Bates College
Off-Campus Study Program

US and Chilean students on a hike near the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile (photo by Monica Hayden '07)

This list of programs and universities is provided to assist students in the identification of junior semester and year abroad opportunities in Central & South America.   A great deal of variation exists in the locations, durations, foreign language expectations, housing options, and educational formats.  In general terms, there are three types of program: programs at Central and South American universities, thematic programs, and general Latin American studies programs.  The Spanish language requirements are listed so that students may avoid programs that are inappropriate in terms of having either too much or too little language training.  Other programs exist in many of the countries on this list, but have been excluded because their duration, academic program, or sponsoring organization does not conform to the principles established by the Off-Campus Study Committee.  (Students may petition the Committee to participate on an unapproved program if they believe it provides a compelling academic advantage compared to the listed programs.) You may access the program and university web sites by clicking on the Sponsor/University name.

The "number of participants" in the Comments column is per semester. Numbers often fluctuate from semester to semester, and we provide them to give a general sense of program size.

The programs that are based at universities generally follow the southern hemispere academic calendar with first semester extending from late February to early July, and second semester from early August to early December.  (The actual dates vary each year.)

Hard copies of the brochures and evaluations for most programs are available in the Off-Campus Study Office Library.

Approval of participation, including completion of a Bates application, is required to receive credit for study on any of these programs or universities. Please see Dean Sawyer or Mr. Das, in the Off-Campus Study Office in Lane Hall, for further information and discussion.


Location Duration Sponsor/University Lang. Req. Housing Options Comments Faculty and Returning Jrs & Seniors; Prior = past Bates participants

Argentina
Buenos Aires Semester or year IFSA-Butler 5 sems  Family Classes at 3 univs, a large city with rich heritage. Option of enrolling in Cinema Studies, Gender Studies, Human Rights track. Number of participants: 65 Prof. George
Erin Bonney
Valentina Calastri
Buenos Aires Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family and Group Social Movements and Human Rights; ind. study project. Number of participants: 15 Prior
Mendoza Semester or year IFSA-Butler 4 or 5 sems Family Based at Univ. Nacional de Cuyo, studio art & music, at base of Andes. Number of participants: 30 Mark Andrews
Hannah Davis
Julie Miller-Hendry

Bolivia
Cochabamba Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & Group Culture and Development program, fewer Americans, high altitude, large city, but easy access to rural areas. Number of participants: 20 Prior

Brazil
Belém  Semester School for International Training 2 sems Span Family & group Amazon Studies & ecology,  Portuguese or Spanish helpful, prior course in Bio or ES required. Number of participants: 15 Prior
Fortaleza Semester School for International Training 4 sems Span/2 sems Port Families & group Urban and rural development, internal migration and dislocation, area of cultural diversity. Number of participants: 15 Manuela Odell
Salvador da Bahia Semester CIEE 4 sems Span/2 sems Port Family Program and university courses; Portuguese lang. Large, ethnically diverse city on northeast coast with large Afro-Barzilian population. Mbali Ndlovu
Salvador da Bahia Semester School for International Training 4 sems Span/2 sems Port Family & Group Focus on public health incl. alternative health approaches. Ind. study project. Large, ethnically diverse city on northeast coast with large Afro-Barzilian population. Apply early. Number of participants: 15 Katherine Dexter

