Bing Overseas Studies Program

Madrid Language Prerequisite

All courses offered in Madrid are conducted in Spanish, with the exception of the courses taught by the faculty-in-residence, who may choose to teach in English or Spanish. In addition to content courses, students normally continue their language studies while participating in the program. All students are required to enroll in the one-unit course "Introduction to Spanish Culture" and to sign a Spanish-Only language pledge.

Madrid Prerequisites

Participants must have completed first-year Spanish (SPANLANG 3 or SPANLANG 2A) or in the absence of the required courses, have taken at placement test with results placing them above first-year Spanish.  Any placement test must have been taken within the past 10 months.  

  • Students who have not completed the second-year language sequence via Stanford course work or placement test must enroll in either OSPMADRD 12M (Accelerated Second-Year Spanish I) or OSPMADRD 13M (Accelerated Second-Year Spanish II) while in Madrid.  Course enrollment will be determined according to students' placement level or previous course work.  These courses are offered in Autumn, Winter and Spring. Students in 12M and 13M will also be required to participate in the Charlas Language Partner Program.
  • Students who have completed the second-year language sequence via Stanford course work or placement test normally enroll in OSPMADRD 102M (Composition & Writing Workshop) although it is not required. For those beyond 102M, OSPMADRD 33 (Spanish Language Tutorial) is advisable.  Placement is decided by the Stanford Language Center.  These courses are offered Autumn, Winter and Spring. OSPMADRD 102 can count for either the major or the minor.
  • Preference will be given to students with additional language study.

Stanford Language Center

All students, including native speakers, are expected to demonstrate their level of language ability (writing, verbal and reading) by providing results of a recent language placement test or previous coursework. Students who have already begun SPANLANG coursework at Stanford should not take the placement test.  If you need to take a language test, click here for the updated schedule. For students who need to take a placement test, please complete the written exam before the time of your oral interview. If qualified via coursework, students will be placed according to the last SPANLANG class completed. For any questions, please contact the Language Center (languagecenter@stanford.edu) with "BOSP" specified in the subject line.