Location
and Facilities:
The city of León is capital to the province of the same
name. The Province of León is situated in the North of Spain,
between the Castillian plain and the Cantabrian mountains.
Castillian landscapes range from vast plains to valleys
and mountains. The climate is continental with warm, dry
summers and cold, dry winters. León, the city, can trace
its origin back to 68 B.C. when Roman legions occupied the
lands between the Elsa and Bernesga rivers. During the 10th
century the court of León was established by Ordoño II and
it became the most important city of Christian Spain. The
first democratic Courts were established under Alfonso IX,
thus making it one of the oldest cities in Europe to have
a parliament.
León
is a friendly city, both modern and medieval, with a population
of approximately 150,000 inhabitants. It is the administrative
and commercial center of the province as well as an important
crossroads in the north of Spain. Medieval León has Roman
walls, a Gothic cathedral, the Romanesque Colegio de San
Isidoro, and the Plateresque San Marcos, once a monastery
and prison, now a National Parador Hotel. Modern León
boasts avenues, parks, walks, and of course the University
campus. It is a city that easily allows you to get to
know its streets and people. It has a great range of
cultural activities: fiestas like Carnival contrast with
the solemnity of Holy Week. In the old part of town, "El
Barrio Húmedo", you can enjoy typical Spanish "tapas".
Other
sights in the province are El Bierzo, renowned for its
food and wines, the Roman gold mines of Las Médulas, and
Astorga, with its own Roman ruins, cathedral, and bishop's
palace designed by Antonio Gaudí. The province also offers
wonderful mountain landscapes and excellent winter sports
resorts.
Courses taken so far at Universidad de Leon for Holy Cross credit
The Academic Program :
The
Universidad
de León is a relatively new university, incorporated
in 1979, although the Facultad de Educación dates back
to 1843. The main campus, called Vegazana, is where students
have their classes and is located in the northern part
of the city. It has many new departments, all with
modern facilities, including a new library with extensive
holdings. Holy Cross has an agreement with the entire
University, allowing Holy Cross students to choose courses
from any of the various departments. The Program Advisor
is Dr. Mercedes Rueda Rueda of the Facultad de Filosofía
y Letras, under the direction of Dean Rafael Paz de Ureña,
Director of Student Exchange.
Course
Load
Students take the equivalent of 8 Holy Cross semester
courses. One of the courses is a mandatory year long Spanish
language course designed especially for Holy Cross students.
The class includes grammar, colloquialisms and conversation
practice.
Independent Cultural Immersion Project (ICIP):
Successful completion of the ICIP, in addition to the required course load, is necessary.
Living Arrangements:
All Holy Cross students are placed with families in León within a short commuting (bus) distance from the University. Breakfast and supper are taken with the family, Sunday excepted; lunch is available at very reasonable prices at University restaurants. |
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Pre-University
Language School:
The
Holy Cross program in
León
includes three weeks of intensive language instruction
at the Universidad de Navarra, in Pamplona, prior
to the start of classes at the University of León.
The
course includes cultural
material and excursions to area points of
interest
in and around Pamplona.
Orientation
to León:
During the first week, faculty advisors
orient students to the
structure of the university;
advise and guide them through
course registration
and acquaint them with
University facilities.
Special
notes: Pre-University Language
Program courses will
be recorded as
'overloads' and may not be
used to make up a college
deficiency. |
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