Parc Guell public garden overlooking Barcelona, designed and built by Guadi and Josep Jujol in 1914. International Programs offered a new, limited-time program in Barcelona, Spain for students in the 2022-23 academic year. Photo courtesy of Greg Muger
International Programs is welcoming Barcelona, Spain as a new, limited-time study abroad location for students for the 2022-23 academic year, in addition to the existing six academic-year programs. The Barcelona program will kick off fall 2022 and will go through spring 2023, with no further terms available at this time.
The University will offer the Barcelona program to provide more opportunities for students to go abroad, after the pandemic and large Class of 2024 disrupted many student’s study abroad plans, according to the Barcelona Program website.
“Barcelona is an ideal location for this unique opportunity,” wrote Greg Muger, IP director at the Malibu office, in an April 5 email to the Graphic. “It is a vibrant, modern and diverse city that offers countless academic and cultural resources conducive to a high-quality study abroad experience.”
Pepperdine is partnering with CAPA: The Global Education Network to provide the program, as Pepperdine does not have its own campus in Barcelona. CAPA has worked with educational institutions for over 45 years to provide study abroad opportunities, according to its website.
“CAPA has been and will continue to work hand-in-hand with Pepperdine to create a curated study abroad experience comparable to our other International Program locations,” Muger wrote.
Students will take classes with other Pepperdine students, participate in an Educational Field Trip and have a faculty in-residence, similar to the existing academic year programs.
The University chose Barcelona due to ease of travel, academic quality, opportunities of cultural immersion and service opportunities, the city’s health and safety and sufficient facilities, Muger wrote.
Barcelona students will reside with their cohort peers in a residence hall — located in the city’s central square, Plaça de Catalunya. The residence hall is approximately 20 minutes via public transport from the school, Barcelona Student Center, according to the website.
Muger wrote Pepperdine will share both its residence hall and school building with other universities and their study abroad participants, a change from the traditional IP experience.
April Marshall, professor of Hispanic Studies, will serve as the faculty in-residence for the fall semester. CAPA Barcelona Director Rebecca Swanson will serve as the staff member on-site for students. All other faculty will be hired in Spain, Muger wrote.
The program will offer General Education classes, alongside speciality Spanish classes for students to choose from, according to the Barcelona Planned Courses.
The classes in Barcelona will be the same as those offered in Malibu, but with an emphasis on the local and religious context of Barcelona, Muger wrote. Flamenco dance — a Spanish dance form — will be one of the new classes offered in Barcelona.
Applications are due April 18 at noon for all applicants for fall 2022 and the academic year. For the spring 2023 semester, IP will consider applications on a rolling basis until Sept. 1, or until the program fills up, according to the website.
Muger wrote the program can accommodate a similar number of students as Pepperdine’s mid-to-large sized existing campuses — usually around 50 students.
All academic year and fall 2022 applicants must also have a valid passport. All prospective students who do not have a valid passport should contact the IP office before submitting their application.
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Ashley Mowreader contributed to this reporting.
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Contact Abby Wilt via Twitter (@abby_wilt) or by email: abby.wilt@pepperdine.edu
