The Intensive Language Program is designed for students who want to quickly advance their Spanish skills through study abroad in Buenos Aires. There are no cultural electives offered within this program; students complete a series of intensive Spanish language courses.
Official transcript, most recent grade report, or high school diploma
Entry requirement: valid passport and supporting documents
Program Details
What You’ll Study
TOTAL CREDITS - 14-21 credits per semester
The Intensive Language Program is designed for students who want to quickly advance their Spanish skills through study abroad in Buenos Aires. There are no cultural electives offered within this program; students complete a series of intensive Spanish language courses. There are several break periods of various lengths throughout the semester. Housing is included during these breaks. API excursions may be scheduled during these intra-semester breaks and students are also welcome to travel independently.
CREDIT BREAKDOWN
Forty-five U.S. contact hours generally equate to three semester credits, and the API transcript letter will recommend a total of 7 U.S. semester credits per intensive Spanish course. Students are cautioned, however, that home universities may award fewer credits for each Spanish course than the high number of contact hours may suggest.
Fall Early Start Term
Intensive Month 1
120 Argentine contact hours (108 U.S. contact hours; 7 U.S. semester credits)
5 hours of class per day, 4-5 days per week for 4 weeks
3 Additional Months
240 Argentine contact hours (216 U.S. contact hours; 14 U.S. semester credits)
3 hours of class per day, 4-5 days per week for 14 weeks
Students are advised that the early start option cannot accommodate beginning level Spanish students, though students at the beginning level are welcome to apply to the regular start fall option.
Fall Regular Start Term
3 Months
240 Argentine contact hours (216 U.S. contact hours; 14 U.S. semester credits)
3 hours of class per day, 4-5 days per week for 14 weeks
Spring Term
Intensive Month 1
120 Argentine contact hours (108 U.S. contact hours; 7 U.S. semester credits)
5 hours of class per day, 4-5 days per week for 4 weeks)
2 Additional Months
120 Argentine contact hours (108 U.S. contact hours; 7 U.S. semester credits)
3 hours of class per day, 4-5 days per week for 7 weeks
ACADEMIC AND CALENDAR YEAR STUDENTS
The Argentine academic calendar follows the calendar year: the first semester in Argentina is actually the equivalent of the spring semester in the U.S. Students who wish to study for two semesters in Argentina are encouraged to consider the Calendar Year option (spring/fall) rather than the traditional Academic Year option (fall/spring) to avoid having an extended break of 2-2.5 months between semesters. Housing is not included during the break between semesters within the Academic Year program.
Completing two semesters of the Intensive Language program is only suitable for students starting the program with a beginning level of Spanish. Students starting the first semester with intermediate Spanish skills are encouraged to select the Program of Argentine and Latin American Studies program for the spring term.
TRANSCRIPTS
API students receive a transcript from the Universidad de Belgrano upon completion of their program.
Courses
COURSE OFFERINGS
CREDIT INFORMATION
At the Universidad de Belgrano, each contact hour is equivalent to 45 minutes, rather than the standard 50 minutes in the United States. API recommends the number of credit hours to be awarded per course by translating the total number of Argentine contact hours into U.S. contact hours.
Advanced Spanish
This course is intended for students who have mastered all the major grammatical forms of the language and can communicate with relative fluency in a wide range of formal and informal situations. Students are encouraged to consolidate and perfect their communicative strategies, both oral and written. Students are required to give oral presentations at regular intervals throughout the course in order to improve their fluency and accuracy when speaking in public. Students also learn gradually to produce increasingly complex forms of expository and argumentative prose within the established conventions of written Spanish.
This course is designed for beginning level Spanish speakers. Students acquire and develop a basic knowledge of the language that allows them to communicate straightforward information in a familiar context. Classes are organized around a practical approach to learning grammar and vocabulary and emphasize production and understanding in communicative situations. Upon completing the course, students will be able to understand basic instructions, take part in basic factual conversations on a predictable topic and express simple opinions or requirements using present, past and future tenses.
This course is intended for students who already have basic communication skills. The general aim of the course is to extend students’ ability to communicate on a wider range of topics. Classes emphasize the active acquisition of grammatical structures and vocabulary. Upon completing the course, students will be able to follow or give a short talk on familiar topics, keep up a conversation on a fairly wide range of topics and write short letters and other texts on predictable subjects. Special attention is paid to classic difficulties such as ser vs. estar, para vs. por, pretérito indefinido vs pretérito imperfecto as well as the use of the subjective for expressing possibility, doubt, suggestions, and advice.
