Programs by Region

SANTIAGO, CHILE

Program Provider: CIEE

Program Site: Santiago, Chile; Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and/or Universidad Diego Portales

Duration: Fall, Spring, or Year. The fall semester runs from mid-July to mid-December, and the spring semester runs from mid-February to mid-July. The academic year runs from mid-February through mid-December.

Description: Located 60 miles from the coast of Chile and flanked to the east by the towering Andes, Santiago is home to over five million of Chile's 16 million residents. In addition to being a cosmpolitan city, Santiago presents different aspects of Chilean culture as seen in the arts, economic development, its political history, and a wide range of interesting neighborhoods and activities. The city's proximity to the mountains and the ocean makes it an ideal base for outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, river-rafting, horseback riding, and enjoying the expansive coastline. Santiago is also a good base for traveling to neighboring countries such as Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia.

This program aims to provide American students with an advanced level of Spanish an immersive experience in a Latin American country and an opportunity to experience student life and learn about the cultural patterns in Chile. Students have access to a wide range of academic disciplines, including many courses on Chile and the region. Students can take courses at any one of three universities: the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the country’s leading private university; the Universidad de Chile, the country’s preeminent public university; and the private Universidad Diego Portales, founded in 1982 and very strong in the social sciences.

Students participating in this program are encouraged to consider a minor in Latin American Studies, offered through the Department of Spanish & Portuguese.

Academics: The program begins with a two-week course called Contemporary Chile before students directly enroll in university classes to study alongside local students. All courses are taught in Spanish and a wide array of disciplines is available. CIEE offers courses specifically for CIEE students. Paritcipants may take one CIEE subject area courses and one CIEE language course. CIEE offers a 2-unit Seminar on Learning and Living in Chile; while USC students are encouraged to attend this seminar, they will not earn any USC credit (not even elective credit) for the seminar.

CIEE courses:
-    Language, Society, and Discourse in Chile
-    Human Rights in Chile
-    Advanced Spanish (advanced grammar and composition for foreign students)

University Courses:

At the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, past participants have taken courses in the following academic disciplines: art, geography, history, international relations, journalism, linguistics, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology.

At the Universidad de Chile, past participants have taken courses in the following areas: anthropology, archaeology, art, geography, history, international relations, journalism, law, linguistics, literature, philosophy, political science, and sociology.

At the Universidad Diego Portales, students can take courses in the following departments only: history, international relations, political science, and sociology.

Students may take their direct enrollment courses at one, two, or all three of the universities listed above.

Course load and Credit: Students take four or five courses and can earn a maximum of 20 units per semester or 36 units for the academic year.

Accommodations: Chilean homestay; three meals per day are provided.

Activities and Other Program Features: The program includes visits to sites of historic and cultural importance in and near Santiago such as the homes of Pablo Neruda, museums, a historic mining village and the memorial to the victims of the 1973 coup. In addition, there are weekend trips each semester, usually to Pucón, an ecotourism center in the south of Chile, and to San Pedro de Atacama in the Atacama Desert in the far north. Students also have the opportunity to do non- credit bearing internships, perform community service, and do one-to-one language exchanges with Chileans.

Eligibility: Minimum 3.0 GPA and six semesters of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent).

Estimated Semester Cost:
Tuition................................$12,248
Additional Expenses*.............$9,158
Total..................................$21,406

Cost Updated: 12/12/11
Text Updated: 07/11/11

*Additional expenses include estimated costs for airfare, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, and personal expenses (which can vary greatly from student to student). USC financial aid, scholarships, and tuition remission may be applied to program costs. Please visit the Office of Overseas Studies for more detailed cost information.