What You'll Learn
The Legal Studies program offers highly motivated students with a strong Spanish background, from any academic discipline, an opportunity to further develop their Spanish language skills while pursuing a co-curricular program focused on law and public policy in Spain. The program goals are achieved through a specially-designed language course, a course on legal issues in Spain, an optional internship, and law and political science elective courses at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Program Snapshot- Advanced Spanish language courses with a focus on legal terminology
- CIEE core course focusing on the Spanish legal system
- Regular university courses in law and political science
- Optional law-related internship
- Group housing with other Legal Studies students and a CIEE Resident Fellow affiliated with the Universidad Carlos III
- Cultural and educational activities related to the program focus such as visits to Congress, Parliament, and guided tours of the historical district and a police station
- Excursions to sites of cultural importance in and around Madrid and Spain
- Conversation exchange
- Tutors
SubjectsCriminal Law
European Law
European Union Studies
Family Law
History of Law
International Law
Internship
Labor Union Law
Philosophy of Law
Political Economy
Political Science
Public Government Law
Public Policy
Religion and Law
Roman Law
Spanish Law
Spanish Legal Language
Eligibility- 3.0 GPA
- 6 semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent
- Junior standing or above
Academic Program
The CIEE Legal Studies program is designed for advanced Spanish language students who are highly motivated to improve their Spanish language through coursework focused on law, public policy, and political science, while also participating in a Legal Studies internship in Madrid.
Academic Culture
The Law Department at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid offers various degree programs with a total enrollment of nearly 3,000 students. All courses are held in classroom buildings on the Getafe campus where the Department of Law and the CIEE Study Center office are located. Courses are academically challenging, dynamic, and involve daily reading and homework assignments as well as required attendance at lectures. The size of regular university courses varies from 25 to 80 students. The Advanced Spanish and Legal Language and Law in Contemporary Spain courses have an average of 15 students per class. University classrooms are modern, comfortable, and equipped with the most up-to-date technology used for instruction. The Legal Studies Internship meets regularly with the course coordinator and other CIEE students, but participants spend the majority of their internship for credit at the practicum site.
Beginning in fall 2008, Carlos III will be one of the first universities in Spain to apply the new education guidelines according to European Union regulations set forth in the Bologna Agreement, resulting in an academic schedule that is very similar to U.S. higher education. The CIEE courses offered in the fall semester begin in late August/early September and end just before Christmas. Students enrolled in regular courses in the Law Department during the fall take exams in December. The spring semester program begins in mid-January and runs through the end of May. Early departure is not allowed. Any extended travel should take place prior to the start of the program, during vacation periods, or upon completion of the program.
Where You'll Study - Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, established in 1989, is one of Europe's preeminent public universities with one of the highest percentages (42%) of full-time and tenured women faculty in Spain. With 4,000 undergraduate students at the Getafe campus, where CIEE students take classes, the University has three schools: humanities, social sciences, and engineering. The Getafe campus is located in the southern metropolitan area, easily accessible by public transportation, approximately 30 minutes by bus and 15 minutes by train from the Atocha train station.
Program Requirements
All students enroll in two CIEE courses: Advanced Spanish and Legal Language and Law in Contemporary Spain. Students complete their academic program by selecting two or three elective courses through the Department of Law or the Department of Political Science at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Students have the option of enrolling in a Legal Studies Internship in place of one of the elective courses if approved by their home school and they meet the academic requirements.
Credit
Total recommended credit for the semester is 12?15 semester/18?22.5 quarter hours and for the academic year 24?30 semester/36?45 quarter hours. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester credits to remain on the program.
Contact hours for CIEE and regular university courses are 45 hours and recommended credit is 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours, unless otherwise indicated.
Application Deadlines
Spring 2009: 10/15/2008
Fall 2009: 4/1/2009
Academic Year 2008-09: 4/1/2008
Duration
Spring 2009: 20 weeks: mid-January - late May
Fall 2009: 20 weeks: late August/early September - mid-December
Academic Year 2008-09: 40 weeks: late August - late June
The CIEE fees for 2008-09 include an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, tuition, housing, all meals, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, field trips, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.
Orientation
A week-long orientation session conducted at the beginning of the program introduces students to the country, culture, and the academic program; providing practical information about living in Spain, and in particular, Madrid. Themes such as the Spanish university system, banking, safety, and cultural adaptation are covered. A diagnostic language skills examination is also conducted to determine the linguistic level of all participants so that each student is placed in appropriate courses. Orientation includes both structured cultural activities and independent sightseeing, and is maintained on an individual and group basis throughout the program.
Housing and Meals
Students live in furnished apartments with other CIEE students and, in some cases, with a CIEE Resident Fellow. Fellows are law professionals, graduate students, and/or staff members at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid who provide students with general guidance during their time in Madrid.
All apartments are located in the city of Madrid and, in most cases, are in the same building and/or neighborhood. Students have an individual room and full kitchen access with a variable meal plan in an informal academic and social community. To accommodate student class and internship schedules, the meal plan comprises both university cafeteria meal tickets and a monthly food stipend. The CIEE Resident Fellow also arranges group meals to help foster cultural reflection among participants. Students take public transportation to their classes at the Getafe campus, on average a 30- to 45-minute commute.
Internet
Students receive an individual University e-mail account and have unlimited access to computer labs for class-related activities on campus. There are hook-ups to high speed Internet in various classrooms at Carlos III, which can be used when classes are not taking place. Students are encouraged to bring wireless-enabled laptops to use on campus and in the CIEE office. Most apartments do not have Internet access.
Cultural Activities and Field TripsThe academic program is supplemented with required field trips and excursions. This may include visits in Madrid (Congress, Parliament, the High Courts, guided tours of the historical district, a police station, etc.) and day excursions to locations such as historic Toledo and its Jewish and legal heritage, the Natural Park of Hoces de Duratón, the Monastary of El Escorial, the Roman architecture of the city of Segovia, the UNESCO world heritage site of Alcalá de Henares, and the Royal Palace and gardens of Aranjuez. CIEE offers one weekend trip to one of the following regional destinations: Asturias, Galicia, Extremadura, or Andalucía. Field trips and excursions supplement class work and introduce students to the rich diversity of the geographic, linguistic, and cultural areas of Spain and its major cities.
Intercambios
The University has a conversation exchange network (intercambios) with Spanish students at Carlos III and English speaking students from the Cursos Estudios Hispánicos. Intercambios give students the chance to put into action what they are learning in their language course.
Community Involvement
Through the Universidad Carlos III community program, CIEE students can participate in volunteer work. Students work with groups throughout the semester and may assist blind students, coordinate games and other activities with children, or visit with the elderly. Volunteer opportunities also exist related to immigration and other social issues.
Language Tutors
Additional language support is offered for regular university courses. With CIEE supervision, students may find tutors (either graduate students or classmates) who help them get the most out of the classes. In general, tutors meet once a week for an hour as necessary for a period up to ten weeks.
