Hamilton College: Madrid - Academic Year in Spain

Founded in 1974 in coordination with faculty members of Williams and Swarthmore Colleges, the Hamilton College Program has as its primary goal the attainment of academic criteria commensurate with those of the very best American colleges and universities. While recognizing the particular value of those study arrangements in Spain whose calendar and budget are designed to allow the student considerable opportunity for travel, the founders of the Hamilton program nevertheless chose to stress instead the academic aspects of study abroad.

To reach this goal, considerable effort has been made to insure that class size be small (generally 8-14 students), Spanish professors be used who are not only distinguished in the fields of language, literature, art and civilization, but also eager to communicate personally with their students, and close individual guidance be given with respect to course selection and independent study work.

To qualify for admission, students must be sophomores or juniors from accredited U.S. institutions with two years college Spanish or equivalent, an overall B average and high recommendations and grades from their home Spanish department. Total fees include tuition, lodging, travel, excursions, program entertainment, etc.

To further insure that students' experience outside the classroom be as rewarding as possible, Spanish families for lodging are chosen with great care, and efforts are made to bring students into frequent contact with Spanish students their age.

The program is intended to be a full academic year study, but one semester students will also be considered. Each semester includes a ten day non-Madrid orientation in Comillas for Fall and Year students, in Nerja for Spring students.