Students participating in the Discovery Madrid program will enjoy a rich and varied introduction to Spain through a challenging semester-long curriculum. The program fulfills the same curricular requirements as those pursued by freshmen studying on the University’s main campus, while providing a course schedule unique to the Madrid experience. The Madrid staff helps to facilitate your immersion into the Madrid community through service learning, cross-cultural workshops, and extracurricular activities.
Life in Madrid
Living with a Spanish Host Family
Discovery Madrid students will live with Spanish hosts either within the city of Madrid or in the immediate outskirts on a bus line. This enables you to use the Spanish you’ve learned in class and develop insight into Spanish culture that cannot be achieved any other way. Hosts vary from traditional family to single professionals. The housing coordinator in Madrid makes the placements based on extensive experience with each host.
Students usually eat their mid-day meal at one of the cafés or student restaurants. Continental breakfasts are provided by the host family every day, and evening meals are provided weekdays.
Students themselves repeatedly describe the host family experience as the best part of being abroad.
Academics
Advising
Connect with Syracuse Abroad through general advising sessions or program appointments. Drop-in or schedule a virtual or in-person advising session at SyracuseAbroad@Bird Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or, schedule an appointment to meet with a Syracuse Abroad program advisor. View all advising options View all advising options.
First-Year Forum
All Discovery Madrid students will participate in the Madrid equivalent of the First-Year Forum offered by the College of Arts and Sciences on main campus. The goal of the forum is to orient the student to college life, to Syracuse University, and to studying abroad. Students will discuss host families, cultural adjustment, time management, study habits, expectations of college-level courses, choosing a major, and more. This course will be taught by staff in Madrid with input from the associate dean for curriculum and instruction of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Program Field Study
During the semester, Syracuse Madrid arranges study tours to important regions and cities in Spain. Students may participate in these trips if they are compatible with their schedules.
Courses
Students participating in the Discovery Madrid program will enjoy a rich and varied introduction to Spain through a challenging semester-long curriculum. The program fulfills the same curricular requirements as those pursued by freshmen studying on Syracuse University’s main campus, while providing a course schedule unique to the Madrid experience. In addition to courses in the liberal arts, Madrid is the only center that offers the required first semester science, math, and introduction to engineering and computer science courses for students intending to major in these areas or a pre-med track. Upon return to Syracuse in the spring semester, Discovery Madrid participants will be on equal footing academically with their main campus peers.
For specific course information, view required and optional courses .