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Summer Programs in Spanish

Ecuador & Peru: Summer Spanish in the Andes

The program is designed to provide serious college students, teachers of Spanish and other interested adults with an opportunity to study the language and experience the culture of Latin America. The program includes formal classroom instruction, the opportunity to live with and learn from an Ecuadorian family, and visits to sites of cultural, geographical and historical interest in Ecuador and Peru.

The Summer Spanish Program in the Andes is co-sponsored by Augustana College and the Centers for Interamerican Studies, a not-for-profit institution of higher learning that offers academic programs in Latin American culture and literature, international business and teaching English as a foreign language.

Eligibility

Students at any level of Spanish are eligible. Both Augustana and non-Augustana students are invited to apply to the SSPA program.

Courses Offered

The Ecuador program (SSPA) offers up to a full year of Spanish (nine credits) to students at every level of Spanish during its 10 week program and up to six credits of Advanced Spanish Electives (Literature & Culture) to participants in its 5 week intensive program. Courses include:

Spanish 150: 9-credits, 10 week program only. Equivalent to Augustana courses 101-102-103.

Spanish 250: 9-credits, 10 week program only. Equivalent to Augustana's 201-202-203.

Spanish 350: 9-credits, 10 week program only. Equivalent to Augustana's 301, 327 and three credits of elective credit in Spanish.

Spanish 451, 454, 457, 458: Advanced Literary or Cultural Studies courses with topics including Women Writers of Latin America, Indigenous Literature and Culture, Latin American History, Contemporary Latin America. 3-credits each. Two courses offered in 5 week session with a 3rd available for participants in the 10 week program. Course equivalencies with Augustana's 326 or 327 (History, Culture) and 344 (Literature).

Program Itinerary

The program runs from early June through early July (5 week) or mid-August (10 Week), beginning with a flight from Miami to Quito, the capital and one of the largest cities of the Andes. Following several days of sightseeing and cultural visits in the north, the group moves to Cuenca, home to the Centers for Interamerican Studies (CEDEI) where students will study for the next eight weeks. In addition to their studies the program offers several excursions in and around Cuenca. Students in the 10-week program also experience a mid-term 4 day break with group excursions and a program concluding 7-10 day trip into Peru to visit Lima, the capital, as well as the Incan cities of Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Housing

While in Cuenca, students live with local families, offering them the opportunity to explore Ecuadorian culture from the inside, while enjoying the warmth of Ecuadorian hospitality. The family stay environment also greatly expands each student's opportunities to practice and use Spanish in real-life situations.

Application

For both Augustana and non-Augustana students there is a multiple-stage application process. Applications are due by the end of February of each year. Augustana students are encouraged to attend informational sessions held each Fall and Winter to find out more. Students from other universities are encouraged to contact Augustana College to find out more about the program and the application process.