Dickinson in Spain

Málaga Programs

• The city of Málaga, with a population of more than 600,000, is a cosmpolitian center with a relaxed atmosphere and a rich cultural heritage.  Founded by Phoenicians in the 10th century B.C., it has received an influx of peoples from a variety of cultures, including Roman, Arab, and Judeo-Christian.  In modern times, it has become the destination of people from Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

• Málaga is the capital of the famed seaside tourist area known as the Costa del Sol. While sharing the climate and Mediterranean view that makes coastal Spain so appealing to sun seekers, Málaga is a bustling commercial center that is more traditionally Spanish than its touristy neighbors.

• The recently inaugurated Picasso museum and the Center for Contemporary Art, historic sites such as the arab fort and the ruins of a Roman theater, music, and arts festivals, and numerous theatres and museums attract thousands annually to the city’s vibrant cultural life.

• The three best-known cities in Andalucía—Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla—and many other natural and cultural attractions are just a quick bus or train ride from Málaga.  By 2007, the high speed train will connect Málaga with the capital city of Madrid in just over two hours.

Dickinson College offered its first full-year study abroad program in Spain in 1985, in cooperation with the Universidad de Málaga. Since that time, Dickinson has expanded its program in Málaga and now runs a comprehensive program that focuses on Spanish language and literature, culture and society and also includes courses in history and international studies and internships. Dickinson’s Málaga programs are open to students who have completed several semesters of Spanish-language course work and are motivated for intensive study in Spain. Participants take courses in Spanish literature, art, history, economics, and culture. These classes, while taught by locals as well as by the Dickinson resident director at the Cursos para Extranjeros of the Universidad de Málaga, are specially designed to mesh with the Dickinson College curriculum—taking students beyond the Spanish-related course work offered on the Carlisle campus.

Challenge Yourself!
Program participants also sample courses offered at the Teatinos campus of the Universidad de Málaga, which is comprised of eight schools and institutes and has an enrollment of more than 50,000. For Dickinson students, this is an opportunity to integrate in Spanish university life and to see how the experience of attending a large university compares to that of attending a small liberal-arts college.

When not in class, students can explore the unique culture of southern Spain, and take advantage of a rich cultural agenda that includes international theater and film festivals, theater and musical performances, and a variety of conferences and art exhibits.  Sport fans can attend national league soccer matches, and nature lovers have hiking opportunities in nearby natural reserves.

The academic experience is enhanced with academic excursions to cities in Andalusia, such as Córdoba, Sevilla, Granada, and Ronda, as well as to cities in other Spanish regions, such as Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona, and to nearby Portugal. TThe resident director and a guide accompany the students on all of these trips.

Programs and Courses
Dickinson College offers three programs in Málaga. Students may spend a full academic year in Spain or stay for the fall semester only. In addition, a language-intensive Summer Immersion Program is available.

In the fall, students take five courses, including three required courses:

• Spanish 251: Language Tutorial and Research Practicum
• Spanish 261: Andalusian Society and Culture (equivalent to Spanish 241 on the Carlisle campus)
• Spanish 271: Spanish and Hispanoarab Art

And one of the following two:
• Spanish 371: Literary Analysis of Hispanic Texts
• Spanish 381: European Union

And one elective course at the Teatinos campus of the University of Málaga.

In the spring, students may choose four classes from among the following:
• Spanish 381-01: Advanced Grammar (equivalent to 240 on the Carlisle campus)
• Spanish 381-02: Topics in Spanish Literature (equivalent to 310,320,321,330 on the Carlisle campus)
• Spanish 381-03: Iberian Social History
• Spanish 381-04: Spain: From the Transition to the Present
• INSTD 390-01: Intercultural Seminar

Academic-year students have the opportunity in the spring semester to do an internship in a local firm or institution where they are immersed in the daily working environment of the city. Internships are designated and directed at the discretion of the program director and dependent upon availability of the site and suitability of the students. In recent years students have interned in the following fields of interest:
• Fine arts
• Literature and culture
• Journalism, multiculturalism, translation
• Tourism, economics, international business
• Consulting in international business, social services, hotel and restaurant management
• Veterinary hospital
• Cultural events planning
• Day care center, primary and secondary school
• Human rights education
• Politics, government, economics
• Law, translation

In addition to the practical, on-site experiences of approximately 10 hours weekly, students enroll in the Intercultural Seminar (INTDS 390) and complete the following assignments:
• Prepare a curriculum vitae
• Keep a journal of the internship activities and observations of the internship site
• Develop an annotated bibliography and a research proposal on a related topic
• Complete an academic research project related to the internship

Former internship placements in Málaga include:
• Spanish Red Cross
• Málaga Acoge: a pro-immigration NGO.
• Sur in English: weekly newspaper for English-speaking residents.
• Colegio El Limonar: primary and secondary school.
• Fundacion Picasso: promotes life and work of Picasso, located in his birth house.
• Málaga Tourism Office
• Centro Cultural de la Generacion del 27: Cultural Center of the Generation of 27
• Perez y Cuevas Consultores: consulting firm—international business, education, social services, tourism, hotel and restaurant management.
• Puerto de Málaga: Málaga Port Authority.
• Hospital Veterinario
• Guarderia Giardinetto: day care center.
• Instituto de la Mujer: women’s institute

• Law offices of Apalategui and Blanc

• Movimiento contra la Intolerancia: human rights education NGO

The Summer Immersion Program
During this five-week program, students take a pledge to speak Spanish only. Each weekday morning, students practice Spanish with Universidad de Málaga faculty in the classroom. Discussions cover topics such as Arab influences on Spanish culture, contemporary Spanish history, education in Spain and other current issues. On many weekday afternoons, students head into the city to converse with local merchants and interact with the people of Málaga.
Students also travel to Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla and various historical sites and museums.

The Summer Immersion Program is designated as Spanish 200. Students must complete intermediate college Spanish before participating in the program. Please click here for more information about the 2008 Málaga summer immersion program.

Academic Credit
Most students who successfully complete the academic year in Málaga earn nine credits, depending upon their selected courses. Students earn five credits in the fall semester and earn four credits in spring. Students who successfully complete the Summer Immersion Program receive one credit.

On-Site Administration
Dickinson faculty member Mark Aldrich , from the Department of Spanish, is the current resident director and supervises all aspects of the program. He is available to answer questions about academics and to provide guidance and counseling. In addition, he teaches two courses in the Dickinson Málaga program and conducts a Research Practicum. Dickinson faculty members serve as on-site directors for the Summer Immersion Program.

Housing
Students in all Dickinson in Spain programs are housed with carefully selected host families. Home stays give participants a real inside look at life in Spain and allow them to practice their language skills.

* This is the program fee for 2008-09; the program fee for 2009-10 will correspond to on-campus tuition and fees and will be determined during spring 2009.

Program Fee Includes
• tuition and fees
• room and board
• pre-departure and on-site orientations
• academic excursions

Program fee does not include primary health insurance, airfare, passport, visa, immunizations, optional travel, personal expenses, meals and housing during vacations, books and supplies.

Special Requirements
2.8 GPA
Students must complete Spanish 231 before studying abroad.

Links

Málaga Handbook

Malaga Program Photos

University of Málaga

Click here to read the latest edition of the Dickinson in Málaga newsletter, including a variety of essays and images, as well as students' coverage of regional and national news and suggestions for activities in Málaga.

For more information, contact
Prof. Elise Bartosik-Velez, On-Campus Coordinator
Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Dickinson College
P.O. Box 1773
Carlisle, PA 17013-2896
Phone: (717) 245-1844
E-mail: bartosie@dickinson.edu