Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.
CIEE Study Center Syllabi
To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.
Required CIEE Language Courses
CIEE Spanish courses are specifically designed for students in the Economics and Culture program. These courses meet intensively at the beginning of the semester and then continue at a regular pace throughout the semester. All students are required to take one language course.
SPAN 1001 BAEC
Beginning Spanish
This course is designed for students who have never studied Spanish or have had one semester of Spanish prior to enrolling in the program. The class opens with sessions on survival language skills during the first two weeks of the program, and is designed from a communicative perspective to help true beginners of Spanish language develop fundamental linguistic language skills in listening comprehension, oral communication, reading, and writing. Although the course encompasses all of the key areas of grammar and vocabulary typically encountered in a first semester Spanish course, it is specifically designed for students majoring in business, economics, marketing, and related fields.
SPAN 2001 BAEC
Intermediate Spanish
This class is designed for students with intermediate language skills. The syllabus is organized functionally around objectives that students need to adjust to living and studying in the Spanish culture. Through a communicative methodology, students work to improve their language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in Spanish. Students focus on real-life application of language. By the end of the course, students cover the basic range of grammatical tools necessary to communicate effectively. These include the present, past, and future tenses; direct and indirect object pronouns; prepositions and adverbs; and selected aspects of the subjective and conditional tenses.
SPAN 3001 BAEC
Advanced Spanish
This class is designed to challenge students with increasing language ability to improve on the skills they have already acquired. The syllabus is organized functionally around objectives that students need to adjust to living and studying in the Spanish culture. The course covers all four communicative skills (listening comprehension, oral communication, reading, and writing) with special emphasis on complex aspects of the language that are particularly challenging for English-speakers. The course covers abstract functions of language such as expressing opinions, resolving conflicts, formulating complaints, making arguments, and negotiation. Grammatically, emphasis is placed on the correct use of the tools needed to achieve these aims: complex aspects of the various past tenses, the full range of subjunctive and conditional tenses, and formal and informal registers.
SPAN 3002 BAEC
Advanced Spanish Grammar, Composition, and Conversation
This course is designed for advanced students with a strong background in Spanish language. The course places special emphasis on complex aspects of grammar, such as the subjunctive and conditional modes, indirect speech, and the passive voice. Students also learn how to handle different registers or styles of Spanish (for example, formal and informal) necessary to communicate effectively in all types of cultural situations. The course covers all four modalities: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It is specifically designed for students who take university courses in Spanish.
SPAN 4001 BAEC
Advanced Spanish for Latin American and Heritage Speakers
This course is designed to meet the needs of heritage students. Heritage students include native speakers who learned Spanish at home, but who have had little or no formal education in the language. The course helps students develop a formal understanding of grammar, enrich their vocabulary, facilitate their ability to speak about a wider range of topics, and to use different registers (formal, informal, and so on) in both written and spoken Spanish.
Required CIEE Core Course
ECON 3001 BAEC/ECON 3002 BAEC
European Economic Integration and its Impact on the Spanish Economy
This course analyzes the process of the European integration, with an emphasis on the economic impact. The course starts with a historic review of the world situation at the end of World War II. The birth of the former European Economic Community and the consequences of its subsequent expansions are explained. The Maastricht Treaty, the formation of the current EU, and the European monetary union are also analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the development of various EU policies that affect all EU countries, with a special emphasis on how the economic integration process has impacted the economy of Spain.
CIEE Elective Courses
ECON 3003 BAEC/ECON 3004 BAEC
International Economics
This course is composed of two distinct parts—international trade and international finance. The international trade portion of the course addresses the different theories that have been developed to explain why nations engage in trade and what are the gains from trade. Specific trade policies which try to affect the flows of trade are also analyzed. Protectionism and the role of the World Trade Organization are also explained and analyzed. The international finance part of the course addresses the different exchange rate systems and how the flows of trade and capital are affected by them.
