About Universidad Viña del Mar

The University of Viña del Mar is a private institution of high education with more than 6.700 students. Accredited since 2008, it has a long tradition of 21 years of distinguished education. The university is one the most important private universities in the country. Its headquarters is located in Viña del Mar, the main touristic city of the country. The University has a modern campus located in the upper area of the city. The campus lies on 20 hectares of land and has state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure.

International students have the opportunity to take courses for one or more semesters at the UVM schools with Chilean students, or in short-term programs. Courses and degrees are transferred to other universities around the world. Overall, the University of Viña del Mar has had an excellent reputation within the South American academic community for more than 20 years. Foreign students earn college credits upon completing the program and have the transcript sent to their home school. The 10 schools of the Universidad Viña del Mar offer a wide variety of careers to international students: Architecture, Arts and Design, Social Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Health Sciences, Communications, Education, Engineering, Business and Law. There is also a Spanish Center with 8 years of experience teaching international students in order to master their Spanish skills. Besides UVM has a variety of programs for foreign students such as International Programs of Double Degree; Thematic tailored programs for International Universities: Human Rights, Travel Literature, Public Health, Environment, Chilean and Latin American Film, Business, Earthquakes & Tsunamis; and International Volunteer Programs in Chile.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA9OYjWPvwM

Visit the university website here: http://www.uvm.cl/

The City

Viña del Mar and Valparaíso are two sister cities that jointly offer the greatest university experience. They have the largest number of universities and students in Chile, what makes it an attractive center for educational and business institutions. Viña del Mar is located in the central area of the country at the foot of the Andes Mountains and its coasts are bathed by the Pacific Ocean. Its diverse geography, wonderful nature and fertile valley bring several benefits in terms of connectivity (Santiago, International Airport, Mendoza in Argentina) and recreational and sport activities, food and culture.

Viña del Mar is an ideal city for having activities outside the campus. Students will live a couple of minutes away from the beach and 2 hours away from ski centers. Every weekend, there is something interesting to do. Extracurricular activities include sports and recreational activities (soccer, basketball, tennis, etc.); cueca classes (Chilean national dance); local sightseeing and excursions to places like Isla Negra (one of Pablo Neruda's houses) and the cities of Valparaiso and Santiago, the National Congress building; horseback riding; wine tours, picnics and zip lining in a National Park; paintball; photo contests; talent shows; Chilean movie club; and any other activity that may come up.

The Culture

Chile is located in South America. Its bordering countries are Peru and Bolivia in the North and Argentina to the East. Its natural borders are the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Magellan Strait to the South. Chilean geography is best known for its variety of climates and sceneries. Arid desert, fields of fruits and beautiful beaches, volcanoes, lakes, world's second largest rainforest, plus fjords and canals, pampas and glaciers. Well known Easter Island is off the coast. The deserts in the North, the central valleys, and the Lakes Regions in the South make Chile an ideal place for vacation and adventure. Throughout the years, Chile has become a politically stable country with a growing economy which, in turn, makes it a safe and perfect place to immerse oneself in the culture. Chile's population is about 16 million. Official language is Spanish, and its currency is the Chilean peso. Overall, it is a "mestizo" country, of mixed European and indigenous extraction.

Viña del Mar, known as "The Garden City" was founded in 1874. It is considered as the capital of Chilean tourism, for it is the most important resort area in Chile along the Pacific shoreline. Viña del Mar is part of the Valparaiso Region and it is located next to the Capital City of Santiago, as well as links with sister-city Valparaiso with is the main seaport and seat of Parliament. The climate is similar to San Francisco in the US, Blue Coast in the Mediterranean Sea, Cape Town in South Africa, and Perth, Australia. Average summer temperature (December – March) is 68 degrees (F), and in winter, -59 degrees (F). The crime rate is very low in Viña del Mar, and staff there advises students about it.

Chilean Spanish has its own characteristics. You will notice that in general Chileans speak fast and not really clear. However, you will get used to it, so don't worry. They commonly do not pronounce the "s" on ends of words. Chilean Spanish has some words for things that are different than Standard Spanish. You may hear the second person singular pronounces as "ai" rather than "as". For example, "¿Como estai?" rather than "¿Cómo estás?" It may sound strange at first, but it's part of the beauty of the language.

