Business in Barcelona - Semester
Joint Study Center Program with the Learning Abroad CenterProgram Dates:
Fall 2025
Update as of March 9: This program has limited enrollment capacity, and we are nearing that capacity for the Fall 2026 term. Students interested in the program should apply as soon as possible.
Spring 2026
Application opens/lottery begins: April 1, 2025 at 12 pm CST
Application deadline/lottery ends: May 1, 2025 at 12 pm CST
Program dates: January 4 - April 25, 2026*
Fall 2026
Application opens: December 1, 2025
Application deadline: March 15, 2026
Program dates: August 26 - December 12, 2026*
Spring 2027
Application opens/lottery begins: April 1, 2026 at 12 pm CST
Application deadline/lottery ends: May 1, 2026 at 12 pm CST
Program dates: January 3 - April 22, 2027*
*Dates are subject to change. Students should not purchase flights until they receive instructions from the program team.
Offered in partnership with the Learning Abroad Center, this program gives you the opportunity to enroll in business and non-business courses in addition to an optional credit-bearing internship experience while living in Barcelona.
Program Details
Live and study in the international city of Barcelona. Begin the day with a papaya smoothie in Barcelona’s biggest food market, La Boqueria. Climb to the top of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Delight in Gaudí's art. Relax in a beautiful city park. Cheer on FC Barcelona among 100,000 screaming fútbol fans. Gaze into the glistening Mediterranean Sea. Get ready to live like a barcelonés.
Students will be placed in residencia-style accommodations for the duration of the program. Students will have a single bedroom with a private bathroom. All participants will have access to a shared living space and shared furnished kitchen. Amenities include a gym, roof-top pool, and 24/7 front-desk security and assistance. The residencia is located within walking distance of the CET Study Center and UPF.
The cost of housing is included in the program fee, including utility costs and bed linens (excludes bath towels).
- Language or Culture Course - all students on the Business in Barcelona program are required to enroll in one language or culture course. This can be fulfilled by the following courses:
- BCLA 3024: Culture, Language, and Identity in Catalonia (formally called Spanish and Catalan Culture and Language) - 3 UMN Credits (syllabus)
- fulfills liberal education requirements: historical perspectives core and global perspectives
- fulfills IB depth elective
- BCLA 1001: Beginning Spanish 1 - 4 UMN credits
- BCLA 1002: Beginning Spanish 2 - 4 UMN credits
- BCLA 1003: Intermediate Spanish 1 - 4 UMN credits
- BCLA 1004: Intermediate Spanish 2 - 4 UMN credits
- BCLA 3024: Culture, Language, and Identity in Catalonia (formally called Spanish and Catalan Culture and Language) - 3 UMN Credits (syllabus)
- BCLA 3004W: Advertising in Spanish Society - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB depth elective and Marketing foundations elective
- fulfills liberal education requirements: civic life and ethics, and writing intensive
- BCLA 3018: Barcelona's Cultural Fabric - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB depth elective
- fulfills liberal education requirement: global perspectives and social sciences
- BCLA 3019: International Marketing - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB foundations elective and Marketing foundations elective
- fulfills liberal education requirement: global perspectives
- BCLA 3021: Global Communication: Navigating Media, Culture, & Influence in a Connected World - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB breadth
- fulfills liberal education requirement: global perspectives
- BCLA 3022W: Narrating Barcelona: Local Stories, Global Perspectives - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills liberal education requirements: arts/humanities core, global perspectives, and writing intensive
- BCLA 3023: Social Media in Business - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- equivalent to MKTG 4076 and fulfills IB depth elective
- BCLA 3025: Transportation and Logistics Management - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- equivalent to SCO 3048
- BCLA 3026: Women Filmmakers in Spain - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB depth
- fulfills liberal education requirement: arts/humanities
- BCLA 3027: Intercultural Communication: Cultural Immersion in Barcelona - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB foundations OR breadth
- fulfills liberal education requirement: global perspectives
- BCLA 3028: Management & Organizational Behavior - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills Strategic Management minor elective
- BCLA 3029: Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience in Spain - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills liberal education requirement: the environment
- BCLA 3031: Corporate Finance - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- equivalent to FINA 4221
- BCLA 3032: Inside Terrorism: Past, Present, & Future - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB breadth
- fulfills liberal education requirement: historical perspectives
- BCLA 3034: Economic Growth & Sustainability: Barcelona's Innovation Model - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills FINA elective
