INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Africa
in
the
21st
Century:
colonialism to Modern Times
From
Post
The aim of this course is to examine the events and aspects that have shaped the continent of Africa, starting
with its history, since the origin of humankind and the rise of the Egyptian civilization, to the end of South
African apartheid. Another important aspect that will be explored is the extremely rich African culture, which
varies a lot from one region to another, and we will focus on the variety of languages and dialects, the different
and coexisting religions, music, art and literature. African politics will also be analysed in depth, in order to
understand the reasons for which many regions in Africa still suffer the harshest poverty in the world.
Asia: History, Culture and Politics
This subject will be divided in three parts. The first part will study the history of Asia, with special focus on East
Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. The second part will explore Asia’s cultural heritage: art, music, philosophy,
literature and religion, amongst others. The third part will focus on the extremely varied politics of Asia, which
are due to the large landmass and diverse population: constitutional monarchies, absolute monarchies,
independence movements, etc. All these aspects will be studied to further understand the situation today.
Chinese I
This first introduction to Chinese language will teach students the first aspects of grammar, as well as basic
vocabulary. The course is based on the linked language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, which will
be built on as students progress through their studies. The syllabus also aims to offer insights into the culture
and civilization of countries where Chinese is spoken, encouraging positive attitudes towards language learning.
Regular and punctual attendance as well as active participation in all classes will be expected of all students.
Chinese II
This second course is aimed at students who have already coursed one year of Chinese, or who have achieved a
similar level in any other way. The object of this course is to provide students more comprehensive knowledge and
more practice on basic sentence patterns and grammatical points, to improve and enhance speaking, listening,
reading and writing skills; in particular, with an emphasis on developing communicative skills in order to carry out
conversations on a range of topics related to daily life. Students will also be encouraged to acquire further
understanding of Chinese culture and societies.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Comparative Cultural Studies: Europe and
This course will focus on three specific aspects that define the United States and Europe: their history: the
the US
arrival of Christopher Columbus, the formation of the United States, the Second World War and the Cold War,
amongst others; their culture: the people’s customs, behaviour and ways of life; and their politics: focusing on the
different way of governing and on the different policies they adopted depending on the situation experienced at
each time. This information will serve as the basic background to understand the role the United States and
Europe play in modern society and understand why they have become important world powers
Comparative Law
The purpose of this subject is to study in depth the different political systems that there are in every country,
that is, each type of government that exists and has existed throughout our history. Students will have the
opportunity to actively research on the different political systems, with the aim of understanding the philosophy
that underlies every government and therefore be able to understand the aspects, decisions and consequences
resulting from each type of political system: autocracy, communism, conservatism, democracy, fascism, monarchy,
etc. Students will be asked to work at home, both individually and in groups, and put forward their ideas and
conclusions in class, so as to encourage discussions which will enhance their learning skills.
This subject will focus on the most important aspects of modern European history, that is, from the 20th Century
Current European History
onwards. Students will improve their knowledge on historical affairs that took place in Europe, such as the Second
World War, the Cold War and its origins, and the fall of the Berlin Wall, amongst others. These historical events
will be approached from a wide perspective: not only with the aim of knowing and understanding what happened,
but also the impact that these affairs have had and still have in our modern societies.
Economic
Relations
Approaches
to
International
This foundation course provides students with the analytical and conceptual frameworks required to understand
the contemporary global economy and its controversial disputes and conflicts. Both microeconomic and
macroeconomic aspects are covered in this course in order to understand and explain the behavior of economic
agents and markets and interpret changes in the economic environment.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Economics of Development and Growth
Economics of the European Union
English history and literature
Development economics focuses on the economic aspects of the developing world. The big question for
development economics and this course is: What economic policies can bring about an improvement in the lives of
the world's poor? This is a very complex question. Economics gives us a framework to think about these issues
analytically. The first part of the course will cover macroeconomic growth theories, where we focus on identifying
the major determinants of growth. The second part will focus on development and asks the question why might
these factors of growth be different across countries? The topics covered will include the effects of
investment, education, population, credit markets and technological change. The goal of this course is to equip you
with the tools to think about issues related to growth and development analytically.
