Are short intensive courses worth it?

I received a comment to yesterday's post about Barcelona by a student who'd taken a two week language course at Barcelona University and who felt somewhat let down with the experience. Although the student didn't comment on exactly what aspect of the course let him down, I have to assume it had to do with how much Spanish he learnt during his course.

It got me thinking about the many students who come to study in Spain for one or two weeks and expect to advance significantly in their knowledge of the language. The truth is, two weeks is just not enough time to assimilate enough information so as to make a real difference in your level of Spanish.

Take into account that in coming to study in Spain from another country, it'll take some time to actually get settled in and accustomed to your new environment. Like it or not, this will take attention away from your ability to devote yourself fully to your studies. I would say that, from my experience and from what I've observed in others, it can take at least a week (probably a bit more) to get some solid ground under your feet and feel able to really concentrate on studying a foreign language.

I would say that a four week intensive course should be the bare minimum if you want to actually move ahead a level (i.e. from begginner's to intermediate). This will also give you a chance to really get acquainted with life in Spain and do a bit of weekend traveling without taking too much attention away from your studies.

Barcelona: Spain’s artistic spirit

Barcelona is one of the preferred destinations for Spanish courses in Spain. The city is alive with culture and art, and is also known for its multiculturalism. Its wide tree-lined avenues and position on the coast gives the city an invigoratingly open, fresh feel.

Barcelona’s quaint historic center contrasts nicely with the rest of the city’s expansiveness. Its narrow winding streets reveal beautiful restored buildings and small charming restaurants, each more original than the next.

The fact that Catalan is spoken in Barcelona just as much as Castilian Spanish is no reason to get shy about studying in this wonderful city; I’ve never heard anyone say that Catalan proved to be a distraction, and Barcelona’s residents are completely bilingual so practicing Spanish is never a problem.