Español Básico: Gramática (Basic Spanish Grammar)
This course is focused on the teaching of grammar. Using a variety of teaching techniques, students will be able to increase their skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing from a level of 1 to 2 on the MCRE (European Common Frame of Reference) scale and also learn about the geography, history, and cultures of Spanish-speaking countries.
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Español Intermedio: Gramática (Intermediate Spanish Grammar)
Students in this course will increase their abilities to speak, listen, read and write in Spanish by learning more complex grammatical structures and increasing their vocabulary. Students will do so while learning about the geography, history, and culture of the Spanish-speaking world with an emphasis on Chile and South America. The course also focuses on improving oral and writing skills, taking into consideration the students’ previous knowledge of Spanish. Students will complete formal presentations and interviews and read texts in Spanish.
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Español Intermedio: Comunicación (Intermediate Spanish Communication)
Students in this course will increase their abilities to speak, listen, read and write in Spanish; the focus is on developing communication skills at the intermediate level. Students will do so while learning about the geography, history, and culture of the Spanish-speaking world with an emphasis on Chile and South America. The student will be able to analyze, understand and compare the social, economic and cultural differences between the Spanish-speaking countries students and their country of origin.
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Español Avanzado: Cultura Chilena (Advanced Spanish: Chilean Culture)
This course is principally a conversation course that discusses the diverse aspects that make up the Chilean culture, in addition to a review of relevant grammatical aspects of the Spanish language. Students should begin the course with a high intermediate level of Spanish. The course seeks to improve each student’s Spanish abilities through the study of original texts in Spanish and listening to more complex conversations. The students will also increase their vocabulary and practice the Spanish language with the goal of expressing themselves fluidly and coherently. Students will work on a project analyzing the sociopolitical situation of Chile. Students will be given the opportunity to select a topic of interest to research. Emphasis will be placed on the improving all four elements of language proficiency: writing, reading, listening and speaking.
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Español Avanzado: Negocios (Advanced Spanish for Business)
The importance of Spanish in the globalized world is increasing. For this reason, the objective of Business Spanish course is to ensure the student develops the intercultural and linguistic competencies and skills required to interact effectively with the Spanish-speaking business world.
The course is focused on this specific business context and includes international trade terminology, simulations of social and business situations, case studies, and writing business correspondence, all within the framework of the International Market and Economy.
During the course, the student will be exposed to an extensive variety of lexical and discursive contexts related to business, including management, human resources, banking and finance, technology, marketing, among others.
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Fonética del Idioma Español (Phonetics of the Spanish Language)
A theoretical and practical course that focuses on developing the necessary linguistic competencies for oral production of the Spanish language in its standard forms for the different regions of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will use their first language of English as a foundation, comparing the phonological and phonetic systems of both languages, with the aim of eliminating interference of the student’s first language in their production of the second language.
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Gramática Avanzada (Advanced Grammar)
In this advanced level, students will continue to improve their capacity to understand and interpret Spanish from a variety of Latin American authors and voices. There will also be an emphasis on improving oral fluency and vocabulary. Students will examine the current, political, and social situations of various parts of the Spanish-speaking world.
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Introducción a los Géneros Literarios (Introduction to the Literary Genres)
In this course, students will discuss texts in Spanish from the four principal literary genres: narratives, poetry, essays, and theatre. Students will study both Spanish and Latin American texts. All readings, class discussions, quizzes, and essay will be strictly in Spanish. The readings should be prepared prior to class, as this time will be strictly dedicated to analysis and discussion of the texts.
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Arte e Identidad Latinoamericana
This course is an overview of key features of Latin American and Chilean identity, using art history as its lens. It seeks to provide the student with a critical eye in which to understand the artistic and cultural similarities and differences throughout Latin America.
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Chile: Su Historia en el Siglo XX
This course analyzes and reflects on the historical development of Chile in the 20th century, beginning with the crisis and institutional reform of 1925, through the end of the 1900s. It will include the following topics: the period of government radicals, utopias, Marxism, the military government and the transition and regularization of national politics. Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to formulate their own opinions and deepen their own understanding of this historical period.
