Dr. Hassan Tajalli, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science at Texas State, hosted a Study Abroad program to Barcelona, Spain during the second summer session. This study abroad allowed twenty-seven undergraduate students to fulfill their required political science courses, POSI 2310 (Principles of American Government) and 2320 (Functions of American Government). One graduate student, Allison Morris, attended the program, using the opportunity to complete a directed reading class related to her Applied Research Project (ARP) for the Masters in Public Administration program. Morris’ research focused Catalonia’s mental health system.
In addition to their classes, the students explored ancient ruins, modern cities, and eclectic architectures crafted over millennia, and learned about the challenges facing contemporary Europe. The landmarks they visited include the Roman city, Tarragona. “It had so much history starting in the Roman era and through the medieval time, and it was so beautiful,” Morris said. Another favorite location was Montserrat, an ancient, yet active Benedictine monastery carved into the side of the Montserrat mountain range. “It was originally a Roman shrine to the gods. It was turned into a monastery, a hermitage. It was an amazing architectural feat,” Morris recalled. Robert Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in Exercise and Sports Science, described the excursions as his favorite part of the program. “We went to ruins of cities. It was like looking at a map before and after and seeing how the city was remodeled over centuries,” he reported.
