Community Engaged Learning in Barcelona (in English, Spanish) - ISEP Direct
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Contribute to the community while studying abroad in Barcelona! You’ll work with a well-respected service organization and complete a volunteer project, gaining valuable skills and working alongside locals.
• Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, but taking the time to live and study in this famous city means you’ll be able to discover lesser-known places as you make it your second home. Find your own favorite spot to grab a morning espresso, your favorite bar for tapas, the best beach for relaxing after class, or your favorite barrio for a quiet stroll before a late-night dinner.
• ISEP’s on-site Program Director, Maria Mateu, will help ease your transition into Barcelona and can provide endless recommendations on things to do, restaurants to try, or new cities to explore.
• Be sure to check out some of Barcelona’s many festivals—there’s usually one every weekend! Some of the best are La Mercé in September (honoring the patron saint of Barcelona), Santa Eulàlia in February (winter festival with light installations), and Sant Jordi in April (similar to Valentine’s Day).
LIFE ABROAD
There’s just something undeniably special about Barcelona. In this world-class destination, you’ll live within walking distance of sandy Mediterranean beaches, study at one of the best universities in Europe, and enjoy spectacular architecture, art, music, and food—frequently just on your walk to class!
LIVE
During your time in Barcelona you'll live in one of ISEP's designated student residences, each located within walking distance or a short commute on the Metro. In your residence you'll live alongside a mix of local and international students, and be able to take advantage of study rooms, fitness rooms, game rooms, and other ameneties. Each residence hall is staffed 24 hours/day. Rooms are double-occupancy unless otherwise requested and cooking facilities are provided.
DINE
Half the fun of living in Barcelona is enjoying the delicious food! Fresh produce like eggplant, tomato, garlic, peppers, and artichoke are abundant in Catalan cuisine. Seafood is incredibly fresh and used in many local dishes, and pork from nearby farms provides flavor and richness. Traditional Spanish tapas are readily available and very good in the Barceloneta neighborhood. Be sure to try the specialties of Catalunya, including pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato), escalivada (roasted vegetables), esqueixada de bacallà (cod and tomato salad), espinacs amb panses i pinyons (spinach with raisins and pinenuts), and mongetes amb botifarra (beans and sausage). When you want a night in or a quick meal at home, it’s easy to cook in your apartment. You’ll find well-stocked markets and supermarkets within walking distance of your residence. Expect to spend about 300 euros/month on groceries and meals out.
EXPERIENCE
Of course, no visit to Barcelona would be complete without seeing Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia or Park Guell, and a stroll down Las Ramblas to Mercado de La Boqueria is a must. But after you wander through the Gothic Quarter and see some of Picasso’s most famous work, be sure to take time to get off the well-worn tourist path. ISEP’s on-site staff will arrange an included urban hike and tour of Barcelona’s hidden spots.
On your own, you can explore dozens of excellent beaches a quick bus or train ride away. Locals recommend Badalona, Ocata, Sant Pol de Mar, and Castelldefels. If you have more time, Sitges is about 40 minutes away, and is a well-known gay-friendly destination with multiple beaches and classic art deco architecture. In town, explore neighborhoods like Gracia, which hosts famous street fiestas in the summer, or relax with a good book in Ciutadella Park. One of the true local secrets is Barcelona’s diversity, so be sure to try some of the international cuisine too!
To keep you informed, you’ll receive a bi-weekly cultural bulletin with suggestions for cultural activities and useful links. Additionally, you can join the UPF student organization ESN (Erasmus Student Network) which organizes activities in Barcelona and weekend trips at a very affordable price.
EXPLORE
Locals love to spend weekends and breaks on the Costa Brava, known for quiet fishing villages, breathtaking trails along the coast, and delightful hidden coves with clear water and sandy beaches. One of Costa Brava’s most well-known residents, Salvador Dalí certainly left his mark on the region. Tour his summer home his castle, or his theatre museum to experience his memorable art. Other top spots outside of Barcelona include Monserrat, Tarragona, and Girona. Buses, trains, and low-cost airlines also make it easy to explore the rest of Spain and popular spots in Europe, including Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, and Paris.
COMMUNITY ENGAGED LEARNING
Program Director Maria Mateu will match you with a service organization and project that fits your interests, and you’ll spend about 45 hours volunteering with them during the program. A for-credit course will help you reflect on your experience through discussions on community engagement theory and independent sociological research. See examples of service placements here: https://www.isepstudyabroad.org/programs/volunteer-abroad/community-engaged-learning-barcelona.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Maria Mateu is the Program Director of ISEP for Barcelona, Spain. She has more than 15 years of experience as intercultural trainer and diversity management consultant for a wide range of organizations in the social, private and public sectors. Originally from Catalonia, she has lived and worked in Tanzania, the United Kingdom and the U.S. She holds an MA in Intercultural Communication and Relations from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an MA in International Development, and a BA in Journalism, both from Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona, Spain. She speaks Catalan, Spanish, English, French and basic Kiswahili.
