Location

Santiago, the social, cultural and commercial capital of Chile, was founded in 1541. It is situated 70 miles from the Pacific Ocean in Chile's fertile Central Valley between the Andes Mountains to the east and the coastal range to the west. Downtown Santiago, a mixture of Colonial and Victorian architecture and modern construction, is graced with several fine museums and a number of lovely plazas and parks. Chile's transition to democracy in 1990, combined with its innovative economic development strategy of growth with equity, make this country the ideal place for systematic reflection on the pressing issues of democracy and development.

The half-century long presence of the priests and religious of the Congregation of Holy Cross in education and pastoral work in Chile makes for a unique home for an international study program. Participants in the Santiago program will have an opportunity to become familiar with many dimensions of Chilean society, sometimes not easily accessible to foreigners.

Program of Study

Students take courses at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica (PUC), one of the most prestigious universities in South America. Founded in 1888, PUC now has about 17,000 students and 1,300 faculty members in 17 different schools located on four campuses. Most courses taken by Notre Dame students are held on Campus San Joaquin. Some students may also be eligible to enroll in select classes at the Universidad de Chile.

Included in your semester in Chile is a mandatory three week language and cultural immersion program. The program is non-credit bearing and takes place in rural Linares, Chile. To learn more about this program from a recent returnee click here. The Fall 2008 pre-program is tentatively scheduled for July 12-27th.  The Spring 2009 pre-program is tentatively scheduled for February 9 - March 1.  Official dates will be posted as soon as they become available.  Students will then return to Santiago to start their classes at the PUC. The Spring 2009 pre-program will take place in early February. Students will return to Santiago to start their classes at the end of the month.

The fall semester will take place from early July to mid-December. The spring semester takes place from early February to mid-July. At the beginning of each semester, PUC hosts an orientation session that includes various social and cultural activities, including field trips around the Santiago area.

With the assistance of the Program Director, Program Coordinator and PUC faculty, students will choose their courses from a wide range of offerings in Humanities, Social Sciences, Economics, Business Administration, Fine Arts and Communications. Access to courses will be guided by each student's level of proficiency and will be restricted only by limitations of space.

All Chile program participants must enroll in two core courses: "Chilean Politics and Society" and "Spanish for Foreigners".  In addition to the required courses, students may complete their curriculum with classes offered at the PUC and with the optional course entitled: "Poverty and Development." Click here for links to course information.           

In addition to the two required courses, students should plan to enroll in 2-3 courses at the PUC.

All participants of the Chile program will have the opportunity to apply for a service-learning and multi-disciplinary seminar facilitated by Notre Dame's Center for Social Concerns.  "Approaches to Poverty and Development" is taught at the Universidad Alberto Hurtado, a Jesuit University in Santiago.  Students who are accepted to the Chile program will receive additional information about this course from the Center for Social Concerns. Students will be involved in supervised volunteer relationships a few hours each week in an area of urban poverty, and participate in a seminar once a week to analyze issues of poverty and development. Students will apply for this course the semester before departure to Chile. Students who are NOT enrolled in this seminar may also participate in service projects.

All students will earn 15-19 credits per semester through the PUC and Universidad Alberto Hurtado. Course work will fulfill University requirements and grades will be computed into the Notre Dame GPA.

Eligibility for the Program

Students should have junior standing during the study abroad program, although sophomores and seniors may apply under special circumstances. Applicants must have a 2.75 GPA and must complete a minimum of four semesters of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent) before departure. Ideally students will have completed courses above ROSP 20202 before departure. Additionally, students must maintain an average grade of B or better in Spanish language courses.

Deadlines:
Chilean February semester, Julyt semester, or Academic Year deadline: November 15th

Additional Information

There is much more we can tell you — about this location, vibrant religious, cultural and recreational life of this community ... about the student housing, transportation, health care and much, much more. It is, after all, the details that make this program so appealing. Interested? Just click here.