GEO Oviedo students enroll in courses at the University of Oviedo. During the fall and spring terms, most students enroll in the University’s Cursos de lengua y cultura españolas para extranjeros (ELE) which are especially designed for international students and are all taught in Spanish. During the spring term, qualifying students may complement the ELE offering by enrolling in one or two additional courses offered by one of the University’s undergraduate degree programs. During July and August students enroll in ELE’s intensive Spanish language program.
Instruction at ELE is available at the Intermediate and Advanced levels all terms. The summer sessions are open to Beginning level students as well. All coursework is conducted in Spanish. Direct enroll courses are available in both English and Spanish.
Students can attend a single term:
- Maymester Intensive
- Summer Intensive ( July, August, Hispanic Heritage)
- Fall Semester
- Spring Semester
- Spring Quarter.
or enroll in multiple terms among the following combinations:
- Spring Quarter + July (ELE)
- Full Summer (July & August – ELE)
- August + Fall term (ELE)
- Academic Year: Fall (ELE) & Spring (ELE & Direct Enrollment)
- Spring Semester and Maymester Intensive
- Maymester and July/August Intensive sessions
FALL / SPRING SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS
Academics: Language and culture courses at ELE are available during the Fall and Spring terms. During these terms student may also enroll in exclusive GEO courses taught by visiting professors and local faculty. Students chose among the following:
- Students can take up to five courses from the ELE offering. Please note that student are required to enroll in at least one ELE Spanish language course (Written Expression, Oral Expression, Vocabulary & Composition)
- During the fall and spring terms students must enroll in a mandatory intercultural communication course taught by local faculty.
- During the Spring term, students who meet the academic requirements can enrol in a combination of ELE courses + courses offered by one of the University’s degree programs ( 3 ELE courses , 1 DO course or 2 ELE course and 2 DO courses.
Levels: Intermediate, Advanced. Students take an online placement test before arrival which determines their level. Please note that all coursework at ELE must be taken at the same level.
Classes run M-F from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at ELE with the intercultural is held in the afternoons. Direct enroment classes vary and may be scheduled in the morning or the afternoon
Accommodations: Homestays throughout Oviedo
Extracurricular Activities: Local visits, fieldtrips within Asturias and two overnight excursions to other regions of Spain in conjunction with the coursework. All guided by Laura Barrientos (art historian) and/or GEO staff.
Other Opportunities: Language partners, service learning and internship placements in Oviedo.
For more details about the fall/spring terms click here.
SPRING QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
The spring quarter program in a hybrid program titled Special Topics and Spanish Lanugage.
Academics: During the first half of the term, a visiting profesor teaches two specialty courses which are taught in English. During these second half, students continue their studies at ELE and have to option of enrolling in several intensive language courses: Intensive Spanish (Beginning – Advanced), Spanish for the Health Professions, Academic Spanish or BusinessSpanish.
In special topics theme during the spring quarter of 2016 is Business, Marketing and Entrepreneurship. During this term, interested students can continue their studies in English by enrolling in the course “Spanish Business Culture” offered by a University of Oviedo Faculty member. For more information on the spring quarter 2016 program click here.
Levels: Required level of Spanish depends on the course chosen during the second part of the program.
Classes . During the first part the Schedule is determined by the visiting profesor (16 hours per week) . During the second part of the progarm, class run M-F although the actual Schedule varies depending on the courses chosen : i.e. The intensive language courses are scheduled from 9:30 – 2:00 p.m. while the other courses are scheduled in the afternoons.
Accommodations: Residence Hall (single room with breakfast)
Extracurricular activities: The special topics courses taught by visiting faculty are very hands on. Class lectures and readings are complemented by local excursions and visits to special places of interest related to the theme.
SUMMER INTENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS:
A good number of students enroll for the two summer sessions. The summer courses are offered in:
- July (Summer I)
- July (Spanish for Heritage Speakers)
- August (Summer II)
Academics: The summer intensive Spanish courses (80 contact hours each) at the beginning through advanced levels. Although the courses focus primarily on language development, at the intermediate and advanced levels, the last hour of class is dedicated to exploring several topics of Spanish culture and Civilization. During the month of July the University offers a special course for Heritage speakers.