What We Love About UPF & Barcelona
UPF is super easy to navigate, and great public transportation makes it easy to get around. Past ISEP students have loved the housing and location of campus, and everyone enjoys being integrated into a Catalan university. The professors care about their students and make an effort to create a positive learning environment. Local students love to chat and give recommendations on where to go. Plus, ISEPers LOVE Maria, our resident director. A recent student shared, “Maria was so hands-on, she was always checking in and planning events for us! She was like our Catalan mom, always there for us.”
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses
Course Description
ISEP's Community Engaged Learning Program combines coursework with community service work, offering students the opportunity to contribute to the local community while studying abroad in Barcelona. The program consists of the following:
• 1 Required Community Engaged Learning Class (3 U.S. Credits), plus:
• 45 service hours at placement (around 4 hours per week)
• 3 Additional UPF Classes (18 ECTS/9 U.S. Credits) from the following programs:
• Barcelona Program for Interdisciplinary Studies (BaPIS)
• International Business Program (IBP)
• Spanish as a Second Language
• Regular university courses at UPF
Credits Earned
Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn a total of 24 ECTS which ISEP recommends is the equivalent of 12 U.S. Credit Hours. Each course will be worth 6-12 ECTS. We require students in the Study & Serve program remain at 24 ECTS due to the additional 45-hour community engagement placement.
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:
|
Community Engaged Learning Course |
Barcelona Program for Interdisciplinary Studies |
Spanish as a Second Language |
UPF Direct Enroll Classes – Global Studies |
|
Required |
3 U.S. credits each Enroll in 2-3 classes from BaPIS |
3-6 U.S. credits each Enroll in up to 1 class |
Credits may vary Limited availability
|
|
Community Engaged Learning |
Art & Gender in Contemporary Spain |
Español Inicial |
Global Cities |
|
Barcelona the City & Its History |
Español Pre-intermedio |
Global Inequalities |
|
|
Ethics in a Globalization and Sustainability Context |
Español Intermedio |
Borders, Identities, and Geopolitics |
|
|
Geopolitics of Borders and Migrations in the European Union |
Español Avanzado |
Globalization & Gender |
|
|
Society and Politics in Contemporary Spain |
Español Superior |
Global Cultural Heritage |
|
|
La Autoficción y la Creación Joven en Barcelona: el taller de cine de la UPF |
Español para hispanohablantes |
Principles, Values, and Challenges of Sustainability |
For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.
Academics
Other Academic Conditions
Students arrive: Second week of January, Third week of September
Classes start: Second week of January, Last week of September
Classes end: Last week of March, First week of December
Exams: Mid - Late March, Early December
Community Engaged Learning:
Community Engaged Learning Course Syllabus
Number of credits: 3 U.S. credits; course transcript issued by the University of Minnesota
Format: 45 service hours at placement (around 4 hours per week) and 28 course contact hours (14 sessions of 120 minutes)
UPF Courses:
Please review the UPF Course Registration Guide before beginning the course registration process.
Students will work with ISEP’s Barcelona Resident Director to develop a diversified course list during the enrollment process.
When building your course list, please include 6-8 BaPIS courses for your specific term. Once you have a list of BaPIS courses, you can add a Spanish language course, International Business courses, and regular university courses to your list. Keep in mind that regular UPF courses are very competitive, and placement is not guaranteed.
Number of credits: Students will enroll in 18 ECTS at UPF, generally equivalent to 9 U.S. credits.
UPF offers three academic programs specifically designed for international students. Students can mix and match between these programs, and individual courses and syllabi can be viewed on the UPF International Programs website. (Students applying for the Spring term at UPF must review courses listed for "Winter" term which runs January to March)
• Barcelona Program for Interdisciplinary Studies (BaPIS) features classes in English and Spanish taught by UPF’s highest profile faculty, each with proven international experience. BaPIS courses are also offered to and attended by local students.
• Spanish as a Second Language is taught at five levels, from Beginner to Proficient (A1-C2). A Spanish for heritage-speakers course is also offered each term. These courses each grant 6 or 12 ECTS (3-6 U.S. credits). To filter for Spanish language courses, select 'language learning' from the list of topics. A Spanish language course is highly recommended.
• International Business Program courses are offered in collaboration with the UPF-ESCI Business School and focus on business fundamentals blended with complementary disciplinary skills. Use the filter to search for courses that list 'ESCI-UPF|IBP at ESCI' under 'School & Program'. All ESCI-IBP courses are worth 6 ECTS.
Review the ESCI Regular Course Offerings PDF for ESCI Regular course offerings. The PDF includes IBP-ESCI courses, worth 6 ECTS each, and ESCI Regular courses, worth 4 ECTS each. The first section of the PDF is for the Fall '24 semester. Spring '25 courses are listed under '2nd Trimester' in the second part of the document.
• UPF Regular University Classes – Limited direct enroll options at UPF may be available but are not guaranteed. Scroll down to 'Course Offer' and search by Faculty to view regular courses open to visiting students.
Semester & Prices (based on your filters)
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