This course is intended to provide students with an introduction to the economics of the European Union the
global context of regional integration. Special emphasis will be given to the Economics of Monetary Union and the
many issues that regional integrations brings on diverse policy areas such as the labor market, agricultural and
social policies. The course provides an historical overview of the process of European integration.
English history and literature is a subject that intends to introduce students in the most important literary
movements and authors in English-speaking countries (especially in the United Kingdom and the United States).
The aim of this course is to make students aware of the importance of literature in a country’s culture, and to
promote reading as a means of learning and enjoying the language. Students will be asked to read a book of one of
the authors they will study in class, as well as analyzing some extracts of many other books. Each student will
make a brief presentation in class and a small project at home.
Europe: History, Culture and Politics
The object of this course is to provide the students with the basic concepts related to Europe´s history, culture
and politics. This includes the general and more specific events that have occurred in Europe´s different
countries throughout history. The idea of this subject is to provide the background that is needed to fully
understand current events related to International Relations and therefore develop a critical attitude towards
the problems that arise in today’s society.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
European Union Institutions and Policies
This subject is focused on the study of the complex institutional and legal aspects of the European Union
Institutions, with special emphasis on the differences between National legal systems and Communitarian law. The
object of this subject is also to provide the student a broad understanding of the way international cooperation
works, in order to understand the bigger and bigger importance and complexity of the decisions that are taken in
the European Communities. The student will also analyze the different communitarian policies and instruments
that the European Union Institutions and bodies have adopted.
French history and literature
This subject, which is offered in English or French, is focused from a chronological point of view. Students will
study in depth the different historical periods, the most important authors and their corresponding works,
focusing on the cultural and historical impact and analyzing the pieces of literature with their historical context.
This way, students will learn more not only about literature, but also about the ideologies and historical events
that took place in each period. This course also offers students the possibility of improving their vocabulary and
language skills with several written and oral projects.
French I
This subject is intended for students who have no previous knowledge of French. Once the students finish this
course, they will have achieved a basic level which will enable them to communicate in everyday situations, both
orally and in writing. The subject also provides an introduction to French culture and society. Students will work
from the very beginning with real, unmodified texts, in order for them to learn to cope as soon as possible with
the types of texts they will find when they begin to work. Real situations will also be simulated in class to foster
the student’s oral comprehension and expression. A multimedia program is also used outside lessons to improve
and consolidate their knowledge.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
French II
This subject is intended for students who have already achieved a basic level of French. The students will
broaden and improve the skills they have already learned to reach an intermediate level by the end of the course.
In the same way, more aspects of French culture and society will be taught, since a wide cultural knowledge of
the target country is extremely important when learning its language. The methodology is similar to that applied
in the basic course of French, but on a higher level: real texts will be used to help students familiarize with them,
more emphasis will be placed on oral expression and comprehension, and a multimedia program will also be used
outside lessons to enable students to improve and consolidate their knowledge.
French III
This aim of this subject is to continue with the learning of French and achieve a consolidated intermediate level.
The students will review their previous knowledge and study in depth further grammatical and lexical features.
Special emphasis will be placed on abstract topics beyond everyday life situations, in order for students to work
with more complicated texts which will help them learn complex grammatical structures and vocabulary. As in the
previous French courses, French culture and society will also be studied, paying special attention to historical,
political and geographical aspects of French sociocultural life.
French IV
The main objective of this course is to show students the specific difficulties that arise when translating from
one language to another. Students in this course will have to work with linguistic phenomena which have special
relevance both in direct translation (from French to Spanish) and in indirect translation (from Spanish to French).
The students will begin to translate potentially difficult grammatical structures and progressively will translate
more complex texts. However, translation will not be the only type of exercise during this course: students will
also be asked to write reports, letters, emails and CVs; and oral expression will be focused on possible work
situations.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
French V
This course offers students the possibility of focusing on specific aspects of the French language which continue
to cause problems, both when dealing with translations and in other oral or written contexts. Students of this
subject require and are expected to have a medium-high level of French, for the course will be centered on
complex texts. Oral comprehension and expression will also be encouraged, but students are expected to work on
this area of the subject by their own as well as in class, since translation of written texts will cover most of the
time available for the course.
