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City description | Host Institutions | Costs | What's included | Course offerings | Photos |
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City Description
A prosperous city of almost 2 million, Barcelona is one of the oldest cities in Europe, but yet one of the most
progressive cities in Spain. Located on the coast of the Mediterranean, this port city has always been a major
center of trade.
Barcelona is full of beautiful parks, fascinating architecture, and all the art anyone could ever hope for. The city is surrounded by wooded hills, and going north along the eastern coastline you will find sand flats and plunging cliffs that harbor quaint fishing villages. From the Pyrenees Mountains that separate Spain and France, to the
vineyards and orchards of Cataluña, students in Barcelona will have no lack of things to see.
Barcelona is probably most famous for its architecture, which ranges from medieval to downright surreal, thanks to the parks, buildings and the unforgettable Catedral de la Sagrada Familia, all left by Catalonian architect Antoni Gaudí. From the Barri Gòtic to the Eixample to Gaudi’s wonderland of Parc Güell, you can find every type of architecture imaginable.
Not into the surreal and cubist artists such as Picasso, Dalí, and Miró? Then head down to the beach in Vila Olímpica when you can catch a tan, have some lunch, or people watch as the movers and shakers come and go from the Hotel Arts. If the city beaches aren’t your thing, you can head to Sitges, a town only 25 minutes from Barcelona by train, with its own pristine beaches and little cafes.
In the Spanish region of Catalunya, there are two official languages: Catalan and Castillian (Spanish).
Catalan is a Romance language that originated at about the same time as other Romance languages, such as
French and Spanish. Although Catalan is the official language of the region, classes for ASA students are
taught in Castilian, and everyone at the universities speaks
Spanish; others also speak French or English. Students with knowledge of French or Spanish usually even pick up some
Catalan within a very short time.
Barcelona I Program: Universitat de Barcelona (UB)
For Intermediate and Advanced Levels - Spanish Language & Hispanic Studies (taught in Spanish) click here for course offerings
The University of Barcelona (UB) was founded in 1450, but the current main building of the university
was inaugurated in 1871. With 3,000 faculty members, 1,600 additional personnel and the largest
facilities, number of courses offered and amount of research conducted, the 1,300 international
students at UB know they are in an world-class institution.
Students at UB have access to an extensive range of services. The library is the second largest in
Spain with more than two million books and 38,000 journals available throughout the different schools
and campuses.
The main building where ASA students attend classes is located in the city center only a 5-minute walk from Plaza Catalunya and Las Ramblas.
There are numerous Metro and bus stops within walking distance, as well as more restaurants and shops than one could imagine.
Barcelona II Program: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
For any level - Spanish Language plus Electives in English or Spanish click here for course offerings
The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) is a public university that has grown quickly in both size and stature since being founded in 1968. About 45,000 Spanish students now matriculate at the University, as well as a large number of international students who attend one of its many student exchange programs located all over the world.
ASA students take classes at the following 2 campuses of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB),
both of which are located in Barcelona city center:
Sant Pau Campus
The UAB offers classes in Spanish and English for foreign students at the
School of Modern Languages on its Sant Pau campus. Centrally located in the lovely
Eixample district of central Barcelona, the Sant Pau campus is close to the
famous Sagrada Familia cathedral, as well as several other important architectural
wonders. This campus is also part of the Hospital de la Santa
Creu i Sant Pau modernist complex, which along with the Palau de la Musica
Catalana, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.
Eixample Campus
This brand new campus of the UAB is set to debut in September 2010 and will replace
the Sarria campus.
It is also located in the Eixample district of Barcelona, only 1 block from
the Passeig de Gracia, one of the most well-known streets in Barcelona. Located on the Passig de Gracia
are some of Barcelona's most famous modernist architectural points of interest, including Gaudi's
Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, as well as the "Block of Discord."
The Eixample campus is located just 3 metro stops (no more than 20 minutes) from the
Sant Pau campus.
Because the Eixample
campus follows the same calendar and class timetable as Sant Pau, ASA students
can take classes on both campuses at the same time.
For example,
students may have classes at Sant Pau on Mondays and
Wednesdays, and classes at Eixample on Tuesdays and Thursdays (or vice versa). But even if you
have a class on each campus on the same day, it only takes 20 minutes (3 metro stops) to
commute between campuses.
ASA students live in shared student apartments or with Spanish host families that are
conveniently located to both campuses - it takes most students only
10-35 minutes to walk to class, or 15-25 minutes by subway.
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