API's Response to COVID-19
}

Spanish Language and Latin American Studies in Valparaiso

Chile Valparaiso Buildings At Sunset 387651445
What's Included

API students studying at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV ) have the option of taking a Spanish language course at the beginning, intermediate or advanced level with other visiting international students, as well as elective coursework in English or Spanish. No minimum study of Spanish is required for Spanish language courses and English electives. Four semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent is required for coursework in Spanish for study abroad students. Students who place into the advanced level of Spanish on the PUCV placement test are welcome to take coursework with local Chilean students in lieu of some elective courses. Advanced Spanish proficiency is also a requirement of students wishing to earn the Latin American Studies Certificate.

What's Included?

Highlights

Pre Departure Services

Advising

@api Online System

Orientation Materials and Resources

Access to International Phone Plans

API Alumni Network

Social Networking

Scholarships

On Site Services

Airport Reception

API Center

On-Site Orientation

Excursions (overnight, day, international)

Tuition

Medical and Life Insurance

Resident Directors

Social and Cultural Activities

Welcome and Farewell Group Meals

Volunteer Opportunities

Tutoring

Housing (including meals and laundry)

Language and Culture Tools

Re-Entry Services

Re-Entry Materials and Support

Post-Program Evaluation

Transcript

Alumni Network and API Ambassador Program
View all opportunities and amenities

Application Requirements

  • Minimum 2.5 G.P.A.
  • Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
  • Open to a variety of language levels
  • Four semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent required for coursework in Spanish for international students
  • Six semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent required for students taking coursework with Chileans
  • Completed API application
  • University Approval Form
  • One letter of recommendation
  • Official transcript
  • Entry requirement: valid passport with student visa
Dates & Fees
Session Program Dates Program Cost Application Deadline Payment Deadline
Spring Early Start Jan 23, 2021 - Jun 19, 2021 $13,990 Oct 1, 2020 Nov 1, 2020
Spring Feb 19, 2021 - Jun 19, 2021 $11,580 Oct 1, 2020 Nov 1, 2020
Excursions

API students participate in several excursions per session designed to help familiarize them with areas of their host city, country, and surrounding region. The following is a listing of all excursions for API Valparaíso programs. All excursions are subject to change.

  • Aromatics Farm

    Be prepared for a sensory delight! API students will enjoy visiting an organic farm that produces oils used for aromatherapy. Students will participate in a hands-on demonstration of how the oils are produced, starting with a tour of the gardens where the herbs are grown to the packaging of the final product.

  • Mendoza

    Mendoza, located in western Argentina, is one of the most beautiful cities in South America. Nestled in the foothills of the majestic Andes, this vibrant city is home to over 1 million inhabitants. Adventure tourism is a major industry in Mendoza, as is mountain rescue training. Mendoza is brimming with young European travelers looking to experience the beautiful Andes and all the opportunities for adventure that are available. Mendoza is also the center of Argentina’s wine industry and considered one of the seven wine capitals of the world with over 700 wineries or bodegas located near the town. Glamorous wine bars dot the city and the harvest, which takes place between February and April, is a major event. Since the 1990’s, wine tourism has become another sizable industry.

  • Parque Tricao

    More than 120 hectares to appreciate the rescue of the native forest of the central zone of Chile and the recovery of wetlands and original fauna of the area. We will discover the largest aviary in South America with beautiful exotic species.

  • Santiago

    Housing more than one-third of the total Chilean population, Santiago defines Chile for many visitors. It is a thriving metropolis with a wealth of museums, restaurants and other cultural activities. Surrounded by mountains, the city’s cleanliness and order enthrall visitors. With its mixture of architecture reminiscent of both Europe and the United States, visitors from around the world feel comfortable in this most modern of Chilean cities.

  • Aromatics Farm

    Be prepared for a sensory delight! API students will enjoy visiting an organic farm that produces oils used for aromatherapy. Students will participate in a hands-on demonstration of how the oils are produced, starting with a tour of the gardens where the herbs are grown to the packaging of the final product.

  • Mendoza

    Mendoza, located in western Argentina, is one of the most beautiful cities in South America. Nestled in the foothills of the majestic Andes, this vibrant city is home to over 1 million inhabitants. Adventure tourism is a major industry in Mendoza, as is mountain rescue training. Mendoza is brimming with young European travelers looking to experience the beautiful Andes and all the opportunities for adventure that are available. Mendoza is also the center of Argentina’s wine industry and considered one of the seven wine capitals of the world with over 700 wineries or bodegas located near the town. Glamorous wine bars dot the city and the harvest, which takes place between February and April, is a major event. Since the 1990’s, wine tourism has become another sizable industry.

  • Parque Tricao

    More than 120 hectares to appreciate the rescue of the native forest of the central zone of Chile and the recovery of wetlands and original fauna of the area. We will discover the largest aviary in South America with beautiful exotic species.

  • Santiago

    Housing more than one-third of the total Chilean population, Santiago defines Chile for many visitors. It is a thriving metropolis with a wealth of museums, restaurants and other cultural activities. Surrounded by mountains, the city’s cleanliness and order enthrall visitors. With its mixture of architecture reminiscent of both Europe and the United States, visitors from around the world feel comfortable in this most modern of Chilean cities.

