International Business + Culture in Seville, Spain (CIEE)

Program Dates
Term Start Date End Date
Spring 2024 January 3rd, 2024 May 17th 2024
Fall 2024 August 28th, 2024 December 20th, 2024
Spring 2025 January 8th, 2025 May 21st, 2025

These dates are tentative. Confirm program dates before booking travel.

Where: Seville, Spain

Seville has its origins in the trade routes controlled by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC. Romans, Goths, Muslims, and Christians established their capital here before it became the most important city in Southern Europe and gateway to the Americas in the 16th century. The commercial hub of its region, the city preserves many traces of its past and traditions. With 700,000 residents, Seville offers a large variety of cultural activities that range from the Flamenco Bienal and the European Film Festival to alternative theatre venues, bars with live music, beautiful streets and open spaces, and, of course, one of the most respected bullrings in the world.

Academics

This program is geared toward students with beginning to intermediate-level Spanish language skills who wish to improve these skills while selecting from a wide variety of courses taught in English. Students can fulfill school requirements by enrolling in classes for international students at Universidad Pablo de Olavide (UPO) in subject areas like international relations, psychology, chemistry, biology, business, history, literature, and more.  Students can also enroll in a maximum of two direct-enroll courses, in Spanish or English, alongside their Spanish peers. Prior to departure for Seville, all students take a scheduled CIEE online placement exam. Results determine appropriate placement in language courses. Placement in many upper-level courses depends on a high score.

Students must take five to six courses, for a total of 15-18 semester credits, including:
One two-week intensive Spanish language course, depending on results from a placement exam.
SPAN 1503 IBC Intensive Pre-Elementary Spanish I
SPAN 1504 IBC Intensive Pre-Elementary Spanish II
SPAN 2503 IBC Intensive Pre-Intermediate Spanish I
SPAN 2504 IBC Intensive Pre-Intermediate Spanish II
SPAN 3503 IBC Intensive Pre-Advanced Spanish I
Four to five-semester language or elective courses.
CIEE COMM 3301 CSCS (ENG) Intercultural Communication and Leadership
Internship Seminar (optional) CIEE INSH 3802 CSCS Internship Seminar
Elective courses at the University Pablo de Olavide (UPO HSP)
Up to two host institution classes at the University Pablo de Olavide (PIU)

Academic Structure

CIEE Intensive Spanish Session classes meet Monday through Friday during the first two weeks of the semester.  Regular semester classes at the University Pablo de Olavide (UPO) are scheduled Monday through Thursday, and most meet twice a week. UPO University Integration Program (PIU) direct enrollment courses meet twice a week with possible classes on Fridays.  UPO PIU. classes are designed for students who wish to integrate themselves fully into a Spanish university.  CIEE classes and UPO classes for international students are small and interactive and do not include Spanish students.

UPO direct-enroll courses may be larger in size, include Spanish and other international students, and be more lecture-based; Spanish and European international students have registration priority in UPO direct enroll classes; CIEE student registration in direct enroll classes is not guaranteed and takes place on-site. UPO direct enrollment courses go until the end of the regular semester.  Students interested in enrolling in a direct enrollment course may have to stay a week longer in the fall or a month longer in the spring.

Course Credit

CIEE courses: 3 semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours, unless otherwise noted.
CIEE Internship: 3 semester/4.5 quarter credits; 15 seminar hours, 100 internship placement hours.
University Pablo de Olavide International Center (UPO HSP) courses: 3 semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours, unless otherwise noted.
University Pablo de Olavide Integration Program (PIU) courses: 3 semesters/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours, unless otherwise noted.

Courses

For a full list of course offerings, visit CIEE’s website here.

Eligibility

2.9 G.P.A. There are no specific language requirements for this program.

Housing & Student Life

Homestays: Most students choose to live with a Spanish family. Each student will have his/her own bedroom, and weekly cleaning, laundry and Wi-Fi are provided. Students usually walk or ride rented bikes but may also take public transportation. The average commute to classes is 20-30 minutes maximum. Three meals per day are provided by the host family.

Residence halls: Students live with other Spanish and international students. Participants are placed in small studio apartments. Each studio apartment has two individual rooms and a shared bathroom and kitchen. Residence Halls have study rooms, meeting common spaces, TV rooms, cinema rooms, laundry, a gym, a swimming pool, and many more services. Meals are not provided and students will have access to the studio apartment kitchens.

Fees & Costs

Students pay Allegheny tuition, double room (homestay option), a Gator Blue meal plan (homestay option), and an off-campus study fee of $800. Allegheny financial aid, except work/study, is applied to program costs. Tuition includes housing, international travel insurance (CIEE iNext), orientation, field trips, and transcript administration fees. Allegheny students do not have to pay the program deposit requested by CIEE. Estimated additional costs include: meals (if in apartment housing), CIEE application fee, books and supplies (approx. $150), international airfare & local transportation ($1350), visa fees ($160), and possible travel to the consulate for visa, and personal expenses.

Visa & Immigration information

All students are required to have a visa to study in Spain. Please consult with CIEE regarding visa processing.

Application Process

Allegheny students must apply for approval to study off-campus from the Global Education office AND apply directly to their chosen program. For this program, students should work on the Allegheny approval application at the same time as the host program application. The Allegheny approval application deadline is February 20 for fall programs and September 20 for spring programs. Study away approval applications will be reviewed immediately following the appropriate semester deadline. The separate application deadline to apply directly to this program will vary and could be before or after Allegheny’s approval application due date. Check directly on their website (linked at the top of this page) for deadline information. For more information about the study away application process, please visit the application steps page.