French VI
This advanced course of French intends to provide the last review of the grammatical topics and structures that
students tend to find more complicated, as well as analyzing the most typical translation errors. The course will
cover most topics that appear during the working life and will cover both general or journalistic texts as well as
more technical and specific ones, especially financial and juridical texts. This way, the student will be prepared to
enter the working world and feel competent in his/her workplace.
Fundamentals of Law
Geopolitics of Natural Resources
The aim of this subject is to offer a general and systematic idea of the basic concepts of Law. The syllabus of
this course includes both theory topics (legal systems, legislation, and legal regulation; sources of law; judicial
systems and instances, systems of appeal; introduction to the different branches of law and to their principles)
as well as practical topics (research of specific documents, reading and comprehension of legal texts – mainly
rules and sentences – and comparative analysis of the different legal systems).
Geopolitics is the study of the influence of such factors as geography, economics, and demography on the politics
and especially the foreign policy of a state. Over the past twenty years there has been an increased demand for
natural resources caused by population growth, depletion of known reserves and climate change. All these factors
have once again put geopolitical issues at the top of the list of security concerns, since as states rival for access
to oil, energy and other resources, new patterns of conflict and cooperation emerge on the international level.
This course will enable students to further understand the importance of natural resources from a geopolitical
perspective.
Description
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Course
German history and literature
This subject, which is offered in English or German, is focused from a chronological point of view. Students will
study in depth the different historical periods, the most important authors and their corresponding works,
focusing on the cultural and historical impact and analyzing the pieces of literature with their historical context.
This way, students will learn more not only about literature, but also about the ideologies and historical events
that took place in each period. This course also offers students the possibility of improving their vocabulary and
language skills with several written and oral projects.
German I
This subject is intended for students who have no previous knowledge of German. Once the students finish this
course, they will have achieved a basic level which will enable them to communicate in everyday situations, both
orally and in writing. The subject also provides an introduction to German culture and society. Students will work
from the very beginning with real, unmodified texts, in order for them to learn to cope as soon as possible with
the types of texts they will find when they begin to work. Real situations will also be simulated in class to foster
the student’s oral comprehension and expression. A multimedia program is also used outside lessons to improve
and consolidate their knowledge.
German II
This subject is intended for students who have already achieved a basic level of German. The students will
broaden and improve the skills they have already learned to reach an intermediate level by the end of the course.
In the same way, more aspects of German culture and society will be taught, since a wide cultural knowledge of
the target country is extremely important when learning its language. The methodology is similar to that applied
in the basic course of German, but on a higher level: real texts will be used to help students familiarize with
them, more emphasis will be placed on oral expression and comprehension, and a multimedia program will also be
used outside lessons to enable students to improve and consolidate their knowledge.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
German III
This aim of this subject is to continue with the learning of German and achieve a consolidated intermediate level.
The students will review their previous knowledge and study in depth further grammatical and lexical features.
Contrastive grammar will be one of the topics of this course, to compare and analyze the differences between
German and Spanish syntax. Special emphasis will be placed on abstract topics beyond everyday life situations, in
order for students to work with more complicated texts which will help them learn complex grammatical
structures and vocabulary. As in the previous German courses, German culture and society will also be studied,
paying special attention to historical, political and geographical aspects of German sociocultural life.
German IV
The main objective of this course is to show students the specific difficulties that arise when translating from
one language to another. Students in this course will have to work with linguistic phenomena which have special
relevance both in direct translation (from German to Spanish) and in indirect translation (from Spanish to
German). The students will begin to translate grammatical structures which inevitably cause translation problems
and progressively will translate more complex texts. However, translation will not be the only type of exercise
during this course: students will also be asked to write reports, letters, emails and CVs; and oral expression will
be focused on possible work situations.