Program Details

What You’ll Study

TOTAL CREDITS - 12-19 credits per semester

API students studying at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV ) have the option of taking a Spanish language course at the beginning, intermediate or advanced level with other visiting international students, as well as elective coursework in English or Spanish. No minimum study of Spanish is required for Spanish language courses and English electives. Four semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent is required for coursework in Spanish for study abroad students. Students who place into the advanced level of Spanish on the PUCV placement test are welcome to take coursework with local Chilean students in lieu of some elective courses. Advanced Spanish proficiency is also a requirement for students wishing to earn the Latin American Studies Certificate.

Courses with Chilean students will end later than courses with international students and will require an extra fee for extended housing.

Students selecting the Early Start option arrive four weeks prior to the start of the standard university semester and complete a 90-contact hour Spanish course to improve their Spanish skills.

ACADEMIC AND CALENDAR YEAR STUDENTS

The Chilean academic calendar follows the calendar year. The first semester in Chile is actually the equivalent of the spring semester in the U.S. Students who wish to study for two semesters in Chile are encouraged to consider the Calendar Year option (spring/fall). Students selecting a Calendar Year program have access to API housing throughout their program. In contrast, students selecting the more traditional Academic Year option will have approximately a 2-month break between semesters during which API housing is not provided. Both Early Start options include an intensive Spanish course prior to the start of the first semester in Chile.

TRANSCRIPTS

API students receive a transcript from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso upon completion of their program.

  • Gzjkfdivrkkb01Iei5De

    Alejandra Rojas

    Alejandra Rojas will be your Resident Director and a resource for you on-site.

  • Lauras profile pics

    Laura Bahamonde

    Laura will be your Program Manager and prepare you to go abroad!

Courses

COURSE OFFERINGS

COURSE INFORMATION

API students studying at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV ) have the option of taking a Spanish language course at the beginning, intermediate or advanced level with other visiting international students, as well as elective coursework in English or Spanish. No minimum study of Spanish is required for Spanish language courses and English electives.

COURSES IN SPANISH WITH CHILEAN STUDENTS

In addition to the courses listed below, advanced-level students (those with four semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent) may also choose to complete coursework with Chilean students in Spanish. Students will be able to consider course options with Chileans upon arrival in Chile. Courses are offered in the following disciplines:

  • Accounting
  • Agronomy
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Graphic/Industrial Design
  • History
  • Journalism
  • Kinesiology
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
  • Social Work
  • Spanish and Communication
  • Statistics
  • Translation

CREDIT INFORMATION

API’s university partners in Chile operate according to the contact hour system; the number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class with a professor. To determine the conversion of contact hours to U.S. semester credits, similarly, divide the Chilean contact hours in a given course by 15.

Gramática, nivel principiante (Beginning Grammar)

This grammar course is designed to introduce students to the rules of the Spanish language and teach students how to communicate basic needs. Specific areas to be covered include: word order, indicative, subjunctive and imperative verbs, simple and compound tenses, the use of the subjunctive in simple sentences, use of ser and estar, commonly-used prepositions (of, with, por vs para), simple, compound and complex sentences.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Conversacion y Cultura Chilena, Nivel Principiante (Beginning Conversation and Chilean Culture)

The conversation and culture module, beginning level, integrates language and culture starting with small pieces of Chilean movies, documentaries, TV shows, and short articles from local press to enhance the immersion program.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Conversación y cultura chilena

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

Literatura Hispanoamericana Contemporanea (Contemporary Hispanic American Literature)

This course is designed for visiting international students and seeks to explore the historical, social and cultural perspectives that influence contemporary Hispanic American literature by studying its principle characters, works and issues.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Cine y literatura latinoamericanos (Latin American Film and Literature)

This course allows students to understand and problematize the idea of Latin America through literary and filmic texts produced in the region. Foreign students get informed about the multiple realities of Latin America and gain a different perspectic of the art, literary and cinematographic world we live in.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Historia Sociopolítica de América Latina, Siglos XX-XXI (Sociopolitical History of Latin America, Twentieth and Twenty-first Century)

This course uncovers the search for Latin America political stability from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty- first century. Students observe the system's relationship with the State as well as the individual.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática y Vocabulario (Beginning Grammar and Vocabulary)

This is a theoretical and practical course designed to address the morphological and syntactic aspects of the Spanish language. In this class, at a basic level, grammar and vocabulary are envisioned as a system with three dimensions that interact among them: the form of the elements, their semantics and the pragmatic conditions governing their use.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Comprensión y Producción Oral, Nivel Principiante (Oral Comprehension and Oral Production, Beginning Level)

From an intercultural and communicative orientation, this class – at a basic level - integrates language and culture in order to take advantage of the scenario the students are.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

The course Communicational Spanish and Chilean Culture, intermediate level, integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Written Spanish)

Theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies. Forms of organization of different types of texts on an intermediate level, their structure and linguistic elements involved.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language from a descriptive-normative approach where the system of rules of Spanish is revised, analyzed and explained.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura académica - Avanzado (Advanced Academic Writing)

This is a practical course oriented to the development of communicative abilities for writing in the academic context. In this course, students will practice writing texts considering the following aspects: text structure, academic genres, the process of writing and rules. By the end of the course, students will be able to communicate through writing respecting the main rules of academic communication, which will facilitate their insertion in the Chilean academic culture and in PUCV.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura creativa en Español - Avanzado (Advanced Creative Writing)

