UCLA Travel Study

Spanish: Spanish Language and Culture (Session 1: June Start)

*This page is retired: Click to view 2024 program information*

Enjoy your summer in Spain while studying Spanish language and culture in the charming city of Granada. Session 1 of the Granada program will begin in mid-June and offers different advanced level courses than Session 2 (Late July Start).

Your journey will begin in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. Next, you will travel to Madrid to explore the world-famous Prado museum and other historical sites. Once you have eased into Spanish life, you will spend four weeks in Granada focused on intensive language instruction and cultural immersion.

This summer intensive program is best suited for students who are serious about improving their language skills, especially speaking and oral comprehension. Coursework is fast-paced.

In addition to studying Spanish and practicing the language outside the confines of the classroom, you will discover, via day-trips, other cities in Castile and Andalusia, such as Toledo, Cordoba, and Sevilla.

Join us for this exciting and stimulating summer of language study and cultural immersion in Barcelona, Madrid, and Granada!

Curriculum

*This page is retired: Click to view 2024 program information*
Program Courses

Students earn UCLA credits on this program and courses satisfy the same requirements as they do if taken on campus (no petition needed). All students will enroll in one of the following curriculums while attending the program:

  • Curriculum I – Elementary (8 units)
    • SPAN 2A
    • SPAN 3A
  • Curriculum II – Intermediate (8 units)
    • SPAN 4
    • SPAN 5
  • Curriculum III – Advanced
    • SPAN 135 (4 units)
    • SPAN 150 (4 units)

Course Descriptions

Curriculum I

Spanish 2A & 3A: Intensive Spanish (Elementary) (8 units)

Prerequisite: One-quarter of college-level Spanish with a grade of B or better, or 1 year of high school Spanish with a grade of A- or better, or placement exam.

Spanish 2A and 3A complete the sequence of elementary Spanish and satisfy the general one-year language requirement at all UC campuses. Conducted entirely in Spanish, these grammar-based courses stress oral communication skills.

Curriculum II

Spanish 4 & 5: Intensive Spanish (Intermediate) (8 units)

Prerequisite: One year of college-level Spanish with a grade of B or better, or three years of high-school Spanish with a grade of A- or better, or placement exam.

Spanish 4 and 5 emphasize advanced conversation and include review of major grammatical points and vocabulary expansion. Courses cover reading and writing skills as well.

Curriculum III

Spanish 135: Topics in Early Modern Studies (4 units)

  • Course Subtopic: Aventuras y Desventuras en el Camino

Prerequisites: Spanish 25 or 27, and Spanish 119 (or the equivalent for Non-UCLA students).

Spanish 150: Topics in Contemporary Studies (4 units)

  • Course Subtopic: Jorge Luis Borges

Prerequisites: Spanish 25 or 27, and Spanish 119 (or the equivalent for Non-UCLA students).

Grading

Grades are based on attendance, class participation, journals, a mid-term examination, and a final examination.  The instructor reserves the right to vary this format.

Schedule

All schedules, itineraries, and group activities are subject to change at the discretion of the instructors.

Textbooks

You are responsible for purchasing your own textbooks. We strongly suggest you read as much of the text material as possible before you depart.

UCLA students can purchase textbooks at the UCLA bookstore after June 1. Non-UCLA students can have books mailed to them by calling Customer Service Desk at the UCLA bookstore at (310) 206-0791. Be sure to ask for “Mail Order Summer Books” section.

Budget and Financial Aid

Budget Estimate UC Undergrads UC Grad Students Visiting Student
Program Fee $6500 $7100 $7100
Textbooks (estimate)  $150  $150  $150
Airfare (estimate)  $1800 $1800 $1800
Meals (estimate)  $1000  $1000  $1000
Spending Money (estimate)  $800  $800  $800

Program fee includes registration and course fees, accommodations, program excursions and health insurance. Program fee also includes daily breakfast, lunch (M-F) while in Granada, and transportation between Barcelona, Madrid and Granada.

Textbooks, optional courses, other meals, optional excursions and any COVID-19 testing required for travel are additional.

Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.