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Elective Courses in Spanish with Chilean Students
Courses with Chilean students are available only to students with an advanced level of Spanish. Courses will have an extended exam period and will extend the semester by several weeks. Students selecting courses with Chileans will be charged an additional fee for the additional weeks of housing.
Subject areas for courses offered within the degree-granting programs at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez include:
Lessons of Economic Growth in Latin America
In the economic field, Latin America is considered as an “experimental lab” of several policies. Most of the countries in the region share the same language, culture, and experiences; however, they do not show the same economic development. This course is focused on examining the economic growth in Latin America, since the Pre-Columbian period until our days. We will analyze historical, institutional and local contexts of economic development in the region (such as colonialism, the use of natural resources and industrialization, and political changes), in order to understand why there are several disparities in the continent. At the end of this course, students are expected to understand the main problems of the region, and how these problems challenge the path to be developed countries.
Doing Business in Latin America
This course will focus on “Doing Business in Latin America”. Students will learn about socio-cultural issues, economic and political-legal environment, together with strategic and marketing considerations when doing business in Latin American countries. Learning approach will be based in cases of study as well as lectures and a team project.
Starting Up in Latin America
“Starting Up in Latin America: Do you have what it takes?” aims to develop the mindset, tools, and skills required to understand complex challenges in this region, craft innovative solutions, and create startup business models that can stand in the real world. We want you to experience the process that most entrepreneurs face in Latin America when creating their own startups, with an emphasis on the opportunities that the public and private sectors offer to support them through this exciting journey.
Contemporary Latin American Marketing Strategies
This course will give an extensive insight to the students about the global dynamics of marketing strategies and its importance. It has been designed with corporate case studies for each section/topic which will help the nominees’ gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject in real life scenario. It provides a practical overview of the key elements of international marketing and issues faced when entering and operating in foreign markets. Student’s gain command on major theoretical and conceptual topics of International Marketing strategies and its implications.
Encounters and Revolutions: Latin America in the Atlantic World
This course uses the notion of the Atlantic World as a backdrop for analyzing Latin America’s place in world history. During the term, we will study diverse and representative topics in Latin American history from the 15th to 19th centuries—a period shaped by European expansion and the resulting complex interplays between people and environments. Our main emphasis will be on interaction, exchange, and circulation of ideas, goods and people within the Atlantic World—a geo-historical concept comprised of Europe, Africa and the Americas. The contents are organized both chronologically and thematically. Following some introductory sessions devoted to the basic concepts of the unit, we will study the topics listed in the syllabus. The methodology consists of formal lectures combined with class discussions and activities. The assessment includes two tested reading assignments, one essay, and a final exam.
The Impact of Globalization in Latin America
This course will approach Globalization through Latin American history. We will first review significant aspects of Latin American history that have contributed to sketching the current regional picture, from colonialism to the establishment of new republics. Afterward, we will explore the contemporary political situation modeled by Globalization and it economics effects in Latin America. Finally, we will analyze the challenges faced and responses given by Latin American countries in the context of globalization.
A Journey Through Latin American Films
The course will provide some academic tools to the students in order to understand the narrative structure of a movie, and it will examine a set of Latin American films, by looking into key aspects of the regional idiosyncrasy. Some of these movies are: El Hijo de la Novia(Argentina), Estación Central (Brazil), Machuca (Chile), Ciudad de Dios (Brazil), Nueve Reinas (Argentina).
Ideologies and Political Thinking in Modern Latin America
This course delves onto the complex history of Latin America in 19th and 20th centuries through the study of the role of ideologies and political thinking in the nation-state building process. Students will gain a grasp of the complex dynamics of political development in Latin America, which has been characterized by the interplay between foreign ideologies and local political traditions. Starting from the independence process, this course examines the formation of local political traditions such as caudillismo and indigenismo and the adoption and adaptation of ideologies such as Liberalism, Nationalism, Marxism, Anarquism and Fascism. A major focus will be on the processes by which these traditions and ideologies were confronted and contested, such as revolutionary movements, dictatorships and democratic regimes.