German V
This course offers students the possibility of focusing on specific aspects of the German language which continue
to cause problems, both when dealing with translations and in other oral or written contexts. Students of this
subject require and are expected to have a medium-high level of German, for the course will be centered on
complex texts and specific areas of grammar. Oral comprehension and expression will also be encouraged, but
students are expected to work on this area of the subject by their own as well as in class, since translation of
written texts will cover most of the time available for the course.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
German VI
This advanced course of German intends to provide the last review of the grammatical topics and structures that
students tend to find more complicated, as well as analyzing the most typical translation errors that are caused
by a misunderstanding of the German grammar. The course will cover most topics that usually appear during the
working life and will cover both general or journalistic texts as well as more technical and specific ones, especially
financial and juridical texts. This way, the student will be prepared to enter the working world and feel
competent in his/her workplace.
History of International Relations
The aim of this subject is to introduce our students in the world of modern politics, by studying the history of
international relations, from the Congress of Viena until the fall of the Berlin wall. Students will also achieve
theoretical skills in order to analyze the aspects of current politics and therefore develop a critical attitude
towards the problems that arise in modern society. Another aim of this course is to establish the relationship
between each political concept and its historical background. This way, students will be able to consider and
understand the impact and consequences of political decisions in each aspect of our everyday lives.
History, Theory and Practice of Diplomacy
The role of diplomacy has achieved an increasing importance due to the complexity of the relationships between
countries. The purpose of this subject is to provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of
diplomacy and practical diplomatic skills. The course will explore all of the concepts of diplomacy and will analyze
its evolution in the current international system. Students will be expected to track the historical development of
diplomatic relations from the earliest period up to their most recent transformations, showing how they have
been modified to suit the new advances and needs of modern international situations.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Immigration: Sociological, Political and Legal
Immigration is one of the most important issues that are taking place in our modern societies. In this course we
aspects (2011-2012)
will analyze the causes and consequences of immigration from a sociological, political and legal point of view and we
will thoroughly study the reasons for which this has become such a common phenomenon, as well as pointing out
the impact that it has, both in the countries people migrate from, and the countries people migrate to. The
sociological aspect will try to examine why immigrants take this decision and the difficulties they experience
when they are adapting to the new country and culture. The political and legal aspects will try to focus on the
reasons for which immigration laws are so strict.
International Conflict: Analysis, Management
Although conflict has always been a permanent feature of human society, the nature of conflict and therefore
and Resolution
the means to fight against it have changed. This course will thoroughly study international conflict to point out
and understand its main causes and consequences. We will analyse international conflict from different points of
view and students will learn how nations develop interactive, problem-solving processes that can be effective in
managing or resolving such conflicts.
International
(2012-2013)
Development
Cooperation
One of the consequences of globalization is that our world is every day more and more interconnected, and
collective problems cannot be dealt with unilaterally. It has become obvious that developed countries must work
together to foster the growth of underdeveloped countries. The aim of this course is therefore to examine the
different processes by which every country, and Spain in particular, administers the Official Aid for Development
(programs, cooperation projects, financial contributions to international organisms for development, donations to
NGOs, etc) in order to understand how they fight against poverty, social exclusion, environmental problems, and
so on.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Course
International Economic Institutions
International Law and Organizations
Description
This course analyzes the evolution since World War II of the roles of international institutions designed to
manage world trade and the international monetary system paying particular attention to the IMF, the World
Bank, the GATT and WTO. The Bretton Woods era of a new financial and trading architecture is discussed in
terms of an evaluation of the success of the new institutions against the background of their initial job
descriptions and of the much better world economic performance in the period. The changing rationales for the
IMF and the World Bank and challenges to the GATT in the difficult economic environment of the 1970s and
1980s are examined. The debates of the time and implications for the continuation of the post-war return to
globalization are both considered. Finally, the questions of the likelihood and Content of further liberalization of
trade and capital flows under WTO and IMF auspices are discussed in the context of an Assessment of what is
genuinely new about late 20th compared with late 19th century globalization.
The object of this course consists in the study of the main areas of International Law and the different ways in
which the relationship between these areas can be expressed. The syllabus of this course is linked with the
contents of the subject Fundamentals of Law, so the idea is to study the principles that govern rules in
International Law and the sources they come from, as well as examining the possible relationship between the
legal systems and laws of each country. The student will also study the legal systems that govern international
organizations and the different roles they play today.
