ACADEMIC POLICIES – ALBA Study Abroad Portal

The aim of ALBA Study Abroad Barcelona (ALBA) is to provide a premier study abroad education that delivers the highest academic quality as well as enhance the development of intercultural competence skills.

To achieve this, ALBA has established the following guidelines and requirements.

I. GENERAL GUIDELINES

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

ALBA classes may be scheduled from Monday to Thursday from 8AM to 8PM. Under certain circumstances, classes may be scheduled on Fridays and students will be informed accordingly beforehand.

The final ALBA class schedule will be published on the portal before the start of the term.

Due to the short length of the program, ALBA does not observe Spanish or US bank holidays. It is the final decision of each professor if they want to take a holiday or not. This freedom to act is due to Spanish labor laws.

If a professor decides to take a holiday and not to hold class, this class will be made up or scheduled online.

ACADEMIC STANDING

All students enrolled in the program must be in, and maintain, good academic standing throughout the period of study with ALBA.

A student may be dismissed from the program at any time for unsatisfactory class preparation, attendance or performance.

In cases of dismissal for academic reasons, students are not necessarily entitled to the same refund they would receive if they had voluntarily withdrawn from the program at the time of their dismissal.

COURSE LOAD REQUIREMENTS

Students are required to register for a minimum of 5-quarter credits but no more than 23-quarter credits during each term of attendance. In most instances a student will need to be enrolled for a minimum of 12-quarter credits to receive financial aid and/or scholarships through Portland State University or their home institution.

ADD/DROP PERIOD

Students can add courses to their registration during the first two weeks of classes of a regular term (one week for summer term).

Students can drop from a course during the first two weeks of each regular term (one week for summer term). Courses which are dropped within the add/drop period do not appear on the ALBA transcript. Students must, however, maintain the appropriate minimum course load.

This doesn’t apply to classes at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF).

COURSE WITHDRAWALS

The deadline for withdrawals should be no later than four weeks before the end of the term. See the academic calendar with the specific deadlines for each term.

Course withdrawal requires:

a valid academic reason for requesting a reduced course load.
Program Manager approval
in some instances, a written authorization from the student home institution.

The student’s intention to simply not transfer academic credit to the home institution does not qualify as a valid reason. Students that are required to maintain a minimum of 12-quarter credits during the term must continue to maintain that minimum despite the withdrawal.

When a student withdraws from a course after the add/drop deadline, but before the withdrawal deadline, the title of the course appears on the transcript with the appropriate number of credits and the grade of W.

When a student withdraws from a course after the withdrawal deadline, the title of the course appears on the transcript with the appropriate number of credits and the grade of F.

ENROLMENT VERIFICATION FORM PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

All students registered at or through Portland State University have to fill in and sign an Enrolment Verification Form within the established deadline, normally 2-4 weeks before the start of each term.

Students are responsible for the accuracy of this document. Their final registration at PSU will be done based on the contents of this document. Any change (add/drop/withdrawal) must be notified to the ALBA administration using the corresponding forms.

This doesn’t apply to University of Washington Students.

GENERAL GRADING POLICY

The ALBA policy utilizes a standard readily recognized by U.S. institutions. The following defines ALBA’s use of letter grades:

Excellent performance
Good performance
Adequate performance
Unsatisfactory performance and/or comprehension of the subject matter
Failure to complete course requirements or wholly inadequate comprehension of the subject matter

The ranges between the letter grades can be expressed by plus or minus signs. Hence, the grading system recognized by ALBA is A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F. The plus sign is not used with the A grade and plus and minus signs are not used with the D and F grades.

A	93-99
A-	90-92
B+	87-89
B	83-86
B-	80-82
C+	77-79
C	73-76
C-	70-72
D	65-69
F	0-65

PASS/FAIL GRADING

With permission from Portland State University and/or the student’s home institution, students may register to have their classes or internship graded as Pass/Fail. Under ALBA Academic Guidelines, letter grades of A through C- = Pass; D and F = Fail.

