Teach & Learn in Spain, Instituto Franklin-UAH

This is an amazing program that has opened up many opportunities for me! Not only do you get to spend a year in Spain - one of the greatest countries on the planet - you also get to meet an incredible and diverse group of people. It is an opportunity to get a master’s degree for free (or for relatively inexpensive), as well as to get invaluable teaching experience to add to your resume. I have recommended this program to many people as it has led me to a job in International Education here in Canada, and it is also where I met some of my best lifelong friends.

I did this program after I finished my UG in 2017. I had already a love for Spain and education. When I found out this with this program I could continue my study in education and actually teach while being in Spain I was very happy. The location of the school is honestly the heart of Spain there is so much history and that happens in Alcala and every corner is so beautiful. The professors are so kind and helpful. Even after being done with the program I still stay in contact with my professors (helps me practice my Spanish too!). I am now done and I am back in the Sates (NYC) I was able to find a teaching job. They loved that I studied and taught in Spain. It definitely made my resume stand out.

The Teach and Learn in Spain program granted me the freedom to travel, practice Spanish, and earn a Master's Degree in my desired field of study for an extremely low cost and high reward. This degree gave me the ability to teach Spanish at a notable private school in upstate New York. It has also taken me to China where I teach bilingual STEM and Science courses each summer. Most recently, it was my academic achievements at UAH that transferred to NYU where I will be continuing my studies in Speech-Langauge Pathology this coming semester.

Although UAH handed us some, admittedly annoying, challenges, such as working out communication and travel flaws between the university and our school placements and finding accommodation, I wouldn't trade it for the world- in hind-sight. Also, be advised that the diploma and transcripts do take several months to receive!
I give this program an overall 9/10 because the faculty are some of the most enjoyable, helpful, and understanding people you will meet. Your fellow classmates will become life-long friends. It is guaranteed that your experience living, working, and teaching in Spain will be at the top of your most rewarding career choices you will make.

I really enjoyed this MA program and would recommend it to anyone interested in teaching. The staff was very helpful with visa paperwork and responding to questions/concerns from the very beginning. I liked the variety of classes we studied for the MA in Bilingual and Multicultural Education and had some very memorable professors. Advising and support is provided throughout the program, and the staff does its best to help students adjust to their teaching practicum and works with students and schools to find the best possible solutions. I’m now working in the US in the ESL field at the university level and am so grateful to the continuing support I’ve received from the UAH-IF administration. This MA is special because it gives you the opportunity to work, study, and live abroad in an incredible place!

I did the Bilingual education masters in 2016 and it was a fantastic experience on both personal and professional levels. First of all, the campus is gorgeous, with centuries-old classrooms and flower-filled courtyards and cute little nooks to get your studying done. The application and visa process can be intimidating but they have an awesome helpful support staff to guide you through the process. The program itself packs in a huge amount of knowledge in a short amount of time, so be ready to study hard, but the instructors are skilled educators that make the process fun. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to advance their teaching career with an MA in a setting that can't be beat. Plus, you have an opportunity to meet like-minded fellow educators, and I for one met some lifelong friends through the program. Oh yeah and the staff rocks.

I wasn't entirely sure of what to expect when I enrolled in the Master's in Teaching Program at Instituto Franklin. The program seemed almost too good to be true, with its location in the idyllic small city of Alcala de Henares, the low cost of tuition, and a very practical course of study that combined weekly classes with a practicum as a teaching assistant at a local bilingual school.
However, Instituto Franklin not only delivered upon what it promised, but it guided me forward as I was able to build from the program's offerings and use the skills I worked on in the classroom to become more adept as a teacher and better equipped with the tools to set my career in motion. Each course is taught by a professor with a unique perspective and background in a particular area of education, and they were all very hands-on, candid, and active in mentoring us through the process of completing the program. Even for the most intimidating aspects of higher education, such as preparing thesis research or final projects, we were provided a great deal of support from the faculty and also permitted to explore a wide range of topics in accordance with our particular interests. I was able to live and teach in Alcala de Henares throughout my time at Instituto Franklin, and it is a wonderful, energetic place full of historic landmarks, great restaurants, beautiful parks, and I always felt safe at any hour walking through the streets of town. For anyone wanting to spend time abroad (especially in Spain!) while embarking upon a career in teaching, I highly recommend Instituto Franklin.

I am studying to be a language teacher in the United States, so this experience was very valuable to me. I still need a teaching degree from here to teach here but the degree I earned while in Spain was an invaluable addition to my resume. The classroom experience was also great. There is a difference between American and Spanish schools but I gained experience teaching and leading children. It was also interesting to see the difference in between teaching English and Spanish. I actually learned a lot about English! I loved using my Spanish to communicate and even had the time to make many trips to the local book store. Alcala is also a beautiful city with a lot to see and do! Madrid isn't too far either and the museums are amazing! I highly recommend this program as it can add to any resume and is an experience you won't always be able to have!

For me, the teach and learn program, and specifically the bilingual and multicultural education master, was an overall great experience. The year is certainly very intense and requires balancing many different things (teaching full time in a new city while studying and working with the masters program), but I would say it’s well worth it all in the end. I appreciate having been able to participate, and I learned and lot and had fun doing it. :)
To speak to more specific points, I found it useful to be able to have a well rounded approach to bilingual education as this is where my future work seems to be oriented now, but I would imagine that for most people, even those not necessarily interested in language or teaching, the program of study could be approached in a way that’s not overwhelmingly deep or outside of the common person’s interest. Personally, I found that the classes sparked an even greater interest in the field of language and will probably serve as the starting off point to a deeper dive into the field, but again, I imagine anyone could find interest and useful material in this masters program. It’s well balanced and IMPORTANTLY, the professors and faculty were there to answer questions and provide support at all steps along the way.