ciee - council on international educational exchange
apply now for a ciee study abroad program Login in My CIEE

Search this site:
are you an advisor?
  
ciee study center blogs
Find us on Facebook
CIEE Annual Conference
Sign up for our newsletter
featured programs

Study Abroad with CIEE in Australia Study in Australia
wollongong—arts + sciences

Study Abroad with CIEE in the Caribbean Study in Bonaire
bonaire—tropical marine ecology

Study Abroad with CIEE in China Study in China
shanghai—advanced chinese studies

Study Abroad with CIEE in China Study in China
shanghai—business, language, + culture

Study Abroad with CIEE in Germany Study in Germany
berlin—language + culture

Study Abroad with CIEE in Italy Study in Italy
naples—liberal arts

Study Abroad with CIEE in Italy Study in Italy
naples—classical studies

Study Abroad with CIEE in Peru Study in Peru
lima—business + society

Study Abroad with CIEE in Peru Study in Peru
lima—language + culture

Study Abroad with CIEE in Sweden Study in Sweden
uppsala—arts + sciences

Study Abroad with CIEE in Taiwan Study in Taiwan
taipei—chinese language + culture

Study Abroad with CIEE in Vietnam Study in Vietnam
ho chi minh—language + culture

Academic Program

Founded in 1992, the CIEE Study Center in Santiago provides a supportive environment for students to directly enroll in two of Chile’s major universities. Given the array of disciplines and courses available to participants, the program is suitable for undergraduate students from a variety of majors with strong Spanish language skills. All courses are taught in Spanish.

What You'll Learn

The Liberal Arts program aims to provide students firsthand knowledge of contemporary issues and cultural patterns in Chile. This is accomplished through an orientation program, supplemental cultural activities throughout the semester, and Chilean homestays. Students also have the opportunity to meet their academic and linguistic goals through direct enrollment at two outstanding universities in Santiago: the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Universidad de Chile.

Academic Culture

Chilean universities convey knowledge through different strategies and methods; innovation, design, participation, memorization, and expositive lectures are part of the in-class academic culture. In most classes, a great deal of emphasis is placed on note taking. It can take a while to learn how to study effectively in the Chilean system, especially in terms of acquiring reading material and understanding professors’ expectations. Chilean classmates are often an excellent source for help. Average class size is 20 to 30 students.

The atmosphere of the two host universities is quite distinct in terms of socio-demographic backgrounds of the student bodies, their political leanings, size of classes, and infrastructure. The opportunity to enroll in more than one Chilean university is quite unique and provides insight into the diversity of the Chilean educational system.

The first semester of the Chilean academic year begins in March and ends mid-July, and the second semester begins in mid-July and ends in mid-December. A year-long program of study in Santiago can begin either during the North American fall (academic year program) or spring semester (calendar year program). Academic year students who begin their study during the North American fall semester have a two-month break between semesters and are encouraged to travel in Latin America. There is a break of about two weeks between the spring and fall semesters for calendar year students. Students may also choose to spend a second semester at the CIEE Study Center in Valparaíso, Chile.

Nature of Classes

CIEE courses are with CIEE students only. Participants also enroll directly in host university courses and take classes with Chilean students.

CIEE Language Commitment

Students take part in the CIEE Community Language Commitment by speaking Spanish at all times (except in emergencies). This fosters a learning community that contributes to both Spanish language proficiency and understanding of Chilean society.

Internship

This program does not currently offer an internship. For a list of programs that do, visit Search for a Program and search for "internships" under "what do you want to study."

Grading System

Assessment for the CIEE course is based on class participation and writing assignments. In regular university courses, students are treated the same as Chilean students. Final grades are usually determined by a combination of written and oral assignments and a final paper or examination. The Chilean grading scale goes from 1 to 7 (one to seven), with 4 (four) being a passing grade. The CIEE Study Center office in Chile converts grades and credits to the U.S. system according to a standard scale.

Grades for Semester I (North American spring) should arrive on campus by late September, and grades for Semester II (North American fall) arrive on campus by late March. Graduating seniors or others concerned about the timing of receiving grades need to take this into consideration when choosing this program.

Program Requirements

All students take the required two-credit Contemporary Chile course before the start of university courses. During the semester, students enroll in four to six courses, including a maximum of one CIEE course and one Spanish language course. Students may also enroll in the CIEE elective course. The remaining coursework must be direct enrollment courses at either of the two Chilean universities.

Credit Description

Total recommended credit for the semester is 17–20 semester/25.5–30 quarter hours and for the year is 34–40 semester/51–60 quarter hours.

