Special Academic & Social Activities

Related to the policy of providing the means by which to satisfy the academic, cultural and social needs of each student, the HCAYS will make available a number of opportunities designed to accommodate the particular situation of each HCAYS participant:

Spanish Writing Center
A Spanish Writing Center has been established for voluntary use by the most linguistically advanced students. Those who qualify, by virtue of their current program grades, the recommendation of the appropriate professor, and the permission of the director-in-residence, may review a graded paper from any HCAYS course with a narrative language consultant. The purpose of the center, rather than providing a student with grammar review or basic language work, is to allow qualified individuals the opportunity to polish their skills in written Spanish at the most advanced level.

Language Tutorials
Any student who would like extra help with written Spanish grammar will, with permission of the director-in-residence, have individual tutorial assistance provided by the program.
The student’s language professor determines which of these two options (a Writing Center tutorial or supplementary grammar assistance) is appropriate.

Research Advising
For students whose home department of concentration requires the preparation and submission of a significant paper or thesis in the U.S. during the time of their participation in the HCAYS (e.g. the "Junior Paper" required of students from some colleges and universities), an expert advisor in Madrid is available to help in the research and writing of such a project. This person, presumably, would work in tandem with an official advisor on the home campus.

Madrid Activities and Conversation Sessions with Spanish Students
In recent years, the scope of optional, organized Madrid activities has been considerably expanded. These include cultural visits within the capital and throughout the Madrid environs, as well as a series of outings and conversation sessions with Spanish students.

Reimbursement for Cost of Cultural Events
Students receive reimbursement for a significant portion of the cost of cultural events which they attend individually (theater, film, the bullfight, etc.)