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Study Abroad in Barcelona: Courses

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Recommended credits are shown in parentheses. Course descriptions for all Spanish language courses are available on the AIFS website. Courses are subject to change at the discretion of the UPF. Contact the AIFS Admissions Officer for current course listings.

ECTS: Universitat Pompeu Fabra awards ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits. The number of class hours and ECTS credits will be shown on the transcript to allow each student’s home institution the ultimate decision in the awarding of U.S. credit. Recommended U.S. semester credits next to each course are based on 15 classroom hours per semester credit and are not a conversion of ECTS credits. Students should consult with their university advisors prior to participating in the program to have course credit preapproved and ensure that they are taking the appropriate amount of credits.

Students taking Spanish language should seek pre-approval for several levels of Spanish from their home institution in order to ensure that they receive credit for the level that they are placed into following the placement test.

Hispanic and European Studies Program (HESP)

Students on this program can take up to 15 credits.

Apart from Spanish language courses, all courses are taught in English unless otherwise stated. Students who wish to take courses taught in Spanish should ideally have completed 4 semesters of college level Spanish.

Catalan Studies

CS 51600 (3) | Barcelona, the City and its History

Once labeled by Newsweek magazine as the “coolest city in Europe,” Barcelona enjoys the reputation of a cosmopolitan city with a great international projection. Like all places, however, it is not without its complexities and contradictions. Behind a glossy and tourist-friendly façade, the city has a complex history. This interdisciplinary course covers subjects in history, geography, art, architecture, and urban planning. We will also discuss issues relevant to people living within the city of Barcelona today.

CS 51601 (3) Taught in Spanish | Barcelona, the City and Its History / Barcelona, la ciudad y su historia

MKT 51602 (3) | Global Culture and Marketing of FC Barcelona: Playing for fun or for keeps

This course focuses on how football (soccer) shapes the social, economic and cultural realms, and tries to interpret the different links between the game itself and the dimensions surrounding it: media coverage, aesthetic value, political targeting, public and corporate policies. In that context, FC Barcelona remains a unique case, studied in business schools as an example of global market branding, while passionately lived by millions of fans all over the world.

CS 51603 (3) | The Barcelona Leadership Journey towards Sustainability: Economic, Business and Social transformations

This course celebrates the city of Barcelona and embarks students on a journey to better understand the concept of sustainability and its novel developments. From an environmental, social and business perspective, the course covers the main challenges that sustainability raises for the city of Barcelona and beyond. Relying on innovative individual and collective pedagogical practices, the course offers an integrative and deep learning process.

ART HIST 51665 (3) Taught in Spanish | Picasso, Miró, Dalí y el arte de la Modernidad/Picasso, Miró, Dalí and Modern art

The objective of this course is to introduce the student to the main periods of art in the 20th century. The main background theme: the complex relationship between tradition and vanguard, classicism and modernism, and revolution and artistic reaction throughout the century. The class will center on approximately five Catalan (or from nearby in Spain) artists, but has doubtless international relevance. The course begins by taking the most significant works of arts, and uses them as a method to create a historic or biographical conversation, always as a part of a plastic language.

CAT 51656 (3) Taught in Catalan and Spanish | Lengua y Cultura Catalanas/Catalan Language and Culture

In this course students will be introduced to the Catalan language and culture gaining a basic grounding in the language.

ART HIST 51607 (3) | Contemporary Spanish Art

The main artistic developments will be covered as well as some political, historical and cultural issues that might be relevant. Landscape art, gender production, the Spanish take on Primitivism and the dynamics between artistic creation and finance capital are some of its more relevant aspects. Although this course is mainly based on lectures and class debate, three visits to galleries and exhibitions plus a self-guided visit will be also part of the course requirements. These visits will be made during the class time, and are equivalent to a usual in-class session.

LIT 51608 (3) Taught in Spanish (fall only) | Literatura Española Contemporanea/Contemporary Spanish Literature

This course is created as an overall look at 20th century Spanish literature. It will analyze brief texts from the most representative authors, taking into account their historical significance and ideology. The course will include a brief section about Hispanic narrators, and the footprint that they have left on the imagination of Spanish authors as genuine founders of contemporary Spanish literature. Academic requirements: Advanced Spanish (a minimum of four college semesters)

FILM 51609 (3) Taught in Spanish | Pictures of Spain in Contemporary Cinema / Imágenes de España en el Cine Contemporáneo

The course offers an introduction to Spanish cinema from the start of Spain’s democracy in the 1970s, until present day. It pays particular attention to filmmakers highlighted for their artistic value and their capacity to reflect on the most remarkable traits of contemporary Spanish reality and culture. The different class sessions display the variety in recent Spanish cinema, considering the famous works of Pedro Almodóvar, Victor Erice, Julio Médem, Alejandro Amenábar, or José Luis Guerín.