Some classes and internships can only be Pass/Fail and others cannot be Pass/Fail. ALBA policy may be at variance with your home institution’s policy regarding Pass/Fail options.

Students should first consult with their home institution advisor.

AUDITS

Students are permitted to sit in on ALBA courses with the permission of the instructor. Audits will not be recorded on the transcript and do not count toward fulfillment of course load requirements.

GRADE APPEALS

Students who wish formally to appeal a grade received for a course must complete a Grade Appeal form and submit it to ALBA within 30 days of the release of grades. The ALBA Dean of Faculty determines the validity of the argument that is the basis of the appeal. If the ALBA Dean of Faculty judges that the argument is not logical, it is returned to the student with an invitation to revise and resubmit it.

If the ALBA Dean of Faculty judges the argument to be logical, it is forwarded to the instructor involved and the particulars of the case are discussed.

Once a determination has been made (normally within 15 days of receipt of the appeal), either the instructor, Program Manager or ALBA Dean of Faculty shall send a written response to the student. A copy of the appeal shall also be filed with the ALBA office.

The ALBA office will forward the response to the grade appeal to the student and to the home campus coordinator, when appropriate. The course instructor is the primary authority in matters of grading. The ALBA Director retains certain discretionary power in an extraordinary circumstance, such as the instructor’s absence. In such a case, the ALBA Director may refer the case to an instructor in the same discipline to make a determination on the validity of the appeal.

In the case of Spanish classes, the responsibilities of the Dean of Faculty will be assumed by the Head of Spanish & Language Studies.

TRANSCRIPTS

ALBA Study Abroad Barcelona sends an official grade report to Portland State University, University of Washington or to other partner institutions. These institutions process and add the credits taken by the students to their transcripts.

The official grades report lists all courses for which the student was registered after the add/drop period, credit and the appropriate notation, including those for which are (P/F) or (W).

Under exceptional circumstances, ALBA can issue an individual transcript and send it directly to the student.

Note: Grades are not released until all financial obligations are met.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR WRITTEN WORK

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that written work is submitted and received when due. Students are expected to retain copies of all written work submitted; failure to do so will be interpreted as work never completed in cases where submission or receipt of written work is not documented.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

ALBA is an academic community based on the principles of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Academic integrity is a core value which ensures respect for the academic reputation of ALBA, its students, faculty and staff. ALBA expects that each student will learn in an environment where they work independently in the pursuit of knowledge, conduct themselves in an honest and ethical manner and respect the intellectual work of their peers and faculty. Students, faculty and staff have a responsibility to be familiar with the definitions contained in, and adhere to, the ALBA Academic Integrity Policy.

Violations of ALBA’s Academic Integrity Policy may result in serious consequences, including course failure and/or expulsion from the program.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) interfaces has both gained popularity and sparked concern recently amongst university students and faculty. These interfaces, such as Chat GPT, can solve problems and respond to essay prompts. The use of these programs hinders students’ ability to think critically and engage with assignments in a creative and meaningful way.

The use of any of these interfaces to complete assignments in any ALBA course is strictly PROHIBITED UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED BY THE PROFESSOR. This includes Chat GPT, ContentBot, Article Forge, or any other program.

The use of these interfaces to complete an assignment without the permission of the professor is considered PLAGIARISM and in the case that any professor suspects the use of one of these programs, they reserve the right to ask the student to present their work orally or give more information about their sources.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

ALBA, to the best of their ability based on local Spanish infrastructure and Spanish law, follows U.S. ADA policy and local Spanish requirements for post-secondary institutions in making reasonable accommodations in order to provide students with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in courses, programs, and activities. ALBA can make a variety of accommodations when properly informed by a student that they have a disability. . This information should be clearly outlined by the student in their ALBA application and/or communicated to ALBA and the student’s home institution before applying. Additionally, description of any disabilities should be indicated in the Health & Safety form in the ALBA student portal items. All information is confidential.