ECON 4001 BAEC
The Capitalist System: A Critical Review
Being the dominant socio-economic system in the world, understanding the rules and mechanisms upon which capitalism is based has become absolutely critical for comprehending today’s world and one’s own role in it. This course describes the pillars and mechanisms upon which capitalism functions. This is done by first laying the theoretical grounds of capitalism and then undertaking an applied analysis of this socio-economic system with reference to its strengths and shortcomings, as well as to the role of the economic agents that make it function as it does—international organizations, nation-states, multinational companies, and civil society. The course also includes a comparison on how the U.S. and Europe have embraced the capitalist system.
INSH 3003 BAEC
Internship
(Prerequisite: five or more semesters of college-level Spanish.)
Qualified students have the opportunity to pursue an internship in an organization in a variety of industries. In addition to on-site business experience, students participating in the internship program have a weekly classroom component which provides academic support for their practical experience.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra Economics Courses
Note that prerequisites for each course are listed in parentheses. Courses are taught in English and Spanish. Please note that not all courses are offered each semester and that courses may be taught in Spanish, English, or both.
Applied Microeconomics (two semesters of Microeconomics)
Commercial Management I (Business Economics I advised)
Commercial Management II (Commercial Management I)
Corporate Finance I (Financial Mathematics, Financial Accounting)
Corporate Finance II (Corporate Finance I)
Econometrics I (Probabilities and Statistics)
Econometrics II (Econometrics I)
Financial Economics (Introduction to Economics, Basic Microeconomics)
Financial Economics II (Financial Economics I)
Human Resources I
International Economics II
Labor Economics (Microeconomics and Macroeconomics)
Law and Economics (Econometrics, Micro and Macroeconomics)
Microeconomics I (Introduction to Economics)
Advanced Macroeconomics
Economic Institutions and Markets
Introduction to Game Theory
International Economics and Business History
Strategic Management I
International Fianance (Corporate Finance)
Sociopsychology of Institutions
Public Policies Analysis (Micro and Macroeconomics, Economics of Public Sector)
Public Sector I (Good understanding of micro and macroeconomics recommended)
Social Entrepreneurship
Strategic Management and Company Policy
Urban Economics (Introduction to Microeconomics, Statistics)
Welfare Economics and Income Distribution
Hispanic and European Studies Program (HESP) Electives—in English
Ancient Mediterranean: Colonial Encounters and Imperialism
This course examines the nature and complexity of interactions between the regions of the Mediterranean during the second and first millennia BC. This is a particularly complex phenomenon both archaeologically and historically, as there was a great deal of political, social, and linguistic diversity.
Anglo American Travelers in Spain
This course provides a survey of the representation of Spain in Anglo-American letters throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Students will analyze major writings by such authors as Washington Irving, Henry W. Longfellow, Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell, Evelyn Waugh, and Gerald Brenan (alongside other texts by lesser known authors) in order to discuss the most prevalent commonplaces on Spain present in the fiction and the travel writings from this period.
Barcelona 1900: Modernisme in the City
Between 1888 and 1929 Modernism takes place in Barcelona like the same cultural movement that occurred in Europe at the end of the 19th and 20th centuries. The case is remarkable in Barcelona city as an emerging metropolis in the Spanish outlook. The course is based on the precedents that made possible the “explosion” of Modernism in Barcelona, as the principal operators that intervened in the development of modernism as well as the aim to obtain a general overview of the artistic movement and the city where it takes place.
Barcelona: The City and its History
Barcelona enjoys the reputation of a cosmopolitan city with a great international projection. Behind a glossy and tourist-friendly façade, the city has a complex history. This course introduces the student to the city of Barcelona by studying its past and analyzing its present. This interdisciplinary course covers subjects in history, geography, art, architecture, and urban planning.
Between Tolerance and Conflict: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula
This course examines the history of Medieval Iberia from the perspective of a society characterized by an unprecedented interaction between the Mediterranean's three civilizations (Muslim, Christian, and Jewish). Specifically, the course debates the historical paradigms (for example co-existence, tolerance vs. intolerance) frequently used to depict the cultural diversity of Iberian Peninsula's medieval experience.
Comparing Media
The aim of this course is to provide students with a general overview of the Spanish Media and European Media. They study the relationship between media and politics, journalism and literature; and the impact of media ethics in Europe. In order to achieve this goal, the students will analyze European newspapers, online media, and television.
Contemporary Spanish Art
This course offers a survey approach to the history of artistic developments in Spain, from Goya to present day. In addition to the main artistic events, relevant political, historical, and cultural issues are covered. Although the course is primarily based on lectures, visits to museums and exhibitions are part of the course requirements.
Global Media and International Journalism in the 21st Century
This course looks at world news management from the beginning of the 21st century to the present day. The consolidation of global media such as Al-Jazeera in the Arab world, Tele Sur (Latin America), or Zee TV (India) is reviewed. By analyzing case studies such as the media coverage of Islam, the Africa story, the European Union, and the image of Spain in the foreign press, we 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?
Law and Dictatorship: The Spanish Case
This course examines the evolution of law under dictatorships in a comparative point of view. Although the Spanish dictatorship (Franquismo) is its focus, other totalitarian experiences in Europe and Latin America are presented. While this is a course of comparative legal and political history, present and future developments are also discussed. Although the time of dictatorship is (almost) finished, authoritarianism is still alive, even if it does not show itself as the old-fashion dictatorships but dressed as “Showroom Democracies.” Finally, the relationship between law and non-democratic forms of power in the present times are analyzed.
Nationalism in Europe Today: The Catalan Case
This course explains how Nationalism became one of the major political ideologies of the West beginning in the 18th century, and how it remains a very powerful and motivational idea for many humans. By studying the Catalan case, students gain an understanding of the global phenomenon and the main goals it seeks.
Political Ideas in Historial Context: From the French Revolution to Post-Communism
By representing a systematic introduction to the major political ideas that emerged and developed in Europe, from the French Revolution to post-communism, the premise of this course investigates the concept that political ideas are always emerging and should be understood in specific historical contexts. Each class starts with an examination of the historical and cultural context, and connections are built between specific political ideas, works of art, and their historical context in an attempt to better understand the modern and contemporary history of European Civilization; the course gives special weight to Spain.
Society and Politics in Contemporary Spain
This course examines the sociological and political aspects of post-Franco Spain emphasizing elements of change and continuity—the constitution, political parties, monarchy, populace, and immigration.
Spain in Cinema: Local and Global Perspectives
The course analyzes different aspects of Spanish culture, history, and society through films. Both local and international productions are used to present historic events (Columbus’s travels, the Civil War), myths (Don Quixote, Don Juan) and artists (Goya, Picasso) that originate from Spain. Documentaries of international renown describe transitional and contemporary Spain.
Transatlantic Perspectives in Literature: Modern Narratives in Spain and the Americas
This course offers a comparative analysis of well-established narrative texts of the Spanish, Latin American, English and North American traditions in the light of four main theoretical approaches in today’s literary criticism. Students read all texts in English and have the opportunity to contrast their own American and English literary tradition with that of the Hispanic world. At the same time, they are provided an overview of narrative theory in order to help them acquire the technical skills necessary to not only analyze individual works, but also to overcome the limitations of national literatures.
The Time of the City: Barcelona and XX Century Latin American Literature
Throughout the reading and analysis of excerpts from novels from three of its most representative authors, Julio Cortázar, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Gabriel García Márquez, the course will establish, recognize, and understand the motives than allowed the cultural and publishing doors of Spain and thus Europe to open to Latin American literary production.
Hispanic and European Studies Program (HESP) Electives—in Spanish
Art and Artists/Arte y Artistas
This course introduces students to the most important aspects of the art of the avant-garde during the 20th century. It focuses on the study of the works of four artists deeply related to Catalunya: Picasso, Miró, Dalí, and Tàpies.
Barcelona: History and City/Barcelona: Historia y Ciudad
Students examine the past and present of this cosmopolitan European city, from its pre-Roman roots to its modern architecture. Special emphasis is placed on the typical Catalan and Mediterranean features in the development of contemporary Barcelona. City visits and tours complement in-class lectures.
Barcelona-Madrid: Literature and Cinema Facing Contemporary Urban Reality/Barcelona/
Madrid: la Literatura y el Cine Frente a la Ciudad Contemporánea
This course analyzes two issues. First, it explores how to think about the contemporary city as it is represented in art (literature, cinema, painting, comic, or television). Second, it analyzes how to place this reflection on current context of debate on nationality, globalization, and local or collective identity.
