Language and Culture in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Earn 8 or 9 hours of university credit in Spanish courses, depending on previous coursework
- Experience Argentine culture first-hand by living with host families
- Immerse yourself in a Spanish-speaking environment to improve language skills
- Take classes from faculty and staff from KU and the Universidad de San Andrés
The Summer Language Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina, offers students the opportunity to obtain university credit in Spanish, improve language skills, and experience Argentinean culture first-hand by living with families in Buenos Aires. Courses are taught by both Universidad de San Andrés faculty and KU faculty and staff.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina located on the Río de la Plata, is a 500-year old cosmopolitan city renowned for its rich cultural and historical heritage. Each neighborhood has its own characteristics and style; for example, San Telmo is famous for tango, La Boca for its colorful houses, and Recoleta for its ornate cemetery, museums, and parks.
Universidad de San Andrés (UdeSA)
The Universidad de San Andrés is a small, private liberal arts university with roots going back to the early 1800s. The program will be located on the UdeSA's downtown campus, which is close to the world-famous Teatro Colón opera house, the Casa Rosada, the Plaza de Mayo, and the Puerto Madero neighborhood.
Eight or nine hours of undergraduate credit are granted by the University of Kansas upon successful completion of the program. Classes are conducted entirely in Spanish and will typically meet four days a week.
Level I (8 credit hours)
Pre-requisite: SPAN 216 or otherwise being eligible for SPAN 324 & SPAN 328.
SPAN 324: Grammar and Composition (3 credit hours)
SPAN 328: Intermediate Spanish Conversation (2 credit hours)
SPAN 346: Transatlantic Hispanic Cultures (3 credit hours)
Level II (8 credit hours)
Pre-requisite: SPAN 340. Students who complete SPAN 324 before the program can petition to defer SPAN 340 until the Fall semester.
Only students who have already completed the lower-level course are permitted to enroll in the advanced course.
SPAN 424: Advanced Spanish Composition and Grammar (3 credit hours)
SPAN 428: Advanced Spanish Conversation (2 credit hours)
SPAN 346: Transatlantic Hispanic Cultures OR SPAN 440: Hispanic Studies: Argentina and the Literary Tradition (3 credit hours)
Level III (8 or 9 credit hours)
Pre-requisite: SPAN 424/428
SPAN 520: Structure of Spanish (3 credit hours)
SPAN 471: Studies in Spanish-American Culture and Civilization: Conversation (2 or 3 credit hours). This is a conversation course that will fulfill a Spanish major requirement only if taken for 3 credit hours.
SPAN 440: Hispanic Studies: Argentina and the Literary Tradition (3 credit hours)
All students are housed with Argentine host families. Some host families will host one student, while others will host two. Breakfast and dinner every day (except for Saturday dinners) are provided with the host families and internet access is also included.
Host families are in neighborhoods near downtown Buenos Aires where classes are held. Most students will take public transportation to get to class.
Students will participate in cultural activities and local excursions to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of Argentine culture. Examples of local excursions include:
-A visit to the UdeSA main campus to meet UdeSA students
-A tour of a park dedicated to the victims of the Dirty War
-A tango lesson and show
-Buenos Aires urban art and graffiti tour
-A boat tour of El Tigre, a town on the delta of the Río la Plata
-A visit to a traditional Argentine ranch with a demonstration of Argentine cowboy skills
Open to students from accredited U.S. colleges or universities who have completed the required pre-requisites (or the equivalent) of college-level Spanish. Minimum 2.5 GPA. Exceptions considered after submission of a petition.
Argentina tourism website: www.argentina.travel/en
Buenos Aires tourism website: https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en
Student information about Buenos Aires: https://turismojoven.buenosaires.gob.ar/en
The Summer 2020 program director is Dr. Jonathan Mayhew, Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese (jmayhew@ku.edu)
