January Language and Culture Program

Cuba Havana Gran Teatro 81086800
What's Included

API is excited to offer students a January term study abroad program in Cuba!

Beginning through advanced-level students may elect to take a Spanish language course at the appropriate level. This course may consist of 60 hours of intensive language study and 15 hours of cultural topics over a four-week period for a total of five semester credits. Alternatively, students may choose to solely emphasize language study and take a total of 60 hours of Spanish language only, for a total of 4 semester credits.

Intermediate and advanced-level Spanish speakers may elect to take a course in Cuban cinema taught by the Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (fnCl) in conjunction with the Universidad de la Habana. The Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (fnCl) is a cultural organization founded with the intention of contributing to the development, dissemination, and conservation of Latin American cinema. In a broader sense, their work aspires to preserve the cultural identity of the Caribbean and Latin America through the medium of film. This course consists of 60 hours of instruction over a three-week period for a total of 4 semester credits, and will give students a unique insight into Cuban culture and political thought via the medium of film.

Advanced and superior-level Spanish speakers may elect to take a course entitled “Rhetoric and Composition: The Cuban Experience” that consists of 60 hours of intensive language instruction and writing activities including cultural seminars for a total of 4 semester credits. Minimum enrollment is required for this course to be offered.

Coursework will be supplemented by numerous cultural activities and excursions.

What's Included?

Highlights

Pre Departure Services

Advising

@api Online System

Orientation Materials and Resources

Access to International Phone Plans

API Alumni Network

Social Networking

Scholarships

On Site Services

Airport Reception

API Center

On-Site Orientation

Tuition

Medical and Life Insurance

Resident Directors

Social and Cultural Activities

Welcome and Farewell Group Meals

Volunteer Opportunities

Tutoring

Housing (breakfast and dinner included)

Language and Culture Tools

Excursions

Re-Entry Services

Re-Entry Materials and Support

Post-Program Evaluation

Transcript

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Application Requirements

  • 3.0 G.P.A.
  • Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
  • Must be enrolled as a degree-seeking undergraduate student and under the age of 25
  • Open to all levels of Spanish speakers
  • Completed API application
  • University Approval Form
  • One letter of recommendation
  • One official transcript
  • Entry requirements: valid passport and entry visa
Program Details

What You’ll Study

TOTAL CREDITS - 4 semester credits

API is excited to offer students a January term study abroad program in Cuba!

Beginning through advanced-level students may elect to take a Spanish language course at the appropriate level. This course may consist of 60 hours of intensive language study and 15 hours of cultural topics over a four-week period for a total of five semester credits. Alternatively, students may choose to solely emphasize language study and take a total of 60 hours of Spanish language only, for a total of 4 semester credits.

Intermediate and advanced-level Spanish speakers may elect to take a course in Cuban cinema taught by the Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (fnCl) in conjunction with the Universidad de la Habana. The Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (fnCl) is a cultural organization founded with the intention of contributing to the development, dissemination, and conservation of Latin American cinema. In a broader sense, their work aspires to preserve the cultural identity of the Caribbean and Latin America through the medium of film. This course consists of 60 hours of instruction over a three-week period for a total of 4 semester credits, and will give students a unique insight into Cuban culture and political thought via the medium of film.

Advanced and superior-level Spanish speakers may elect to take a course entitled “Rhetoric and Composition: The Cuban Experience” that consists of 60 hours of intensive language instruction and writing activities including cultural seminars for a total of 4 semester credits. Minimum enrollment is required for this course to be offered.

Coursework will be supplemented by numerous cultural activities and excursions.

TRANSCRIPTS

Students receive a transcript from the Universidad de la Habana upon completion of their program. Option to receive a transcript from U.S. accredited institution (Marist College) for an additional fee.

Staff & Coordinators

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    Emily Moran

    Emily Moran will be your Resident Director in Havana and a resource for you on-site.

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    Hannah Stack

    Hannah Stack will be your Program Coordinator and prepare you to go abroad!

