August 2015

To Whom It May Concern:

La Academia de Barcelona is a competitive four-week-long pre-college summer program for students
completing grades 10 through 12. Under its auspices, over 85 motivated students from high schools all over
the United States, Canada and multiple foreign countries live and study in the heart of the ancient and
distinguished city of Barcelona. This program is now in its ninth year.
The courses are taught by an outstanding faculty of teachers and scholars drawn from the University of
Barcelona, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and other top academic and professional institutions from
around the world. Students at La Academia de Barcelona are exposed to a curriculum designed
specifically to introduce them to Spanish culture and life in Barcelona, primarily through their daily
classroom activities: lectures, discussions, interactive experiments, and so forth. Beyond that, they enjoy
presentations by eminent guest speakers, attend musical and theatrical performances, as well as explore the
eclectic resources of the citys museums, galleries and historical sites in the company of expert guides and
teachers. Depending on their Major course, students take a final exam, submit a portfolio, or publish written
work as a final project.
Over the course of the summer, students experience over 100 in-class hours, plus countless hours more of
extramural learning and cultural enrichment. The level of academic performance achieved by the students
is truly extraordinary. We are very pleased to observe that many of our former students carry this standard
forward in their college careers at some of the best universities in North America and Europe.
If you have any questions or would like more information about the nature of the program, the work students
have done on it, or the colleges at which former students are currently enrolled, please do not hesitate to
call or email our New York office.
Yours sincerely,

Dr. James G. Basker

President, Oxbridge Academic Programs
Richard Gilder Professor of Literary History, Barnard College, Columbia University

Director, Jorge Rodriguez

Founder, Dr. James G. Basker

5 July - 1 August, 2015

Major Course Title:

BARCELONA Y LA CULTURA MODERNA

Faculty:
Carlos Vara Sanchez, BSc Universidad de Oviedo, MSc Universidad Santiago de Compostela, MA Universitat Pompeu Fabra
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
'Barcelona y la Cultura Moderna' es un curso eminentemente interdisciplinar. Durante las diversas sesiones se visitarn diversos
lugares y se proceder a llevar a cabo la discusin provocada por el estudio de diferentes obras, textos y elementos
fundamentales en la historia de Barcelona. Todo ello con el fin de ofrecer a los estudiantes las bases para alcanzar un
conocimiento de la modernidad como elemento cultural y su relacin particular con la ciudad en la que vivirn durante un mes:
Barcelona. Durante las cuatro semanas de duracin del curso se plantea un recorrido cronolgico, que abarque desde el
nacimiento de la ciudad en la poca romana hasta la contemporaneidad; prestando atencin fundamental al periodo modernista
de finales del siglo XIX y principios del XX englobado entre las Exposiciones Universales de 1888 y 1929. Artes visuales como
la pintura, la escultura o la fotografa, as como la literatura, la filosofa, el diseo o la arquitectura, sern los materiales que, junto
a nociones de historia, sern fundamentales para ayudar a cumplir el objetivo del curso.
REQUIREMENTS:
(84 horas) Asimilacin de elementos culturales de Barcelona, relacin de elementos interdisciplinares entre distintas
manifestaciones artsticas, participacin dinmica en las clases, mejora del dominio oral y escrito del Espaol.
CLASS GUEST SPEAKERS:
Silvia Subirs: "Intoduccin a tcnicas cinematogrficas vanguardistas"
PROGRAM GUEST LECTURERS:
Graham Keeley, Spanish Correspondent for The Times.
Elizabeth Parrish, author of La Buena Mesa: The Regional Cooking of Spain.
FIELD TRIPS:
Templo de Apolo, Murallas Romanas, Catedral de Barcelona, Baslica de Sta. Mara del Mar, Parque de la Ciutadella, Museo
Nacional de Arte de Catalunya, Anfiteatro Romano de Tarragona, Casa Mil, Museo Picasso, Fundacin Joan Mir, Museo del
Cine de Girona, Catedral de Girona, Pabelln Mies van der Rohe, Museo de Arte de Montserrat, Fundacin Antoni Tpies,
Museo de Arte Contemporneo de Barcelona.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Descubrir Barcelona: city-wide scavenger hunt; talent show; flamenco performance at the Palau de la Msica; field trip to
Montserrat; field trip to Tarragona; field trip to Girona and Calella; visit to Las Arenas; Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya;
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona; Barceloneta tour; visit to the Parlamento de Catalunya; visit to the Biblioteca Nacional
de Catalunya; chocolate con churros; Saturday dance parties; visit to Parc Gell; La Pedrera; Museu Picasso; Castillo de
Montjuc; Fuentes Montjuc; La Sagrada Famlia; castellers (human castles); beach excursions; walking tour of the Gothic
quarter; grafitti art tour; walking tour of Grcia neighborhood; visit to Camp Nou; flamenco lesson; salsa lesson; street dance
lesson; Personal Essay Writing Seminar; dinner with Major class teachers; rooftop jam session with teachers & students;
karaoke night; ftbol, basketball, tennis, dodgeball, foosball, and ping-pong tournaments; nightly Spanish movies.