- BCLA 3035: Modernizing Barcelona: Urban Transformations & Social Movements - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills IB depth
- fulfills liberal education requirement: social sciences
- BCLA 3036: International Management - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills Strategic Management minor elective
- BCLA 3037: Framing Barcelona: Photography, Identity, & Urban Space - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills liberal education requirement: Arts/Humanities
- BCLA 3038: Nationalism in Comparative Perspective - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills liberal education requirements: Global Perspectives and Social Sciences
- BCLA 3039: Taste of Catalonia: Food, Culture, and Tradition - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- BCLA 3041: Identity, Politics, & War in 20th-Century Catalan Art - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills liberal education requirement: Arts/Humanities
- BCLA 3505: Professional Internship Seminar - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- BCLA 4601: Marketing Channels - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- equivalent to MKTG 4061
- fulfills liberal education requirement: global perspectives
- BCLA 4623W: International Finance - 3 UMN credits (syllabus)
- fulfills liberal education requirements: global perspectives and writing intensive
- equivalent to FINA 4622 and fulfills IB foundations elective
- Final courses are subject to change and will be communicated to accepted students directly. All courses are offered both fall and spring semester, however enrollment in any particular course cannot be guaranteed.
- Students are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 UMN equivalent credits and a maximum of 15 UMN equivalent credits total for the semester.
- For questions about grading scale, grade conversions, and credit conversion, see the Grade and Credit Conversion Chart here.
- All grades (both from CET and UPF) will come back A/F on the official UMN transcript.
- Students taking courses at UPF must take exactly 2 courses at UPF.
- Students pursuing courses at UPF may not participate in an internship in Barcelona.
- Some UPF courses have been evaluated for UMN equivalencies.
- For Carlson equivalencies - check the Carlson Study Abroad Business Course Equivalencies Database
- For Liberal Education equivalencies - check the U-Credit Abroad Database
Students enroll in courses taught at the Study Center. Classes at the Study Center are specifically designed for study abroad students from the US. Classmates in these courses will be other students on the program.
Students also have the option to take some of their courses at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), a local Spanish university. Classes at UPF will be a mix of students from the United States, other international students, and Spanish students. It's important that Carlson students understand that if they take classes at UPF, the academic environment will be very different from the Carlson School. They will be held to UPF grading systems, classroom behavior expectations, and there will be cultural differences in how they interact with their faculty member. Please reach out to CGI if you would like to discuss this further.
Study Center Courses:
Universitat Pompeu Fabra Courses:
In addition to courses at the Study Center, students may also take two of their courses at UPF. Explore course options on the UPF website here. Courses at UPF are called "modules". UPF operates on a trimester schedule, so students studying abroad in the UMN fall semester will take "fall" courses at UPF. Students studying abroad in the UMN spring semester will take "winter" courses at UPF. There is no additional cost for the option to take courses at UPF.
Academic Considerations:
- Junior or senior status
- Spanish language is NOT required
An internship abroad is a great way to gain professional experience and experience workplace culture from an international perspective. It’s also a great opportunity to meet locals.
Internship placements are available in a variety of fields and in three languages: English, Catalan, and Spanish. Rather than applying for particular internship openings abroad, students will submit additional internship application materials to our onsite partner. They will then work with local organizations and companies to find a suitable placement. Students will be notified of their internship placement prior to departure.
Applying for an Internship
Within the application, students will indicate that they would like to participate in an internship. Students will provide the required application materials and give them their top areas of interest for potential placements. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisers to determine their choices.
Note: Internships are not able to be dropped once placements are made. We ask that students commit to the internship component and meet the weekly work requirement once they decide to enroll in the Professional Internship Seminar.
Internship Eligibility Requirements
Academic Credit
Students will work 15–20 hours per week at their internship site and enroll in the Professional Internship Seminar course for 3 UofM credits (30 contact hours). All internships are for resident credit and are unpaid.
