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Study Abroad | Granada
Summer 2024: Academics

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Select Your Program Option:

  • Summer 2024

AcadEmics Overview

AIFS Abroad offers a unique global educational experience for students on this program, with the following academic options available:

Program Options

Program Name Early Start Available Credits Notes
Spanish Language/Spanish Language and Culture – May Term + Session 1+ 2
Early Start Available: No Credits: Up to 17

The Spanish Language Program is open to students of all Spanish language levels from Beginner to Advanced. Language classes meet for 4 hours per day from Monday through Friday for a total of 80 hours and 5 recommended credits per 4-week session.  Students can also opt to take a Conversation Practice course at their level. Intermediate, Advanced and Superior level students can opt to take the Conversation Practice course or a subject course (taught in Spanish) from the Spanish Language and Culture Program. Elective classes meet for a total of 22.5 hours and a recommended 1.5 credits.  

You can also combine the May Term Spanish Language Program with Spanish Language Session 1 or Sessions 1 + 2.

The Spanish Language and Culture Program is open to students with Intermediate, Advanced and Superior levels of Spanish. All courses are taught in Spanish and meet for 45 (3 credits) or 22.5 hours (1.5 credits). A Spanish language course is not mandatory on this program; however, it is highly recommended. Students can earn up to 6 recommended credits per 4-week session taking courses in one of the following combinations:  

  • Spanish language (45 hours) + one 45-hour subject course  
  • Spanish language (45 hours) + two 22.5-hour subject courses  
  • One 45-hour subject course + two 22.5-hour subject courses  
  • Two 45-hour subject courses  
  • Four 22.5-hour subject courses

Combine consecutive sessions for more credit. You can also combine the May Term Spanish Language Program with Spanish Language and Culture Session 1 or Sessions 1 + 2.

Attendance Students exceeding the permitted number of unexcused absences may lose all or partial credit.

Credits Students should consult with their university advisors prior to participating in the program to have course credit pre-approved. We advise you to gain pre-approval for several different levels of Spanish in order to ensure that you will receive credit for the level that you test into after the placement test in Granada.

Grades No AIFS participant is permitted to take a course without receiving a grade. Pass/Fail grade options are not available.

Transcripts are issued by the University of Granada. An official transcript will be sent directly to the student’s home university on completion of the program.

Art

Business

Environmental Studies

Foreign Language

Geography

History

Internship

Law

Literature

Marketing

Sociology

Spanish Language

Internship Program: Business, Medical and NGO (Sessions 2 and 3 Only)

The internship program gives students with an Intermediate level of Spanish and above the opportunity to intern in a local business, in a local hospital or with an NGO. Students combine the internship course with courses from the Spanish Language and Culture program for up to 6 credits per session. Students complete an internship application in addition to the program application. Spanish level is determined by a placement test regardless of previous experience. We advise you to gain prior approval for several course options in order to ensure you will receive credit in the event that you do not place into the required level of Spanish for the internship.

Available in Sessions 2 or 3. This course is available to students with an Upper Advanced level of Spanish who place into Spanish 304/403/404 Upper Advanced B2.2 level or above. Most internships are based in hotels in Granada. Working alongside professionals in the tourism and hospitality industry students will receive hands on experience and insight into business practice in Spain.

Available in Sessions 2 or 3. Students undertaking the medical internship will work in a private hospital shadowing and working with healthcare professionals. Students must place into Spanish 304/403/404 Upper Advanced B2.2 level or above and be studying relevant (major or minor) health courses as part of their degree program.

This internship is available in Session 2 only. Students will intern with Solidarios por el Desarrollo, a local organization which undertakes activities and projects to support families and homeless people, the integration of immigrants into society, and provide mental health support to people living in Granada. Students wishing to intern in an NGO must place into Spanish 203, Intermediate B1.1 level or above.

The Internship Program enables students to:

  • apply academic training to practical situations in business, the medical field and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
  • work alongside professionals and managers to observe different work-styles and techniques
  • relate work experience to classroom situations
  • enrich their employment opportunities and establish a work record for their CV (résumé)
  • acquire skills and strengths essential to the development of personal confidence
  • gain contacts and insight into a career area

The ideal internship placement is a coordination between the skills and personality that an organization is seeking and those which a student presents. Placements are made with both small and large organizations, and selection is based on a number of criteria.

Students must attend interviews with suitable organizations as part of the internship selection process. Final selection is always at the discretion of the organization and the University of Granada Internship Coordinator.

Academic Credit & Transcripts

Credit Transfer

As a part of the AIFS application for semester programs, you will complete a Course Approval Form, which will be signed off by your study abroad office staff and/or faculty at your university.

For J Term/Summer programs, no such approval form is needed; however, students are still responsible for ensuring credit can be brought back from their overseas program.
In any case, we recommend getting additional courses approved in case you need to change courses while abroad.

Overseas universities do not use the credit system employed by American institutions. AIFS students must make special arrangements to transfer credits, but since AIFS courses are given at recognized universities or the AIFS Centers (which are transcripted by Fairfield University), there usually is no difficulty in arranging transfer credit toward U.S. degrees provided the proper procedure is followed.

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

Many of the European institutions that AIFS works with award credits under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). ECTS enables cooperating institutions to measure and compare a student’s performance and facilitates the transfer of credits from the European institution to the U.S institution.

Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

Language levels are defined according to the CEFR and will be listed on your transcript on completion of the program. CEFR organizes language proficiency into six levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) which can be regrouped into three broad levels according to the needs of the local institution: Beginner: A1, A2/U.S. Level 100; Intermediate: B1, B2/U.S. Level 200-300; Advanced: C1, C2/U.S. Level 400

Transcripts

When you complete your program, an official transcript is sent to your home institution directly from AIFS Abroad or the host university. Another official transcript may be retained by AIFS Abroad in Stamford, but this is not the case for all programs. Please contact transcripts@aifs.com to find out how to request additional transcripts. 
 
Generally, your school should receive your transcript 60 days after completion of the program. (Cannes Semester programs, Perth, Sydney, Dublin, Limerick, and Wellington Programs exception: Transcripts issued and retained by the host universities. Transcripts for the Cannes Semester programs are issued by Chapman University.)
 
Transcripts may come without an English-language translation, so participants will need to organize translations with their home university.

Academic Records

Credit assessment methods in overseas universities may not be comparable to those in U.S. universities. Grading may involve exams, papers, individual projects, class discussion or some combination of these. Although academic institutions abroad may grade on a variety of scales, admissions counselors and registrars at U.S. institutions are familiar with international grading systems and can convert grades.

Course Selection

AIFS Program Advisors are available to assist you in the process. The following procedure is recommended:

Read course descriptions for the selected program and select courses. Obtain approval from your academic or study abroad advisor for the preliminary courses selected. Final approval of credit transfer for completed courses is at the discretion of the Registrar or appropriate official at the home institution. Students must ascertain that courses taken meet their individual academic program requirements. Recommended credits in this catalog are based on 15 classroom hours per semester credit.

I would absolutely recommend this program. The trip has been such a positive experience. Wonderful program!

AIFS has a lot to offer. The more I talked to American students from other programs, the more I realized that AIFS was clearly the best choice

This program opened my eyes to a culture and society I knew very little about. I made great friends and had a fabulous time during the process. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

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