Barcelona
Business and Economics

Program Options

Students on the Lexia Barcelona Business and Economics program can choose whether to study abroad for a five week summer term, a semester, or the academic year. When deciding how long to study abroad, students should consult their academic advisor, financial aid counselor, study abroad office and their family. Lexia staff can assist students with this decision.  A list of courses and course descriptions can be found below:

Summer Program

Students on the Lexia Barcelona Business and Economics summer program take two courses for a total of 8 semester credits or 12 quarter credits. 

• Spanish Area Studies and Culture Seminar
• Spanish or Catalan Language Course

Semester Program

Students on the Lexia Barcelona Business and Economics semester program take four courses for a total of 16 semester credits or 24 quarter credits. The Business and Economics program offers two options for students:

Option A

• Spanish Area Studies and Culture Seminar
• Spanish or Catalan Language Course
• Research Methods Seminar
• Field Research Project (Business Focus: Marketing/Finance/Economics)

Option B

• Spanish Area Studies and Culture Seminar
• Spanish or Catalan Language Course
• Business Elective 1
• Business Elective 2

Academic Year

Students on the Lexia Barcelona Business and Economics academic year program take eight courses during two semester for a total of 32 semester credits or 48 quarter credits. 

Students on academic year programs complete one of the regular semester programs described above during the first semester. In the second semester, students continue language training and their Field Research Project, and choose two Business Elective Courses taught at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) to complete their academic program. Key to a second semester in Barcelona is designing a program of study that immerses the student in the local culture via language study, volunteer experiences, course work, and independent study and projects. Students are also encouraged to consider spending the spring semester at a different Lexia site, conducting a comparative or complementary Field Research Project.

Semester 1

• Spanish Area Studies and Culture Seminar
• Spanish or Catalan Language Course
• Research Methods Seminar
• Field Research Project (Business Focus: Marketing/Finance/Economics)

Semester 2

• Spanish or Catalan Language Course
• Field Research Project (Business Focus: Marketing/Finance/Economics)
• Business Elective 1
• Business Elective 2

Courses

Area Studies and Culture Seminar (Four semester/six quarter credits)

Option A & B

The Area Studies and Culture Seminar is designed to introduce students to a variety of topics in Catalan history, art, architecture, politics, society, and economics.  Class format ranges from lectures and discussions to the close reading of documents and art works, and incorporates several excursions within the city of Barcelona and the surrounding environs, including Figueres, Girona and Montserrat. Grades are determined on the basis of class discussion, participation in the excursions, and written work, including a midterm and a final examination consisting of extended essay questions. Classroom time totals approximately 60 hours, including instruction during excursions.

Spanish or Catalan Language Course (Four semester/six quarter credits)

Option A & B

Spanish or Catalan language courses are taught at the elementary, intermediate, or advanced levels at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona with other international students.

Research Methods Seminar (Four semester/six quarter credits)

Option A only

This seminar teaches a range of methods for engaging in sustained, original inquiry in the field and sets the framework for developing rigorous, individual projects. By exposing students to the diverse environments of Barcelona and Spain, this course encourages students to examine and revise their ideas of Spanish culture. By extension, students begin to question their own sense of self and to explore the culturally embedded nature of identities in general.

The course introduces a variety of research skills, methodologies and techniques including reading, listening, observing, choosing, questioning, summarizing, organizing, writing, presenting, and reflecting. A variety of techniques for collecting and analyzing data will also be examined.

Barcelona offers students a myriad of visual and cultural encounters, from architecture to the collections of images housed in museums, to the fascinating, often fleeting exchanges on every street corner and subway ride. Through a series of visual and writing exercises, students explore language ability, visual skills, ethical issues, theorizing about experience, and how to synthesize field knowledge into original work and/or formal academic writing.

Field Research Project (Four semester/six quarter credits)

Option A only

The Field Research Project offers students the opportunity to pursue an independent, self-designed project in a specialized field of interest within the commercial sector. A faculty member, professional, or other mentor serves as advisor for the project, meeting periodically with the student to provide necessary supervision and support. For academic year students, one topic may be explored in-depth throughout the academic year or different topics may be chosen each semester. Students are encouraged to use their language skills and knowledge of the local culture and subject matter to investigate their selected topic(s).

The range of potential projects is extensive – from topics in international finance to marketing in the fashion industry to European monetary policy and the like. The final product will typically be a 20-25 page paper accompanied by substantiation of the semester’s research and findings.

Students spend a minimum of 60 hours per semester conducting research for their project, meeting for a minimum of eight hours with their advisor. A week at the end of each semester is planned for the synthesis of the students’ findings, writing, or other work, followed by the presentation and discussion of the projects in the group.

Grades for the Field Research Project are based on the required paper or project, meetings with the advisor and the final presentation. The faculty advisor and the Resident Director make final grade assessments. The final project must be submitted before departure from Barcelona. Late projects are not accepted.