This introductory course in creative writing in Spanish is aimed at foreign students with no previous experience required in the creative field. The course looks to motivate and refine creative production in short stories (fiction), travel writing (non-fiction), and poetry, with an emphasis, but not exclusively, to reading and writing assignments focused on the space of Valparaíso and the experience of a foreign culture.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena (Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

This course integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Written Spanish)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies, especially the forms of organization of explanatory and argumentative discourse, as well as journalistic and academic genres such as news items, journalist reports, editorials, abstracts and summaries, articles.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language. From a descriptive-normative approach and through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish is revised, analyzed and applied in different contexts, both oral and written.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Superior (Superior Level Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the pragmatic-discursive aspects of Spanish grammar. Through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish will be analyzed and applied.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Human Rights in Latin America

This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of human rights as a concert, as a set of laws and institutions, and as a set of political and cultural practices. Students examine the historical, political, legal, social and cultural aspects of human rights.

Language of Instruction: English    Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Latino Studies

This course is designed to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to examine the historical and contemporary experiences of Americans of Latin American origin. The curriculum seeks to provide an awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the language (Spanglish), history, culture, literature, sociology, anthropology, politics, social ecology, health, medicine, and creative (art, dance, drama, film, music) accomplishments in Chicano/Puerto Rican and other Latino communities.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Political and Social Change in Chile and Latin America

"This course will examine Latin America's, with attention on Chile's, political and social development during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. This class is structured by two main concepts: first, democracy as the main political concept and in a second place, the importance of the search for social development.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Resistance, Appropriation and Sustainability: Cross-Cultural Encounters with the Native Mapuche People

This course offers a way to learn by engaging both in the classroom and in-person contact with the native Mapuche population of Chile. Connecting the reality of the communities' relationships, resistance, appropriation and sustainability with the academic contect

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Arte y Sociedad en Chile Prehispánico (Art and Society in Pre-hispanic Chile)

This course will focus on the pre-Hispanic cultures of northern Chile. The class will emphasize the iconographic analysis and archeological data so as to learn about the Cosmo vision and the economic, political, and social organization of the pre- Hispanic cultures.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Danzas Tradicionales de Chile y Latinoamérica (Tradicional Dances of Chile and Latin America)

The course will take place in fifteen sessions, in which sample dances from each cultural area of the country will be addressed. In addition, the context of each dance will be supported by audio, photographic and bibliographic material.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Cuento Latinoamericano (Latin American Short Stories)

The purpose of the course is to present an overview of the development of the Latin American and Chilean literary production of the twentieth century. Student will work on a selection of short stories and some storytellers besides other artistic productions to work in classes.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

Historia de América Latina en el siglo XX (Twentieth Century Latin American History)

This course intends to examine current political issues and problems in latin American countries, focusing on subjects such as democracy, development, and stability of statehood. The main objective of the course is for students to comprehend and be able to explain the complex social and political processes of Latin America, as well as to distinguish between general tendencies and national particularities.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Historia Moderna de Chile (Modern History of Chile)

This course will give students a general perspective of the modern history of Chile, emphasizing political and transformative processes. Methodologically, it includes various analytical perspectives and orientations of the political, social and economic history of Chile.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Historia Urbana y Historia Regional de Valparaíso (Urban and Regional History of Valparaíso)

This course is presented as an instance of knowledge, analysis and reflection on the main historical processes that have taken place in Valparaiso from the colonial period until the formation of the Chilean Republic. Special emphasis will be given to the independence period from Spaniard monarchy and the nation- state building process in Chile and how these phenomena developed and transformed the city of Valpariso at a local and global level.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

View Syllabus   

Poesía Chilena del siglo XX: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro (Twentieth Century Chilean Poetry: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro)

This course offers a vision on Chilean poetry in the 20th century, recognizing the main trends, their aesthetic characteristics and their relation to the cultural and social contexts. The readings are aimed at recognizing the peculiarities of the process of appropriation of the artistic modernity and its contributions to the construction of the Chilean cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Poesía latinoamericana contemporánea (Contemporary Latin American Poetry)

This course offers a vision on of the main developments of Latin American poetry of the end of the 19th century, recognizing the main trends, its aesthetic characteristics and its relation to the cultural and social contexts, through interpretative reading of poems and metapoetic texts that are crucial to this poetic tradition, emphasizing its contributions to the construction of the Latin American cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Contemporary Latin Amerian Films

This course invites students to explore Latin America through the eyes of contemporary Latin American filmmakers. With a thematic emphasis, we will watch and analyze films considering them as complex representations of the region.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Environmental Issues in Chile

The course aims at studying and analyzing global environmental problems of modern society. Students will discuss the causes of such problems and analyze their possible solutions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Global Entrepreneurship

The course presents all the basics of how to start and became a founder of a technology-based startup. The topics include an overview of what innovation is and entrepreneurship methodologies such as design thinking, business model canvas, customer development, lean startup and general management and team building notions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Colonization and Decolonization: Global and Latin American Perspectives

The general purpose of this course is to give an introductory understanding into current intellectual and theoretical contributions in terms of processes of colonization and decolonization, or alternatively, hegemonic and counter-hegemonic thought.

