The courses at CTY-Madrid focus on the history, culture, and politics of Spain. As they examine topics ranging from war to population growth to environmental degradation, students grapple with many of the major socio-political challenges of our time. CTY-Madrid’s courses offer a taste of college level expectations—reading and writing—in a focused living, learning environment. Although these courses may contain more graphic and controversial content (e.g., R-rated films, vivid accounts of political violence) than found in some school settings, all materials are course relevant, approached from an academic standpoint, and taught with sensitivity to the ages of the students and with appropriate guidance and support from instructors. When selecting courses, students should consider their comfort levels with course content and major themes. Most CTY courses in Madrid are taught in English. We are, however, offering select courses in collaboration with our colleagues in CTY Espana. Students interested in taking a class in Spanish should indicate so on their application and must pass a language proficiency test prior to enrollment. Students who indicate a Spanish-language preference will be contacted by CTY's registrar with more information about courses available. Andalus: The Culture and History of the Moorish Spain
In this interdisciplinary course, students explore the "golden age" of Spain and the unique multicultural society that thrived from the 8th to14th centuries. Characterized by a blending of the arts and cultures of Jews, Christians, and Muslims, the Iberian Peninsula served as a unique center of learning in areas as varied as philosophy, astronomy, and medicine. From dissecting the cultural influences of the architecture of the Alhambra to examining the writings of Maimonides, students explore the interplay of culture during a particularly rich period in Spanish history. Field Trip Fee: $65
Engineering Design: Architecture in Spain
Taking advantage of the rich and varied history of Madrid, this course looks at architecture through the lens of an engineer. Combining the topics of materials science and civil engineering, students examine the physics and chemistry behind how buildings are constructed and why some remain standing far longer than others. During the course, students venture into the field to identify landmark buildings and learn how certain design choices—materials and elements—allowed for breakthroughs in the history of architecture. Lab & Field Trip Fee: $85
History of Disease
Throughout history, humans have been burdened with countless infectious diseases. Some of these, due to their lethality, their insidious spread, or their terrifying course, have become legendary. In this course, students examine the societal impact of, and science's response to, history's most significant diseases, including plague, leprosy, and influenza. The course pays particular attention to the science, art, literature, and history of the European experience—including the implications of exploration and colonization, and modern day issues such as the scientific and ethical questions surrounding forced quarantine and immigration control.
Literature and the Arts: Surrealism
Salvador Dali said, "Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision." In this writing course, students explore the surrealist movement and its influence on some of Spain's greatest writers, artists, and filmmakers. From Miro's signature flattened organic forms in Harlequin's Carnival to Alberti's spiritual lyricism in Sobre los ángeles to the unsettling dreamscapes of Bunuel and Dali’s Un Chien Andalou, students examine key works of literature, art, and film that are fundamental to the surrealist genre. Field Trip Fee: $65
Mathematical Modeling
From analyzing a remarkably close presidential election to scheduling the Hubble Space Telescope to maximize optimal observation times, applications of mathematics are indispensable in the modern world. In this course, students learn how to use quantitative reasoning, problem solving, and an understanding of the relationship between mathematics and society to model fascinating problems related to rational choice, management science, growth, symmetry, physics, and statistics.
Politics and Art: The Spanish Civil War
Perhaps the most important event in modern Spanish history, the Spanish Civil War led to the installation of a decades-long fascist regime and ignited political and artistic passions whose influence reached far beyond Spain’s borders. In this course, students explore the war through a variety of cultural texts, including Picasso’s Guernica, Dali’s Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War), Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia, and selected poetry by Miguel Hernandez, Rafael Alberti, Federico Garcia Lorca, Pablo Neruda, and Cesar Vallejo. Field Trip Fee: $65
Spanish Religious History
This course explores the rich traditions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity in Spain with a focus on the historical interactions, whether cooperative and creative or antagonistic and destructive, between these three major religions. By examining written works, art, architecture, and other important aspects of Spanish culture, students come to understand how religious, cultural, economic and psychological aspects of contemporary Spain owe their very existence to the history of Spanish multiculturalism.
Field Trip Fee: $65
Travel Narratives: Writers Abroad
This course explores the idea of “nation” as it is represented in the writings of foreign journalists and authors. Students read a variety of travel narratives in poetry and prose by authors whose writings reflect their experiences traveling and living in Spain as well as other European countries. Authors might include Edith Wharton, Pablo Neruda, Gamel Woolsey, Henry James, and Ernest Hemingway. Students will produce critical and creative essays.
In collaboration with CTY Spain, a certified center of the Instituto Cervantes, CTY is offering a three week residential Spanish as a second language program. The Cervantes Institute is dedicated to the diffusion of the Spanish language and CTY is proud to present this opportunity to its students. If interested in the program, list Spanish as a Second Language as a course choice on the application. Students participating in the Spanish as a Second Language course will have a slightly modified schedule from other students at CTY-Madrid. Additional information for this course is now available. *Updated January 16, 2008 | 