    Email - hannah.stack@apiabroad.com

Courses

COURSE OFFERINGS

SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSE

This course may consist of 60 hours of intensive language study and 15 hours of cultural topics over a three week period for a total of five semester credits. Alternatively, students may choose to take only the 60 hours of intensive language study over the same time period for a total of four semester credits. Each language course is 4-5 semester credits.

CULTURAL COURSE

Students will take a course on Cuban cinema.

CREDIT INFORMATION

The Universidad de la Habana operates on the contact hour system, wherein the number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class. To determine the conversion of contact hours to U.S. credits, divide the contact hours available by 15.

Spanish Language – Beginning

This course is conceived as a brush-up course for those who have previously taken some Spanish, but who need to review the basics in preparation for taking intermediate level classes. Starting with communicative situations that are of immediate use to students who are living in Cuba, they will practice communicative functions including expressions for introducing oneself, asking and giving directions and information about getting around the city. Then students will practice describing and comparing people and places, expressing likes, dislikes, and opinions. The verbs tenses that are reviewed and practiced in cultural contexts are present indicative, present perfect, preterite, imperative and future tenses. Listening, reading, speaking and writing exercises give students practice with the four skills and build confidence in the learner. In addition, there will be seminars covering such topics as Cuban identity, music, art, and dance.

This course is worth 4-5 semester credits.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginning  

Spanish Language - Intermediate

This intermediate course begins with a quick overview of essential grammatical constructions learned in first-year courses. Structures are reviewed through written exercises and communicative activities that require students to use basic grammatical constructions to accurately describe people, places, and activities in the present tense and express likes, dislikes, and opinions. There will also be a review of preterite and imperfect verb forms, future tense, and commands. The course then proceeds with a strong emphasis on past tense narration, the multiple uses of the subjunctive mood, with work on reported speech, connectors, hypothesis, and conjecture. All of the above is presented in cultural contexts and includes vocabulary expansion exercises and ample communicative activities. The principal objective of this intermediate course is to help students become comfortable and accurate in expressing the following communicative functions: describing, comparing, expressing likes and dislikes, narrating in the past, reacting and recommending, hypothesizing and narrating in the future. Writing activities integrate and recycle the above communicative functions in short essays and opinion pieces with the Cuban experience as the backdrop for creative expression. In addition, there will be seminars covering such topics as Cuban identity, music, art, and dance.

This course is worth 4-5 semester credits.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate  

Spanish Language - Advanced

This course offers an in-depth review and the study of the more problematic aspects of Spanish grammar for English speakers. After an overview of the subjunctive and past tense narration rules, the course proceeds with intense work in consolidating the multiple uses of the subjunctive in nominal, adjectival and adverbial clauses and practice in perfecting skills in past tense narration. Other grammatical points include a sequence of tenses, passive voice, conditional, prepositions and future perfect. All of the above is presented in cultural contexts and includes vocabulary expansion exercises and ample communicative activities. In addition, there will be seminars covering such topics as Cuban Identity, Popular Religious Practices, The Central Role of Music in Cuban Life, Environmental Issues.

This course is worth 4-5 semester credits.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Cuban Cinema

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the crucial role of the Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) in creating and disseminating both feature films and documentaries since the Revolution and to give them insights into the Cuban Revolution from its earliest days to the present. Students will also learn the vocabulary necessary to critically discuss and analyze films in terms of character development, cinematography, direction, editing, rhythm, and music. The ultimate goal is to learn about the role cinema plays in relationship to the values and assumptions of the target culture. Reflection papers will be required as well as a final presentation on one of the films, chosen among the suggestions of the professor.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate, Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Contact Hours: 60

Spanish Language – Beginning

This course is conceived as a brush-up course for those who have previously taken some Spanish, but who need to review the basics in preparation for taking intermediate level classes. Starting with communicative situations that are of immediate use to students who are living in Cuba, they will practice communicative functions including expressions for introducing oneself, asking and giving directions and information about getting around the city. Then students will practice describing and comparing people and places, expressing likes, dislikes, and opinions. The verbs tenses that are reviewed and practiced in cultural contexts are present indicative, present perfect, preterite, imperative and future tenses. Listening, reading, speaking and writing exercises give students practice with the four skills and build confidence in the learner. In addition, there will be seminars covering such topics as Cuban identity, music, art, and dance.