The word colonialism has often had the connotation of a ‘past stage’ from which we have “moved beyond” in contemporary times. This perspective, however, stands in contrast to an increasing number of currents that re-appropriate the term for contemporary use, while being inspired by early postcolonial thought. Contemporary currents and theories of subaltern, counter-hegemonic and decolonial studies continuously propose that colonialism is not dead, but instead continuously emerge in new o ‘neo’ colonial, hegemonic and asymmetrical relationships in areas such as knowledge production, economic exploitation, and political diaspora. These constructions are frequently found and most easily detectable in the global south.

The course will begin by way of an introduction to Latin American colonialism in the past. We will ask how it operated and how it constructed its colonial/racial subjects through a general historical introduction as well as some specialized readings. Secondly, the course will approach some post-colonial thinkers of the 20th century to create a framework that will allow us to understand more contemporary 21st century currents of similar projections. As such, the course will move from some of the earliest ideas of the ‘postcolonial discourse’ as developed in the mid 20th century up until some recent contributions in the 21st century.

Many of these areas, while often having been initiated from a specific discipline, do not limit themselves to any traditional university discipline of knowledge. As such, the course will be decidedly interdisciplinary and cross over between different disciplines such as history, sociology, psychology, economics, and political theory.

Language of Instruction: Spanish   

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Contact Hours: 60

View Syllabus   

Human - Computer Interactions

This course presents Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) as a key interdisciplinary area. HCI is traditionally considered a main Computer Science area, but it involves many others fields of knowledge: design, psychology, sociology, anthropology, engineering, media, and ergonomics, among others.

ACM SIGCHI defines HCI as the discipline concerned with the design, evaluation, implementation of interactive computing systems for human use, and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them. As software systems are usually part of complex services that a company/institution offers to its customers, traditional HCI also extends to Service Science.

The course focuses on User eXperience (UX), usability, and Customer eXperience (CX). Topics include interaction challenges, interaction design, and UX and usability evaluation. It uses an HCI approach, without necessary limiting to software systems; it also focuses on products and services in general.

Language of Instruction: Spanish   

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Contact Hours: 60

View Syllabus   

Gramática y Vocabulario (Beginning Grammar and Vocabulary)

This is a theoretical and practical course designed to address the morphological and syntactic aspects of the Spanish language. In this class, at a basic level, grammar and vocabulary are envisioned as a system with three dimensions that interact among them: the form of the elements, their semantics and the pragmatic conditions governing their use.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Comprensión y Producción Oral, Nivel Principiante (Oral Comprehension and Oral Production, Beginning Level)

From an intercultural and communicative orientation, this class – at a basic level - integrates language and culture in order to take advantage of the scenario the students are.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

The course Communicational Spanish and Chilean Culture, intermediate level, integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Written Spanish)

Theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies. Forms of organization of different types of texts on an intermediate level, their structure and linguistic elements involved.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language from a descriptive-normative approach where the system of rules of Spanish is revised, analyzed and explained.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura académica - Avanzado (Advanced Academic Writing)

This is a practical course oriented to the development of communicative abilities for writing in the academic context. In this course, students will practice writing texts considering the following aspects: text structure, academic genres, the process of writing and rules. By the end of the course, students will be able to communicate through writing respecting the main rules of academic communication, which will facilitate their insertion in the Chilean academic culture and in PUCV.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura creativa en Español - Avanzado (Advanced Creative Writing)

This introductory course in creative writing in Spanish is aimed at foreign students with no previous experience required in the creative field. The course looks to motivate and refine creative production in short stories (fiction), travel writing (non-fiction), and poetry, with an emphasis, but not exclusively, to reading and writing assignments focused on the space of Valparaíso and the experience of a foreign culture.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena (Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

This course integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Written Spanish)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies, especially the forms of organization of explanatory and argumentative discourse, as well as journalistic and academic genres such as news items, journalist reports, editorials, abstracts and summaries, articles.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language. From a descriptive-normative approach and through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish is revised, analyzed and applied in different contexts, both oral and written.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Superior (Superior Level Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the pragmatic-discursive aspects of Spanish grammar. Through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish will be analyzed and applied.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Human Rights in Latin America

This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of human rights as a concert, as a set of laws and institutions, and as a set of political and cultural practices. Students examine the historical, political, legal, social and cultural aspects of human rights.

Language of Instruction: English    Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Latino Studies

This course is designed to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to examine the historical and contemporary experiences of Americans of Latin American origin. The curriculum seeks to provide an awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the language (Spanglish), history, culture, literature, sociology, anthropology, politics, social ecology, health, medicine, and creative (art, dance, drama, film, music) accomplishments in Chicano/Puerto Rican and other Latino communities.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Political and Social Change in Chile and Latin America

"This course will examine Latin America's, with attention on Chile's, political and social development during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. This class is structured by two main concepts: first, democracy as the main political concept and in a second place, the importance of the search for social development.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Resistance, Appropriation and Sustainability: Cross-Cultural Encounters with the Native Mapuche People

This course offers a way to learn by engaging both in the classroom and in-person contact with the native Mapuche population of Chile. Connecting the reality of the communities' relationships, resistance, appropriation and sustainability with the academic contect

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Arte y Sociedad en Chile Prehispánico (Art and Society in Pre-hispanic Chile)