International Political Economy
This course examines the contemporary global political economy and its recent evolution to critically assess its
benefits and detriments. It begins by delineating the phenomenon of economic globalization and analyzing the
global economy in terms of international trade, international finance, and international production. The current
debates over the effects of economic globalization on inequality, stability, welfare, etc. are then presented and
evaluated. In particular, the effects of global production and outsourcing on labor conditions, employment levels,
and social welfare policies are examined. The course then addresses the issue of how different countries
successfully compete in the global economy. In addition, the plights of the poorest countries are assessed and
alternative solutions examined.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
International Protection of Human Rights
One of the areas of International Law is that referred to the acknowledgement and protection of human rights,
which are understood as an essential attribute of each individual and, therefore, have an important nature apart
from that expressed in national regulations. The general concept of human rights includes the different
international initiatives focused on the protection of specific groups of people. Throughout this course, the
student will study the different judicial, institutional and political mechanisms created that have been
established on an international level to protect human rights from an integrating view.
International Protocol
International Terrorism
The studies of International relations and Translation and Interpretation have the main objective of preparing
professionals who will act as intermediaries between people from different cultures and who speak different
languages. In this context, it is essential to study international protocol in order to establish a formal framework
that will enable an exchange of points of view between delegations of different cultures and countries. The
student will examine both the techniques of foreign protocol (rules of conduct in each country) and those of
diplomatic protocol (rules that have been accepted by national representatives in their relationship with the
representatives of other countries).
In the years since the 9/11 attacks, terrorism studies have undergone an enormous transformation and have
become a major field of study. The idea of this subject is to articulate a critical perspective on contemporary
issues of terrorism and to explore the reasons for which it has become a central aspect of international safety
and of our everyday lives. We will also focus on the political measures that Western societies have taken to fight
against terrorism.
International Trade and investment
This course will analyze the causes and consequences of international trade and investment, and provide an
introduction to the models and data economists use to address these questions. We will investigate why nations
trade, what they trade, and who gains from this trade. We will analyze the motives for governments to regulate
international trade, and study the effects of such policies on economic welfare, international trade agreements,
and some current trade policy disputes. We will then go to the "international investment" part of the course, and
study how exchange rates, interest rates, and price levels are determined in an open economy, as well as possible
causes of current account deficits and surpluses.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Internship in International Relations
All of our students will have the opportunity to work during at least two months in any enterprise or organization
related with International Relations. This way, they can achieve the necessary skills for their complete formation
in this area. We believe that work experience is an essential requirement and all students should make the most
out of this opportunity, since it offers them the chance to learn about specific areas that cannot be covered in
class.
Introduction to Intercultural Mediation
This subject focuses on the many problems that arise when two or more people from different countries try to
communicate. The aim of the course is to explain the theory that encloses the act of communication from a
linguistic point of view. The student will also learn a series of strategies that can be helpful to optimize this type
of relationship. This course gives special emphasis to the cultural aspects of multilingual communication, since an
awareness of the cultural difficulties is almost as important as the language in which people communicate.
Introduction to International relations
This course intends to create a background of basic knowledge for students to go into the different areas that
make up this double degree in depth. The subject is divided in three main parts. The first one focuses on the
sources of International Relations, including the State and Diplomacy; the second part is centered on the factors
that influence the modulation of International relations (geography, economic factors, etc); and the last part
deals with the way International Relations work today. Most of the course will be highly interactive and students
are expected to participate in every class
Introduction to International Security
The aim of this subject is to examine international security by concentrating on its main principles and on the
policies we rely on to ensure it. This course on international security will focus on the measures taken by nations
and international organizations, such as the United Nations, to ensure safety. These measures and policies include
military action and diplomatic agreements such as treaties and conventions. Although the subject will be centred
on international security, we will also study some aspects of national security, since they are invariably linked.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Italian I
This subject is aimed at students with no previous knowledge of Italian. Students will be introduced to this
language by studying the most basic elements and features of grammar. The vocabulary that will be taught
throughout this course will be focused on daily situations, with the intention of enabling students to achieve the
basic level they require to maintain simple conversations in different types of contexts. Students will combine
different learning techniques in class and at home: listening exercises, comprehension tests and small written
essays.
