St. Lawrence University offers qualified sophomores, juniors, and seniors from
any American university or college the opportunity to study in a semester- or
year-long program in Spain. The program's innovative design provides students
with complete immersion in Spanish culture, a strong academic program in small
classes taught by local university professors.
Fall semester and year-long students begin their studies with a three-week living and research experience in a Spanish village. Spring semester students start orientation in Salamanca and continue in Madrid with intensive language and culture courses before the semester begins. Students describe this portion of the program as "unforgettable," "wonderful," "challenging," and "unbelievable."
After the village/provincial city course, students move to Madrid for the remainder of the semester/year. Year-long participants do an internship in Madrid between the two academic semesters. Another extraordinary component of the program is the array of field trips to places throughout Spain. Housing throughout the year is with Spanish families, one student to a family.
The geographic focus of the program is Madrid -- a city of almost four million
inhabitants, and the provinces of Segovia and La Mancha. Madrid has a dynamic
cultural and social life. While modern and very active, it provides access to
small towns and villages of more traditional appearance and customs. Within
easy reach are the historical cities of Avila, Segovia and Toledo, and the Guadarrama
mountains -- popular for skiing, hiking, and other sports. Students often comment
that "there isn't time to see and do everything."
Program classes and offices are at the Colegio Mayor Isabel de España, a university residence located in the Ciudad Universitaria area of Madrid. The Colegio Mayor sponsors many lectures, concerts, films and political debates. Some of these activities are co-sponsored by St. Lawrence University, and St. Lawrence program students are invited to all those activities as well as activities and sports events at other colegios mayores in the area.
The resident director of the program is normally a regular member of the St. Lawrence University faculty. In addition to organizing and supervising the academic and activity program, the director advises, teaches the September village and the Winter small town courses, helps students with cultural adjustment issues and etiquette questions, and is responsible for the internship course.