Past Projects Have Included:

• History of Catalonian Economic Development

Business Elective Courses (Four semester/six quarter credits)

Option B & Academic Year

Elective Courses are offered in Spanish or English at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), depending upon availability and student interest. Lexia will accommodate the student’s first choice for an elective whenever possible. Students are also encouraged to suggest their own independent studies topics. Below is a list of past electives offered:

• Business Analysis
• Cross – Cultural Management
• Doing Business with Emergent Markets
• E-Commerce and Online Businesses
• Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation
• European Business History
• Family Business
• From Empire to Nation: an Economic History of Spain
• International Business
• International Economics
• International Finance
• International Marketing Strategies
• Managerial Skills for International Business
• Managing Services
• Mediterranean Politics and Culture
• Politics, War, and Economy in the Age of Globalization
• Spain in Europe: an Urban Approach
• Spanish for Business (offered in Spanish)
• Strategic Behavior in Business and Economics
• Strategic Management of the Firm
• Supply Chain Management Introduction
• The Political Economy of European Integration
• Understanding the European Economy

Dates & Deadlines

Spring 2013
Program Dates: January 11, 2013 - May 1, 2013
Application Deadline: November 15, 2012

Summer 2013
Program Dates: June 1, 2013 - July 6, 2013
Application Deadline: April 15, 2013

Fall 2013
Program Dates: September 6, 2013 - December 20, 2014
Application Deadline: May 1, 2013

Spring 2014
Program Dates: January 10, 2014 - April 30, 2014
Application Deadline: November 15, 2013

Summer 2014
Program Dates: May 31, 2014 - July 5, 2014
Application Deadline: April 15, 2014

* All dates are subject to change.  Before making travel plans based on these dates, please contact the Lexia office. 

Housing

Homestays: Family homestays can offer students an opportunity to see an intimate side of Catalan and Spanish culture. Most of the Lexia homestay families are long-term residents of Barcelona, who can offer insights based on their personal experiences, along with the opportunity to practice Spanish and/or Catalan language and intercultural skills.

Apartments:  Students live in apartments with other international students located within commuting distance of the teaching facilities.

Excursions

The program fee covers all Lexia excursions, which are designed to help students discover areas and aspects of culture that are typically less easily accessible to tourists and give a broad representation of the breadth of Catalonian culture and its people. Excursions outside of Barcelona vary according to the season and group interest in order to best take advantage of regional festivals and traditions. Excursions may include some of the following:

• Girona: Medieval center; the Call (Jewish quarter); Cinema Museum
• Tarragona: Passeig Arqueològic walking tour; UNESCO World Heritage Roman sites
• Montserrat: Spiritual heart of Catalonia; Monestir de Montserrat
• Costa Brava: Northeastern coastal region of Catalonia; Dalí Theater and Museum in Figueres; Greco-Roman ruins at Empúries; Iberian tribal ruins at Ullastret
• Madrid: Spain’s capital city; Plaza Mayor; Museo del Prado

Lexia courses include excursions to relevant sites in Barcelona which typically have included:

• Visits to the city’s many museums (Museu d’Història de la Ciutat, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalonia, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, Picasso Museum, Fundació Miró)
• Walks around Barcelona’s many neighborhoods, from the immigrant-dense and constantly evolving Raval to secret corners of Gracia, in order to develop a feel for what makes each unique and distinctive
• Visits to lesser-known Modernist architectural works
• Neighborhood markets and festivals

The Lexia staff regularly informs students of cultural events outside the program and independent travel opportunities available to them.

Cost

Semester: $16,950
Tuition: $13,150
Housing: $3,800

Academic Year: $28,950
Tuition: $21,350
Housing: $7,600

Summer: $6,495
Tuition: $4,595
Housing: $1,900

Program Fees Include:

• On-Site Orientation (2-4 days)
• All Tuition and Fees
• All Scheduled Program Excursions
• Housing Costs
• Services of Lexia Resident Director and Program Staff
• Comprehensive Medical Insurance Policy
• International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
• Official Transcript from Elizabethtown College

Budget

Not included in the Program Fee are the following estimated expenses based on past students' experiences during the semester-long program:

• Airfare Ranges from $800-$1,200
• Meals not Covered $1,750
• Books & Supplies $230
• Personal Expenses $1,380

Estimated Total Additional Expenses: $4,160 – $4,560

Students should also remember to budget for independent travel during the one-week break within the semester.  If desired, students may choose to remain in their Lexia accommodation in Barcelona during the break at no additional cost.

Instructors & Institutions

Lexia in Barcelona enjoys the enthusiastic support of Barcelona scholars, artists, organizations, and staff through its affiliation with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The UAB is a young, dynamic institution among the top academic centers in Spain and the European Union, based both on its research excellence and the quality of its teaching staff.  The University has 43,000 students and over 4,200 faculty and staff members. Lexia students study Spanish through the UAB Study Abroad Program at the Casa de Convalesència.  A variety of electives taught in English and Spanish are offered here.

Lexia Study Abroad encourages interaction and dialogue between Lexia participants and Spanish faculty and students. Barcelona’s scholars, artists, and students are involved with the program from the start, giving Lexia students direct and everyday access to the culture. No prior knowledge of Spanish is required as all courses are offered in English with the exception of the language course. Mandatory language training helps students to develop the skills and confidence to live and study in Barcelona.

The faculty of the Lexia program consists primarily of Spanish scholars from the local universities, with guest lectures from the government sector, public culture, artists, architects, and representatives of the Barcelona’s ethnic communities. These faculty members also serve as advisors for the Field Research Project and provide a link to local students.

Credits

The typical course load is four courses per semester. Students who successfully complete Lexia’s program requirements are able to earn the equivalent of one full semester or academic year of college/university level credit, pending approval from their home institution.

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the credit transfer policies at his/her home institution and department, including advising appointments, paperwork and pre-departure or re-entry activities. We strongly suggest that students contact their study abroad or other appropriate office early in the planning stage to ensure that they complete all requirements. Elizabethtown College, a Middle States accredited US institution located in Elizabethtown, PA, issues official transcripts for Lexia programs.