Study Sociology in Spain! Maymester 2012

Study Abroad in Seville

The sociology courses will start May 17 and end June 1. Many undergraduate students take more than one course during the Maymester. For example, Political Science is offering POLS 3351: The Judicial Process for the same dates as SOC 2331.  There may be other courses, check with the Study Abroad Office for offerings. Financial Aid may require 6 hours for summer aid.  You can take all 6 hours in Spain or return to Lubbock for more hours during Summer I or II. 

The courses will be listed as a Summer I courses so you will need to register for the class as a summer course but the course will START EARLIER than Summer I courses.  You need to be in Spain by May 16.  You will work with the Study Abroad Program to arrange travel, visas, and student orientation before and after you arrive in Spain. The Study Abroad Office (742-2974) has personnel that will help you with the necessary paperwork for travelling to Spain, including helping you with passport, visa, and international student ID cards.  Make sure you coordinate with them.

Students wishing to return for Summer I on campus in Lubbock will be able to return in time for the start of classes.

Sociology Courses Offered

SOC 2331 Sociology of Marriage. This will be a structured course with readings, lecture, and discussion that will fill one-half of the course time. Topics will include dating and mate selection practices, gender roles, varying family forms, and parenting in Spain as compared to the United States. The other one-half will consist of assigned observation studies that can be done in the Seville community. This will allow you some flexibility to study places and social interaction in which you are interested, for example behavior in cafés, grocery stores, department stores, restaurants, etc. There will be at least two group field trips where you will write about family and mating interaction – one to the beach and the other to a local Muslim community. The dates of instruction in Seville are May 19 – June 1. We would meet 2 to 3 hours Monday through Thursday. Friday - Sunday you would do field observation where you would keep a journal of behaviors you see that are relevant to the course. In April we will have 2-hour class periods once a week to learn core concepts for studying the family and how to write field notes in your journal. This will give us a headstart on the course hours so you will not have to spend lengthy days in the classroom to meet the required number of course instructions for the university. There will be an exam at the end of April on this material. Once we depart, there will not be any exams. A 10-page paper on your observations will be due June 5.

SOC 4307 Individual Studies (recommended for Social Science majors and minors). This course is unstructured meaning there will be minimal class time which will consist of group meetings and lectures/discussion regarding field notes, access to data, and data collection. In advance of leaving the United States, you and I will meet to outline an expected course of study that will detail your research project and readings. You will be expected to turn in field notes and a 15 page paper within one week of returning to the United States.

SOC 7000 Graduate Research Hours. This course will consist of a graduate-level research project. In advance of leaving the United States, you and I will meet to outline an expected course of study that will detail your research project and expected course readings. Your research project may be relevant to your thesis/dissertation and can be coordinated with your major professor. This would require a written agreement between you, me, and your professor. You will be expected to turn in field notes and at least a 25 page paper within one week of returning to the United States

Costs and Living Arrangements

You will be placed with a host family in Seville. The family will provide you with living space, meals, and weekly laundry services. You can contact the Study Abroad Office for more information regarding host families.

If you are eligible for Financial Aid at TTU, you may be eligible to use that aid to study abroad. You need to meet with Financial Aid as soon as possible to discuss this possibility and to ensure that you spread your eligibility through the summer. You should contact Veronica Camarillo veronica.camarillo@ttu.edu in Financial Aid directly for help with specific Financial Aid questions. At some point the Study Abroad office will provide the Financial Aid office with a final budget. Do not wait for the final budget as it will adjust as more students enroll (the more students, the lower your cost – so encourage your friends!!!).

There are scholarships available through the Study Abroad Program to help reduce your costs:

Study Abroad Competitive Scholarship (SACS) Students participating in a TTU Study Abroad programs are eligible to apply for the Study Abroad Competitive Scholarship. Awards range from $250—$750 for the summer. Applications for the summer are usually available online at www.studyabroad.ttu.edu at the beginning of January and are accepted until mid-February. You will need two references. Apply as soon as possible!

Click Here To Apply!

Click Here To Download The Program Flyer

The cost will depend on the number of hours you take while in Seville. Besides the normal tuition, you will pay a course fee, travel costs, and housing costs. Note that the tuition will increase for each additional course taken but the cost will be the same as it would if you took the classes in Lubbock. The final cost is determined by the Study Abroad Office. Here is the current estimate based on a class of 10 students (if more enroll, there will be a small reduction in cost):

Program Fee paid to TTU (includes cost housing, meals,
health insurance, city bus pass, laundry, field trips, etc.) = $1500

Tuition paid to TTU (this is the normal TTU rate for
 three undergraduate hours. The cost for graduate hours
 is higher and varies by residency but would be the
 normal TTU graduate tuition rate) = $917

Estimated airfare (you pay for this on your own but communicate with the SA Office before finalizing the trip) = $1500

Other costs you will pay on your own 
Passport = $135
 International Student ID Card = $22
Miscellaneous and Copy costs for course material = $32
                                   
Estimated Total = $4160