Summer in Santiago, Chile: Community-Based Learning, Chilean Culture, and Society

  Chile

• Santiago: 
Santiago

Term: Summer 

Description: Georgetown University's Sociology Department, in collaboration with Universidad Alberto Hurtado, offers an eight-week summer study abroad program in Santiago, Chile. This nine-credit program combines community service with academic progress. There will be complete immersion into the Chilean culture, and your eyes will be opened to both the beauty and the problems of Latin America.

Community-based learning (CBL) is a holistic approach to understanding the theory and practice behind social change and social justice processes. It partners students with non-profit organizations to address the needs of poor, marginalized, or disadvantaged residents of the community. This work not only contributes to the public good, but it also provides students with a sense of empowerment and agency, enabling them to understand how the practical application of their academic skills can contribute to positive social change.

Partners for community-based learning and research are located in various parts of Santiago. Every effort is made to match students' interests with organizations addressing social issues ranging from educational inequality, health care, gender, youth issues, and housing, to employment, etc. In addition to particular placements, all students participate in an intensive weekend experience of building emergency housing with Un Techo Para Chile. Part of the Sociology Practicum (SOCI-207-62) is devoted to development, reflection, and evaluation of the CBL projects. Students work at their CBL sites twice a week. The CBL experience is used for discussion and reflection in classes and integrates the curriculum. At the conclusion of the eight weeks, students give a comprehensive presentation of their projects to all of the program's professors.

The program, directed by Dr. Joseph Palacios of Georgetown's Sociology Department, will be hosted at Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH) in Santiago, Chile. UAH is the Jesuit university of Chile. The faculty for this program has been especially chosen for their enthusiastic support of community-based learning and social justice in Chile. For more information about UAH, please visit Universidad Alberto Hurtado online.

Curriculum:

All students are required to enroll in:

SOCI-207-62: Sociology Practicum (3 credits)
LASP-208-62: Chilean Culture and Society, Spanish (3 credits)
SOCI-212-62: Poverty and Development, Spanish (3 credits)
SABR-007-62: Community-Based Learning, Santiago, Chile (0 credits, notation of CBL on transcript)

Upon successful completion of this eight-week program, students receive nine (9) Georgetown credits in Sociology and transcript notation of Community-Based Learning. All courses are taught in Spanish. Students may not count coursework toward Spanish language degree requirements. Introduction to Sociology is strongly recommended prior to participation.

Non-Georgetown students should discuss transfer of credit for coursework, language, and the practicum with a dean or academic advisor at their home university.

Requirements:

Students are required to take a Spanish language placement exam. The placement exam will be administered online by Georgetown University's Spanish Department.

Students are required to sign a Spanish-only language pledge, vowing to use only Spanish when interacting with other members of the program. Students sign this realizing that breaking the pledge may result in their receiving no credit for the courses taken.

Highlights: Classes run from Tuesday to Friday, allowing for three-day weekends that can be used for travel in Chile, as well as in Argentina. In the past, students have organized three-day weekends in Buenos Aires, the Mendoza ski area, Valparaiso, La Serena, and nearby ski resorts, which operate during the time of the program, which is winter! The program provides weekend trips to Valparaiso and the Chilean wine country. In addition, every Friday the program organizes a field trip to key Santiago NGOs and government and cultural organizations. Santiago is a city of more than five million people and offers world-class music, theater, dance, sports, museums, nightclubs, restaurants, and shopping.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: Inquire for more information.

Experience Required: yes

Students who have completed at least one year of college-level Spanish or the equivalent and have a minimum 2.7 GPA are eligible to apply for the Santiago CBL program. This program is open to those seriously interested in increasing their proficiency in the Spanish language and who are ready to be immersed in an enlightening culture.

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Chile Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Disciplinary Clearance Form
• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Transcript

Post-Program Services Include:

• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Georgetown University Office of International Programs's Mission Statement: The mission of Overseas Studies at Georgetown University is to promote, support, and develop international and intercultural educational opportunities for students, and in so doing, help to define the international character of Georgetown. These programs are developed and evaluated in collaboration with the wider Georgetown community to ensure that they are academically rigorous, linguistically appropriate, and complementary to the Georgetown curriculum. In keeping with the Jesuit philosophy of education and service, these overseas opportunities invite participants to reflect on the values that form their own identities, and encourage them to assume their roles as responsible world citizens. The Office of International Programs offers more than 120 programs in 39 countries.