Document Fee

Non-UCLA students will be charged a $50 Document Fee. This is a one-time document fee which covers fees for first-class mailing of official transcripts, diploma and much more. Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for more information. Matriculated UCLA Students: Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for document fee information.

IEI Fee

All undergraduate students will be charged a $61 IEI fee per summer. The IEI (Instructional Enhancement Initiative) fee is a course materials fee that is charged in order to support the use of technology in undergraduate education at UCLA. 

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 instructed to do so by your Travel Study Program Coordinator.

Financial Aid

Financial aid for Travel Study programs is available to qualified UCLA students. All other students should inquire about financial aid at their home institution. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this website.

On Location

Accommodations

Participants will reside in centrally located hotels in each city. Rooms are double occupancy.

UCLA Travel Study reserves the right to change housing location. Should this be necessary, we will arrange comparable accommodations elsewhere.

Meals

Keep in mind that (with a few exceptions to be announced at a later date) meals are not provided on weekends.

In Barcelona: Buffet-style breakfasts are provided daily.

In Madrid: Buffet-style breakfasts are provided daily.

In Granada: Buffet-style breakfast and lunch will be provided Monday through Friday. Beverages are not included. For dinner, there are various restaurant options near the hotel.

We hope you will approach your meals-and all other aspects of the culture in which you will be living with an open mind. Although no vegetarian menus are provided, the hotel restaurant in Granada will make substitutions for red meat.

NOTE: If you have strict dietary requirements, this program may not be able to accommodate your needs. Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs, as well as any medical or physical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.

Excursions

This program includes several excursions as part of its curriculum. In addition to Barcelona and Madrid, the program covers excursions to Cordoba and Sevilla (in Andalusia). For these excursions, bus transportation will be provided.

Limited free time is built into this program for independent travel. If you plan on traveling independently, we recommend that you budget additional spending money.

On Location

Barcelona: We will spend our first three days in the metropolitan capital of Catalonia. All along the Ramblas are street performers, musicians, and vendors selling everything from books to flowers to birds and plants. You may want to stop in one of the many charming cafes and enjoy the colorful commotion that is constantly flowing down the boulevard. Or, you may want to walk a couple of blocks to the Plaza de Catalonia. We will take a group excursion to visit the famous architect Gaudí’s unfinished Sagrada Familia Cathedral and, time permitting, La Pedrera. We will also visit, in the Barrio Gótico, the Museo Picasso.

Madrid: The program will then move to Madrid, the metropolitan capital of Spain. You may spend your day exploring Madrid’s Avenue of Art. If you only see one museum, make it the Prado. The Prado’s collection includes works by Goya, Rubens, El Greco, Hieronymous Bosch, Velazquez, and many other renowned artists. You may also be tempted to visit other addresses on the Avenue of Art. Don’t miss the Thyssen-Bornemiza Museum, which houses a huge range of historical western art from medieval to modern, or El Centro de Arte Reina Sofía National Museum, which houses masterpieces by Spain’s avant-garde artists of the 20th century, Picasso, Miró and Dalí.

Granada: During our lengthy stay in the cultural capital of southern Spain, you may visit the Archaeological Museum, the Arab Baths, and the Museum of Hispano-Muslim Art. We will make a special visit to the Alhambra. The last stronghold of Moorish Spain, the Alhambra is a remarkable creation of ornate design. The detailed lacework carved in the stone walls is exquisite. The lavish fountains and lush gardens of the Generalife fragrance the air with delight. Monuments, such as the Patio of the Lions, the Hall of the TwoSisters, and Sala de la Barca are visually enthralling. Another must-see is the Cathedral of Granada, which is home to the Royal Chapel, where the remains of Fernando and Isabel are interred. Across from the Alhambra, on the other side of the Darro River lies the Albaicín. Here, clusters of traditional houses are spread across the hills demonstrating the characteristic atmosphere of this charming region.

Student Stories

Nataly Barba

Travel Study Ambassador, 2019

Third year student at UCLA

Psychology major, Chicana & Chicano Studies minor

Laila Wheeler
Participant on Spanish-Granada Session 1
Summer 2022

Check out her Daily Bruin article to learn about Laila’s Experience in Spain!