IFSA Study in Barcelona

IFSA’s Study in Barcelona program provides a compelling curriculum that’s taught in English and focused on business and the social sciences. Crafted for U.S. degree requirements and contemporary hot topics, IFSA classes explore relevant topics in the Catalan, Spanish, and European contexts by incorporating a variety of case studies and field visits. Mix and match four to five IFSA classes for a total of 12-15 U.S. semester credit hours. All courses are worth 3 U.S. semester credits and open to all students without prerequisites.

In addition to your classes, if you’ve never studied Spanish before, you’ll take Essential Spanish. This 1 U.S. semester credit hour course in contemporary Spanish language and culture is taught intensively during the first weeks of the program. By introducing key words and phrases in the classroom—and venturing out into the city to practice them—this class also provides insights into local customs and daily life. Right from the start, you’ll gain essential skills to communicate effectively and navigate in a new culture.

Not all courses may be offered in a given semester depending on enrollment. Click on each link below for a detailed course syllabus.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable—to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. By practicing corporate social responsibility, also called corporate citizenship, companies can be conscious of the kind of impact they have on all aspects of society, including economic, social, and environmental. This class will study the responsibility that businesses have at both the local and global level, in addition to key legal and ethical considerations. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Design Thinking

Design thinking is a powerful approach to solving a wide variety of problems across many different disciplines. In this experiential class, students will learn how to flexibly sort through and solve challenges and pursue opportunities. At its coure design thinking relies on creativity; and unless one has already unleashed their innate creativity, the power of design thinking is constrained. Therefore, in this truly interdisciplinary class students will build their "creative confidence," learn design thinking, and apply these skills to a variety of challenges as they actively engage in the creative process individually and in teams. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

The Economics of Professional Soccer

Professional soccer, or football as it is more commonly known, is both a multicultural obsession and a globalized economic market. FC Barcelona, one of the world’s top soccer brands, was valued at more than $1.5 billion USD in 2020. This class explores professional soccer through the lens of behavioral economics, a discipline that blends sociological insight with economic theory. Through a case study of FC Barcelona, we will analyze various aspects of international soccer industries, as well as how professional soccer informs how Spain is viewed around the world. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Entrepreneurship: Creating a Plan of Action

The aim of this class is to provide students with an understanding of the scope of entrepreneurship and understanding of potential enablers and barriers to business start-up. A knowledge of culture and economy and its impact on entrepreneurship will be provided and will explore the personal characteristics of entrepreneurs in balancing the risk and reward of entrepreneurship. Examples of entrepreneurs and start-up organizations will be discussed and analyzed in order to draw learning for potential future ventures. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Food Culture and Spanish Society

Understanding food in culture and society is a local and global concern. Through anthropological and sociological lenses, students will consider the importance and roles of food in our personal and social lives. Even though we need food to survive and it is present in every society and culture, we cannot take for granted that we eat the same food for the same reasons at the same time; or assume that food is available everywhere with the same quality and under the same conditions. It is a matter of national security and is tied to economic growth. Situated in the fascinating culinary settee of Barcelona, this class examines food as part of national heritage, cultural identity, and as a sometimes controversial product for tourist consumption. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Identity and Politics in Spain

Identity movements around race, LGBTQ+ rights, feminism, and nationalism have swept the globe in recent years and Spain is no exception. This class examines the different levels of identity that Spanish people profess and how these different identities have affected recent politics. Drawing on histories of Catalan and Basque secessionist movements, we will also explore more contemporary struggles around gender, sexual orientation, and race in Spain, as well as the growing influence of populism and national identity against the broader backdrop of European integration. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

International Finance

This class focuses the theory of international finance and its real-world applications. Students begin by exploring fundamental concepts such as national income accounting and the Balance of Payments. Students analyze theories of both flexible and fixed exchange rate systems, and to debate the merits of each system, along with their implications for macroeconomic performance in terms of output, money supply, price levels, etc. The class concludes with an international lens on macroeconomic policy and the unique types of financial policies and crises in developing countries. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

International Internship Seminar

Students are placed in individual internships but collectively take part in the seminar to prepare for the experience, understand expectations, set personal objectives, identify, and strengthen specific skills, critically reflect on their progress, share experiences, and learn from each other throughout their term. Students develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their professional areas, and Italian work culture. In this seminar, which is focused on application of theory to practice, students gain real world work experience while developing intercultural agility—skills and experiences that are critically important to personal, academic and professional success. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Service Operations Management

This class is designed to explore, challenge and refine the principals of service operations Management in hospitality and tourism operations. The foundation is built upon an understanding that service excellence is achieved through strategy, systems and staff. By the end of this class, students should have an understanding and appreciation for facility designs and layouts, planning and analyzing service delivery system, defining and measuring service quality, and service recovery. Additionally, students will know strategies for managing demand and supply and making continual improvements a competitive strategy. Barcelona as a city of tourism provides the ideal backdrop for an up-close examination of these issues. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Social Media Marketing in the Age of Self

This class will outfit students with the tools and expertise to develop strategic and comprehensive social media marketing plans that integrate with overall marketing and communications efforts to achieve business goals. Through case studies and hands-on exercises, students will develop a deep understanding of social media platforms and best practices, leveraging these channels to elevate one's reach and reputation. Topics include choosing appropriate platforms, creating effective and engaging social media content, and developing social media policies and content management strategies. The class emphasizes social listening, ethics and diversity. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Social Psychology

Social psychology examines the perceptions, thoughts, feelings and behaviors of individuals within their social environments. In this class, methodologies used to investigate social psychology phenomena are introduced, aiding understanding of the application of social psychology research to real-world problems. Special attention is devoted to issues of socioeconomic class in Spain. This class includes three investigative field visits to diverse Barcelona neighborhoods, providing vibrant context for discussions. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Sustainability and the Global City

This class introduces theoretical and methodological tools with which to evaluate potential for sustainable urbanism. Focusing on Barcelona alongside comparative global case studies, students will be exposed to urban planning and both natural and build environments in order to evaluate the common challenges and successes related to sustainability efforts. Through experiential learning opportunities, students will develop first-hand context as they examine various facets of sustainable urbanization in Barcelona. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)

Understanding Spain through its Art

This class aims to provide the students with knowledge of Spanish culture within the context of art history. The history of the Spanish culture will be evaluated through the lenses of its most well-known artists including Goya, Picasso, Gaudí, Miró, and Dalí, among others. Students will develop a critical understanding the past and present of the current Spain in which we live. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)