Chile
Arica Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & Group Public Health and Community Welfare; ind. study project or guided practicum. Based in northern Chile.  
La Serena Semester or year Middlebury College 5 sems Family July-Dec, Feb-July; colonial-style northern city; smaller university; bio, ecology, geography. Outdoor activities; on the coast. For the independent student. Prior
Santiago Semester or year IFSA-Butler 5 sems Family July-Dec, Feb-July; large urban environment; two universities. Number of participants: 75 John Harvey
Julie Wagner
Santiago Semester or year Middlebury College 5 sems Family July-Dec, Feb-July; large urban environment; two universities. Number of participants: 12 Prior
Santiago Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & Group US Calendar; Education and Social Change theme; ind. study project or practicum. Prev. coursework in Education, Latin American studies, or Development studies req. Jessica Adelman
Valparaíso Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & Group US calendar; Development and social justice theme, program in Valparaiso on the coast and in rural settings. Number of participants: 25 Margaret Lloyd
Angela Lorenzo
Kyra Williams
Valparaíso Semester or year IFSA-Butler 4 or 5 sems Family Universities Program for students w/5+ sems; Intermediate Program for students w/4 sems. Community service, attractive coastal city, 2 hours from Santiago. Number of participants: 50 Prior
Valparaíso Semester or year Middlebury College 5 sems Family See above; three universities; internships at U. de Playa Ancha. Number of participants: 18 Prior

Costa Rica
Monteverde Semester CIEE 4 sems Group Ecology & Tropical Biology, Spanish. Based in rainforest, but travel to various ecological settings. Number of participants: 20-25 Prof. Kinsman
Prior
Monteverde Semester Organiz. Trop. Stud. 4 sems Group dorm, camping Focus on rain forest research and preservation. Field biology, travel to many sites, some camping. Prior biology required; little Spanish. Number of participants: 25

Prof. Kinsman
Gabriela Anhalzer

Ecuador
Quito Semester or Year IES 4 sems Family Approved program at La Católica University in downtown Quito: Area Studies and Language. Numerous fieldtrips; internships; diverse student pop. Allison Munroe
Elise Ogden
Quito

Semester

 School for International Training 4 sems Family & group Culture and Development theme; independent study project. Number of participants: 25 Alison Fanning
Alexandra Goldstein
Quito Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & Group Comparative Ecology and Conservation; ind. study project. Previous Bio/ES required. Amelia Hagen-Dillon
Mexico
Guadalajara Semester or Year Middlebury College 5 sems Family July-Dec, Feb-July; historic mid-size city, with vibrant cultural life; large university. For the independent student. Number of participants: 5 Lydia Finn
Emma Weisser
Mérida Semester or year IFSA-Butler 4 sems Family 3 week intensive program course, followed by classes at Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (with Mexican students). Anthropology, archaeology. Lively city. U.S. calendar Number of participants: 55

Anna Webster-Stratton
Oaxaca Semester School for International Training 4 sems Group & family Grassroots development and social change focus, independent study project. Number of participants: 15 Gretchen Grebe
Julie Wagner

Nicaragua
Managua Semester Augsburg College 4 sems Family & group Social change in Guatemala, El Salvador, then Nicaragua; low income settings. Less cultural connection because of the travel nature of the program. Number of participants: 20 Prior
Managua Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & group Revolution and civil society; Spanish, a low-income setting. Number of participants: 20 Alexander Kapelman
Emma Pedrin

Panama
Panama City Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & group

Development and conservation; prior ES, bio coursework required. ES field work. Number of participants: 15

 Prior

 

Peru
Cuzco Semester School for International Training 4 sems Family & group Indigenous peoples and globalization; independent study project. Leah Dembinski
Lima Semester or year IFSA-Butler 5 sems Family Core course and univ. courses; required community service. Cosmopolitan city of 8 million.  


Puerto Rico

Río
Piedras

 Semester or year SUNY, Oswego 5 sems Dorm

Flagship campus of Puerto Rico system; academically challenging. Caribbean studies. For the more independent student. Total enrollment: 25,000

 Prior
Prof. Fra-Molinero

Turks & Caicos
S. Caicos Semester School for Field Studies --- Group dorm Coral reef ecology program, biology and resource mgt themes, prior biology coursework required. Number of participants: 30 Stuart Ryan

Uruguay
Montevideo Semester or year Middlebury College 5 sems Family

Cosmopolitan capital city of 1.5 million; three universities. July-Dec; March-July

  


Multi-Country
Multi-Country
Semester International Honors Program None Family & group  Cities in the 21st Century: People, Planning and Politics. Less cultural connection due to frequent travel. Number of participants: 25-30 Sabrina Miess

 

Links to other programs:



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