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

ALBA will make its best efforts to offer all the academic accommodations that students need. Students need to understand that the resources that ALBA has are not comparable to those offered by big US universities and some accommodations that students have at their home campuses cannot be offered at ALBA.

Some accommodations that can be normal in US universities are not possible in Spain due to local laws and regulations (ex: recording or filming a class).

To request an accommodation, students must send documentation from the Disability Resources Office of their home university to the ALBA Program Manager.

The Program Manager will confirm which accommodations can be offered to students.

We strongly advise students to consult with their home school advisors about accommodations at ALBA before registering for the program.

BANK HOLIDAYS

Due to the brevity and intensity of each term, ALBA does not observe any American or Spanish bank holidays. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, classes will be held as usual.

However, due to the observation of Spanish labour laws, professors reserve the right to choose to take the day off. They will decide and communicate how to make up the classes: online classes, new rescheduled dates, extending some classes for a few minutes, and so on). If there are scheduling conflicts, the student shall talk with the professor to create a plan to make up the lost class time.

II. GUIDELINES SPECIFIC TO ALBA COURSES

READINGS

ALBA instructors are required to provide a syllabus with a list of required and recommended readings for each course. Additional or expanded reading lists may be made available according to the needs of the students for a given course or course assignments. Instructors are encouraged to use a syllabus as an occasion to familiarize students with available library resources and additional recommended readings.

In order to monitor student progress and adherence to reading assignments, ALBA instructors are urged to make use of discussion sessions, quizzes, and other forms of evaluation that they consider necessary.

SUPPLEMENTARY ASSIGNMENTS

Each ALBA course should have required supplementary assignments appropriate to the individual course. Such assignments may be in the form of term papers, book reports, work journals, portfolios, essays, field study reports, oral presentations, individual or class projects, or the like. Special emphasis should be placed on consistent graded written assignments that further the development of students’ writing skills.

EXAMINATIONS

A midterm evaluation and normally a written final examination are required in each course unless a special exception is previously authorized by the ALBA Director. The results of the midterm evaluation should be communicated to the students in a timely manner. The nature of a particular course may dictate a form of final evaluation and assessment other than a written exam. Final examinations are to be kept on file for one year.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Each student must complete all components of the required work for each course according to the deadlines established for each component. Failure to complete a component of the course requirements as scheduled or when due may result in a grade of ‘F’ for the course.

CLASS ATTENDANCE

Since ALBA courses are designed to take advantage of the unique contribution of the instructor, and the lecture/discussion format is regarded as the primary mode of instruction, regular class attendance is mandatory.

Attendance will be recorded at the beginning of every class and after the class break.

Each student is allowed:

2 unexcused absences per term for classes that meet twice a week (1 for Summer term).
1 unexcused absence per term for classes that meet once a week (1 for Summer term).
4 unexcused absences per term for classes that meet four times a week (2 for Summer term).

Students missing the first 15 minutes of a class, or the second part of a class when there is a break, will have ½ an absence noted in their records.

Students who use up all unexcused absences will see their final grade drop 1/3 of a letter grade for each additional unexcused absence. For example, an A will go to an A-, a B+ will go to a B.

Unexcused absences will, additionally, affect the student’s overall participation grade.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

An excused absence must pertain to either medical or legal (police, consulate, etc.) issues. A justification note must be presented to the ALBA office (i.e. a doctor’s note) the following class. In select situations, certain extenuating circumstances may also be excused.

Unexcused absences may not be used on a day on which an assessment is taking place. Students missing an assessment without being excused previously (for a medical or legal issue or an extenuating circumstance) by the professor and ALBA administration will not receive points for that assessment and will not be able to make it up.

CLASS BEHAVIOR AND ETIQUETTE

The classroom should be a learning-centered environment in which faculty and students are unhindered by disruptive behavior. College students despite being abroad and enjoying new cultures are expected to act in a mature manner and to be respectful of the learning process, instructors, fellow students and the local community. Faculty members have the authority to manage their classroom to ensure an environment conducive to learning.

