You are here
Barcelona – Full-Time Semester Internship
$5 Million in Scholarships & Aid
Academics
Before you go, we work with you to fine-tune your résumé, perfect your cover letter, and hone your communication and interview skills as we prepare you for working in a new cultural environment. You’ll be guaranteed a placement at a local business or organization that fits your professional interests.
Academic Seminar
While working in Barcelona, you’ll also enroll in a required 3-credit internship seminar with other IES interns, where you’ll gain context for your internship placement by examining cultural issues in the workplace. Topics covered include:
- Understanding workplace culture
- Improving communication
- Strengthening work attitude and aptitude
- Resolving conflicts
- Navigating issues, challenges, and opportunities so you can succeed on the job in Barcelona and when you return home
Personalized Placements
Your internship coordinator will work with you to find a placement in the field of your choice. We’ve placed past interns in the fields listed below.
- Business
- Education/Language Instruction
- Health (non-clinical)*
- International Business
- International Relations
- IT
- Journalism
- Law*
- Marketing
- Media & Communications
- Not-for-Profit Organizations
- Psychology (non-clinical)*
- Tourism
- And more!
Don’t see your field listed? Just talk to your IES Internships Advisor. We are always finding new opportunities.
*Some fields might require an advanced knowledge of Spanish.
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.
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ED/IN 395 - Internship Seminar: Education | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ED/IN 395 - Internship Seminar: Education | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| IN 395A - Internship Seminar | Fall, Spring, Summer | English | 3 |
| IN 395B - Internship Seminar | Fall, Spring | Spanish | 3 |
| SO/IN 395 - Internship Seminar: Social Action | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SO/IN 395 - Internship Seminar: Social Action | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
Field Trips & Events
Though you’ll be living and working in Barcelona, you also have the opportunity to join IES Abroad-organized field trips that take you beyond the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country. These trips are available for an additional cost and are dependent on your work schedule.
Here are a few possible destinations:
The Basque Country & Navarre
4 Days | Fall & Spring
Discover the unique gastronomy of the Basque Country, learn from artisans who elaborate local delicacies, and attempt to create (with your own hands) the meals that make up this rich culinary tradition.
Costa Brava
3 Days | Fall & Spring
Visit Greek and Roman ruins, the medieval city of Girona, and the “dreamland” of Salvador Dalí between Barcelona and the French border.
Madrid
3 Days | Fall & Spring
Discover the vibrant capital of Spain! See the works of El Greco, Goya, and Velazquez first-hand in the world-famous Prado Museum.
South of France
3 days | Spring
Visit Carcassonne to learn about its rich history, and enjoy a boat ride nearby. Next, head to Lastours to see castles and the Fontfroide Abbey. The last stop is Perpignan, where you will have the chance to compare the difference between the Spanish Catalan and French Catalan cultures.
Valencia
3 days | Spring
Enjoy a guided tour around the city and make Paella, the most famous dish in Spain. Then visit the nearby town of Peñíscola to see the Papa Luna’s Castle, a medieval building constructed by Templar knights that was home to the Pope during the 13th century.
Montserrat
1 Day | Fall & Spring
Spend the day hiking the mountain of Montserrat and visit the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey.
Note: IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.
Daily Life
Part of making you feel at home in Barcelona is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is welllocated and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services.
Orientation
The program begins with an orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad Barcelona staff, your fellow students, and the city of Barcelona.
Our Comprehensive Orientation & Re-Entry Experience (CORE™) begins right when you arrive and continues through the semester with activities focusing on academic and cultural adjustment. Detailed information about housing, public transportation, culture, health and safety, and other important topics are also covered.
You will also meet our Barcelona Cultural Companions or tutores culturales, who will join you on DiscoverIES and help you get to know the Spanish culture.
A study journey is included as part of orientation. Past destinations have included Tarragona.
Housing
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which 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 Barcelona, it will feel like home.
Homestays – Normally, two or three IES Abroad students live in a home with local residents and students share a double room. You are provided two meals a day (breakfast and dinner) while the program is in session. Laundry and WiFi are included.
Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events
DiscoverIES
DiscoverIES are a unique blend of course-related and cultural field trips. With this hybrid experience, you have the ability to understand the culture in the context of your coursework.
With 60+ DiscoverIES per semester, you have the exciting opportunity to familiarize yourself with Barcelona through cultural activities led by IES Abroad Barcelona professors. Visit the city’s many influential buildings, learn about its one-of-a-kind history, and become part of the Spanish and Catalan culture.
