Madrid - Engineering

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Overview

Quick Facts

City:

Madrid [1]

Country:

Spain [2]

Program credits:

15-16 per semester (4-5 courses)

Language(s) of Instruction:

English

Spanish

Language prerequisites:

None

As the leading center of industry, commerce, and technology in Spain, Madrid is an ideal city to study engineering and its applications in the professional world.

This program is designed for engineering students who want to take engineering courses taught in English or Spanish at one of the most prestigious engineering universities in Spain—Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

You enroll in one Spanish language course and may choose to take up to three engineering courses taught at Carlos III. Founded in 1989, the university has quickly become one of the top universities in Spain and is known for its state-of-the-art laboratories. Carlos III is located in Leganés, a suburb just south of Madrid.

Madrid will also be your classroom. Take an architectural walking tour to see Madrid’s many beautiful buildings, churches, and structures. Visit the city’s famous museums, like the Prado and Sorolla, to inspire your coursework. Enjoy our cultural week that focuses on the Spanish War of Independence. Welcome to study abroad!

We want you to feel at home in Madrid, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Madrid, from an informational orientation to cultural activities. Enjoy one of our many field trip opportunities to explore your Spanish surroundings, too.

Program Dates

These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.

Academics

Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.

We offer unique courses that explore Engineering and, as well as other topics, through an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world-class professors and course options at the prestigious Universidad Carlos III enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.

You take 15–16 credit hours per semester. All courses are taught in English except for the language courses. You craft your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional components:

IES Abroad Spanish course (required, 4 credits)
IES Abroad English-taught engineering elective courses (up to 4 credits)
IES Abroad Spanish-taught elective courses (up to 9 credits)
Universidad Carlos III courses (up to 12 credits)

Courses

This is a list of planned course offerings. A final list of course offerings will be made available to you in your MyIESabroad account.

To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication [3].

Partner Institution(s)

About Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
www.uc3m.es [4]
Although the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is a relatively new institution, it has already established leading programs in the areas of Economics, Business Administration, and Law, while its efforts in Engineering and research are becoming quickly recognized internationally. In addition, it is among the first universities in Spain to comply with the new European Higher Education Area requirements (part of the Bologna Process). Faculty and students come from around the world to join UC3M in its role as a truly global institution.

Courses
All local university courses are available in the following disciplines and are taught in English. Spanish is an option for some:

Aerospace Engineering [5]
Automation and Industrial Electronics Engineering [6]
Audiovisual System Engineering [7]
Biomedical Engineering [8]
Communication Systems Engineering [9]
Electrical Power Engineering [10]
Industrial Technology Engineering [11]
Informatics Engineering [12]
Mechanical Engineering [13]
Telecommunication Technology Engineering [14]
Telematics Engineering [15]

Location & Commute Time
The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid has three campuses, with its Engineering school located on the campus in Leganés, a cozy suburb just south of Madrid's city center. The campus is easily accessible by public transportation. The commute time from IES Abroad Madrid Engineering housing to UC3M is approximately 30 minutes by train.

Housing

Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Madrid, it will feel like home.

Homestays – Live in Spanish homes with señoras or families and eat breakfast and one additional meal per day (either lunch or dinner) with your hosts when the program is in session. In many cases, more than one IES Abroad student is placed with a señora or family. Commute time to the university and Center will be from 25 to 45 minutes.

Homestays with Kitchen Privileges – If you are interested in a homestay but prefer to purchase your own food and prepare your own meals, you may wish to consider this option. With this option, you will receive a meal credit. A very limited number of these placements are available. Commute time to the university and Center will be from 25 to 45 minutes.

Apartments– Share apartments located in residential areas in Madrid. Apartments are furnished, and feature fully-equipped kitchens. Utilities, regular cleaning, and wireless Internet access are included, as well as the support of a Spanish apartment guide. Space is limited, and meals are not included. Commute time to the university and Center will be from 25 to 45 minutes.

Student Life

Part of making you feel at home in Madrid is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, house that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.

Orientation

The program begins with an orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad Madrid staff, your fellow students, and the city of Madrid.

Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.

You also take field visits to high-tech companies throughout Madrid to become familiar with the Spanish work culture. You participate in intensive Spanish language classes throughout your first two weeks.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

Redefine the way you live and learn in Madrid through our cultural activities, such as:

Attending lectures by local film directors and poets
Visiting the national newspaper
Taking lessons in Spanish cooking and dance
Participating in sports activities such as soccer games
Enjoying a cultural week focused on the Spanish War of Independence against Napoleon’s Army

University Clubs & Events
There are many opportunities for you to participate in the life of the city alongside local Spanish students at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M). We encourage you to take advantage of the any extra-curricular activities open to you at UC3M. More information will be given on-site.

