"Not only will you learn Spanish at a level unmatched by any US classroom, but you are instantly immersed into a country with an amazing history and culture."
Chris, Dordt College
Overview
How much Spanish do I need to know when I arrive? What kinds of courses are offered? Will I be spending the whole semester in a classroom?
Get the answers to all these questions and more below. You’ll discover that anyone can participate in the program (even if you currently don’t know a single word of Spanish) and that you’ll learn about Spain’s culture through many travel and service opportunities.
Placement & Levels
You’ll find classes that suit your level regardless of your Spanish background. We offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses because it’s never too late to start and there’s always more to learn.
We’ve welcomed students that don’t know anything beyond “hola,” and we’ve welcomed students who grew up with Spanish-speaking parents. Whatever your case may be, you’ll leave Semester In Spain knowing much more about the Spanish language and culture than you do when you arrive.
To make sure you sign up for the best classes for your level, you’ll take a WebCAPE placement test before you fill out the Course Request Form. We’ll use the results to help advise you on course selections. You’ll take an additional placement test—this time with a verbal section—during orientation in Spain, before the final registration.
Courses
Your friends might call you crazy for attending Semester In Spain if the only foreign language class you’ve taken was high school German. Never mind what your friends think—you actually might have an advantage over your SIS classmates. You won’t have any bad habits to unlearn or pronunciations to correct.
Jumping straight into the Spanish culture is the best way to learn a language, and your friends will be shocked by how well you’ll speak Spanish when you return stateside.
If you’re a beginner, you’ll complete Spanish 101, 102, 201, and 202 consecutively over the course of the semester. It’s a perfect way for you to become conversational in just four short months.
If you’ve taken the equivalent of one year of college Spanish, you’ll probably find yourself in the Intermediate class. It’s the perfect place to be if you’re familiar with the language but not quite confident enough to actually use it in real life.
In the Intermediate class you’ll spend the first half of the semester reviewing first-year and learning second-year Spanish. By the time the semester is halfway done, you’ll be ready to take on upper level courses.
In addition to taking an advanced grammar and conversation class during the second half of the semester, you’ll also get to take a Spanish literature course. By the time you return home you’ll have Spanish 251, 252, 301, and 303 under your belt.
Now that you’ve already taken two years of college Spanish, you’ll can take courses in Spanish language, history, art, and literature as well as advanced vocabulary and grammar. And instead of studying the Spanish culture in a classroom at your home college, you’ll actually be living in it.
You can also opt to take an independent study if you’ve mastered the basics of Spanish and can write fairly fluently.
Take a look at the Course Overviews to see which of our courses are offered on each term. Some courses are offered every term and some are only offered either Spring or Fall.
A limited number of course are offered during the summer terms.
Excursions
Throughout the semester, you’ll attend excursions with your classmates and professors that are just as much about seeing amazing sights as they are about learning.
In Ronda, you’ll walk through a town perched over a steep canyon 320 feet deep, and you’ll get a guided tour of the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain. The stunning Great Mosque of Córdoba—now a Catholic cathedral—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is located in, you guessed it, Córdoba, Spain. Your professors will explain the amazing art and architecture found here as well as the history of the nearby ancient Roman bridge and other remains.
During a weekend excursion to Toledo, another World Heritage Site, you’ll stop at La Mancha, a region of Spain made famous by Cervantes’ Don Quijote de La Mancha. After you pose for pictures in front of the windmills, you’ll head on to Toledo, a beautiful city home to an incredible Gothic cathedral and the El Greco museum.
Closer to your new home—it’s located just a few miles outside Seville—Italica is a city that was founded in 206 B.C. and still features Roman ruins to prove it, including an amphitheater that once seated 25,000 spectators.
Each of these excursions and more will be enhanced by your professors’ knowledge of Spanish art, architecture, history, landscape, and culture. There’s really no better way to understand and fully appreciate the incredible sights surrounding you!
Service Learning
One of the best ways to learn the Spanish language and culture is to interact with native Spaniards, and what better way is there to do that than to serve them? Accíon Solidaria, our service-learning course, places advanced students in a working relationship with some of Seville’s most overlooked people.
If you take the course, you might find yourself working alongside University of Seville students at Solidarios, a program that reaches out to the homeless. Or if you have a heart for the elderly, you could spend time at a retirement community with folks who love to play games, teach you new Spanish words, and tell you fascinating stories about their youth. If you like working with children, you may end up serving at the Convento Santa Isabel women and children’s shelter. Regardless of your placement, you’ll end up building meaningful relationships that you’ll likely value for many years.
If you aren’t an advanced student eligible for taking the service-learning course, you’ll still find plenty of opportunities to serve the people of Seville. Semester In Spain organizes school-wide service projects such as Christmas parties for Convento Santa Isabel orphans and Bingo nights with the elderly at the Hospital de la Caridad.
We of course won’t limit the possibilities! Feel free to dedicate your time and talents in other ways that you discover through a local church, your Spanish família, or a neighborhood nonprofit.
FAQ
How are levels determined?
You’ll take a placement exam before classes begin to determine your level, and you’ll receive the results from your profesores in Spain during registration. Our Dean, Dr. José Navarro, will give you an honest assessment of your ability, especially with regard to proceeding with advanced coursework. We realize you may need specific courses, so you’ll be able to communicate with José before you leave for Spain if you anticipate a problem with your preparation.
How much of the class is in Spanish?
100%. All of our professors are native Spaniards, and they’ve graduated from major universities in Spain with advanced degrees in Spanish studies. They’ll present all the material in
Spanish. Don’t panic though—they have years of experience teaching to a bunch of blank faces, and they’re experts at helping you miraculously understand what they’re saying—even
if you’re a beginner.
Where and with whom will my classes be held?
You’ll attend classes at Acento de Trinity, our facilities located across from the Torre del Oro near the historic Guadalquivir River. Your classmates will come from all over the U.S., with a majority coming from small Christian colleges.
How will I get to class?
Like most Spaniards, you’ll do a lot of walking. Most of the homes are a 10- to 20-minute walk from the school. The buses are also convenient and easy to use, and they provide a fun way to observe Spaniards.
Is there a language requirement?
It’s no problem if you don’t know even a bit of Spanish. Our beginner program, offered during the fall and spring semesters, doesn’t require any Spanish language knowledge. We recommend taking one full year of college-level Spanish if you plan to attend the summer term.
How much should I budget for books?
The cost of all your textbooks is included in the program fee.
How will my grades and transcript be sent to my home college or university?
We’ll send one official transcript listing your classes, total contact hours, and grades directly from Trinity Christian College to your home institution. The frist one is free. To request any additional transcripts from Trinity Christian College, fill out the Transcript Application.
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