CIEE course contact hours vary from 30–60 hours and recommended credit varies from 2–4 semester/3–6 quarter hours, unless otherwise indicated. University course contact hours vary and recommended credit is 3–4 semester/4.5–6 quarter hours, unless otherwise indicated. During the semester, all students must be enrolled full-time with a minimum equivalent of 17 semester/25.5 quarter hour credits.

Courses

Required Preliminary Course

LAST 3001 CSLC
Contemporary Chile

This multidisciplinary course runs before the start of university courses for approximately 10 days. It is designed to expand students’ understanding of principal issues in Chile through classroom and experiential activities. Themes explored include questions of Chilean identity; political, social, and economic realities; and an examination of the Chilean educational system and its academic culture. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 2 semester/3 quarter hours.

CIEE Core Courses
Students may take a maximum of one of the following courses.

LAST 3008 CSLC
Human Rights in Chile
This course addresses the recent history, current perspectives, and future challenges of human rights issue in Chile. Students approach and examine different perspectives of human rights interpretations and the role of the Chilean state and the judiciary in dealing with human rights violations that happened during the dictatorship period between 1973 and 1989. Contact hours: 60. Recommended credit: 4 semester /6 quarter hours. Instructors: Juan Guzman Tapia, Patricia Albornoz

LING 3001 CSCL
Language, Society, and Discourse in Chile

Students analyze and approach Chilean reality through discourse analysis techniques. Based on the study of discourse genres, taking current and prototypical pieces of discourses, produced in different contexts (institutions, communities), students learn three main skills: discourse analysis and discourse production techniques, improvement of Spanish language standards in comprehension or production according to a given discourse genre, and an approach to Chilean reality through contextual language production. In this sense, the course encourages approaching reality through language, understood as a complex system of discourses, not as structural patterns of grammar or lexicon. Contact hours: 45. Recommended credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours. Instructor: Patricio Varas Guerrero, Ph.D.

CIEE Language Course

SPAN 4001 CSCL
Advanced Spanish

This course is taught exclusively for CIEE students by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. The course strives to achieve three main objectives: spoken and written communicative practice and performance in Spanish; advanced grammar and lexical Spanish patterns; and intermediate academic written discourse production. Contact hours: 45 in class and 15 tutoring. Total: 60. Recommended credit: 4 semester/6 quarter hours. Instructor: Mara Rementería, M.A.

CIEE Elective Course

CLST 3001 CSCL
Seminar on Living and Learning in Santiago
The CIEE Seminar on Living and Learning in Santiago is designed to improve students’ intercultural communication and competence while studying abroad by considering how Chileans are different from and similar to themselves and others. The course offers opportunities, both in and outside the classroom, to develop insights and the skills necessary to interact effectively and appropriately, and to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the cultural richness of Chile. Contact hours: 25. Recommended credit: 2 semester/3 quarter hours.

University Courses
All course selections are made in consultation with the CIEE Resident Director and a designated staff person from each Chilean university. Not all courses are available every semester. The reality of the academic system in Chile is such that course listings and course availability are not determined until immediately prior to the start of university classes in a given semester. The final list of courses is available during the first two weeks of the program in Santiago. Although a limited offering of English-taught courses is offered, CIEE participants may not enroll in these courses due to our goal of complete language immersion. The following list is a representative sampling of courses available at the sponsoring universities. Students may enroll in any course for which they meet the prerequisites. In addition to the courses listed below, the host institutions offer a wide range of courses in many disciplines, including agronomy, architecture, biology, business administration, chemistry, dance, engineering, environmental studies, fine arts, foreign languages, geography, law, mathematics, music, philosophy, physics, political science, public health, sociology, theater, and zoology.

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Courses

Art
Advanced Engraving, Art in Chile, Basic Drawing, Latin American Painting, Metal Engraving

Geography
Cartography, Chilean Geography I and II, Cultural Geography, Environmental Geography, Introduction to Geography, Political Geography, Rural Development, Urban Planning

History
American National I and II, Ancient History, Chile 1964–2000, Contemporary History, Discovery and Conquest, Economic History, Europe in the 19th Century, Hispanic Chile, National Chile I and II, Pre-Columbian Cultures

International Relations and Political Science
Chilean Foreign Policy, Chilean Political Parties, Contemporary International Politics, Elements of Political Science, Fundamentals of Political Theory, Re-Democratization Processes in Latin America, Representation and Electoral Systems

Journalism
Contemporary History, Economic Journalism, Investigations, Journalistic Photography, Television Journalism, Visual Communication

Linguistics and Literature
Aesthetics of Neruda’s Poetry; Ancient Literature; Chilean and Hispano-American Narratives; Chilean and Hispano-American Poetry; Chilean and Hispano-American Theater; Contemporary Chilean Theater; General Medieval and Classical Literature; Hispano-American Literary Texts; Introduction to Linguistics of Text; Modern and Contemporary Literature; Nobel Prizes of Latin American Literature; Representation of Women in the Works of Maria Luisa Bombal, Marcela Serrano, and Manuel Puig; Spanish Classical Literature; Spanish Writing Workshop