Students are expected to take responsibility for their education. There is a common myth among study abroad students that because they pay tuition, they do not have to go to class and deserve to receive credit for the class. This is not true. Students are required to go to class and participate. Attendance and participation form a portion of the final grade in all ALBA courses. Instructors are here to create a learning environment. Whether a student learns depends on their willingness to listen, ask appropriate questions and do the work necessary to pass the course. ALBA courses are rigorous and demanding; the small group setting of ALBA classes may mean that students have to participate more than they are accustomed to at their home institution and have to work harder and seek more help in order to succeed due to being in a foreign country, the manner which the courses are structured, etc.
Students are expected to attend class. Students who attend every class, listen to the instructor, take good notes and participate will be more likely to pass with a higher grade. If a student has an emergency or illness, they should contact their instructor ahead of time to let them know that they will be absent. Students will have to present a doctor’s note or other written, authorized justification to avoid an unexcused absence. Studies have shown that students who missed the first class meeting were more likely later to withdraw or fail. Important note: If a student misses a class, it is their responsibility to meet with the instructor, outside of regular class time, to determine a plan to make up the missed work.
Students are expected to get to class on time. Students who walk into the classroom late distract other students in the learning environment. Arriving late may be considered an absence. Check the course syllabus for the professor’s attendance policy.
Students are expected not to have private conversations. The noise is distracting to other students.
Students are expected not to have their mobile phones out, and to turn mobile phones off. Cell phone usage in class is incredibly rude. It is very distracting to hear someone’s mobile phone go off in class, so all phone alerts should be turned off.
Students are expected not to dominate other students’ opportunity to learn by asking too many questions. It is good to ask questions and make comments, but if a student dominates the class time with too many questions and/or comments, the instructor and other students cannot participate in class discussions. When asking questions and making comments, students should keep them related to the discussion at hand.
Students are expected to respect the instructor. Openly challenging the instructor’s knowledge or authority in the classroom is not appropriate. If students take issue with the instructor’s information or instructional methods, they have to make sure that comments are made without confrontation or antagonism. Students may want to discuss their issues with the professor privately. Instructors’ classroom policies, procedures and teaching styles vary. Assignments and classroom activities are at the prerogative of the instructor. Each instructor has the freedom and authority to set the guidelines and policies for his or her classroom. Consult the instructor’s syllabus for specific information pertinent to each class.
Students are expected to show their classmates respect and support. Others may have ideas and opinions that differ from their peers, or they may struggle to understand information as quickly as their peers. Nevertheless, they deserve the same level of respect that another person wishes to receive from them.
Students are expected to come to class prepared. Students who forget common classroom supplies (such as a pencil, paper, books, test materials, etc.) usually waste class time. Students who have not completed their assigned homework many times ask questions that could have been answered through their assignments.
Students are expected to turn in their work on time. Students must plan ahead. Students who wait until the last minute to do their work usually make lower grades and are more likely to miss deadlines. Students should study and do their assignments accordingly. Doing so ensures that if a problem occurs at the last minute, such as a computer malfunction, they will still be prepared.
Eating and drinking in class. Classrooms are for learning. Eating and drinking other than water in class is not acceptable nor permitted.

CREDIT CALCULATION

ALBA Term credits are based on contact hours plus additional out-of-class hours per week. An academic contact hour is generally understood to be 50 minutes.

ALBA COURSE NUMBERING

ALBA assigns course numbers according to the following guidelines:

100 Level: denotes introductory courses that assume no prior background such as foreign language.
200 Level: denotes general interest or survey courses with no pre-requisites.
300 Level: denotes courses that assume some background in the field and may have specific prerequisites.
400 Level: denotes courses that assume a substantial background in the field, usually have specific prerequisites, may be restricted to majors in the field, or require permission of the instructor or Director to register. Examples here would include the upper-division courses of Spanish language.

