Study in Southern Spain (in English, Spanish) - ISEP Exchange
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the warm Spanish sun year-round at this historic university in beautiful Murcia. Start each morning with a walk by the Segura River through the center of town, passing fountains and historic bridges, and end your day relaxing over a coffee or drink with your roommates in one of Murcia’s beautiful plazas!
• The 3rd oldest university in Spain, Murcia offers modern facilities and a wide range of academic subjects in both English and Spanish including business, communications, physical sciences, social sciences, education, health sciences, Spanish literature and more. Get comfortable with Spanish during an included two-week intensive pre-semester language course.
• Universidad de Murcia regularly tops national lists for excellent disability services, student support, and well-being. Roberto, the on-site ISEP coordinator, is quick to respond and will help you adjust to life in Spain.
• Universidad de Murcia is spread across four campuses based on field of study: La Merced in the heart of the city, Espinardo just north of the city, San Javier 45 km east of the city (specializing in Sports Science), and the Health Science campus south of the city. Be sure to talk to your ISEP Student Services Officer about which campus will offer the classes you need.
LIFE ABROAD
Live and study with local college students in this historic university town! With 320 days of sunshine each year, embrace the Mediterranean lifestyle and enjoy excellent seafood, endless outdoor activities, and fresh produce and flowers year-round. The region of Murcia is sandwiched between Valencia and Andalucia in a fertile green valley known as “Europe’s Orchard” and the city of Murcia is just a 45-minute train ride from the sea. Echoes of past civilizations abound in this part of Spain, but Murcia remains a lively college town, with vibrant nightlife and youthful atmosphere.
LIVE
Live in a shared apartment with local Spanish students. Murcia offers a unique opportunity to select an apartment based on your own preferences and lifestyle. Using the provided stipend (650 euros per month for meals and housing), you’ll find your apartment in Murcia through the university monitored and approved apartment listings. Most ISEP students choose to live in a fully furnished shared apartment with a private bedroom, shared kitchen, and shared bathroom for about 250-300 euros per month. See sample housing options here.
DINE
Murcia is a delight for foodies! Grab a table in one of the sunny plazas for a coffee, drink, or leisurely meal—locals love Plaza de las Flores, where fresh flower stalls surround delicious restaurants. Enjoy local specialties, like pastel de carne (meat pie in a flaky, buttery crust), caballito (batter-fried prawns), paparajotes (fried lemon leaves), or Murcia’s own tapa, marinera, which you must try to finish in just three bites! With nearby orchards and the sea, fresh produce and seafood are always available. As an ISEP student, use your combined meal and housing stipend (650 euros per month) to purchase groceries and cook in your apartment. Local supermarkets and produce markets are affordable and plentiful. In a hurry? Grab a meal at a campus cafeteria (including dessert!) for just 5.10 EUR.
EXPERIENCE
Enjoy plenty of amenities and entertainment in Murcia, home to almost 500,000 people. Get involved through clubs and the Buddy Program, which pairs you with a local student to help you settle into life in Murcia. Celebrate International Welcome Week each semester with a full week of events and off-campus activities hosted by The Office of International Relations and the Association of International Students. Studying during the spring term? Murcia’s Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations are famous across Spain. Just outside of town, visit the Yakka Brewery, or head to Cartagena, a beautiful port city with an ancient amphitheater, just 45 minutes away by train.
EXPLORE
Discover the region of Murcia which offers great coastlines, dense forests, rugged mountains, three wine regions, ancient historical sites, beautiful architecture, and charming small towns, without the tourist crowds in more well-known Spanish cities. See pink salt flats and flamingos, natural arches and wind-formed rock formations, green valleys tucked between the mountains, and remnants of past civilizations. Spend weekends on the coast kayaking, swimming, fishing, scuba diving, and sailing. Relax and unwind in one of the thermal spas, go for a leisurely (or challenging) bike ride, or pick up a golf club—some of Europe’s best courses can be found right here!
THRIVE
Recognized as one of the top universities in Spain for disability support and student wellbeing, Murcia offers additional assistance for mental health and students with mobility, hearing, visual, speech, and learning disabilities.
