The WFU Department of Spanish offers a summer program of internships in Salamanca, Spain, site of the department´s semester-long study abroad program.
This is an ideal program for students wishing to develop their knowledge of Spanish within a particular professional field, such as healthcare, business, politics, sociology, or translation.
The Program’s immersion setting provides an optimal environment for improving language skills, furthering cultural knowledge, and learning about the functioning of agencies in different professional settings. 

Salamanca is a cosmopolitan university city approximately two hours northwest of Madrid. Students come to it from all over Europe to study at the highly prestigious university, which was designated a University of Excellence for the Teaching of Spanish in 2017 by the European Union.
 
Designated a Cultural Capital of Europe in 2002, Salamanca has some of the most stunning architecture in Spain. The cathedral, plaza, and major buildings are constructed of a local sandstone that glows golden at dawn and sunset. University buildings, some of which date from 1254, include a recently-restored plateresque façade famous for its whimsical carvings.
 
Portugal and other parts of Spain are easily accessible from Salamanca. Students routinely visit Lisbon, Valencia, Seville, Madrid, and Barcelona.

Students in the program typically take one or two courses along with an internship. When two courses are taken, one of them is 303I, an internship-focused conversation course that counts as an elective towards the Spanish major/minor.
During two of the five weeks of the program, courses meet Monday through Thursday, leaving two three-day weekends for exploring the city or travel to other destinations.

Courses that may be taken include the following:

SPA 199. Internship in Spanish Language. (3 h) Under faculty direction, a student undertakes a language project in conjunction with a service commitment or internship in a Spanish-speaking country. Includes, but is not limited to, vocabulary building, keeping a journal, and reading professional material. Offered only in Salamanca. May be repeated for credit. Pass/fail only. Does not count towards the major or minor. P – SPA 309 or 309L; or POI.

SPA 303I. Language Study in the Context of an Internship. (3 h) Development of oral proficiency and writing skills. Reading, discussions, and writing assignments based on texts relevant to internships being undertaken by students. Must be taken in conjunction with SPA 199. May count toward the major or minor. Credit not given for both 303 and 303I.  P – a 200-level course.
 
SPA 313. Lights, Camera, ¡Acción!. Cinema and Culture in the Spanish-Speaking World. (3 h)
Traces the development of cinematic arts and industry, with special attention to signature movements, films, and directors and the representation of cultures on screen. P—SPA 280 or 290.

SPA 315. The Making of Spain: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Cultures of Spain. (3 h)
Examination of Spain’s cultural pluralism through visual arts, architecture, film, music, and literature from the medieval period to the present. P—SPA 280 or 290. (CD)

SPA 319. Literary and Cultural Studies of Spanish America. (3 h)
Study of selected major works of Spanish-American literature within their historical and cultural contexts. Emphasis on linguistic and political structures, intellectual currents, art, music, and film to promote understanding of Spanish America’s historical development. Offered only in WFU abroad programs. P-SPA 280 or 290. (CD)

SPA 391. Internship in Spanish for Business and the Professions. (3 h) 
Under faculty supervision, a student completes an internship in a bilingual business or professional setting. Does not count toward major or minor in Spanish. Pass/Fail only. P—SPA 309 or 309L; or POI.

Students may live with a Spanish family or stay in a university residence hall.

The homestay allows for full cultural and language immersion. Families are selected by Cursos Internacionales of the University of Salamanca. Homestays include 3 meals/day and weekly laundry.  

The residence hall includes 3 meals/day and costs an additional fee of $1000

NOTE: All students participating in the WFU Salamanca: Summer Internship program are required to live in program-provided housing. Housing accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to abroad and certain housing accommodations (single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available.

Program excursions include two day trips. The first will be to the city of Segovia, where students will visit the Royal Fortress that inspired Walt Disney´s castle, a Roman aqueduct, the gardens of the Royal Palace of La Granja, and sample local cuisine.

The second day trip will be to the region of Arribes del Duero on the border of Spain and Portugal, where students will take a boat trip through a nature preserve, visit a winery, and sample local wines and ports.

Throughout the stay in Salamanca, students will tour sites around the city, including the 800-year-old University, the Old and New Cathedrals, a Jesuit Park, the Casa Lis Decorative Arts Museum and local hot chocolate shops. 

Weekends may be used for personal travel. Students may stay in town, travel independently, or purchase a place on one of the excursions for foreign students organized by the University of Salamanca.

The day trips to Segovia and the Arribes del Duero are an integral and mandatory part of the internship program. Be sure not to make plans for personal travel before consulting this calendar for the dates of these trips.

Students must be in good academic standing and have completed SPA 280 or 303 or the equivalent of five semesters of college-level Spanish. Majors in all disciplines are eligible. Preference will be given to students with a serious interest in language immersion.

Final Application Deadline: February 15.

Early application is recommended. Certain internships must be reserved in advance of this date.

The cost of the program depends on the type of internship selected and the number of courses taken. The following prices cover tuition, fees, a homestay with meals and laundry, books, group activities including day trips, and internet.
Students are responsible for airfare and personal travel expenses.

SUMMER 2025 ESTIMATED COSTS

Program Fee – TBD
Tuition (3hrs) – TBD
Airfare (estimated) – TBD
Personal Expenses (estimated) – TBD
Estimated total cost – TBD
 

• Only Internship:  TBD
• Chamber of Commerce internship: TBD
• Internship + 1 course: TBD
• Chamber of commerce internship + 1 course: TBD
• Internship + 2 courses: TBD
• Chamber of Commerce internship + 2 courses:  TBD

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

Deadline for scholarships through Global Programs and Studies is February 1st.

Passport Information
Students need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program’s end date.

Students going on a summer program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least mid-February of the following year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your summer abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country’s embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not.

Salamanca programs Application Officer:
Rebekah Morris
morrisrl@wfu.edu
336-758-4943
Greene 515

Encarna Turner
Associate Teaching Professor of Spanish 
turnermm@wfu.edu
336-758-5540
Greene 531

Kathryn Mayers 
Associate Professor of Spanish
Director, Salamanca Programs
525 Greene Hall
mayerskm@wfu.edu
336-758-4739

Amanda Batten
Study Abroad Advisor
336-758-3194
battena@wfu.edu

Full Website with more FAQ can be found here