III. GUIDELINES SPECIFIC TO UPF COURSES

Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) is a partner institution of ALBA Study Abroad Barcelona.

All ALBA students can apply to take classes at UPF but must agree to these specific conditions:

UPF has different admission requirements.
The deadline to register for UPF classes is much earlier than the deadline to register for ALBA classes.
UPF will need extra information and documents from the students to complete the registration. It is the responsibility of the student to send the appropriate information within the established deadlines.
UPF dates differ slightly from ALBA dates. While students can stay at their ALBA housing with no extra cost until the end of the UPF classes or exams, this has to be approved by the Program Manager beforehand. Students should plan their return to the US according to the UPF dates.
Students are responsible for checking the schedules of the classes they are taking at UPF to avoid overlaps with ALBA classes.
Some UPF classes might take place on Fridays, students are responsible for checking this.
There will be a cancellation fee of 150 EUR if a student drops from a UPF class before the UPF established Final Registration deadline.
If a student drops a class once the term begins, ALBA is charged the complete tuition by UPF. The student will be responsible for this fee. (2023-24 academic year: 1 class = 1,000 EUR, 2 classes = 1,520 EUR).

All of this information, deadlines and other details is available under:

IV. RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE POLICY

It is the policy of ALBA to make every reasonable effort to allow members of the ALBA community to observe their religious holidays without academic penalty in all courses.

Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not excuse students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. Students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance shall be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities. Students will not be penalized for class absences because of religious holidays.

It is the obligation of the students to provide faculty and the ALBA Program Manager with reasonable notice (minimum 2 weeks) in writing of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent. Students who are absent on days of examinations or class assignments shall be offered an opportunity to make up work, without penalty, unless it can be demonstrated that a makeup opportunity would constitute an unreasonable burden on the faculty.

V. RIGHTS OF ALBA STUDENTS

ALBA is an academic community in which all students, faculty, and staff share responsibility for both individual growth and the overall welfare of the community. As members of the ALBA community, students can reasonably expect to have the following rights:

To accurate and clearly stated information relating to maintenance of acceptable academic standing and individual course objectives and requirements. Students can expect instruction from faculty retained by ALBA at appointed class times, and to have reasonable access to those faculty members.
To express themselves freely in a culturally appropriate manner that is consistent with the ALBA Code of Student Conduct and the laws of Spain.
To expect a reasonably safe learning environment that is supportive of the mission of ALBA and their own educational goals.
Not to be unlawfully discriminated against by any employee or agent of ALBA on the basis of age, creed, ethnic or national origin, gender, disability, marital status, political or social affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
To peaceably assemble in an orderly manner consistent with the local culture and to engage in peaceful protest or demonstration that does not disrupt the operations of ALBA or local host universities, threaten the health or safety of any person, violate the ALBA Code of Student Conduct, or violate applicable laws of the country in which the student is studying.
To exercise their religious beliefs and associate with religious or other organizations of their choice.
To have their privacy rights reasonably protected on ALBA programs pursuant to the applicable laws in Spain and ALBA policy.
To due process in the form of notice of allegations and a right to be heard before formal disciplinary sanctions are imposed by ALBA for violations of the Code of Student Responsibility. Students have the right to notice and the opportunity for a hearing before any change in their status with ALBA occurs for disciplinary reasons unless a significant threat of harm to person(s) or property exists.

The exercise and preservation of these rights comes with a corresponding responsibility by all ALBA students to respect and preserve the rights of others in the ALBA community, learning environment, and host country. Students enrolling in an ALBA program assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner that is civil, respectful, and compatible with ALBA’s goals, policies, aspirations and mission as an institution of higher education. ALBA has the authority and responsibility to maintain order and an atmosphere of civility and mutual respect within the ALBA community, and to exclude those who are disruptive of our educational process and goals from the learning environment.