This course will focus on the pre-Hispanic cultures of northern Chile. The class will emphasize the iconographic analysis and archeological data so as to learn about the Cosmo vision and the economic, political, and social organization of the pre- Hispanic cultures.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Danzas Tradicionales de Chile y Latinoamérica (Tradicional Dances of Chile and Latin America)

The course will take place in fifteen sessions, in which sample dances from each cultural area of the country will be addressed. In addition, the context of each dance will be supported by audio, photographic and bibliographic material.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Cuento Latinoamericano (Latin American Short Stories)

The purpose of the course is to present an overview of the development of the Latin American and Chilean literary production of the twentieth century. Student will work on a selection of short stories and some storytellers besides other artistic productions to work in classes.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

Historia de América Latina en el siglo XX (Twentieth Century Latin American History)

This course intends to examine current political issues and problems in latin American countries, focusing on subjects such as democracy, development, and stability of statehood. The main objective of the course is for students to comprehend and be able to explain the complex social and political processes of Latin America, as well as to distinguish between general tendencies and national particularities.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Historia Moderna de Chile (Modern History of Chile)

This course will give students a general perspective of the modern history of Chile, emphasizing political and transformative processes. Methodologically, it includes various analytical perspectives and orientations of the political, social and economic history of Chile.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Historia Urbana y Historia Regional de Valparaíso (Urban and Regional History of Valparaíso)

This course is presented as an instance of knowledge, analysis and reflection on the main historical processes that have taken place in Valparaiso from the colonial period until the formation of the Chilean Republic. Special emphasis will be given to the independence period from Spaniard monarchy and the nation- state building process in Chile and how these phenomena developed and transformed the city of Valpariso at a local and global level.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

View Syllabus   

Poesía Chilena del siglo XX: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro (Twentieth Century Chilean Poetry: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro)

This course offers a vision on Chilean poetry in the 20th century, recognizing the main trends, their aesthetic characteristics and their relation to the cultural and social contexts. The readings are aimed at recognizing the peculiarities of the process of appropriation of the artistic modernity and its contributions to the construction of the Chilean cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Poesía latinoamericana contemporánea (Contemporary Latin American Poetry)

This course offers a vision on of the main developments of Latin American poetry of the end of the 19th century, recognizing the main trends, its aesthetic characteristics and its relation to the cultural and social contexts, through interpretative reading of poems and metapoetic texts that are crucial to this poetic tradition, emphasizing its contributions to the construction of the Latin American cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Contemporary Latin Amerian Films

This course invites students to explore Latin America through the eyes of contemporary Latin American filmmakers. With a thematic emphasis, we will watch and analyze films considering them as complex representations of the region.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Environmental Issues in Chile

The course aims at studying and analyzing global environmental problems of modern society. Students will discuss the causes of such problems and analyze their possible solutions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Global Entrepreneurship

The course presents all the basics of how to start and became a founder of a technology-based startup. The topics include an overview of what innovation is and entrepreneurship methodologies such as design thinking, business model canvas, customer development, lean startup and general management and team building notions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Colonization and Decolonization: Global and Latin American Perspectives

The general purpose of this course is to give an introductory understanding into current intellectual and theoretical contributions in terms of processes of colonization and decolonization, or alternatively, hegemonic and counter-hegemonic thought.

The word colonialism has often had the connotation of a ‘past stage’ from which we have “moved beyond” in contemporary times. This perspective, however, stands in contrast to an increasing number of currents that re-appropriate the term for contemporary use, while being inspired by early postcolonial thought. Contemporary currents and theories of subaltern, counter-hegemonic and decolonial studies continuously propose that colonialism is not dead, but instead continuously emerge in new o ‘neo’ colonial, hegemonic and asymmetrical relationships in areas such as knowledge production, economic exploitation, and political diaspora. These constructions are frequently found and most easily detectable in the global south.

The course will begin by way of an introduction to Latin American colonialism in the past. We will ask how it operated and how it constructed its colonial/racial subjects through a general historical introduction as well as some specialized readings. Secondly, the course will approach some post-colonial thinkers of the 20th century to create a framework that will allow us to understand more contemporary 21st century currents of similar projections. As such, the course will move from some of the earliest ideas of the ‘postcolonial discourse’ as developed in the mid 20th century up until some recent contributions in the 21st century.

Many of these areas, while often having been initiated from a specific discipline, do not limit themselves to any traditional university discipline of knowledge. As such, the course will be decidedly interdisciplinary and cross over between different disciplines such as history, sociology, psychology, economics, and political theory.

Language of Instruction: Spanish   

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Contact Hours: 60

View Syllabus   

Human - Computer Interactions

This course presents Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) as a key interdisciplinary area. HCI is traditionally considered a main Computer Science area, but it involves many others fields of knowledge: design, psychology, sociology, anthropology, engineering, media, and ergonomics, among others.

ACM SIGCHI defines HCI as the discipline concerned with the design, evaluation, implementation of interactive computing systems for human use, and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them. As software systems are usually part of complex services that a company/institution offers to its customers, traditional HCI also extends to Service Science.

The course focuses on User eXperience (UX), usability, and Customer eXperience (CX). Topics include interaction challenges, interaction design, and UX and usability evaluation. It uses an HCI approach, without necessary limiting to software systems; it also focuses on products and services in general.

