Rachel Turkington, ISA: Granada Spring 2025
My classes take place at the Centro de Lenguas Modernas (CLM) at the Universidad de Granada, along with other international students (not just from my program and not just from the United States). This is a great way to meet people from other countries and programs, but it is also a comfortable learning environment tailored to international students. Classes take place Monday to Thursday (with a few make-up Fridays during the semester) and all are 1.5 hours long, twice a week.
Classes at the CLM are offered in English and Spanish, but you must be at least a level 5 to take electives in Spanish. If you are hoping to get Spanish elective credit towards a major or minor, make sure you have a chance of obtaining this level (1 is very beginner and 9 is fluent for reference). There is a placement test with grammar, writing, and oral assessments. While the test questions went all the way to advanced concepts, it was about as difficult as I expected. Whether or not I was even going to score high enough to get the credits I needed was a stressor for me prior to leaving, so hopefully, knowing how the placement works should set some realistic expectations.
One difference between my classroom environment abroad vs at Pitt is that there is
more emphasis on participation in class. This is a large part of the evaluation especially in language classes, given that practice is the best way to get better at speaking a new language. Additionally, while many students use computers and tablets in class, many people also use regular notebooks to take notes and do homework. Many professors also do not allow computer use in class. Almost all of my homework and assignments are completed on paper and turned in during class and not on an online platform. The CLM has a platform similar to Canvas, but it is mostly used for announcements and to post final grades only. Another difference I noticed is that while punctuality is important, don’t be surprised if your classes do not start for 5 to 10 minutes after they are supposed to.
Regarding the workload, I would say I get significantly less homework than I do at Pitt. The biggest difference other than the amount is in the classes I do get homework, there are a couple of problems due the next class. At Pitt, while I may have more time to complete assignments, they are typically a couple large assignments a week. Homework is a very small part of the grade, and more emphasis is placed on the midterm, final, and participation, instead of papers or weekly assignments.
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