POL 51612 (3) Taught in Spanish (fall only) | Society and Politics in Contemporary Spain / Sociedad y Política en la España Contemporánea

This course is designed to give both political science and nonpolitical science majors a robust overview of key features of Spanish Politics. The core of the course is the study of the nature and functioning of the Spanish democratic system established by the late seventies. It pays special attention to the main political processes, institutions, actors, belief systems and political behavior in the country, including contemporary political violence and international immigration. At the beginning of the course, some sessions will be devoted to study the previous Spanish democratic experience (1931-1936), its collapse (1936- 1939), the authoritarian rule imposed afterwards and the Spanish transition to democracy (1975-1978), episodes that have left their mark on the features of the current Spanish political system.

European Studies

HIST 51618 (3) | Corporate Brand Patrimony in the Context of European Cultural Identity

Since the globalization of the economy at the end of the last century, the context of brand communications in today’s businesses has radically changed. Communication strategies to reach any type of target group are challenged to anticipate stakeholders’ interests, build brand equity beyond good products and services and be able to remain competitive in a highly-active technological context that has reversed some of the traditional ways of managing businesses.

SOC 51627 (3) | Ancient Mediterranean

Examines the nature and complexity of interactions between the regions of the Mediterranean during the second and the first millennia BC. The cultural florescence of the Ancient Mediterranean civilizations had its origins in a series of colonial entanglements beginning first in the eastern Mediterranean. A period spanning more than two thousand years, and ending with the Roman conquest, colonists, merchants, sailors and conquerors sought to benefit from the commercial and cultural opportunities provided by the riches of the eastern, central and western Mediterranean.

POL 51617 (3) (fall only) | Politics and Society in the European Union

Introduces the main institutions and the structure of the EU to U.S. students. The course will examine the origin and the development of the European integration process and the institutional structure of the EU as well as examining policy issues on integration, the EU budget and the EU in the international scenario.

Global Studies

GS 51619 (3) | Understanding Globalization: Historical Roots of Economic, Political and Cultural Exchanges between East Asia, America and Europe

The course aims to put the contemporary discussion of globalization into historical perspective by examining the long-lasting interactions of East Asian countries, Latin America and Southern Europeans from 1500-1800 in order to offer a rich and understandable explanation of three hundred years of globalization. The course will focus on the debate about economic histories of divergence between the East and the West.

GLS 51620 (3) | Global Media and International Journalism

The course looks at world news management up until now before analyzing the consolidation of global media such as Al-Jazeera in the Arab world, Tele Sur (Latin America) or Zee TV (India) to look at their role in the global news story and the development of “South-South” communication. Through the analysis of case studies such as the media coverage of Islam, the Africa story, the European Union and finally the image of Spain in the foreign press, we can analyze the role of the foreign correspondent as an intercultural mediator, the media construction of the “Other”, the new actors in the global news narrative and ask the question: how does the future of the world news system shape up?

GLS 51621 (3) Taught in Spanish | Social Movements in the XXI Century to Globalization, the Crisis of the Processes of Democratization/Los movimientos sociales en el siglo XXI ante la globalización, la crisis y los procesos de democratización

This course looks to offer an analysis of the performances of social movements in diverse parts of the world due to different phenomena of the 21st century, such as globalization, political and economic crises, and the process of democratization. This course will address proposals, different forms of organization and actions, debates raised, and the impacts generated by movements in Arab and Western countries. The course will combine different perspectives from different academic disciplines, including political science, international relations, sociology, economics, gender studies and investigative journalism.

Spanish language courses

Students wishing to take a Spanish language course take a placement test after arrival in Barcelona. Please see the UPF website for course syllabi.

Spanish language is available at 6 levels:

Espanol Inicial 51637 (fall)/51643 (spring) (6) Beginner
Espanol Preintermedio 51638 (fall)/ 51644 (spring) (6) Pre-Intermediate
Espanol Intermedio 51639 (fall)/51645 (spring) (6) Intermediate
Espanol Avanzado 51640 (fall)/51646 (spring) (6) Advanced
Espanol Superior 51641 (fall)/51647 (spring) (6) Superior
Espanol para hispanohablantes 51642 (fall)/51648 (spring) (6) Spanish for Native Speakers

ESCI-UPF International Business Program

Students on this program can take up to 15 credits.

The International Management course is mandatory. Students must also take at least one additional course from the ESCI-UPF International Business Program.

Students who do not wish to choose all of their elective courses from the International Business Program courses can choose to take two or three courses from the HESP program, Spanish language or from the ESCI-UPF regular undergraduate course offerings.

Business Courses

Management 51634 (3) (mandatory) | International Management

This course is designed to prepare students to better analyze and understand the challenges and opportunities that companies face when expanding their activities internationally. Special attention will be placed upon the different tools and analytical skills available to and required for various specialized managerial roles when businesses are competing internationally. The course is comprised of 3 segments: The first is designed to offer students insight into the challenges posed by the international environment. The second will focus on the analysis of global organizational structures and international strategies. Finally, the third will deal with international management operations, with a particular focus on import and export strategies and financing. Recommended prerequisite: Business Organization.

Economics 51635 (3) | International Economics

The course is divided into two sections: In the first section students will analyze various trade models and policy instruments, as well as the behavior of “real economic variables.” In the second, they will explore topics related to international finance, such as the foreign exchange market, the international financial architecture, or the balance of payments and the relationship it bears to the forex market. Recommended prerequisite: Introduction to Economics (Microeconomics and Macroeconomics).

Finance 51633 (3) | International Finance

This course aims to provide students with a good understanding of the international financial markets and their impact on financial decisions and management at international firms. The course covers a range of topics related to the international monetary system, the foreign exchange and derivatives markets, the financing of international firms, foreign investment operations, and foreign exchange risk management. Recommended prerequisite: Finance.

Business 51636 (3) | Doing Business in Europe

The course is structured into two sections: The first offers a global view of Europe (historical background, evolution of the EU, its institutional structure, and its domestic and foreign policies). The second analyzes the European business environment, paying special attention to differences in managerial and consumer behavior in order to understand and identify economic, political, social and cultural dimensions of the EU that might represent opportunities for business development in the region. Recommended prerequisite: Business Organization.

Finance 51655 (3) | Corporate Finance

In the international sphere, accounting principles are converging (IFRS, USGAAP, etc.). In this context, and in order to take important business decisions, it is imperative to be able to build, read, understand and analyze the financial statements of companies, no matter which country they are from. One of the goals of the course is that students master the vocabulary of financial statements and accounting reports, and use it to communicate with internal and external interlocutors. It also focuses on how to measure corporate investments and to consider the different finance resources that are currently available.

ESCI regular undergraduate courses

Please note that undergraduate courses with local students at UPF operate under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and courses will appear on transcripts as ECTS credits. AIFS recommends that undergraduate courses transfer to your U.S. home institution as 45 hours of instruction and 3 semester credits. It is your responsibility to obtain course credit approval from your university adviser at home before arriving in Barcelona. Exams for some ESCI undergraduate courses are on a different academic schedule to study abroad courses. If necessary, you may need to work with your ESCI professor to schedule exams prior to the program departure date.

AIFS may not be able to advise students of conflicts between the International Business Program and regular undergraduate courses until students are on-site in Barcelona. Students should also select electives from the International Business Program and HESP courses in case their undergraduate course requests cannot be fulfilled.

Courses are taught in English and Spanish. Below is a list of undergraduate courses that have been offered in the past. Please contact the AIFS Admissions Officer for a current list of available ESCI undergraduate courses.

Market Research I (3)
International Marketing (3)
International Expansion (3)
Business (3)
Culture and Business in America (3)
Culture and Business in the Middle East and Africa (3)
Consumer Behavior (3)
International Project Management (3)

Courses taught in Spanish

Finance II / Finanzas II (3)
Cost Accounting / Contabilidad de Costes (3)
International Logistics / Logística Internacional (3)
Business Ethics / Deontología Empresarial (3)
Quantitative Methods / Métodos cuantitativos (3)
Analysis of Business Economics and Financial Information / Análisis de los estados constables (3)
Sales Management / Dirección de ventas (3)
International Digital Marketing / Marketing Digital Internacional (3)

Spanish Language Courses

As part of their course load students may take a Spanish language course for 6 credits. Students wishing to take a Spanish language course take a placement test after arrival in Barcelona.

Global Health Program (Spring only)

Choose 4-5 courses. Comparative Healthcare Systems in Spain and the U.S. is mandatory and then students choose the remainder of their courses from those listed below or from the Hispanic and European Studies Program (Spanish language available at all levels).

