program. All courses below have been pre-approved by UCLA for credit transfer.
Please note: The courses below are based on summer 2019 offerings. The final list for summer 2020 will be available in January, 2020.
Course Descriptions
After War: Intervention, Peace and Resilience (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: HIST (lower division)
Barcelona on Stage: Documentary Workshop (6 ECTS = 4.5 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: FILM TV (lower division)
Brexit, EU and Global World: Current Challenges in European Politics and Society (6 ECTS = 4.5 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: POL SCI (lower division)
- GE Requirement: Social Analysis
Contemporary Barcelona and its Cultural History (6 ECTS = 4.5 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: SPAN (lower division)
- GE Requirement: Historical or Social Analysis
Does Mind Matter? Mind, Matter and Quantum Mechanics (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: NONDEPT (lower division)
Gender, Power and Violence (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: GENDER (upper division)
Imagenes de Espana en el Cine Contemporaneo (6 ECTS = 4.5 units)
- Language of Instruction: Spanish
- UCLA Credit Transfer: FILM TV (upper division)
- GE Requirement: Visual and Performing Arts
Interactive Media Art (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: DESMA (lower division)
Justicia Global y Desarrollo Sostenible (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: Spanish
- UCLA Credit Transfer: ENVIRON (upper division)
Law and Memory: Legal History of the 21st Century (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: HIST (lower division)
Migration and Cinema: Representations and Politics (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: NONDEPT (lower division)
- GE Requirement: Social Analysis
Modern Statistical Computing in R (6 ECTS = 4.5 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: STATS (lower division)
Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (4 ECTS = 3 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: MGMT (lower division)
Spanish Postmodernism and Beyond (6 ECTS = 4.5 units)
- Language of Instruction: English
- UCLA Credit Transfer: NONDEPT (upper division)
Spanish Language Courses (6 ECTS = 4.5 units)
- Inicial (Beginner) – SPAN 1
- Preintermedio (Pre-intermediate) – SPAN 3
- Intermedio (Intermediate) – SPAN 4
- Avanzado (Advanced) – SPAN 5
- Superior – SPAN (upper division)
For course description, syllabus and videos, please check the UPF Course Catalog.
Budget and Financial Aid
Budget Estimate
| Program Fee* | $5,400 |
| Housing (estimate) | $2,866 |
| Textbooks (estimate) | $344 |
| Airfare/transportation (estimate) | $1,538 |
| Personal Expenses (estimate) | $1,577 |
* Program fee includes registration, course fees and program activities for both sessions. Airfare, textbooks, accommodations, meals and optional excursions are additional. The estimates shown above are only for Summer Session A at UPF.
Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents.
Budgeting
We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, internet cafes, emergencies, etc. How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. Take the time to research the cost of living in your destination and the activities you want to participate in while abroad.
Purchasing Airfare
Please do not purchase airfare until you complete the registration process at UPF.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to selected students. The scholarship is designed for students who want to highlight their experiences abroad to others through content creation and on campus service hours.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to qualified UCLA students.
On Location
Accommodations
Students are responsible for securing their own housing in Barcelona. If you are interested in staying at a Residence Hall, please note that UPF has agreed on a special rate for summer students at a couple of RESA Housing residences. If you are interested in RESA Housing options, please contact Gala Tauler Royo at gala.tauler@resa.es. UPF is a centrally located urban university and does not have on-campus residence or dormitories.
For more detailed information, please see the UPF Summer Catalog.