Spain: Language, Community, and Social Change

"The SIT Spain program enables a student to become a part of the culture instead of simply an observer. I stayed with an incredible Spanish family and became a part of their life. Not only did I discover nearly everything Granada has to offer, but I was also able to see other parts of Spain and Morocco with the rest of my group. I went from speaking essentially zero Spanish to speaking, understanding, reading, and writing fairly proficiently. Everyone involved in the program wants you to succeed and is always willing to lend a hand or give advice. I am only now starting to realize the ways the program has changed my life."

-- Molly Crocker, Cornell University

This is a highly interactive language immersion program designed for advanced beginners to low advanced Spanish students.

A tour of the neighborhood in Granada

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The program combines intensive language study with coursework on Spain’s society and community service. Students are completely immersed in a Spanish-speaking environment.

Students of all levels have the opportunity to rapidly improve their Spanish while examining the political, social, and cultural forces shaping contemporary Spain. The program’s seminar explores Spain’s turbulent history, growing domestic diversity, and deeper integration within the European Union. Lecturers are drawn from the University of Granada, government agencies, local NGOs, and experts from the community. Most classes, including language instruction, are held at SIT’s partner institution, CELEI (Centro de Lenguas y Educación Intercultural).

Students also conduct a community project appropriate to their language proficiency level. The project enables students to expand language immersion and community involvement while forming partnerships with their host community.

Students live for thirteen weeks with a host family in Granada and spend three days at a rural house in the "Alpujarras" within the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The program also includes a five-day academic excursion in northern Morocco. Learn more about this program’s excursions.

The program is based in Granada, a vibrant historic city shaped by a blending of Christian and Muslim traditions. Granada is home to one of the largest universities in Spain.