Language of Instruction: Spanish   

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Contact Hours: 60

View Syllabus   

Gramática, nivel principiante (Beginning Grammar)

This grammar course is designed to introduce students to the rules of the Spanish language and teach students how to communicate basic needs. Specific areas to be covered include: word order, indicative, subjunctive and imperative verbs, simple and compound tenses, the use of the subjunctive in simple sentences, use of ser and estar, commonly-used prepositions (of, with, por vs para), simple, compound and complex sentences.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Conversacion y Cultura Chilena, Nivel Principiante (Beginning Conversation and Chilean Culture)

The conversation and culture module, beginning level, integrates language and culture starting with small pieces of Chilean movies, documentaries, TV shows, and short articles from local press to enhance the immersion program.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Conversación y cultura chilena

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

Literatura Hispanoamericana Contemporanea (Contemporary Hispanic American Literature)

This course is designed for visiting international students and seeks to explore the historical, social and cultural perspectives that influence contemporary Hispanic American literature by studying its principle characters, works and issues.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Cine y literatura latinoamericanos (Latin American Film and Literature)

This course allows students to understand and problematize the idea of Latin America through literary and filmic texts produced in the region. Foreign students get informed about the multiple realities of Latin America and gain a different perspectic of the art, literary and cinematographic world we live in.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Historia Sociopolítica de América Latina, Siglos XX-XXI (Sociopolitical History of Latin America, Twentieth and Twenty-first Century)

This course uncovers the search for Latin America political stability from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty- first century. Students observe the system's relationship with the State as well as the individual.

NOTE: This course is offered during the "early start" session and, as such, is only offered to students enrolling in a Spring or Fall Early Start semester program.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática y Vocabulario (Beginning Grammar and Vocabulary)

This is a theoretical and practical course designed to address the morphological and syntactic aspects of the Spanish language. In this class, at a basic level, grammar and vocabulary are envisioned as a system with three dimensions that interact among them: the form of the elements, their semantics and the pragmatic conditions governing their use.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Comprensión y Producción Oral, Nivel Principiante (Oral Comprehension and Oral Production, Beginning Level)

From an intercultural and communicative orientation, this class – at a basic level - integrates language and culture in order to take advantage of the scenario the students are.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

The course Communicational Spanish and Chilean Culture, intermediate level, integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Written Spanish)

Theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies. Forms of organization of different types of texts on an intermediate level, their structure and linguistic elements involved.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language from a descriptive-normative approach where the system of rules of Spanish is revised, analyzed and explained.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura académica - Avanzado (Advanced Academic Writing)

This is a practical course oriented to the development of communicative abilities for writing in the academic context. In this course, students will practice writing texts considering the following aspects: text structure, academic genres, the process of writing and rules. By the end of the course, students will be able to communicate through writing respecting the main rules of academic communication, which will facilitate their insertion in the Chilean academic culture and in PUCV.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura creativa en Español - Avanzado (Advanced Creative Writing)

This introductory course in creative writing in Spanish is aimed at foreign students with no previous experience required in the creative field. The course looks to motivate and refine creative production in short stories (fiction), travel writing (non-fiction), and poetry, with an emphasis, but not exclusively, to reading and writing assignments focused on the space of Valparaíso and the experience of a foreign culture.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena (Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

This course integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Written Spanish)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies, especially the forms of organization of explanatory and argumentative discourse, as well as journalistic and academic genres such as news items, journalist reports, editorials, abstracts and summaries, articles.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language. From a descriptive-normative approach and through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish is revised, analyzed and applied in different contexts, both oral and written.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Superior (Superior Level Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the pragmatic-discursive aspects of Spanish grammar. Through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish will be analyzed and applied.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Human Rights in Latin America

This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of human rights as a concert, as a set of laws and institutions, and as a set of political and cultural practices. Students examine the historical, political, legal, social and cultural aspects of human rights.

Language of Instruction: English    Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Latino Studies

This course is designed to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to examine the historical and contemporary experiences of Americans of Latin American origin. The curriculum seeks to provide an awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the language (Spanglish), history, culture, literature, sociology, anthropology, politics, social ecology, health, medicine, and creative (art, dance, drama, film, music) accomplishments in Chicano/Puerto Rican and other Latino communities.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Political and Social Change in Chile and Latin America

"This course will examine Latin America's, with attention on Chile's, political and social development during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. This class is structured by two main concepts: first, democracy as the main political concept and in a second place, the importance of the search for social development.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Resistance, Appropriation and Sustainability: Cross-Cultural Encounters with the Native Mapuche People

This course offers a way to learn by engaging both in the classroom and in-person contact with the native Mapuche population of Chile. Connecting the reality of the communities' relationships, resistance, appropriation and sustainability with the academic contect

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Arte y Sociedad en Chile Prehispánico (Art and Society in Pre-hispanic Chile)

This course will focus on the pre-Hispanic cultures of northern Chile. The class will emphasize the iconographic analysis and archeological data so as to learn about the Cosmo vision and the economic, political, and social organization of the pre- Hispanic cultures.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Danzas Tradicionales de Chile y Latinoamérica (Tradicional Dances of Chile and Latin America)

The course will take place in fifteen sessions, in which sample dances from each cultural area of the country will be addressed. In addition, the context of each dance will be supported by audio, photographic and bibliographic material.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Cuento Latinoamericano (Latin American Short Stories)

