Melissa Lorenzen and Mariana Bianco relax by a fountain in Seville.

From civil engineering to chemical engineering, students juggle thermodynamics with calculus or chemistry with computational methods, hoping to cram their required courses into eight scant semesters.

Those schedules leave little room for free time, prompting students to assume there’s no time for a semester abroad. But that notion would be inaccurate.

Case in point: The School of Engineering currently offers a summer overseas program, giving students a chance to venture abroad while taking courses that fulfill their academic requirements.

Over the past summer, 22 students, three teachers, two administrators and one teacher’s assistant traveled to Madrid, squeezing Spanish courses and museum trips into the students’ already busy curriculum.

The program has a considerable history, having debuted in 1981 with a single session in Madrid. It took an eight-year hiatus, then returned in 1989 and has been held consistently every other year, alternating between London and Paris.

The program has grown significantly in terms of academic offerings.

In 1981, it offered one class and an internship; in 2003, it expanded to four different classes, three of which were upper-division courses in the engineering curriculum. These courses, taught by USC faculty, fulfill graduation requirements for the school’s engineering majors.

“This means students can participate in an experience abroad without pushing their graduation date back,” said Krupa Savalia, a sophomore from West Orange, N.J., studying biomedical/biochemical engineering.

Given the success and popularity of the most recent session — the program saw the largest number of participants in its history — the school now hopes to offer the program every year, expanding the list of overseas options.

Next summer, students will head to Paris, while Rome remains on the program’s radar.

To coordinate this program, the engineering school partners with ACCENT International Inc., an organization that works with more than 50 American colleges and universities. The organization helps organize study programs abroad and provides reliable housing and computer facilities, as well as providing advice and guidance for students.

This support is key since the students’ schedule can be intense.

“Classes are extremely fast-paced,” said Christine Keushguerian,a senior majoring in environmental engineering. “The same amount of material taught in the 15-week semester is covered in just six weeks.”

“The time constraint was a major challenge,” she added. “When faced with the decision to finish a thermodynamics problem or view the collection of Salvador Dali’s masterpieces at the Reina Sofia, which would you choose?”

The bond that students and faculty develop offsets the intensity. Classes are small, and this past summer’s participants made a number of excursions, including trips to Seville, Granada, Segovia and Cordova.

“You get to know people much better,” said Geoff Shiflett, associate professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering who has taught the thermodynamics course during the past three sessions.

“I don’t usually go out to lunch or ride a bus for six hours with students,” added Steve Bucher, who taught an advanced undergraduate writing class over the summer. “When you’re on a bus for six hours at a time, it’s hard not to bond.”

Such camaraderie energized the participants.

“The students and teachers shared dinners, outings, overnight trips, excursions and the excitement of a foreign environment,” said Keushguerian. “We fought through the same language and custom barriers,” added Jason Chan, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering.

After returning to Los Angeles, students reflected on their experience in Madrid, preparing papers for Bucher’s writing class, which is a required course for engineers.

Many students said they now look at their field in a new light, and each seems eager to develop into a global engineer.

Or as junior Ammar Chinoy sees it, “an engineer that, culturally speaking, transcends geographical boundaries.”

The returning students, who appreciated the value of their experience and the power of their broadened perspectives, were quick to connect it to the professional work they will do in the future.

For many, the journey was their first trip outside the U.S., and their time in Madrid made them more aware of their own cultural identities.

Suddenly, they found themselves as foreigners.

“Living my whole life in a small suburb 12 miles away from USC, I have always had the luxury of going home whenever I pleased,” said Keushguerian. “Being away from family and friends for a substantial period of time has given me a stronger sense of independence and responsibility.”

“The program allows engineers to adapt to a different culture and become more open-minded, creative and well-rounded individuals,” said Chinoy.

He joked about the stereotypes Americans have regarding Spanish culture. “When visiting Spain, you learn that the country has more to offer than bulls, flamenco, sangria and siestas.”

But perhaps the main difference students discovered between American and Spanish culture had to do with energy conservation.

“Europe in general, and Spain in particular, prioritize conservation in terms of reduced consumption,” Chinoy said. “Spanish electrical, transport and telecommunication systems are all influenced by this quest for efficiency.”

“The lack of air conditioning [and the use of] time-controlled lights and smaller vehicles are all elements of Spanish culture that Americans are not entirely acquainted with,” he said.

Senior Jennifer McLean, who is majoring in environmental engineering, agreed: “The entire city of Madrid has been designed to save energy and increase efficiency wherever possible.”

“The streets of America, especially Los Angeles, are a stark contrast to those of Madrid, and those of Europe as a whole,” Chan said. “Large sedans and SUVs don’t dominate Madrid’s roads. Instead, highly fuel-efficient subcompacts seem to be the automobile of choice.”

In recognizing these differences, students can see how their professional work as engineers will be culturally specific. They see the importance of being mindful of people’s culture as they carry out their work.

In a very real way, they understand their work is closely tied to the world around them.

As Savalia put it, “Engineering affects everyone, no matter where they live and is ultimately a means of serving humanity.”