This course is intended for students who have already mastered the main grammatical features of the language and can communicate in a fairly wide range of formal and informal situations both orally and in writing. At this level, the range is significantly extended to include abstract and cultural topics. Emphasis is placed on learning vocabulary in context and distinguishing between formal and informal written and spoken registers. Special attention is paid to fluency and pronunciation as well as to producing well-organized and grammatically correct written text. Upon completing the course, students are able to express possibility, probability, hypotheses, conjectures, doubts, suggestions and advice using a good range of structures and vocabulary. They can organize their writing using temporary and logical connectors
This course is intended for students who have mastered all the major grammatical forms of the language and can communicate with relative fluency in a wide range of formal and informal situations. Students are encouraged to consolidate and perfect their communicative strategies, both oral and written. Students are required to give oral presentations at regular intervals throughout the course in order to improve their fluency and accuracy when speaking in public. Students also learn gradually to produce increasingly complex forms of expository and argumentative prose within the established conventions of written Spanish.
This course is designed for beginning level Spanish speakers. Students acquire and develop a basic knowledge of the language that allows them to communicate straightforward information in a familiar context. Classes are organized around a practical approach to learning grammar and vocabulary and emphasize production and understanding in communicative situations. Upon completing the course, students will be able to understand basic instructions, take part in basic factual conversations on a predictable topic and express simple opinions or requirements using present, past and future tenses.
This course is intended for students who already have basic communication skills. The general aim of the course is to extend students’ ability to communicate on a wider range of topics. Classes emphasize the active acquisition of grammatical structures and vocabulary. Upon completing the course, students will be able to follow or give a short talk on familiar topics, keep up a conversation on a fairly wide range of topics and write short letters and other texts on predictable subjects. Special attention is paid to classic difficulties such as ser vs. estar, para vs. por, pretérito indefinido vs pretérito imperfecto as well as the use of the subjective for expressing possibility, doubt, suggestions, and advice.
This course is intended for students who have already mastered the main grammatical features of the language and can communicate in a fairly wide range of formal and informal situations both orally and in writing. At this level, the range is significantly extended to include abstract and cultural topics. Emphasis is placed on learning vocabulary in context and distinguishing between formal and informal written and spoken registers. Special attention is paid to fluency and pronunciation as well as to producing well-organized and grammatically correct written text. Upon completing the course, students are able to express possibility, probability, hypotheses, conjectures, doubts, suggestions and advice using a good range of structures and vocabulary. They can organize their writing using temporary and logical connectors
This course is intended for students who have mastered all the major grammatical forms of the language and can communicate with relative fluency in a wide range of formal and informal situations. Students are encouraged to consolidate and perfect their communicative strategies, both oral and written. Students are required to give oral presentations at regular intervals throughout the course in order to improve their fluency and accuracy when speaking in public. Students also learn gradually to produce increasingly complex forms of expository and argumentative prose within the established conventions of written Spanish.
This course is designed for beginning level Spanish speakers. Students acquire and develop a basic knowledge of the language that allows them to communicate straightforward information in a familiar context. Classes are organized around a practical approach to learning grammar and vocabulary and emphasize production and understanding in communicative situations. Upon completing the course, students will be able to understand basic instructions, take part in basic factual conversations on a predictable topic and express simple opinions or requirements using present, past and future tenses.
This course is intended for students who already have basic communication skills. The general aim of the course is to extend students’ ability to communicate on a wider range of topics. Classes emphasize the active acquisition of grammatical structures and vocabulary. Upon completing the course, students will be able to follow or give a short talk on familiar topics, keep up a conversation on a fairly wide range of topics and write short letters and other texts on predictable subjects. Special attention is paid to classic difficulties such as ser vs. estar, para vs. por, pretérito indefinido vs pretérito imperfecto as well as the use of the subjective for expressing possibility, doubt, suggestions, and advice.
This course is intended for students who have already mastered the main grammatical features of the language and can communicate in a fairly wide range of formal and informal situations both orally and in writing. At this level, the range is significantly extended to include abstract and cultural topics. Emphasis is placed on learning vocabulary in context and distinguishing between formal and informal written and spoken registers. Special attention is paid to fluency and pronunciation as well as to producing well-organized and grammatically correct written text. Upon completing the course, students are able to express possibility, probability, hypotheses, conjectures, doubts, suggestions and advice using a good range of structures and vocabulary. They can organize their writing using temporary and logical connectors
API students participate in several excursions per session designed to help familiarize them with areas of their host city, country, and surrounding region. The following is a listing of all excursions for API Buenos Aires programs. All excursions are subject to change.