The purpose of the course is to present an overview of the development of the Latin American and Chilean literary production of the twentieth century. Student will work on a selection of short stories and some storytellers besides other artistic productions to work in classes.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

Historia de América Latina en el siglo XX (Twentieth Century Latin American History)

This course intends to examine current political issues and problems in latin American countries, focusing on subjects such as democracy, development, and stability of statehood. The main objective of the course is for students to comprehend and be able to explain the complex social and political processes of Latin America, as well as to distinguish between general tendencies and national particularities.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Historia Moderna de Chile (Modern History of Chile)

This course will give students a general perspective of the modern history of Chile, emphasizing political and transformative processes. Methodologically, it includes various analytical perspectives and orientations of the political, social and economic history of Chile.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Historia Urbana y Historia Regional de Valparaíso (Urban and Regional History of Valparaíso)

This course is presented as an instance of knowledge, analysis and reflection on the main historical processes that have taken place in Valparaiso from the colonial period until the formation of the Chilean Republic. Special emphasis will be given to the independence period from Spaniard monarchy and the nation- state building process in Chile and how these phenomena developed and transformed the city of Valpariso at a local and global level.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

View Syllabus   

Poesía Chilena del siglo XX: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro (Twentieth Century Chilean Poetry: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro)

This course offers a vision on Chilean poetry in the 20th century, recognizing the main trends, their aesthetic characteristics and their relation to the cultural and social contexts. The readings are aimed at recognizing the peculiarities of the process of appropriation of the artistic modernity and its contributions to the construction of the Chilean cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Poesía latinoamericana contemporánea (Contemporary Latin American Poetry)

This course offers a vision on of the main developments of Latin American poetry of the end of the 19th century, recognizing the main trends, its aesthetic characteristics and its relation to the cultural and social contexts, through interpretative reading of poems and metapoetic texts that are crucial to this poetic tradition, emphasizing its contributions to the construction of the Latin American cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Contemporary Latin Amerian Films

This course invites students to explore Latin America through the eyes of contemporary Latin American filmmakers. With a thematic emphasis, we will watch and analyze films considering them as complex representations of the region.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Environmental Issues in Chile

The course aims at studying and analyzing global environmental problems of modern society. Students will discuss the causes of such problems and analyze their possible solutions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Global Entrepreneurship

The course presents all the basics of how to start and became a founder of a technology-based startup. The topics include an overview of what innovation is and entrepreneurship methodologies such as design thinking, business model canvas, customer development, lean startup and general management and team building notions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Gramática y Vocabulario (Beginning Grammar and Vocabulary)

This is a theoretical and practical course designed to address the morphological and syntactic aspects of the Spanish language. In this class, at a basic level, grammar and vocabulary are envisioned as a system with three dimensions that interact among them: the form of the elements, their semantics and the pragmatic conditions governing their use.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Comprensión y Producción Oral, Nivel Principiante (Oral Comprehension and Oral Production, Beginning Level)

From an intercultural and communicative orientation, this class – at a basic level - integrates language and culture in order to take advantage of the scenario the students are.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Beginner  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

The course Communicational Spanish and Chilean Culture, intermediate level, integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 6   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Written Spanish)

Theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies. Forms of organization of different types of texts on an intermediate level, their structure and linguistic elements involved.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Intermedio (Intermediate Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language from a descriptive-normative approach where the system of rules of Spanish is revised, analyzed and explained.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Lower Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Lower Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura académica - Avanzado (Advanced Academic Writing)

This is a practical course oriented to the development of communicative abilities for writing in the academic context. In this course, students will practice writing texts considering the following aspects: text structure, academic genres, the process of writing and rules. By the end of the course, students will be able to communicate through writing respecting the main rules of academic communication, which will facilitate their insertion in the Chilean academic culture and in PUCV.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Escritura creativa en Español - Avanzado (Advanced Creative Writing)

This introductory course in creative writing in Spanish is aimed at foreign students with no previous experience required in the creative field. The course looks to motivate and refine creative production in short stories (fiction), travel writing (non-fiction), and poetry, with an emphasis, but not exclusively, to reading and writing assignments focused on the space of Valparaíso and the experience of a foreign culture.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Español Comunicacional y Cultura Chilena (Communicative Spanish and Chilean Culture)

This course integrates language and culture with the main objective of potentiating the total immersion program in which the student is inserted, from a communicative and intercultural approach.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 6  

View Syllabus   

Español Escrito, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Written Spanish)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to text typologies, especially the forms of organization of explanatory and argumentative discourse, as well as journalistic and academic genres such as news items, journalist reports, editorials, abstracts and summaries, articles.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the morphosyntactic aspects of Spanish grammar that are generally considered to be problematic for the students of Spanish as a second language. From a descriptive-normative approach and through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish is revised, analyzed and applied in different contexts, both oral and written.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Gramática del Español para Extranjeros, Nivel Superior (Superior Level Spanish Grammar for Foreigners)

This is a theoretical-practical course oriented to the pragmatic-discursive aspects of Spanish grammar. Through diverse material, the system of rules and usage of Spanish will be analyzed and applied.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Human Rights in Latin America

This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of human rights as a concert, as a set of laws and institutions, and as a set of political and cultural practices. Students examine the historical, political, legal, social and cultural aspects of human rights.

