Semester in Madrid

Excursions & Activities

• Visit the world heritage site of El Escorial´s Royal Palace, Kings´ Pantheon, and Monastery built under the reign of King Philip II of Spain in the 1500s. Located in the mountains about a one-hour drive north of Madrid, El Escorial’s impressive architecture offers visitors a glimpse into the legacy of slavery, colonialism, and daily life of the royal court, where decisions were made at the height of the Spanish Empire as a global powerhouse. Students have free time to explore the neighboring 18th-century village, San Lorenzo.   
• Take a day trip to visit UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the medieval city of Alcalá de Henares or hike the trails in the Guadarrama Mountains 
• Discover the flavors of Spain while learning the culinary history on a tapas food tour 
• Soak up Spanish culture with museum visits, dance classes, urban art, and graffiti tours, and popular neighborhood visits to Lavapiés, Malasaña, or La Latina   
• Savor downtime with local students while you play basketball, frisbee, hike, kayak, swim, or catch a theater, dance, or music performance 

Projects

Internship: A for-credit internship (in English or Spanish) allows students the opportunity to gain practical real-world work experience in a local company within a variety of industry sectors. In addition to the on-site business experience, students participating in an internship program have a weekly classroom component, which provides academic support to their practical experience.  

Directed Independent Research: Designed for qualified students who have demonstrated academic rigor and curiosity toward a particular research topic; independent research topics will be approved by CIEE Madrid and the home institution and must reflect a topic that is relevant to Madrid or Spain. (English or Spanish.)