This course is worth 4-5 semester credits.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginning  

Spanish Language - Intermediate

This intermediate course begins with a quick overview of essential grammatical constructions learned in first-year courses. Structures are reviewed through written exercises and communicative activities that require students to use basic grammatical constructions to accurately describe people, places, and activities in the present tense and express likes, dislikes, and opinions. There will also be a review of preterite and imperfect verb forms, future tense, and commands. The course then proceeds with a strong emphasis on past tense narration, the multiple uses of the subjunctive mood, with work on reported speech, connectors, hypothesis, and conjecture. All of the above is presented in cultural contexts and includes vocabulary expansion exercises and ample communicative activities. The principal objective of this intermediate course is to help students become comfortable and accurate in expressing the following communicative functions: describing, comparing, expressing likes and dislikes, narrating in the past, reacting and recommending, hypothesizing and narrating in the future. Writing activities integrate and recycle the above communicative functions in short essays and opinion pieces with the Cuban experience as the backdrop for creative expression. In addition, there will be seminars covering such topics as Cuban identity, music, art, and dance.

This course is worth 4-5 semester credits.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate  

Spanish Language - Advanced

This course offers an in-depth review and the study of the more problematic aspects of Spanish grammar for English speakers. After an overview of the subjunctive and past tense narration rules, the course proceeds with intense work in consolidating the multiple uses of the subjunctive in nominal, adjectival and adverbial clauses and practice in perfecting skills in past tense narration. Other grammatical points include a sequence of tenses, passive voice, conditional, prepositions and future perfect. All of the above is presented in cultural contexts and includes vocabulary expansion exercises and ample communicative activities. In addition, there will be seminars covering such topics as Cuban Identity, Popular Religious Practices, The Central Role of Music in Cuban Life, Environmental Issues.

This course is worth 4-5 semester credits.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Cuban Cinema

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the crucial role of the Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) in creating and disseminating both feature films and documentaries since the Revolution and to give them insights into the Cuban Revolution from its earliest days to the present. Students will also learn the vocabulary necessary to critically discuss and analyze films in terms of character development, cinematography, direction, editing, rhythm, and music. The ultimate goal is to learn about the role cinema plays in relationship to the values and assumptions of the target culture. Reflection papers will be required as well as a final presentation on one of the films, chosen among the suggestions of the professor.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate, Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Contact Hours: 60

Highlights
  • Classes taught in Spanish
  • Jan-term program
  • Combine multiple intensive months in other API locations and/or an API internship program to create a custom quarter program
  • Round-trip airfare (Miami-Havana) included
Excursions

No excursions are included with this January term program.

Housing

Students in Havana will live with other API students and, in some cases, other international students in a local residencia. An API Residencia in Havana is a renovated home run by a host family, near the University of Havana campus. Residencias have common spaces where students can work and where API holds group activities. Breakfast and dinner are also provided as part of the program fee.

Api Havana Housing 8978312826 O
Api Havana Housing 8978314548 O
Api Residencia In Havana 43215523911 O
Api Residencia In Havana 43215524331 O
Api Residencia In Havana 8968189669 O
Api Residencia In Havana 8968189719 O
Api Residencia In Havana 8969380082 O
Dates & Fees
Session Program Dates Program Cost Application Deadline Payment Deadline
Jan-Term Jan 4, 2020 - Feb 1, 2020 $4,200 Oct 15, 2019 Nov 1, 2019
Jan-Term Jan 5, 2019 - Feb 2, 2019 $4,200 Oct 15, 2018 Nov 1, 2018