Philosophy
Kant, Logic, Ethics, and Contemporary Philosophical Texts; Medieval Philosophy; Metaphysics; Philosophy of Science; San Agustin’s Selected Writings

Psychology
Community Psychology, Culture and Society in Latin America, Human Relations, Introduction to the Psychology of Jung, Principles of Learning in Adults, Psychology of the Chilean Adolescent

Sociology
Art and Religion, Biblical Initiation, Fundamental Principles of Christian Morality, History of the Ancient Church, History of the Church in Chile, Religious Psychology, Religious Sociology, Religious Studies, Synoptic Gospels and Apostolic Missions, The Person of Christ

Universidad de Chile Courses

Anthropology and Archaeology
Andean Culture, Anthropology of Development, Anthropology of Gender, Anthropology of Poverty, The Cultural Formation of Latin America, Folklore as Culture, Gender and Society, Judaism: Religion and Culture, Latin American Thought, Mapuche Culture, Rapa Nui Culture, Rural Anthropology, Sociological Theory and Structure in Chile, Urban Anthropology, Women in Latin American Society

Art
Art History, Drawing, History and Analysis of Music of the 20th Century, Introduction to Art, Photography, Pottery

Geography
Geography of Chile-16th to 19th Centuries, Physical Geography-Climatology and Meteorology, Political Geography, Regional Geography of America, Social and Administrative Geography

History
Ancient History-Roman Empire, Chilean Political Parties, Chilean-Peruvian Relations, History of America-17th Century, History of America-USA 1860–1920, History of Chile-18th and 19th Centuries, Indigenous America, Introduction to History, Modern History-17th and 18th Centuries, Pre-Hispanic History of America and of Chile, Revolutions and Social Movements in the 20th Century

International Relations and Political Science
Chilean Public Administration, Contemporary International Conflicts, Government and Public Administration, Latin American Politics, Negotiation and Conflict Management, Political Ethics, Political Parties: Theory and Practice, U.S.-Latin American Relations

Journalism
Comparative National and International Press, Contemporary History and Geography, Contemporary Latin American Art and Literature, Film-Cinematographic Analysis, International Relations, Latin American Communication and Thought

Law
Chilean Institutional History-16th-18th Century, Indigenous Legislation In Chile, International Public Law

Linguistics and Literature
Contemporary Chilean Literature, Contemporary European Literature, Contemporary Hispanic American Literature, Contemporary Hispanic American Novel, Contemporary Spanish Literature, Don Quixote, Ethnic and Psycholinguistics, Hispanic American Narrative of the 1980s, History of the Spanish Language, Literary Theory, Medieval Literature, Medieval Women Writers, Modern Hispanic American Literature, Modern Spanish Literature

Philosophy
Contemporary Philosophy, Esthetics, Ethics, Introduction to Philosophy, Logic, Medieval Philosophy, Metaphysics, Philosophical Anthropology, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Political Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge

Sociology
History of Social Thought, Human Rights, Introduction to Marxist Thought, Organizational Sociology, Political Sociology, Social History of Chile, Social History of Latin America, Social Theory in Latin America, Sociology

This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to changes as a result ofongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment. Syllabi for the CIEE courses listed above are available upon request.


CIEE Study Center Syllabi
To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.

Faculty

The CIEE courses are taught by local faculty with postgraduate degrees (M.Sc.M.A. and PhD). All other courses are taught by faculty from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and the Universidad de Chile.

Cultural Activities

The program includes visits to sites of historic and cultural importance in Santiago and its environs. These activities, which vary each semester to take advantage of seasonal and current attractions, have included a tour of the city of Santiago, visits to Pablo Neruda’s homes, bike tour of historical neighborhoods, guided tours of local museums, and a visit to the memorial of the human rights victims of the 1973 coup.

In addition, there are two field trips each semester: a trip to San Pedro de Atacama, an enormous anthropological and ecological dry land in the center of the Atacama Desert; and a trip to the Valparaíso region, which is the historical, tourist, and comercial hub of the central coast of Chile.

Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
Non-credit volunteer and internship options are available, primarily in social service organizations and NGOs. CIEE students can volunteer with organizations involved in social policy, community service, and education. For advanced Spanish speakers, CIEE can arrange non-credit internships at both private and public institutions, as well as nongovernmental organizations.

Immersion

Immersion in the local culture is a priority at CIEE Study Centers around the world.CIEE participants make the most of their program through CIEE-guided excursions, field study and internship programs, volunteering, conversation exchanges, homestays, and special events. The opportunities will vary depending on location. read on to learn more about this program.