Information for term Language + Culture
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenBring your beginner to intermediate Spanish language skills to Santiago de los Caballeros and immerse yourself in Dominican university life at our partner school, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM). After your required Spanish language course, choose from courses in English, from PUCMM’s four academic schools: Social Sciences and Administration; Science and Humanities; Engineering Sciences; and Health Sciences. Classroom instruction is supplemented with educational excursions throughout the country, local activities, and rural and urban volunteer opportunities to increase intercultural understanding.
Unique Experiences
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Explore
the great outdoors in the central mountains of the Cibao region, visit the Samaná Peninsula or Montecristi.
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Stroll through the museums
of Santo Domingo, the capital of the D.R.
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See the Haitian/Dominican border
and a UNESCO World Heritage site
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students at Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra
15,000 -
miles from the national capital
82 -
people living in this city, the second largest in the D.R.
1M
Location & Culture
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Your Destination
Founded in 1495 by 30 caballeros (knights), Santiago de los Caballeros has all the charm of a small neighborhood. You’ll find small-town delights right around the corner — street vendors, friendly locals playing dominos and listen to merengue and bachata music — while still being a stone’s throw away from national parks and museums like Centro Leon and Casa de Arte.
The Culture
EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- Go on a weekend trip to the growing eco-paradise that is the Samaná Peninsula and Los Haitises National Park.
- Visit Santo Domingo and its Zona Colonial including the first Cathedral of the Americas.
- Embark on day trips to explore the Hermanas Mirabal Museum in Salcedo; the town of La Vega during Carnaval season; the market-town of Dajabón on the Haitian-Dominican border, and the Centro Leon Museum in Santiago.
- Depending on the courses you take, visit agricultural and industrial projects, free trade zones, a Dominican tobacco company, other local museums, clinics, schools, or nonprofit organizations.
PROJECTS
Volunteering. Help out at a local school, orphanage, or home for mentally or physically challenged children. You’ll also have the opportunity to do service-work in a rural community alongside locals.
Daily Life
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HOUSING
Homestay There is no student housing on campus, so students live in middle class or upper class Dominican homes, all within walking distance of PUCMM. Housing assignments are made based on questionnaires that students submit to CIEE. Students and their families are asked to speak Spanish exclusively.
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MEALS
Homestay: Meals are eaten at the place of residence and are included in the program fee.
Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic Where You'll Study
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A
CIEE STUDY CENTER
Santiago
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PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA MADRE Y MAESTRA
Santiago
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Program Details
Click to OpenWhat you need to know
The program detailsPrepare for a full calendar — with plenty of educational excursions throughout the country, local activities, and rural and urban volunteer opportunities. The Language and Culture program is packed with exciting opportunities that supplement classroom content and immerse you in the community. You’re also encouraged to participate in student opportunities offered by CIEE partner university, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and experience Dominican culture and geography outside of the classroom setting. All courses are taught in English except for the Spanish language courses. In addition, all students sign off on the CIEE Community Language Commitment, agreeing to speak only Spanish to foster language proficiency and understanding of Dominican society. Courses are taught by CIEE and PUCMM faculty.
Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra was founded in 1962 and dedicated to serving the social and economic development of all Dominicans. PUCMM has been ranked as the best academic institution of higher learning in the Dominican Republic. Just 15 minutes from downtown Santiago, PUCMM's campus has four academic schools: Social Sciences and Administration; Science and Humanities; Engineering Sciences; and Health Sciences.
Academics
Click to OpenEligibility
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OVERALL GPA
Students need to have a GPA of at least 2.5.
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Courses
Click to OpenCourse Information
Program Credit
Credit:15-18 U.S. semester/22.5-2 quarter credits
Course Credit
- CIEE course: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours
- Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) courses: 1-4 semester/1.5-6 quarter credits; 15-60 contact hours
Language of Instruction
English
Requirements
- One Spanish Language course
- 3-4 additional electives
Course Notes
- Additional electives may include CIEE Intercultural Communication and Leadership.
- PUCMM classes are offered for foreigners by PUCMM staff, although up to five Dominican and/or Haitian students per class may also enroll, space permitting. Courses are not always offered each semester and a minimum enrollment of six students is needed to run each class.
- A preliminary list of courses is sent to students upon acceptance into the program. The final list of available courses is given to students upon arrival, as not all courses are offered every semester.
Fall 2020 CIEE Courses
Click to OpenCommunication, Journalism, and Media
Host Institution Courses
Click to OpenPUCMM SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES
- Beginning Spanish Language I
- Beginning Spanish Language II
- Intermediate Spanish Language I
- Intermediate Spanish Language II
- Advanced Spanish Language I
- Advanced Spanish Language II
ELECTIVE PUCMM COURSES (TAUGHT IN ENGLISH)
Latin American Cinema and Society
As the Civilization of the Imagination, cinema is recognized as one of the most effective mediums for the diffusion of human ideas and for understanding the reality of the world’s peoples. Furthermore, it is an excellent vehicle to inform us about the social, political, and cultural reality, in both the past and the present of the countries that produce films. These and other reasons motivate Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra to offer, within the division of Spanish for Foreigners, a semester-long course called “Latin American Cinema,” which serves to deepen students’ knowledge about this region of the world. Parallel to the concepts mentioned above, theoretical cinematographic concepts will be presented and a compendium of the history of this “7th art form.”