Italian II
This course of Italian is intended for students who have already completed one year of Italian studies. The
beginning of the syllabus will be focused on consolidating the knowledge acquired during the previous year, as well
as improving vocabulary and oral comprehension on simple topics. The next part of the syllabus centers on new
aspects of Italian grammar, which will be studied together with different, more complex topics of Italian culture
and society.
Italian III
At this point, students have achieved a basic/intermediate level of Italian, which should already allow them to
participate in daily conversations and write real texts. The object of this subject, however, is to considerably
improve all the language skills achieved until now and to polish up the areas of grammar and vocabulary that may
still cause problems. Oral communication will be enhanced and students will be expected to be able to write more
complex texts by the end of the course.
Japanese II
This second course of Japanese requires previous knowledge of the language. Students will continue learning
individually approximately 200 new kanjis (12 each week). They will also review the grammar acquired until now and
continue with new topics following Minna no Nihongo’s method (topics 15-30). Thanks to this system and to the
specific exercises carried out in class, students will learn over 1000 new words this course. This subject also
requires active participation of the student in class, and he/she must keep up to date with the exercises and
projects at home.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Latin America: History, Culture and Politics
This subject will examine the history of Latin America, from the pre-Columbian period until its situation today.
The culture will also be studied, especially the way it has developed as a result of pre-Columbian and European
colonial times, but we will also place emphasis on Latin-American literature, which has always been considered one
of the most prestigious literatures. Politics will cover a major part of the syllabus in order to analyse the
different governments there have been in each country and explore how they have affected their relationships
with other countries today.
Methodology
in
International
Relations
Studies
The aim of this subject is to study and fully understand the theoretical and practical aspects related with
International Relations in our globalized world. The syllabus will focus on the methods and ways of communication
that depend on the situation of each International Relation and the country in which it takes place, as well as
placing special interest in oral and written protocols.
Political Geography of Europe
The objective of this course is to study in depth the political geography of Europe, with special interest on the 27
countries that make up the European Union, in order to consolidate the knowledge that students already have, and
remember several of the conflicts that have arisen between different European countries throughout history.
Political System and Politics in Spain
This course is an insight to the Spanish political and economic systems: the constitutional monarchy and how it
works, the main political parties (their ideologies and governing procedures), the way laws are enacted, etcetera.
The object of this subject is to create the basic background for students to be aware of the way politics affects
the society we live in, and to reach the necessary knowledge on this area, as it is necessary in the study of many
other subjects of this degree.
Politics and society in the Middle East
The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times and since then it has been the centre of more than 20
major world conflicts. It is also the historical origin of the world’s three main religions: Christianity, Judaism and
Islam. All these facts, together with its rich culture, make the Middle East a key element for the study of
International Relations and the way historical events affect modern societies and situations.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Professional Ethics
The objective of this course is to study the basic concepts of the ethics of all professions, especially that of
translation and International relations. Once the teacher introduces the matter, students will get familiarized
with the specific terminology which enables them to think about the degree of responsibility these professions
imply. They will also be expected to analyse the ethical implications their work will have in the future, in all
possible situations, and they will be asked to work by themselves or in groups to study a topic in depth and
present it in class.
Religion and power in International Affairs
For a long time during the 20th Century, many people believed religion would cease to be a relevant factor in
(2011-2012)
society and politics. However, it has become clear that religion has evolved in order to survive in today's modern
environment and that it continues to strongly influence our societies and the international relations between
countries. One of the main aspects that will be studied in this course is the importance of learning about the main
religions in each country to facilitate international relations between them. Another aspect we will examine is the
impact that religion-linked terrorism has had and still has in most countries, for example after the terrorist
attacks of September, 11, 2001.
