From Blueprint to Reality
As a senior Global Studies major with a minor in Political Science and Sociology, Sarah Anderson decided to study abroad with Academic Programs International (API) in Granada, Spain for the fall 2019 semester. As a student at Lesley, Sarah had the opportunity to study abroad through hundreds of different programs or partner institutions, but after careful consideration and planning, she chose the University of Granada through API.
For Sarah, choosing Granada was a decision based on the rich cultural and historical significance Granada has within Spain. “I wanted to be in the Andalusia region of Spain because of its cultural history and differences, which include Islamic and Jewish influences," Sarah says. After reviewing the provider's study abroad programs, she was also convinced by their interesting classes, guided tours, and multiple excursions.
While in Granada, Sarah had a few goals. First, she wanted to learn about another culture and history, as well as their societal norms. To this end, Sarah took three elective courses that she wouldn't have been able to take at Lesley. These courses included Environmental Politics of the European Union, where she learned about the European Union's governmental structure regarding environmental politics. She also took Spanish Culture and Civilization where she learned about Spanish culture, customs, and norms. The third class was a history course—Islamic Culture in Spain—that delved into Muslim identity in Spain regarding the inquisition, architecture, and the Muslim empires of Andalusia.
Sarah's also wanted to improve her conversational skills in Spanish. And to achieve this goal, Sarah took multiple Spanish language courses while immersing herself in the language each day. She was also able to fulfill her major's requirements by taking a foreign language.