Segovia: Course Details
Segovia students take 3 courses: Global Business, Spanish language (Beginner or Intermediate) and a humanities course.
Global Business (CRN: 10432)
This 3-week course has been developed by faculty of the IE Business School in Madrid to provide pre-college students the opportunity to explore undergraduate level business topics and to develop a global and multidisciplinary understanding in disciplines such as international economics, finance, politics and contemporary culture.
Topics in the Global Business curriculum include:
- International Organizations Today
- Business, Government and Society
- Globalization and Media
- Art History – Romanesque, Gothic, Islamic, Catalan, Gaudi
- European Union
Language Study
Beginning Spanish (CRN: 10385)
Intermediate Spanish (CRN: 10386)
Spanish has become the second language of the United States and the third most spoken language in the world. Today’s Spanish language learner can look forward to using their language knowledge in personal and professional settings: in business, finance, education, medicine and public health, arts, law, politics, diplomacy, and humanitarian and environmental work. In addition to training students to speak, read, and write in Spanish, the Spanish curriculum provides the tools and contextual knowledge students need to interpret and negotiate the broad range of real-world situations they will encounter while in Segovia.
Humanities Courses
Why Is This Art? (CRN: 10428)
“Why is this art?” is a common question among visitors to contemporary art museums and galleries. Although many universities still use the expression of “fine arts” to describe the study of disciplines such as painting, sculpture or drawing, a lot of what is produced today clearly falls outside these practices.
In this course we will look at the work of influential contemporary artists and discuss what it is that we are looking at and in what ways do we find it challenging or not. With each artist, some readings and other audio-visual materials, students will improve the understanding of what art can presently communicate and examine how the notion of art is tightly linked to social, political and moral values. At the end students should be able to engage with the extraordinary openness of art today so that their visit to the white, aseptic space of a gallery will never be the same!
The World in Turmoil: The Engine in Crisis (CRN: 10435)
What are the origins of the current economic turmoil? Why do the youth rebel all over the world more than ever before? Why are Europe and America losing ground to emerging markets? How can we better understand the limits of our economic system and how will this affect our career opportunities, our health and our education? This course will address these questions by reading some of the most analytical interventions published by leading economists and political scientists. Their points will then be illustrated with several documentaries and cutting-edge animations.
Politics, Culture and Identity in 20th Century Spain (CRN: 10434)
This three-part course aims to introduce students to the basic issues of contemporary Spanish politics, culture and identity. Through a variety of readings, the students will become familiarized with the country’s turbulent history, its identity politics and the cultural issues connected to them.
In the first part, surveys of representative periods in Spanish political history will accompany topical investigation of themes including: the use of political violence and propaganda in the Civil War (1936-39), the repressive context of General Franco’s dictatorship and the transition to democracy up to will be covered in the first part.
The second part of the course will focus on issues including the battle of memory versus oblivion regarding the historical past, the dynamic emergence of regionalisms, including Catalan and Basque micro-nationalism, and the phenomenon of ETA’s terrorism.
Finally, the last part of the course aims to introduce students to cultural issues, covering such diverse issues as the battle between Catholicism and secularism, the dynamic emergence and liberating potential of the 1980s Movida subculture that attacked the age-old taboos of Spanish society and the importance of football for Spanish politics.
Finally, through the course of the three weeks, students will have the chance to watch some emblematic Spanish films (both fiction and documentary) but also recent attempts at depicting the past in television series that will help us explore the intricate cultural, political and social history of the country throughout the 20th century.
Field Trips
Co-curricular weekend excursions give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Spanish language and culture, by not only visiting the many historical sights of Segovia (like the well-known aqueduct, Alcázar or cathedral) but also traveling to cities such as Sevilla, Córdoba and Barcelona.
Sevilla & Cordoba
Cordoba, declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO, is a combination of tradition and modernity. This Andalusian city was the center of Jewish and Muslim culture, and nowadays is admired for its architectural monuments, mainly the Great Mosque-Cathedral, considered to be the most important Islamic monument built in the West. Sevilla is perhaps best-known for the Alcázar Palace. The city lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical centers in Europe. According to legend, Sevilla was founded by Hercules and its origins are linked with the Tartessian civilization.
Barcelona
Located on the Mediterranean coast, Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. Barcelona is recognized as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade. The city is home to vibrant arts and cultural communities, and several Gaudi designs, one of history’s most original architects.
A Brown University Certificate of Completion will be issued upon satisfactory completion of the program.
Daily Schedule
9:30am-10:30am Language course
10:45am-11:00am Break
11:00am-1:00pm Global Business
1:45pm-3:30pm Lunch
3:30pm-5:30pm Humanities course
6:00pm-7:00pm Break
7:00pm-8:30pm Community Building/Site Visits
8:30pm-9:15pm Dinner
9:15pm-11:00pm Study Hall
11:00pm Curfew