Catalan Language and Culture/Lengua y Cultura Catalana
This class introduces students to the grammatical structures of the Catalan language. Students work on vocabulary building through exercises, readings, videos, and commentary on Catalan culture.
Communication and Society in Spain/Comunicación y Sociedad en España
This course intends to show the functioning and structure of the media in Spain. For that purpose, sessions alternate theory and practice in order to reflect the general communication system and its peculiarities.
Contemporary Spanish Society and Politics/Sociedad y Política en España
This class examines the sociological and political aspects of post-Franco Spain, emphasizing elements of change and continuity such as the constitution, political parties, monarchy, populace, and immigration.
Contemporary Spanish Literature (20th Century)/Literatura Española Contemporánea
This class provides students a critical approach to the different genres, literary trends, and most representative authors of Spanish literature during the contemporary period of the 20th century. The texts are placed into context by dealing with the different literary issues that arise from them, as well as their relation with the arts, history, and thinking of their time.
El Quijote and 20th Century Spanish Philosophical Thought/El Quijote y el Pensamiento Filosófico Español del Siglo XX
This course offers a brief overview of the most representative Spanish philosophers of the past century. Starting with the philosophers who have analyzed Cervantes’ El Quijote, the course also outlines the most important tendencies of contemporary Spanish philosophical thinking.
Hispanic Poetry/Poesía Hispánica
Through reading and commentary of selected texts, the goal of this course is to study Hispanic poetry from its origins in the Middle Ages to present day.
Images of Spain in Contemporary Cinema/Imágenes de España en el Cine Contemporáneo
This course offers a vision of Spanish cinema, from the beginning of democracy in the 70s until present day. Special attention is placed on directors who are well known for their artistic values as well as for their capacity to reflect the Spanish society and the recent social changes in Spain, such as Almodóvar, Amenábar, Médem, and Guerín.
Literary Myths and Philosophy in Hispano-European Tradition/ Mitos Literarios y Filosofía en la Tradición Hispano-Europea
This course analyzes specific dimensions of Spanish tradition through one of the founding myths of Western culture: the figure of Don Juan. The character of Don Juan is persistent in myths of European tradition dating back to medieval legends and has subsequently given rise to different versions and commentaries by scholars, writers and philosophers, both through the arts (Molière, Mozart, Byron, Mérimée, Dumas, Strauss, Trakl, Puskin), and philosophy (Kierkegaard, Ortega, Gasset, Unamuno).
Nationalisms in Europe. An Approach from the Catalan Case/Nacionalismos en la Europa actual: una aproximacióna partir del caso Catalán
In this course, students learn about the different types and approaches to nationalism. They use them to analyze the Catalan and other Spanish and European cases (programs, social base, politics, strategies), and discuss their present and foreseeable future in an integrated Europe.
Oral Expression Techniques/Técnicas de Expresión Oral
This seminar is for students who wish to improve their spoken Spanish in academic or formal contexts. The seminar follows a methodology that combines communication practice with reflection and observation of the resources and linguistic phenomena.
Social Movements and Contemporary World. U.S., Europe, and Spain (1950–2009)/Movimientos
Sociales y Mundo Contemporáneo. Estados Unidos, Europa, y España (1950–2009)
This course looks into modern social movements (civil rights, peace, feminist college) and examines some of the major activists and the social sectors that form them. It studies their foundations and analyzes their impact. The course has two goals, monographic and comparative. A comparative analysis enriches the vision of individual cases, and allows one to relate the historical development of these proposals and highlight existing influences.
Medieval Spanish Literature and the Golden Century/Literatura española de la Edad Media y el Siglo de Oro
This course examines the main authors and literary works of the Spanish Medieval Golden Century as a fundamental period of the Spanish literature history. The course analyzes texts of different literary genders (poetry, prose, theatre) following a chronological order, starting in the early medieval centuries and continuing through 17th century. This course does not focus on the literary theory but rather on literature history.
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