DiscoverIES are also a great way to meet and spend time with other students on your program, as well as IES Abroad Barcelona staff and professors. These optional activities are either free or highly subsidized.
Some past examples of DiscoverIES may include:
- Discover the Quadrat d’Or, or Golden Square, in a guided tour in the Eixample District, an exceptional area that focuses on Barcelona’s Modernist style (Art Noveau) at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century
- Enjoy a Flamenco workshop, where you’ll learn a few basic dance steps, the history behind the dance and attire, and taste traditional Andalucían fare
- Hike Tibidabo, the tallest mountain in Serra de Collserola, tour the Modernist and Neo-Gothic Sagrat Cor Temple, and visit the oldest amusement park in Spain
- Visit an organic farm and learn about sustainability with an IES Abroad professor
- Visit the aquarium at Delta de L’Ebre, the coastal lagoons on the southern shore (Encanyissada and Tancada), Trabucador Beach and Alfacs Bay, and the fishing harbor at Sant Carles de la Ràpita.
Get to Know Your New City
Have Fun in the Sun
Spend time strolling and swimming under the sun along Barcelona's four miles of sandy beaches.
Hike Mount Juic
A climb up this hill offers spectacular views of the city. From here, you can also explore several great museums and the beautiful buildings from the 1992 Olympic Games.
Check Out Some Live Music
From huge festivals to hole-in-the-wall venues, playing everything from electronica to punk, there’s more to Barcelona’s music scene than its iconic Rumba Catalana.
Appreciate the Art
Home to numerous works by Pablo Picasso, the surreal sculptures of Joan Miró, and the fantastic, dreamlike architecture of Gaudi, there’s plenty of art—indoors and out—to inspire you.
Eat, Drink, and Eat Some More!
Catalan cuisine consists of savory stews, fresh seafood, delicious jamón, spicy potatoes, olives, and so much more. Wash it down with a cold orxata (a refreshing drink made from the tiger nut plant).
Program Cost
Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.
Scholarships & Aid
Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs
$5 Million in Scholarships & Aid
Our Center
- High-speed and wireless internet access
- Multimedia classrooms
- Study lounges with printers
- Large outdoor terrace with social and study space
Our Staff
Cèsar Alegre Alsina, Ph.D.
Center Director & AVP for Program Development
Dr. Cèsar Alegre Alsina has been the Director of our Barcelona programs since 2008. He is originally from Barcelona and speaks Spanish, Catalan, and English fluently. He brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education to IES Abroad, including a noteworthy teaching career in the United States, experience in student services, and a strong research portfolio. Before coming to IES Abroad, Dr. Alegre Alsina taught Spanish language, as well as Spanish and Hispanic Culture and Literature at Amherst College for 16 years. He is the author of a book on Hispanic Americans (Scholastic), and has contributed to the Encyclopedia of Hispanic Americans (BRG Oxford) and numerous articles and reviews in American and international journals. Dr. Alegre Alsina received his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University, his Master’s degree in Hispanic Literature at Auburn University, and his doctorate from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
IES Abroad Staff
IES Abroad Staff
Samanta Ascaso
Academics Department Assistant
Lorena Chinnici
Outside Courses and Customized Programs Coordinator
Head of Registration Interim
Elizabeth Ferreiro
Student Activities and DiscoverIES Specialist
Natalia Gil
Academics Department Assistant
Pilar Gracia
Administration Coordinator and DiscoverIES Coordinator
María Mejías
Language Faculty Advisor
Beatriz Moya
Student Affairs Assistant
Salvador Ortiz
Head of Administration and Human Resources
María Paéz
Internship, Service Learning and Volunteering Specialist
Ignasi Pérez
Area Studies Faculty Advisor
Noemí Polo
Student Affairs Coordinator - Health and Safety, Homestays
Ataúlfo Portela
Language Faculty Advisor
María Romero
Assistant Dean of Faculty and Faculty Advisor Coordinator
Olga Sánchez
Head of Student Affairs
Beatriz Taberner
Center Administrator and Orientation Coordinator
Ana Tarife
Internship, Service Learning, and Volunteering Coordinator
Ferran Terés
Student Affairs Coordinator - Apartments
Laura Vázquez
Language Faculty Advisor of Educational Technology
Alex Walker
Assitant Director and Dean of Faculty
Latest from Barcelona
Contact a Past Participant
From budgeting tips to housing insight, 500+ IES Abroad Ambassadors volunteer their study abroad experiences and advice.
