Location:

Valparaiso, Chile

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Academic Year, Fall Semester, Spring Semester

Program Overview

Program Description:

Intended for students with five semesters of college-level Spanish, the School in Chile provides students with the opportunity to increase their language abilities through constant interaction with native speakers. Whether spending time with local students in their university classes, their colleagues at an internship placement, or in their homestays, students use their language in a very real immersion environment.

Students in Valparaíso direct enroll alongside local students in one of five excellent universities, either in Valparaíso or nearby Viña del Mar: The Universidad de Playa Ancha affords students the opportunity to study art, literature, history, anthropology, sociology, political science, ecology, and music in a close setting where they have easy access to their professors. The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso enrolls 13,000 students and the main campus hosts approximately 400 international students each year, which has resulted in more structure and guidance from the university. Particular university strengths are in business, history, and public administration, though courses are found throughout the spectrum of the liberal arts curricula. Nestled on a hilltop with a panoramic view overlooking the city, the Universidad de Adolfo Ibañez’s newly relocated Viña del Mar campus boasts a modern, state of the art facility to serve its 2,000 students. This private university welcomes approximately 150 international students each semester. It was originally established as a School of Business in 1953, and has since grown to be one the top business programs in Latin America. UAI also offers a unique minor in Liberal Arts, providing its students with a multidisciplinary foundation on which to base critical thought, very similar to the educational philosophy of traditional liberal arts colleges in the U.S. The Universidad Andrés Bello has recently been focused on the internationalization of its three campus locations throughout Chile. For the Fall 2013 semester, the Viña del Mar campus recently inaugurated its Campus Único, consolidating its facultades into one central, downtown location in Viña. The university’s strength in the field of science is demonstrated through its dedication to research; a leader among private institutions for its production of scientific publications. For this reason, UNAB is a perfect fit for our newly developed Pre-Med track in Chile (spring semester only). Most of the Universidad de Valparaíso is located near the national congress building in central Valparaíso, but some buildings and classes, especially those in the facultad de humanidades and económicas y administrativas, are found in nearby Viña del Mar. The university has a strong focus on business, but there is a Latin American regional/cultural department that offers history, economics, and sociology courses appropriate for liberal arts credit; other strengths include psychology, philosophy, and marine biology.

Participants in the C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad don’t just study a language—they live it. Many of our students major in disciplines other than foreign languages, yet all bring a level of proficiency that supports their commitment to language and cultural immersion. They sign and honor the Middlebury Language Pledge because they want the greatest possible challenge in a study abroad program and an authentic experience in every respect; academic, social, and even professional. Participants take courses in most subjects, often with host country students, intern or engage in volunteer work, and live with a family or local students. Indeed, at every juncture of their time abroad, students have the chance to "live the language" and immerse themselves in the host culture.

Setting Description:

Home to 300,000 inhabitants, Valparaíso's population grows to 500,000 when including the city of Viña del Mar to the north. Pablo Neruda was inspired to write of the city's people and seaport, made important when it served as a stopover to ships navigating the Strait of Magellan in the late 19th century.

Cost:

Semester Tuition (includes health insurance): $12,650. Year Tuition (includes health insurance): $25,300