Director, Jorge Rodriguez

Founder, Dr. James G. Basker

5 July - 1 August, 2015

Samantha Knaggs
STUDENT NAME

BARCELONA Y LA CULTURA MODERNA

MAJOR
COMMENTS:
Samantha is an extroverted and hard-working student. She is without a doubt a responsible and attentive young
lady. These characteristics helped her to face a new culture and a myriad of different topics. She perfectly
integrated herself into the group dynamic. She is an extremely collaborative student, always willing to enrich the
classes and conversations with her interesting comments and ideas.
Samanthas level of written and spoken Spanish increased this month, thanks to her noticeable efforts to
improve in this area. Her interest in photography and video also helped to enrich many activities and field trips
in addition to enabling her to play a pivotal role in the elaboration of the final project.
I am sure that the knowledge and experiences that Samantha gathered during her stay in Barcelona will help her
greatly in the future. I would also like to highlight one more time her superb attitude, which will no doubt prove
extremely helpful to achieving her goals, both in university and in life.
A+
Grade

Carlos Vara Sanchez, Instructor

Director, Jorge Rodriguez

Dr. James G. Basker, Founder

Director, Jorge Rodriguez

Founder, Dr. James G. Basker

5 July - 1 August, 2015

Minor Course Title:

FOTOGRAFIA URBANA
Faculty:
Rafael Arocha, MA Universidad de las Palamas de Gran Canaria
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
El principal objetivo de este curso ha sido el de mostrar la fotografa como una herramienta de comunicacin, expresin e
interpretacin del mundo cotidiano. Un fin que ha pretendido desarrollar en el alumno la capacidad de interpretar de forma
creativa la vida que le rodea.
Durante la primera semana se repasaron conceptos tcnicos generales que han permitido conocer un poco ms las posibilidades
de nuestras cmaras y conceptos fundamentales para la composicin de la imagen fotogrfica. Los alumnos salieron a la calle
para practicar ejercicios de retrato, sujetos en movimiento, profundidad de campo y prcticas sobre el uso de la luz en el retrato.
Entendiendo la fotografa como un instrumento que permite explorar desde un prisma visual la vida cotidiana los alumnos han
podido interpretar la ciudad de Barcelona desde un punto de vista creativo y personal.
Para tener referencias y aprender como los grandes maestros de la fotografa abordan sus proyectos hemos visto trabajos y
visitado exposiciones de varios autores. A travs de sus fotografas hemos debatido y conocido los diferentes usos de la
imagen fotogrfica. Junto a estos conocimientos hemos hecho referencia en todo momento a la relacin e interpretacin que la
fotografa hace de la realidad.
Hemos aprendido a analizar nuestras propias fotografas haciendo que los alumnos se familiaricen con la descripcin oral de las
imgenes, entendiendo e interpretando que muestra y que oculta una fotografa.
Finalmente han aprendido como crear de forma manual un pequeo libro/fanzine donde narrar una historia visual que interpreta
su expereicnia en Barcelona
REQUIREMENTS:
(24 hours) Los alumnos han alternado clases tericas y prcticas. Antes de preparar su proyecto final los alumnos han llevado a
cabo ejercicios de retrato y del uso de la cmara, debatido sus impresiones sobre muestras de fotografa y sobre las fotos de sus
compaeros. A travs de las visitas de algunos fotgrafos han visto los mltiples y variados procesos creativos.
Una clase de encuadernacin les ha proporcionado la habilidad de poder enfrentarse a elaborar su libro/fanzine hecho a mano
con un trabajo fotogrfico personal y creativo sobre la ciudad. Y a travs de ejercicios de edicin y seleccin se han acercado al
conocimiento del proceso de creacin y publicacin de un libro fotogrfico.
CLASS GUEST SPEAKERS:
Nos visit la fotgrafa Bego Antn, que nos mostr su proceso de trabajo y la diseadora tipogrfica Arcangela Regis que nos
ense diferentes tipos de encuadernacin de fanzines.
PROGRAM GUEST LECTURERS:
Graham Keeley, Spanish Correspondent for The Times.
Elizabeth Parrish, author of La Buena Mesa: The Regional Cooking of Spain.
FIELD TRIPS:
Fundacin Colectania, Palau Robert, Barrio del Raval, Estudio-Taller de encuadernacin, Librera Mltiplos
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Descubrir Barcelona: city-wide scavenger hunt; talent show; flamenco performance at the Palau de la Msica; field trip to
Montserrat; field trip to Tarragona; field trip to Girona and Calella; visit to Las Arenas; Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya;
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona; Barceloneta tour; visit to the Parlamento de Catalunya; visit to the Biblioteca Nacional
de Catalunya; chocolate con churros; Saturday dance parties; visit to Parc Gell; La Pedrera; Museu Picasso; Castillo de
Montjuc; Fuentes Montjuc; La Sagrada Famlia; castellers (human castles); beach excursions; walking tour of the Gothic
quarter; grafitti art tour; walking tour of Grcia neighborhood; visit to Camp Nou; flamenco lesson; salsa lesson; street dance
lesson; Personal Essay Writing Seminar; dinner with Major class teachers; rooftop jam session with teachers & students;
karaoke night; ftbol, basketball, tennis, dodgeball, foosball, and ping-pong tournaments; nightly Spanish movies.

Director, Jorge Rodriguez

Founder, Dr. James G. Basker

5 July - 1 August, 2015

Samantha Knaggs
STUDENT NAME

FOTOGRAFIA URBANA
MINOR
COMMENTS:
Sam has had a very positive and collaborative attitude throughout the course. Cheerful and dynamic, she has
shown interest in class at all times, and she has been very consistent in seeking her photographic subject. She
has also been an excellent model for the rest of the students in class portraits.
At the beginning of the course, she could not stop looking for alternatives to her final project topic. This way,
she was able to make intimate portraits of people who modify their body through tattoos. She sought
characters in different areas of the city, did both written and visual research and interacted with her characters
to learn their stories and their motivations for tattooing. This is a great lesson that I hope she will always
remember demonstrating how photography is a perfect tool to fuel interest and personal relationships in a more
profound way.
I encourage her to continue to explore the creative possibilities of photography and her innate curiosity in the
future.
AGrade

Rafael Arocha, Instructor

Director, Jorge Rodriguez

Dr. James G. Basker, Founder