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Program Dates: May 22 to July 3, 2008
Priority Application Deadline: December 1, 2007
Application Deadline: February 15, 2008
Type of Program: Faculty-Led
The Oral History as Journalism- Spain course will be offered in conjunction with the UT Spanish Language and Culture Program in Cádiz, Spain. Classes are held on the campus of the Universidad de Cádiz. This program aims to significantly improve your knowledge of the Spanish language, including your ability to speak correctly and effectively outside the classroom and to integrate you as much as possible into the local culture.
Students enroll in six hours of coursework. Two courses in the program are taught by faculty from The University of Texas at Austin (in parenthesis) and other courses are taught by local professors.
J349T: Oral History as Journalism- Spain (M. Rivas-Rodríguez)
SPN 312L: Second Year Spanish II
SPN 318: Advanced Conversation
SPN 326L: Introduction to Spanish Literature since 1700
SPN 327G: Advanced Grammar and Composition I
SPN 328: Spanish Civilization
SPN 346: Practical Phonetics
SPN 367K: Syntax and Stylistics: Bilingualism (R. Salaberry)
Courses and dates are subject to change.
Two summer sessions will be offered in Cádiz; but the Journalism course will only be offered during the first session. Students interested in extending their stay in Spain and earning additional credits in Spanish can apply to participate in the second summer session in Cadiz or in Santander, also offered through UT-CGEO.
The Oral History as Journalism- Spain course is taught by professor Maggie Rivas-Rodríguez, whose teaching and research interests include the intersection of oral history and journalism, as well as U.S. Latinos and the news media, both as producers of news and as consumers. Professor Rivas-Rodriguez leads the U.S. Latino and Latina World War II Oral History Project.
In-residence credit is earned. Students will register for two first-session courses during summer registration for a total of six hours. Those who want to extend their stay in Spain may elect to attend the UT program in Cádiz or Santander for the second summer session. Please contact the CGEO for more information on those options.
Students in the College of Communication may apply the Oral History as Journalism course (J349T) toward satisfying the requirements for the Latino Media Studies Concentration.
The program is open to undergraduate students of The University of Texas at Austin. Journalism students enrolled in the Oral History as Journalism - Spain class will be expected to have successfully completed J315 and must have completed (or have credit by examination) for SPN 312K by the program start date. Students outside of journalism will be expected to have upper division standing and SPN 312K by the program start date.
All participants must meet the course prerequisites for the Spanish language courses. For questions about Spanish Language courses and prerequisites, please contact: Elizabeth Hastings in the UT Department of Spanish & Portuguese.
The model used for this class is one that professor Rivas-Rodríguez developed over eight years – one in which students read about the historical context of the topic under consideration, and then apply that context to the actual interview. From the beginning, students will be seeking to apply that social and historical context to areas in their own backyard, comparing and contrasting what they know about the U.S. to what they are learning about Spain – a sharpening of their critical thinking skills. For instance, the Spanish Civil War (beginning with the military coup of July 1936 until March 1939), which touched lives far beyond Spain, might be considered as one important backdrop in several different possible topics. So, too, might the Spanish-American War of 1898, which resulted ultimately in the end of Spain’s colonial powers, as the U.S. gained control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam, inform the topic chosen.
This oral history model is about reinforcing: the historical/social context of a topic, the language skills, and the interviewing expertise. Students read about the topic, interview a knowledgeable source, transcribe the interview, write a story based, in part, on the interview, and finally, revisit the interview subject for revision and clarification. By the end of the semester, students will be able to discuss the topic with some measure of authority, and will be eager to learn more about Spain and about the particular topic. By interviewing in Spanish, and transcribing that interview, the students’ language skills will be reinforced, both in the verbalization of the questions, the mental translation that must occur throughout the interview process, and finally, in transcribing the interview, word for word in Spanish, and finally, translating particular quotes into English for use in a story that will be used, most likely, on a website.
In addition to cultural activities and educational excursions around Cádiz, the program includes excursions local cities like Seville and Granada. Past programs have also included an optional trip to Morocco for an additional fee; the trip has enabled students to more fully experience the cultural roots of Andalusía. Excursions will include visits to area archives to explore resources for the Oral History as Journalism course. Excursions, as well as program dates, are subject to change.
To maximize cultural immersion, students live with carefully selected local families and are encouraged to speak only Spanish while at home and whenever possible at the University. Students share lunch, the biggest and most important meal of the day, with their host families. Whenever possible, only one or two UT students will be assigned to each household. In some cases, Spanish families will host multiple American students. These households are particularly well-suited for students interested in meeting other Americans interested in Spanish Language & Culture. The opportunity to live with host families usually proves to be student’s favorite part of their experience abroad.
Program fee: $3,950
Round trip airfare: $1,200
Additional meals: $1,000
Books and Supplies: $100
Passport and ISIC card: $130
Estimated Texas resident cost for summer 2008 UT-Austin tuition and fees for 6 credits* $2,612
Total estimated expenses: $8,992
*Non-resident tuition and fee costs for summer 2008 are available here.
Students’ financial aid awards may be applied toward the cost of studying abroad. Financial aid packages can be recalculated based on the additional costs of the program. Students not currently using financial aid, who are interested in applying for it, are encouraged to do so.
Various scholarships are specifically designated for international study, including IEF, and Co-Op Goes awards. However, additional scholarship opportunities are also available. Please refer to the funding information for study abroad for further information on financial aid and scholarship opportunities. It is important to begin planning as early as possible since some scholarships have to be applied for one year in advance.
The final application deadline for this program is February 15, 2008, pending seat availability. There are a number of steps to complete for the application, so students are encouraged to apply early. Please refer to the Step by Step Guide to Study Abroad for students in the College of Communication.
Students who are interested in learning more about the Cadiz program and the application process should attend an information session in the College of Communication or a group advising session in the Center for Global Education Opportunities, CGEO. Please refer to the schedule of information sessions.
For study abroad advising/course/degree planning, see your academic advisor.
For more information on this program, please attend an information session, or contact Sara Spiegler (471-6490) in the CGEO.
For specific information on Spanish language courses, contact Elizabeth Hastings or Christine Fisher in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese.