BU’s eight Madrid programs offer the chance to study and live in one of the world’s most dynamic metropolises. In the Summer Internship Program, students spend eight weeks living, studying, and interning in Madrid. This intensive program, which takes place at the Instituto Internacional en España, combines a professional internship with a liberal arts course, focusing on either contemporary Spanish culture or modern Spanish writers.
BU Abroad: Madrid's Deeper Meaning
BU Abroad: Madrid's Deeper Meaning
Requirements & Considerations
- Open to students who have completed a minimum of five semesters of college-level Spanish language or the equivalent
- Admission requirements for all programs
Curriculum
Note: Syllabi are for course approval and reference only. Students will receive up-to-date syllabi when their courses begin.
Required Courses
Students enroll in one of the following courses and the internship course. Each course carries four credits. Students must enroll for a total of eight credits.
Required Course List
- CAS LS 241 Cultures of Spain: Past and Present (4)
- An introduction to Spanish civilization with special emphasis on history, art, and literature. Instruction begins in English and shifts gradually into Spanish as students’ fluency increases. Course content is enriched by visits to the Prado Museum, Segovia, Toledo, and others.
- Syllabus
- CAS LS 312 Spanish Through Cultural Destinations: Madrid en Vivo (4)Effective
Fall '23- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
- Oral and/or Signed Communication
- Teamwork/Collaboration
- Students will further develop their oral and written skills allowing them to flourish within the Spanish-speaking world. They will become familiar with the city of Madrid through immersion in its history, neighborhoods, art, literature, and its cultural and social peculiarities.
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
Internship Areas
Please note that the following are examples of past internship placements only. While BU Study Abroad guarantees an internship to program participants, specific placements vary from semester to semester and may not always be available. Likewise, internship placements may be available in academic areas not listed. Certain placements may require fluency in the target language.
Internship Areas & Examples
- Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations
- Study marketing techniques, media, and consumer behavior while working in the marketing/PR department of a Spanish company, multinational firm, or advertising agency. Previous internship placements have included OM Premium, Procter & Gamble, Elipse Iniciativas, IFEMA (convention center), and JBan.
- Arts/Arts Administration
- Study the current art market in Madrid. Learn about the funding bodies that support the arts and work in one of Madrid’s art galleries, museums, preservation projects, or local arts centers. Past internship placements have included Galería Durán, Museo de Artes Decorativas, and Sotheby’s.
- Business/Economics
- Study the current economic, political, and social issues affecting Spain and work in an organization with an economic dimension. Past internship placements have included American Express, AFI, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Vista Capital.
- Film/Radio/Television
- Study communications and society in Madrid and work for one of the radio and television stations or film production companies. Past internship placements have included Boca a Boca Films, Eco Casting, Madrid Film, Lua, Dos Mundos TV, and Rioja Films.
- Health/Human Services
- Study health care and human services issues and participate in the daily work life of hospital rehabilitation, therapy, or education programs; health center administration; social service departments; community care centers; or social activist organizations. Past internship placements have included Cento de Mujeres Progesistas, Hospital de la Zarsuela, Interlab, Centro Dato, and PharmaGen.
- Hospitality/Tourism
- Study Spanish culture and the Spanish tourism industry. Students intern in hotels, restaurants, and the travel industry. Past internships have included Groupo Zena, Hotel Villa Real, Forocio, and CEA.
- International Organizations/NGOs
- Work in social activist organizations, environmental organizations, human rights organizations, and associated government departments. Past internship placements have included Amigos de la Tierra, World Tourism Organization (WTO), Hombre y Tierra, and Mundo Cooperante.
- Journalism
- Study news media in the context of the political, cultural, and social life of Madrid by participating in the daily life of a newspaper, magazine, publishing house, or a broadcast news organization. Past internship placements have included The Broadsheet, Rolling Stone, In Madrid, Lips, and Associated Press Bureau Madrid.
- Politics/International Relations
- Study the issues and institutions of Madrid’s political culture and work in a political setting, including Parliament, party organizations, lobbying groups, or political public relations agencies. Past internship placements have included Embassy of México (commercial office), Embassy of the United States (commercial office), Office of European Commission, INCIPE, and UNICEF.
- Pre-law
- Study the history and practice of the Spanish law in Madrid and participate in the daily life of an NGO working in human rights and immigration law. Past internship placements have included Bufete J. Ruiz and Hombre y Tierra.
Internship Courses
Study Abroad will enroll students in a non-credit Hub co-curricular and a four-credit internship course, which includes a classroom component. Course numbers depend on the field of specialization in which the students complete their internships. Placements are contingent upon the students' past experiences, professional interests, and relevant academic history, as well as the availability of opportunities in any given semester; flexibility is essential. Upon successful completion of the internship experience, students will receive a Hub unit in the area Individual in Community from the co-curricular HUB SA 330.
Internship Course List
- Non-credit Hub Co-curricular: HUB SA 330 Study Abroad Internship
- This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area:
- Individual in Community
- This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area:
- CAS AH 505 Internship in Arts/Architecture (4 credits)
- CAS CS 219 Internship in Information Technology (4)
- CAS EC 497 Internship in Business/Economics (4)
- CAS PO 401/IR 451 Internship in Politics (4)
- CAS PO 403 Internship in Comparative Law (4)
- CAS PO 405/IR 455 Internship in International Organizations (4)
- CAS PS 495 Internship in Health/Human Services (4)
- COM CM 471 Internship in Advertising/Public Relations (4)
- COM FT 493 Internship in Film/TV (4)
- COM JO 412 Internship in Journalism (4)
- SHA HF 390 Field Placement in Hospitality Administration (4)
Internship Components
- The internship itself
- A highly structured, midterm oral briefing
- Assigned readings
- A research paper
Housing & Student Services
- Individual bedrooms in local family home. Each room has a bed, a desk, and some storage space. Linens are provided and washed regularly. Kitchen access is not guaranteed. Students will have the ability to reheat food.
- Board included: All meals (3 meals per day/ 7 days per week) will be provided by the host family. A packed lunch will be provided by the host family if the student is unable to commute home for lunch.
- Host families provide laundry, internet.
- Gyms at the university and in town but may be expensive. Students can study at the Instituto or the Autonoma. Many students study at home as university libraries have more restricted hours than in the US.
Program Dates
- Summer Term: Mid-May to mid-July
Application Timeline
This program follows rolling admissions and may fill before the official deadline.
Summer Semester
- Applications Open December 1
- Applications Deadline March 1
This program is rolling admissions; applications are reviewed once all application materials are received, prior to all deadlines. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials are received by the BU Study Abroad office. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as some programs and internship tracks have limited space and may fill up before the deadline. Submitting a complete application prior to the application deadline, does not guarantee acceptance. Students will be emailed an admissions decision within three weeks of a completed application.
Information for BU Students Awaiting an Admissions Decision and exceptions to the standard admission calendar for all students can be found here.
Cost & Financial Considerations
- Summer 2024 Tuition and Fees: $10,115
Cost includes tuition, housing, board, field trips, overseas medical insurance, and emergency evacuation coverage - Estimated program budget, including cost of living expenses for Summer 2024
- Grants and Scholarships available
- BU Study Abroad arranges a trans-Atlantic group flight that is not included in the program fee. We recommend that students take this flight.