Language of Instruction: English    Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 4   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Latino Studies

This course is designed to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to examine the historical and contemporary experiences of Americans of Latin American origin. The curriculum seeks to provide an awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the language (Spanglish), history, culture, literature, sociology, anthropology, politics, social ecology, health, medicine, and creative (art, dance, drama, film, music) accomplishments in Chicano/Puerto Rican and other Latino communities.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Political and Social Change in Chile and Latin America

"This course will examine Latin America's, with attention on Chile's, political and social development during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. This class is structured by two main concepts: first, democracy as the main political concept and in a second place, the importance of the search for social development.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Resistance, Appropriation and Sustainability: Cross-Cultural Encounters with the Native Mapuche People

This course offers a way to learn by engaging both in the classroom and in-person contact with the native Mapuche population of Chile. Connecting the reality of the communities' relationships, resistance, appropriation and sustainability with the academic contect

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Arte y Sociedad en Chile Prehispánico (Art and Society in Pre-hispanic Chile)

This course will focus on the pre-Hispanic cultures of northern Chile. The class will emphasize the iconographic analysis and archeological data so as to learn about the Cosmo vision and the economic, political, and social organization of the pre- Hispanic cultures.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Danzas Tradicionales de Chile y Latinoamérica (Tradicional Dances of Chile and Latin America)

The course will take place in fifteen sessions, in which sample dances from each cultural area of the country will be addressed. In addition, the context of each dance will be supported by audio, photographic and bibliographic material.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Cuento Latinoamericano (Latin American Short Stories)

The purpose of the course is to present an overview of the development of the Latin American and Chilean literary production of the twentieth century. Student will work on a selection of short stories and some storytellers besides other artistic productions to work in classes.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

Historia de América Latina en el siglo XX (Twentieth Century Latin American History)

This course intends to examine current political issues and problems in latin American countries, focusing on subjects such as democracy, development, and stability of statehood. The main objective of the course is for students to comprehend and be able to explain the complex social and political processes of Latin America, as well as to distinguish between general tendencies and national particularities.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 2  

View Syllabus   

Historia Moderna de Chile (Modern History of Chile)

This course will give students a general perspective of the modern history of Chile, emphasizing political and transformative processes. Methodologically, it includes various analytical perspectives and orientations of the political, social and economic history of Chile.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Historia Urbana y Historia Regional de Valparaíso (Urban and Regional History of Valparaíso)

This course is presented as an instance of knowledge, analysis and reflection on the main historical processes that have taken place in Valparaiso from the colonial period until the formation of the Chilean Republic. Special emphasis will be given to the independence period from Spaniard monarchy and the nation- state building process in Chile and how these phenomena developed and transformed the city of Valpariso at a local and global level.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Advanced  

Recommended US semester credits: 3  

View Syllabus   

Poesía Chilena del siglo XX: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro (Twentieth Century Chilean Poetry: Neruda-Parra-Huidobro)

This course offers a vision on Chilean poetry in the 20th century, recognizing the main trends, their aesthetic characteristics and their relation to the cultural and social contexts. The readings are aimed at recognizing the peculiarities of the process of appropriation of the artistic modernity and its contributions to the construction of the Chilean cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Poesía latinoamericana contemporánea (Contemporary Latin American Poetry)

This course offers a vision on of the main developments of Latin American poetry of the end of the 19th century, recognizing the main trends, its aesthetic characteristics and its relation to the cultural and social contexts, through interpretative reading of poems and metapoetic texts that are crucial to this poetic tradition, emphasizing its contributions to the construction of the Latin American cultural identity.

Language of Instruction: Spanish    Language Level Required: Intermediate   Course Level: Upper Division  

Recommended US semester credits: 3   Course Level: Upper Division  

View Syllabus   

Contemporary Latin Amerian Films

This course invites students to explore Latin America through the eyes of contemporary Latin American filmmakers. With a thematic emphasis, we will watch and analyze films considering them as complex representations of the region.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Environmental Issues in Chile

The course aims at studying and analyzing global environmental problems of modern society. Students will discuss the causes of such problems and analyze their possible solutions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Global Entrepreneurship

The course presents all the basics of how to start and became a founder of a technology-based startup. The topics include an overview of what innovation is and entrepreneurship methodologies such as design thinking, business model canvas, customer development, lean startup and general management and team building notions.

Language of Instruction: English   

Recommended US semester credits: 4  

View Syllabus   

Highlights
  • Classes taught in Spanish and English
    • Options to take courses with Chilean students
    Housing

    Semester and summer students living in Valparaíso will live with local host families in either Valparaíso or nearby Viña del Mar. In Chile, API places one student per family, and all students have a private bedroom. Host families serve as a unique introduction to Chilean culture and may be made up of a retirement-age couple, a single woman with or without children, or a traditional two-parent household. Students are provided with two to three meals per day, as well as laundry service once per week. Generally, if a student is at the university during the family’s lunch hour, the host mother will prepare a light meal for the student to bring to the university or lunch is saved for the student and eaten later.

    Host Family 1 35613320132 O
    Host Family 2 35651204991 O
    Host Family 2 35651205041 O
    Host Family 2 35651205111 O
    Host Family 3 34942716734 O
    Host Family 3 35394723230 O
    Host Family 4 35782887435 O