Center Courses
You will enroll in two courses offered through CASA-Barcelona in conjunction with its local partner universities. The two classes are:
- Language and Culture Pro-seminar that includes an internship, service-learning or research component
- A CASA/Pre-selected Universitat de Barcelona (UB) Course
The required Pro-seminar (8 ECTS) is an intensive course that aims to provide you with the necessary background knowledge and tools so that you can quickly adapt to student life in Barcelona. 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 (UAB) campus at Bellaterra.
The four modules are:
- Academic Spanish
- Introduction to Catalan
- History, Culture and Identity of Catalonia and Spain
(that includes complementary activities throughout the semester) - A Research Project or Internship/Volunteer Placement during the semester.
Complementary activities integrated into the History, Culture and Identity of Catalonia and Spain module include:
- Guided tours of the city and museum visits
- One-day and weekend study trips to places of interest around Catalonia and beyond
The class-based sessions take place during the first two to three weeks of the program, with the rest of the activities organized throughout the semester. Students will be evaluated through continuous assessment, consisting of ongoing assignments and final exams.
Internship & Service-Learning Placements
As part of the ProSeminar course, CASA Barcelona offers you the opportunity to intern or volunteer. These experiences can help you gain valuable insight into the understanding of local society and culture, while also contributing to your personal and professional growth.
If you are interested in interning or volunteering, CASA program staff will work together with you and community partners prior to arrival to identify a mutually beneficial placement during the semester and advise you through the application process. In some instances, you may be required to attend an interview once in Barcelona and before being formally accepted for a placement.
If you accept a placement, you will enter into a binding contract with the local institution. As a representative of CASA Barcelona, you are expected to be responsible and fully committed to the established schedule and the completion of the assigned tasks and projects for the duration of the semester.
Please bear in mind that placements are subject to availability, so it is important to remain flexible. Additionally, placements can be located in different neighborhoods of the city, so will involve a commute of 20 - 40 minutes.
Opportunities are diverse and adapt to your field of study. Previous placements have included:
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laboratory work with scientific research groups at the University of Barcelona
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teaching conversational English to local students through the University of Barcelona’s Language Services
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collaborating on the University of Barcelona’s project that aims to recover the historical memory of the International Brigades *
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supporting the quality of life of long-term hospital patients
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working with NGOs that defend the LGBTQI+ community’s rights and freedoms
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teaching English as a classroom assistant in a local public school
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participating in projects related to foreign policy, the economy and international security through the Barcelona Institute of International Relations (IBEI)
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collaborating with the UB Hub for Global Sustainability
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The International Brigades were international volunteers who came to defend the Republic during the Spanish Civil War
Research
As an alternative to an internship or volunteering placement, you can opt to carry out research. You will be assigned a tutor at the UAB who will assist you in selecting a suitable topic and identifying resources as well as guiding you throughout the semester. There will not be a weekly schedule but rather you will work at your own pace. Working on a research paper will also allow you to immerse yourself in the local environment, by carrying out an in-depth study of cultural, sociological and historical aspects of local life.
Previous research papers have included:
- Pro-independence movements in Catalonia
- The European Union’s strategy against climate change
- The impact of mass tourism in Barcelona and Catalonia
- The public health system in Spain
All students* take one to two CASA/UB courses, which must be chosen from a pre-selected list 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.
- If you are a University of Pennsylvania student, the CASA-UB course is optional and can be replaced with a regular course at one of the local universities.
Examples of courses offered in previous semesters:
- Picasso, Miró and Dalí
- History and Memory: Historiography and Case Studies
- From Civil War to Post-Francoism
- Politics and Education: the teaching of the Transition to Democracy in Spain
Please see the Co-Curricular Opportunities page for more information on optional opportunities that you can arrange to enhance your experience in Barcelona.
