Notes regarding credits...

This course consists of 40 hours of instruction. However, students may earn 45 hours by attending supplemental sessions and completing additional coursework. Please check with your home university to find out whether you need 40 or 45 hours to earn course equivalents.

Note: A placement exam will be required when you arrive on site.

High Advanced

This course is designed for students who have completed or tested out of a minimum of five semesters (or seven quarters) of college-level Spanish. However, students must take a placement exam to determine the course level into which they will be able to enroll.

I. Introduction
This class will discuss the regional reality of Spain, differentiated by the Constitution of 1978; it is a synthesis between a greatly varied physical medium and a distinguished historical evolution starting from Roman inheritance. The geographic study of the different autonomous Spanish regions is done by means of the analysis of the physical medium, the evolution and structure of the different economic activities and the regional variety, all this as well as a brief treatment of general aspects of the Spanish geography that serve to frame the regional structure.
II. Program
1. General introduction. Unity and diversity of the Iberian Peninsula. Spain and the European context. Spain and its relation with America and Maghreb.
2. General characteristics of the physical medium. The relief. The climate. The waters. The natural vegetation.
3. The Spanish population. Evolution. Natural movements. Geographic distribution.
4. General characteristics of the Spanish economy. Principle elements and factors. The stages.
5. Agrarian activites.
6. Industrial activities.
7. Services. Tourism.
8. The regional division of Spain. Historical antecedents of 1978 and the definition of the autonomous model. The historical communities and the other regions.
9. The Atlantic Spain: Galicia, The Principality of Asturias. Cantabria. The Basque country.
10. The Valley of Ebro: The community of Foral de Navarra. La Rioja. The Aragon community.
11. Mediterranean Spain: Catalonia. The Valencia community. The region of Murcia.
12. The Plateau: The community of Castilla-Leon.
13. The Plateau: The community of Castilla-La Mancha. Extremadura. The community of Madrid.
14. Insular Spain: Balearic Islands. Canary Islands.
15. The Autonomous community of Andalusia. The physical medium. Evolution and structure.
16. Andalusia. Economic activities.
17. Andalusia. Regional unity and diversity.
18. Cities with special statute: Ceuta and Melilla.

III. Evaluation
The evaluation of the student will take into account the attention and participation in class with a potential value of up to 30%. A mid-term and final exam will be given. These written exams will consist of two questions of which one will be chosen and expounded on. This will have a value of 70%. The fulfillment of a specific work over the program will be voluntary and could be valued up to 20% supposing in this case that the final exam will be valued at 50% of the total grade.

IV. Bibliography
TERÁN, M. Y OTROS., Geografia Regional de España, Barcelona, Ariel, I (libro de manejo básico que sirve de esquema para el estudio de las regiones).
VARIOS AUTORES, Geografía de Espana, 10 Vols, Barcelona, Planeta., 1992.
VARIOS AUTORES, Geografía de España, 18 Vols, Madrid,Síntesis, 1990.
CANO PÉREZ, G. Y OTROS. Geografía de Andalucía, Sevilla, Tartessos, 1991.
GARCÍA BAQUERO, G., Geografía física y humana de Andalucia, Madrid, Síntesis, 1990.
GARCÍA MANRIQUE, E., Geografía humana de Andalucía, Barcelona, Oikos- Tau, 1986.
Video library: In a discretional form, in conjunction with the pace of the class and the available material in the video library of the Center, appropriate videos will be shown in thirty minute sessions.