WELCOME TO THE CAL POLY FALL, 2007 SPAIN PROGRAM

You KNOW you want to go.

The Cal Poly Fall Spain Program began in 1999.  We have changed sites and improved the quality of the program since then.  We encourage students to compare the Cal Poly Program with other travel and language programs in Spain.  We believe that the Cal Poly Program is superior for a number of reasons:

1. Cost
The 12-week Program costs around $7,000. 
That price includes:

The only things excluded from the price are the flight and your miscellaneous school and social expenses.

Most other programs to Spain begin at $10,000.

2. Transferability
You will receive credit for ALL units taken on the Program, with no need to petition.  In many programs, fewer than 10 units will transfer to Cal Poly.  The Cal Poly Fall Program offers classes that normally would be taught in San Luis Obispo, so students can proceed easily toward the completion of their degrees.
Language classes are, of course, taught at the Universidad de Valladolid by its native Castilian language professors.  Other classes are taught by Cal Poly faculty or by Faculty at the College of Philosophy and Letters at UVa.

3. The Study Site
The Cal Poly Fall Spain Program is headquartered in Valladolid, Spain.  It is the capital of Castile-Leon and the site of the Universidad de Valladolid.  It is a city where the entire population of 500,000 speaks Castilian Spanish.  Many other programs are located in sites in Spain where the local population will NOT speak Spanish as its first language (for example San Sebastian or Barcelona or Palma de Mallorca).
If you are looking for a true immersion program into the Castilian Spanish language, then the center of Old Castile is the place to be. 

4. Direction
The Cal Poly Fall Program in Spain is organized and directed by Cal Poly faculty, not by a corporate “service provider.”  That is the principal reason why the program is so inexpensive compared to others (the Cal Poly Faculty and Resident Director do not receive any payment more than their regular Cal Poly salary).  That also means that the people who run the program understand what Cal Poly students need.  They are familiar with Cal Poly regulations.  They can answer questions and assist in situations for Cal Poly students that an outsider could not.  In a foreign environment, it is extraordinarily comforting to have someone in residence who will understand your problems, both academic and personal.

Basic Introduction to the Program (subject to change depending on demand and faculty)

12 week term, beginning September 22, ending December 14.

Travel:
First week travel and museum tour (Madrid, Toledo, El Escorial, Valle de los Caidos)
Field trips to other Spanish cities

Academic Program:
8 units of Spanish language courses, taught at UVa
10 units of Cal Poly GE courses, taught at UVa (classes taught in previous programs include Culture of Spain, The Witch-Hunt in Europe, Spanish Literature, Global Agriculture Marketing and Trade, Comparative Economic Systems)
Music and movie classes (not required)

Immersion:
Homestay with a Spanish family
Field trips within Valladolid every week (Renaissance Cathedral, Moorish architecture, medieval monasteries, Roman culture museum, polychrome sculpture museum, wine country, etc)

For further information, contact
Dr. William Martinez 805-756-2998 or wmartine@calpoly.edu
Dr Paul Hiltpold 805-756-2885 or philtpol@calpoly.edu