- No Spanish language required
Recommended 3.0 minimum GPA
Students with a GPA below 3.0 will provide supplemental materials for further review
Sophomore, junior, or senior status
Students must meet prerequisites for the courses they want to take. Students should plan closely with their academic advisers prior to participating in a semester or summer abroad program to best prepare for remaining major(s) and graduation requirements.
UPF course eligibility:
Strict minimum 3.0 GPA
Junior or senior status
Must apply and be approved to participate in classes through UPF
Internship eligibility requirements:
- Junior or senior status
- Spanish language is NOT required
- US citizens staying in Spain for more than 90 days must obtain a Spanish student visa.
- Non-US citizens should check with the Spanish embassy to determine any special regulations pertaining entry into Spain at any time.
- If you use the visa service, a $150 fee will be assessed to your University of Minnesota account.
- The deadline to use this service fluctuates each term depending on the consulate's availability. The deadline to use this service can sometimes fall before the program application, so be sure to apply to the program early if you plan to use the visa service.
- To use the service, students must attend drop off their visa application materials and passport at the Carlson Global Institute office.
- Only complete visa applications will be accepted. If you fail to include one or more of the necessary pieces to receive your visa when you drop off your visa application, you will have to return at a later time with your complete visa application.
Remember to read all information that you receive regarding student visas carefully. Requirements could change at any time and vary from consulate to consulate.
University of Minnesota Visa Service
The Spanish consulate in Chicago has graciously granted the University of Minnesota the ability to both drop off Spanish student visa applications and pick up the completed student visas on behalf of students studying abroad in Barcelona.
This is an optional service, and is only available to students on the Business in Barcelona / Study & Intern in Barcelona program. Each student MUST inform the Carlson Global Institute of their plans for obtaining the student visa whether they chose to use this service or not.
Using the Batch Visa Service
Not Using the Visa Service
You will need to apply for the visa in-person at the consulate. The in-person consulate appointment is required no earlier than 90 days and no later than 4 weeks prior to program start date. Student’s are only eligible to apply to the consulate with jurisdiction over the state where they are from or the state in which their school is located. Click here to find your consulate. Each consulate will require slightly different supporting documents. Students should refer to the consulate’s website.
Detailed instructions will be emailed to confirmed students directly.
Students must use their UMN email address when creating their application account. Students will be charged a $50 application fee. Students interested in applying for the internship opportunity or UPF courses will indicate their interest on the CET application after being accepted by the Carlson Global Institute.
Fall 2026: There are enrollment capacity restrictions on this program. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served space available basis. The Carlson Global Institute encourages students to apply early. Students will be notified within two weeks of submitting an application. Note - as of March 9, 2026 the Fall 2026 program is close to enrollment capacity. Interested students should apply as soon as possible, no later than the March 15 deadline.
Spring 2027: There are enrollment capacity restrictions on this program. Applications are reviewed through a lottery. Completed applications submitted between April 1, 2026 and May 1, 2026 at 12pm CST will all be reviewed together and students will be selected by a random lottery. Students will be informed of an application decision about one week of the lottery closing. If this program does not fill after the lottery, we will accept applications on a first-come, first-served space available basis. The Carlson Global Institute anticipates that the Spring 2027 program will fill during the lottery review.
Minnesota Carlson students interested in this program must apply through the Business in Barcelona program. They may not apply through the Learning Abroad Center’s Study & Intern in Barcelona program.
Financial Aid:
Most financial aid may be applied to study abroad. Please visit our Financial Aid webpage for more information. Business in Barcelona students also have access to the Bridging Loan, which is a no-interest/no-fees loan that funds the upfront program deposit and flight costs.
Scholarships:
Students on this program may apply for Carlson Global Institute scholarships, as well as scholarships the Learning Abroad Center.
CET, our onsite logistics partner in Barcelona, also offers scholarships. More information about CET scholarships can be found here.
Cost
Carlson Students on this program are billed through their University of Minnesota student account by the Learning Abroad Center.
Cancellation Policy: Participants on this program are held to the Learning Abroad Center cancellation policy, as outlined under "Learning Abroad Center and Affiliate Programs 30 days or more in length" here.