Field Trips

Although your adventure begins in Madrid, our field trips take you to other great cities in and around Spain to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in the Madrid.

We organize several one to three day field trips for you. Some trips are included in the cost of the program, while other trips are available and may be subsidized by IES Abroad. Past destinations are listed below.

Valencia
3 days
Visit Spain’s third largest city, rich with delicious cuisine, excellent weather, and countless cultural outlets, such as Europe’s newest cultural and scientific complex, Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (the City of Arts & Sciences).

Asturias
3 days
Home of the largest national park in Spain, Picos de Europa.

El Escorial
1 day
Visit this royal site that was once the residence of the king of Spain, as well as a monastery for the Roman Catholic church. The palace is also the burial site for nearly every king and queen since the 16th century.

Segovia
1 day
Site of a Roman aqueduct and historical palaces and churches of Spain’s Golden Age.

Toledo
1 day
Known as the “city of three cultures”—Christian, Muslim, and Jewish—Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy that makes the city an open-air museum.

Aranjuez-Chinchón
1 day
Home to one of Madrid’s most well-known royal palaces and gardens.

Salamanca
2 days
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, it is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to teaching Spanish language.

Bilbao
2 days
The impressive Guggenheim Museum has become the icon of Bilbao; tradition and modernity go hand in hand in this incredible city.

Center

IES Abroad Madrid [16]

The IES Abroad Madrid Center is located in the heart of the Universidad Complutense’s main campus, inside the San Agustín residence hall. There are two museums — The Museo de América and the Museo del Traje— within walking distance of the Center. Features include:

High-speed wireless internet and printer access
An outdoor swimming pool
A student lounge and garden
A small gym
A library, classrooms, and offices

Center staff:

Elvira Munoz
IES Abroad Madrid Director
Elvira Muñoz, Director, IES Abroad Madrid, served a two-year appointment as Associate Director for the Education Abroad Program at the University of California Madrid. Her association with the University of California began at UCLA, where she was a Lecturer and Associate Undergraduate Vice Chair of the Mathematics Department, 2000-2002, and Visiting Assistant Professor, 1995-2000. She received two Distinguished Teaching awards during her career at UCLA. She also has taught mathematics at State University of New York at Stony Brook, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Mathematics from Université Paris XI, and a B.S. in Mathematics from Universidad de Salamanca. Her considerable experience abroad also includes work and study in Germany, Sweden, and Brazil.

IES Abroad Staff

María José Cacho
Assistant Administration and Student Services

Marta Camacho
Academic Advisor

Yolanda Charlán
Student Affairs Coordinator

Angel López
Student Affairs Coordinator

Gemma Muñoz Garcia
Senior Academic and Internship Coordinator

Yolanda Real
Assistant Director of Administration

Faculty

Fernando Alonso
Economics
Doctor en Ciencias Económicas, Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Montserrat Alonso Cuenca,
Spanish
M.A. en Filología Hispánica

Juana Anadón Benedicto,
History
Doctora en Historia, Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Josefina Blanca Armenteros,
Art History
Licenciada en Geografía e Historia

Epicteto Díaz
Spanish Literature
Doctor en Filología Hispánica Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Rafael Fernández Sánchez,
Economics
Doctor en Ciencias Económicas Profesor, Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio

Antonia Fernández Valencia,
History
Doctora en Historia, Profesora, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Emilio García
Spanish Film
Doctor en Historia del Cine, Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Javier Huerta Calvo,
Spanish Literature
Doctor en Filología Hispánica Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Cristina Iborra Mateo,
Spanish Language
M.A. en Periodismo
Licenciada en Filología Inglesa

Fernando Luengo Escalonilla,
Economics
Doctor en Ciencias Económicas, Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Amalia López Salso,
Spanish Language and Literature
M.A., Humanities, Southern Methodist University; Licenciada en Ciencias Biológicas

Beatriz Mariño
Art History
Doctora en Historia del Arte, Profesor

Ana Martín Pascual,
Spanish
Licenciada en Filología Hispánica, Advanced Certificate Latin American Literature

José Manuel Matilla Rodríguez,
Art History
Licenciado en Geografía e Historia, Conservador del Departamento de Dibujos y Estampas, Museo del Prado

José Antonio Nieto Solís,
Economics
Doctor en Ciencias Económicas, Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

María Pardo Serrano,
Spanish Language
Licenciada en Geografía e Historia

Aurora Pastor Martínez,
Theater Performance
Licenciada en Ciencias Políticas, Actress

Emilio Peral Vega
Spanish Literature
Doctor en Filología Hispánica

Emilio Peral Vega,
Spanish Literature
Doctor en Filología Hispánica

Juan Carlos Pereira Castañares,
Contemporary History
Doctor en Historia, Profesor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Cost