Global Health courses

GH 320 (3) | Comparative Healthcare Systems in Spain and the U.S (mandatory)

This course will approach 5 main public health topics with an emphasis on the comparison between Europe and the United States. An up-to-date picture about population health will be introduced. Then the objectives and organization of health systems will be displayed. Public health functions will be presented and discussed. Finally, two specific public health topics will be approached, tobacco control, and inequalities in health, as examples of the transdisciplinary nature of public health. Two public health institutions will be visited. There the students will have the opportunity to be in contact with different public health activities. Two brief reports of each visit will be required and evaluated.

GH 330 (3) | Spanish for Medical Professions (3)

The program includes the option of taking a special course on Spanish for medical professionals, co-taught by a language instructor and a health professional, which will focus on issues related to medical and scientific language in Spanish. The course is designed to facilitate students’ communication skills in a professional health environment.

GH 340 (3) | GH/HESP Neurosciences for Humanities (3)

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the dialogue between neurosciences and humanities, thereby breaking the classical gap between CP Snows’ “Two Cultures”. The intersecting topics range from philosophical and ethical issues, such as free will, the grounds of knowledge, or economic behavior, to questions related to art and culture. (This course is offered from the HESP program)

Direct-enrollment Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, Global Health program students may also take health related direct-enrollment courses (taught in Spanish alongside regular university students) from various degree programs offered at the UPF Health and Life Sciences School in the fields of biology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, health, and medical science. The courses form part of the UPF regular undergraduate BA degree programs in Human Biology, Medicine and Biomedical Engineering. Students must have at least a high intermediate level of Spanish.

Please contact the AIFS Admissions Officer for available courses and course descriptions.

Optional Internship ($4,995)*

Optional Research and Experiential Learning Component Research Labs (3) (April to late June)

For a supplemental fee, students with at least four semesters of college-level Spanish can extend their semester and take an internship in Barcelona.

Students shadow a local student intern at a hospital, community health clinic, or laboratory to gain first-hand experience of healthrelated professional practice in Spain. The clinical observation internship is a for-credit option intended to provide global health students with a chance to learn through both action and observation. It is supplemented with a seminar on intercultural competence to provide a framework for students’ learning and a forum for examining the cultural and technical issues that may arise during students’ internships. Students may also intern in a UPF research lab.

*The fee includes housing in an apartment or homestay plus daily breakfast and dinner for homestay students and a $600 meal allowance for students in an apartment. Students in the residence pay a supplement of $1,000. It is not possible to change housing options between the semester and the internship extension.

STEM Program (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

Students generally take 4-5 courses and can choose courses from among 3 different program tracks:

(A) STEM track courses taught in English in disciplines including Audio-Visual Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Telematics Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. These are direct-enrollment courses taught in English at the Polytechnic School alongside regular UPF students. Courses carry a recommended 3 credits each.

These include courses taught in the following areas:

Audio and Image Processing
Business Management and Innovation
Cardiovascular Science
Computer Graphics
Cross-disciplinary Computational Technologies
Image and Video
Intelligent Systems - Business Management and Innovation
Interactivity
Multimedia Networks
Network and Service Management
Neuroscience Programming
Signal Processing and Audio-visual Systems
Skeletomuscular Science
Software Engineering
Sound and Music
Synthetic and Systems Biology
Wireless Networks and Protocols

Please contact the AIFS Admissions Officer for a list of available courses and course descriptions.

(B) Experimental Learning and Research including a for-credit research project tutored by UPF faculty and a (fall only) technical project management course.

The course entails a major change in methodology due to its use of intensive project based learning, to which it adds a practical component covering time management, work planning, risk and resource management, and budgets, among other topics.

Projects are conducted within the framework of one of the following Polytechnic School research groups:

Cognitive and Intelligent Systems
Audio-visual Technologies
Networks and Communications
Computational Biology and Biomedical Systems

Technical Project Management Course (fall only) This course introduces students to the world of information and communication technology (ICT) project management, offering an overview of the fundamentals of project management and allowing students to put them into practice using special simulation tools.

(C) Language Culture and Business Culture (spring and fall) with courses to be chosen from among the HESP and International Business Program courses.

Spanish Language
Students can also supplement their STEM program courses by taking a Spanish course for 6 credits. Students wishing to take a Spanish language course must have taken at least one semester of Spanish at their home institution and take a placement test after arrival in Barcelona.

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