Levels: Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced
Classes run from M-F from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Accommodations: University dorm or home stay
Extracurricular Activities:
- three local visits in Oviedo and Gijón
- two Saturday fieldtrips to locations in Asturias and/or neighboring regions
- Welcome Refreshments and Farewell reception
Other opportunities: Language partners, enjoy the many festivities and special events that take place in Asturias in the summer.
For more details about the intensive summer terms, click here.
MAYMESTER IN OVIEDO – HIGHLIGHTS
The Maymester term in Oviedo is ideally suited for semester schools which offers intensive Spanish courses, both general language as well as several special focus courses. The course begins generally on the 3rd week of May and ends 4-5 weeks later in June. At present GEO offers two of ELE’s Maymester courses: Intensive Spanish and Spanish for the Health Care Professions. During the Maymester, ELE also offers two other specialty courses: Academic Spanish (60 contact hours) and is planning to activate Business Spanish (80 contact hours) in the future.
Academics: The Intensive Spanish language course offers 100 contact hours of instruction at the Intermediate (A2-B1) and Advanced levels (B2-C1). These are distributed in the following manner: 75 contact hours of Spanish language (grammar and composition) plus a total of 25 contact hours of Spanish Culture and Civilization to choose a combination of the following topics: Sample topics enclosed.
- Conversation on Spanish Society and Culture (25 contact hours)
- Spanish/Hispanic American Literature (25 contact hours)
These topics are taught during the last hour of class and last for 5 weeks)
Classes are held at La Casa de las Lenguas in the University of Oviedo’s Humanities Campus. Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Accommodations: Accommodation in homestay with Spanish hosts (includes 3 meals a day plus light laundry, single room and Internet access).
Extracurricular Activities (all summer courses):
- three local visits in Oviedo and Gijón (usually 1-Catedral de San Salvador, 2-Gijón (Etnográfico o Termas Romanas. 3- Museo de Bellas Artes o Arqueológico de Asturias),
- two Saturday fieldtrips to locations in Asturias and/or neighboring regions
- Welcome Espicha (traditional Asturian cider tasking party) and Farewell Reception
Other opportunities: Language partners, community service are only available on a limited basis during this time of the year.
GEO Support Services:
Same as those offered during other terms, intercultural, medical, personal and academic. Two full time, bilingual staff members.
This 4-week intensive Spanish language program teaches standard terminology and incorporates common dialect variants as well as aspects of Latino culture that can impact the patient’s health and interaction with the medical system. The contents of this program are based on research carried out in US medical settings. The course is open to students who have completed intermediate level in Spanish and is subject to minimum enrollment. The class size is limited to 15 students.
Structure: This program includes a total of 100 contact hours broken down into 80 class hours of Spanish language courses taught by University of Oviedo professors plus 20 practicum hours in healthcare facilities. These are the program components:
- Spanish Language: Medical Terminology (20 contact hours) Medical vocabulary necessary to communicate in the health care setting
- Strategies for Effective Communication: The Medical Interview (20 contact hours) Techniques for carrying out an effective medical interview with Latino patients, including question formulation, misunderstanding resolution, intro to reference resources and dialect variants
- Spanish Language: Grammar & Vocabulary in the Clinic Setting (20 contact hours) Grammar learning geared towards communicating effectively in the medical setting
- Hispanic Culture: Beliefs & Myths in the Healthcare Setting (20 contact hours) Hispanic cultural and health beliefs, the impact of these on care and how to optimize care in light of these concepts
- Practicum (20 contact hours) Students will have the opportunity to practice what they learn by participating in an in-clinic practicum in local health care facilities, including the prestigious Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA)
Course location and times Classes are held at La Casa de las Lenguas in the University of Oviedo’s Humanities Campus. Monday to Friday on an afternoon schedule with practicum hours scheduled in the mornings.
Accommodations : Accommodation in homestay with Spanish hosts (includes 3 meals a day plus light laundry, single room and Internet access).
Extracurricular Activities (all summer courses):
- three local visits in Oviedo and Gijón (usually 1-Catedral de San Salvador, 2-Gijón (Etnográfico o Termas Romanas. 3- Museo de Bellas Artes o Arqueológico de Asturias),
- two Saturday fieldtrips to locations in Asturias and/or neighboring regions
- Welcome Espicha (traditional Asturian cider tasking party) and Farewell Reception
Other opportunities: Language partners, community service are only available on a limited basis during this time of the year.
GEO Support Services:
Same as those offered during other terms, intercultural, medical, personal and academic. Two full time, bilingual staff members.