Colonia del Sacramento
A brief trip from Buenos Aires by ferry, Colonia has a unique history as the only Portuguese settlement along the Río de la Plata. Founded in 1680, it was originally seen as a threat to the Spanish settlers and the port had to operate in secret violation of Spanish laws. Today, the city is still a functioning port for a prosperous agricultural region of Uruguay. The city has a historic center with cobblestone streets and picturesque architecture. Its Barrio Historico was recognized by UNESCO and named as a heritage site in the mid-1990s.
Estancia Visit
A trip to Argentina would not be complete with only a visit to its capital city of Buenos Aires. Aside from the attractions of Buenos Aires, Argentina is known for its cattle, its wines, and its grains. Argentine legends and mythology often refer to the mysterious life of the Argentine cowboy, known as the gaucho. Located a few hours from the city, local estancias, or ranches, are a wonderful introduction to the Argentine countryside; their tranquility and open spaces contrast with the bustle of Buenos Aires and will give students a completely different vision of life in Argentina.
Tigre
Located less than 20 miles outside the heart of Buenos Aires, Tigre was founded in the first half of the 1800s on an island created by the local streams and rivers. Its name is derived from its history as an area where early settlers hunted jaguars. Today the port is most known for its craft fair, known as the “Puerto de Frutos.”
Colonia del Sacramento
A brief trip from Buenos Aires by ferry, Colonia has a unique history as the only Portuguese settlement along the Río de la Plata. Founded in 1680, it was originally seen as a threat to the Spanish settlers and the port had to operate in secret violation of Spanish laws. Today, the city is still a functioning port for a prosperous agricultural region of Uruguay. The city has a historic center with cobblestone streets and picturesque architecture. Its Barrio Historico was recognized by UNESCO and named as a heritage site in the mid-1990s.
Estancia Visit
A trip to Argentina would not be complete with only a visit to its capital city of Buenos Aires. Aside from the attractions of Buenos Aires, Argentina is known for its cattle, its wines, and its grains. Argentine legends and mythology often refer to the mysterious life of the Argentine cowboy, known as the gaucho. Located a few hours from the city, local estancias, or ranches, are a wonderful introduction to the Argentine countryside; their tranquility and open spaces contrast with the bustle of Buenos Aires and will give students a completely different vision of life in Argentina.
Tigre
Located less than 20 miles outside the heart of Buenos Aires, Tigre was founded in the first half of the 1800s on an island created by the local streams and rivers. Its name is derived from its history as an area where early settlers hunted jaguars. Today the port is most known for its craft fair, known as the “Puerto de Frutos.”
Colonia del Sacramento
A brief trip from Buenos Aires by ferry, Colonia has a unique history as the only Portuguese settlement along the Río de la Plata. Founded in 1680, it was originally seen as a threat to the Spanish settlers and the port had to operate in secret violation of Spanish laws. Today, the city is still a functioning port for a prosperous agricultural region of Uruguay. The city has a historic center with cobblestone streets and picturesque architecture. Its Barrio Historico was recognized by UNESCO and named as a heritage site in the mid-1990s.
Estancia Visit
A trip to Argentina would not be complete with only a visit to its capital city of Buenos Aires. Aside from the attractions of Buenos Aires, Argentina is known for its cattle, its wines, and its grains. Argentine legends and mythology often refer to the mysterious life of the Argentine cowboy, known as the gaucho. Located a few hours from the city, local estancias, or ranches, are a wonderful introduction to the Argentine countryside; their tranquility and open spaces contrast with the bustle of Buenos Aires and will give students a completely different vision of life in Argentina.
Tigre
Located less than 20 miles outside the heart of Buenos Aires, Tigre was founded in the first half of the 1800s on an island created by the local streams and rivers. Its name is derived from its history as an area where early settlers hunted jaguars. Today the port is most known for its craft fair, known as the “Puerto de Frutos.”
Housing
In Buenos Aires, students live with local host families. Host families serve as a unique introduction into the Argentine culture and may be made up of a retirement-age couple, a single woman with or without children, or a traditional two-parent household. Students are provided with two meals per day (except on weekends), as well as laundry service once per week. Students live in the Palermo, Recoleta, and Belgrano neighborhoods, which are generally 15-45 minutes from their host university.