What We Love About Murcia
Everyone loves Spain, but it can be hard to get off the beaten path. Murcia is the path less traveled, and offers rich cultural experiences, delicious food and wine, incredible scenery, and great academic options, all in a budget-friendly city.
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses
Course Description
Universidad de Murcia offers modern facilities and a wide range of academic subjects. Take classes taught in the bilingual English programs in Business Administration, Communication & Media Studies and Primary Education. Social sciences, physical sciences, Spanish literature, fine art, speech therapy, and many more subjects are available taught in Spanish. All classes are taught alongside local students, providing a fully immersive experience.
A two-week pre-semester Spanish language course is included (and required) for all non-native Spanish speakers.
The chart below highlights some of the more popular classes ISEP students have taken in the past. Use this to get starting on planning your own program abroad at Murcia!
Credits Earned
Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn at least 24 ECTS which ISEP recommends is the equivalent of 12 U.S. Credit Hours. Each course will usually be worth about 6 ECTS.
If you use financial aid, please speak with a qualified financial aid advisor to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial aid.
Sample Classes Available:
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Business |
Education |
Sport Science |
Biology |
Communication |
Spanish Language & Literature |
|
World Economy (SM2) |
Educational Psychology (SM2) |
Fisiología Humana |
Bioquímica I |
Intercultural Communication |
Español Normativo II |
|
Spanish Economy (SM1) |
Research and ICT (SM2) |
Fundamentos Del Atletismo |
Genética Molecular |
Discourse Analysis for Media Texts |
Sintaxis Y Semántica Del Español |
|
Marketing Management (SM2) |
School Organization & Diversity (SM2) |
Actividad Física Y Salud |
Ecología I |
Media Ecosystems |
Literatura Española Siglo Xvii |
|
Financial Systems (SM2) |
Artistic Creation and Research Workshop (SM2) |
Nutrición Deportiva |
Biología Celular |
Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods |
Historia De La Lengua Española I |
|
Market Research (SM1) |
Physical Education in Primary Education (SM1 or 2) |
Teoría Y Práctica Del Entrenamiento Deportivo |
Microbiología Biotecnológica Y Biosanitaria |
Digital Journalism |
Literatura Hispanoamericana I |
For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please see "other academic conditions" below.
Academics
Other Academic Conditions
Students Arrive: Second week of January, First week of September
Classes Start: Second week of January, First week of September
Clases End: First week of May, Second week of December
Exams: Second week to last week of May, Mid December to Mid January (exam dates may vary)
A two-week pre-semester Spanish language course is required for all non-native Spanish speakers and is included in ISEP benefits. Students will register for this course separately upon acceptance. Students may also enroll in a 3 ECTS Spanish language course during the semester for an additional fee (approx. 120 EUR per semester).
Tips for finding courses:
1. View the list of degree programs and click on the title of the subject.
2. Click on "Plan de estudios y guías docentes" on the side of the page.
3. Courses are organized by semester and year. "Asignaturas de Primero" refers to first-year courses, "Asignaturas de Segundo" refers to second-year courses, etc. Look under the column labeled "Duración" to see when the course is offered. Courses labeled "Cuatr. (1)" run September – January and courses labeled "Cuatr. (2)" run February – June.
4. Click on the course name to view the professor, class meeting times and syllabus.
5. Click on the teal “Exámenes” button to view the exam schedule for a degree. Exams are typically held in January for the fall semester, and in June for the spring semester, with a make-up period in July. Exam dates and times are subject to change.
Students choosing to take courses entirely in English must have at least a beginner level (A1) in Spanish to navigate daily life in Murcia, and will need to submit an ISEP Spanish Language Evaluation with their application
All graduate level courses, including the MBA program, are closed to ISEP students. Medicine is closed to ISEP students. Law, Dentistry, Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Veterinary Medicine courses are restricted, and may not be available to ISEP students.
Most courses in fine arts are year-long in nature. Students may need professorial approval to enroll in these courses if only attending Murcia for a semester. This cannot be guaranteed in advance.
To avoid scheduling conflicts, students are required to take 50% of their classes within the same degree program, and it is highly recommended that students plan to take all of their classes on one campus.
Semester & Prices (based on your filters)
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