Seminar on Current International Events
This seminar intends to provide students with a better understanding of the world’s problems through a study of
the current issues, especially those which generate international conflict. The subject offers students the
possibility to discuss these issues in a comfortable environment and to develop new points of view and ideas. The
main themes of this course will vary each year, but will always be centred on the most recent political issues and
the impact they have in all the countries around the world.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Spain: history and foreign policy
This subject will be centred on the history of Spain and will study in depth the historical events that occurred,
especially during the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the consequences of these events in our society. Another
aim is to analyse Spain’s foreign policy throughout its history, placing emphasis on today’s politics and on the most
recent modifications. Although this subject’s syllabus is mainly theoretical, students will be expected to work by
themselves or in groups to thoroughly research some specific aspects of our modern foreign policy and present
their work in class in order to initiate debates on this field of politics.
Spanish Art in the Museums of Madrid
This subject intends to examine in depth the most important pieces of Spanish Art and their corresponding
artists. Since students have the privilege of studying this degree in Madrid, a European capital that has a very
large amount of well-known pieces of Art, part of the course will include trips to several museums, such as El
Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen Bornemisza, to enhance the concepts learned in class.
Spanish as a foreign language (5 levels)
These five Spanish courses are intended for our exchange students who have just arrived in Spain and need the
basic skills and knowledge of the language to be able to communicate in everyday situations; but it is also intended
for those students who simply want to improve their oral and written Spanish. Students will be divided in the
different five levels depending on their previous knowledge of the language. The first levels provide the basic
grammar and vocabulary to be able to maintain daily conversations and write simple texts, whereas the more
advanced levels introduce more complex grammar and encourage students to participate actively in class with
written and oral presentations.
Spanish History
This course provides an insight to the most important events of Spanish history. The course will be centred on
the political and historical affairs that took place during the 20 th century: the Second Republic, the Spanish Civil
War, Franco’s dictatorship, the transition towards democracy, as well as more current affairs.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Description
Course
Spanish language and culture
This subject is aimed at all students who intend to have Spanish as a working language, since it focuses on the
most important cultural, historical and literary aspects of Spanish. Part of the syllabus will be centered on
studying the evolution of Spanish language, since it first appeared until nowadays. Another area will be the
different countries in which Spanish is spoken and the importance this language has in the world today. Students
will be asked to choose one specific topic and do a presentation in class.
Spanish literature
The object of this course is to examine the major Spanish literary movements by focusing on the most important
authors of each type of literature: prose, poetry and theatre. In theatre, authors such as Zorrilla or Larra will be
studied; in the part of poetry, students will examine the work of Bécquer, Espronceda, Machado, amongst others;
and in prose the work of authors such as Delibes, Martín Gaite and Camilo José Cela will be analyzed in depth.
The History of the Global Economy
The
Media
(2012-2013)
and
International
Relations
The course is an introduction to the history of the international economy from the mid-nineteenth century to the
present. The integration (and disintegration) of international markets will be one of our focal points. We shall
discuss the conditions that favored open versus closed economies and the political economy thereof, but also
productivity growth, the evolution of financial institutions, changes in the international monetary systems, income
distribution, convergence (and divergence) among individual economies. The analytical framework will be drawn
from the theories of growth, international trade and policy.
It is undeniable that the media exert an enormous amount of power in society, and therefore have a lot of
influence in public opinion. For this reason, the object of this subject is to examine the impact of the media in the
world of politics and international relations, in order to understand the role they play, how they achieve and use
information, and to determine the potential risks and advantages their strong influence has. The course will
combine theory lessons with practical work and students will be expected to keep up with current events to
initiate discussions in class.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Course
The Transformation of European Security
Description
The process of European unification has meant a reshaping of Europe’s security system. The European Union has
placed increasing effort to pacify the continent, but it has more recently also intensified cooperation in the area
of international security, which has become one of the most dynamic EU policy fields in recent years. This course
will focus on the social and political changes the European Union has suffered and will examine the impact these
changes have had in the way security is dealt with, both nationally and internationally.
United Nations, NGOs and global governance
In a world which is becoming more and more globalized, certain regulations in international relations have achieved
(2012-2014)
great importance. The object of this course will be to study the many different factors that affect this capacity
of auto regulation, as well as to analyze both institutional and non-institutional agents that play a role in decisionmaking. These new international agents include both organizations with certain historical background (United
Nations, Society of Nations and its predecessor), as well as non-governmental organizations.