Culture and Society in the Hispanic Caribbean
This course deals with the various cultures that comprise the Hispanic Caribbean as a socio-historic unit within the Caribbean cultural group, considering the specificities and diversities in which their cultural richness lies. We will examine the historic and social processes of the formation and development of the various societies and state forms in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In addition, we will study the manifestations and representative movements of political thought, philosophy, and pedagogy, as well as artistic and literary production in the Hispanic Caribbean.
Dominican-Haitian Relations
This course will examine, in an introductory form, the reality of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, emphasizing the historical structure of both societies as well as historical, political, economic, and cultural factors that have influenced the relations of both nations. There will also be complementary activities, such as a visit to a batey and/or the border region (Dajabón) and viewing videos, among others.
Hispanic Caribbean Literature
This course offers a panoramic vision of Hispanic Caribbean literature from the colonial era until the contemporary literature with emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. Representative works will be read, analyzed, and presented from each era corresponding to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. The analysis will be complemented with secondary readings of a diverse nature.
Introduction to Dominican Folklore
This course presents a complete and systematic panorama of the different aspects and branches of the study of folklore, with special emphasis on those areas of Dominican folklore that are particularly rich and colorful, including religious observances and festivals. In addition to the natural richness that folklore exhibits, the course will be developed within a wide theoretical framework, emphasizing Dominican references. Various videos will be shown, there will be short excursions that vividly illustrate concepts discussed in class, and students will share brief presentations of their own research, applying the research concepts that are studied in the class.
Poverty and Development: Dominican Case Study
In this course, the concepts of poverty and development are studied through an analysis of national and international factors that deepen poverty and impede a country´s and/or a region´s progress and socio-economic development. Special emphasis is placed on the socio-cultural contexts of the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The focus is on neoliberal economic policies, statistics related to international financial organizations, strategies and alternatives for socio-economic and human development in Latin American and Caribbean societies, and external debt and its impact on the poorest countries in the region.
Teaching English as a Second Language
This 4-credit course is addressed to English speakers who are seriously interested in the ESL/EFL teaching field. It is intended to provide the appropriate and necessary instructions, strategies, and techniques that will enable them to succeed in their English teaching practice. The course is comprised of 28 hours of in-class theory and 56 hours of hands-on practice teaching the regularly enrolled university students at PUCMM and requires an extensive written report at the end that incorporates elements of both theory and experiences learned through the practicum.
PUCMM One-Credit Courses
PUCMM offers the following courses to all CIEE students, which are worth one credit each.
Arts: Artistic Drawing, Drama, Guitar, Oratory, Photography, Sculpture, Silk-Screening, Stage Scenery Design
Dominican Dance and Folklore: Dominican folklore is introduced through regional dances and musical instruments. Students learn to dance traditional merengue, bachata, and salsa.
Physical Education: Baseball, Basketball, Gymnastics, Judo, Karate, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track, Volleyball
Note: 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 change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
Scholarships
Click to OpenScholarships & Grants
CIEE offers more than $8 million in scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI Grant
- Latin America Flight Voucher
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application. Learn more at the Scholarships & Grants section of our website.
See more scholarship infoDates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
YOUR FEE INCLUDES:
- Tuition
- Housing
- Some meals
- Orientation conducted in Santiago and lasting approximately one week
- Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
- Full-time program leadership and support in your host city
- Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
- Insurance and other travel benefits, with CIEE iNext
- 24/7 emergency on-site support
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2020 15 weeks | May 1, 2020 | Aug 24, 2020 | Dec 8, 2020 |
$12,850
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Program FeesCIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits. Participation Confirmation = $300 * Educational Costs = $10,133 ** Housing = $2,250 *** Insurance = $167 Total Fees = $12,850Estimated CostsStudents are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration. International Airfare = $600 † Local Transportation = $250 Books & Supplies = $175 Visa Fees = $700 †† Personal expenses = $1,500 Total Estimated Costs = $3,225Financial AidCIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants. This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time. Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed. * non-refundable ** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students *** includes all meals † round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure †† Only if students opt for the student permit, but we recommend that they enter as a Tourist. They will pay an overstay fee of US $50 upon departure. Tourist card is US $10 and is included in the cost of the airfare. |
| Spring 2021 14 weeks | Nov 1, 2020 | Jan 2, 2021* | Apr 10, 2021* | |
| Academic year 2020-2021 14 weeks | May 1, 2020 | Aug 24, 2020 | TBD |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, ask your college or university study abroad advisor if your school charges additional fees for study abroad.
Looking for funding?
Our Staff
Click to OpenOur Staff
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Mibra Diaz
Student Life Coordinator
Mibra graduated with a law degree in 2012 from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestrea (PUCMM).
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Tian Song
Director, CIEE Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Tian Song is responsible for successful program administration of all semester, summer, and special programs in the Dominican Republic.
Get Started
Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:-
1
START AN APPLICATION
Apply Now
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience! -
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CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. -
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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