 

Housing & Orientation

Housing:

The program offers housing with Chilean families which have experience hosting international students. This includes a comfortable individual room, 3 meals per day, laundry and internet. Host families are chosen based on a housing questionnaire completed by the students.

Orientation:

The program includes airport pick-up transportation to Viña del Mar (if students arrive on the recommended day) and an Orientation is organized for an appropriate development of the program and immersion in the Chilean culture and in the city.

Cost

Fees for the Universidad Viña del Mar program

Fall 2013:  $8,250 (est. / airfare not included)
Chile Fall 2013 EST.pdf

INCLUDES:

• Tuition

• Program acceptance fee

• Pre-departure orientation materials

• On-site Orientation Program in Chile

• Home-stay Housing

• Most Meals

• Laundry Service

• Study Materials

• Brockport's Study Abroad Office Services

 

DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Health Insurance*

• Various campus-specific fees** (college fee, technology fee, etc.)

• Airfare to and from Chile

• Passport

• Personal Expenses

The actual amount that you will spend depends heavily on your style of living, and will vary with each individual's personal spending habits, entertainment preferences and travel choices.

Financial aid applies towards fees.

*SUNY regulations require that participants in Overseas Academic Programs have "adequate" insurance coverage. Students whose current health insurance is not "adequate" may purchase appropriate coverage for $477.00 per semester (this is the current cost and is subject to change).
**Varies depending on the SUNY campus at which the participant pays tuition.

The cost (and items included in the cost) as listed on the website are subject to change and should be considered estimates. Final budget sheets will be mailed to the student prior to departure and usually upon acceptance.

 

 

Courses

*Brockport will not award more than 18 credits regardless of the amount of credits taken at the university.

INCLUDES:

    * TUITION
    * Program acceptance fee
    * Most meals
    * Housing
    * Pre-departure orientation materials, advisement and counseling
    * On-site orientation upon arrival in Costa Rica
    * Brockport's Study Abroad Office Services

DOES NOT INCLUDE:

    * Health Insurance*
    * Passport
    * Various campus-specific fees** (Student Government, Technology Fees, etc.)
    * Airfare to and from Costa Rica
    * Personal ExpensesI.    SPANISH PROGRAMS  (Levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced):
The following courses are all available at the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels unless otherwise noted:
(During the Orientation you will take a placement Spanish exam that will determine your eligibility for these courses).

• Comunication Strategies: Grammar & Composition    

• Comunicational Spanish & Chilean Culture    

• Phonetics    

• Latin American Literature (Requires Advanced Level of Spanish)    

• Contemporary Issues in Latin America (Requires Advanced Level of Spanish)    

• Cultures in Contact (taught and Spanish)  

• Chilean Socio-Political History in the 20th Century (Requires Intermediate Level of Spanish) 
  Contact Hours: 56, meets twice a week.
  A course is focused on the socio-political evolution of Chile, from the civil war to the military dictatorship, taking into account the great revolutions in Chile, as well as considering the Mexican and Cuban revolutions, two of the most important revolutions in Latin America, in order to understand how revolutionary ideas began to circulate in Chile in the early twentieth century and how these revolutions began with people from the humblest walks of life to become large social movements.

• Socioeconomic Evolution of Latin America
  Contact Hours: 56, meets twice a week.
  This course will provide students with an explanation of how Latin America ,over more tan five hundred years ago, accidentally became a part of a complex historical project of European origin known as modernization. The class will analyze the fundamental misconceptions associated with the emancipation process of Latin America, as well as learn to recognize the cultural, social, and economic consequences of the conquest on the original peoples of Latin America. Tying in with what they learn from the first portion of the class, students will study what impacts the current economic growth of Chile, Colombia, and Brazil is having on their societies.

• Current Events in Latin America
  Contact Hours: 56, meets twice a week.
  In this class, students will analyze Latin America's integration in the economic, political, linguistic, cultural, and religious plans, understanding that Latin America, along with Asia, before the economic fall of the First World, has great potential for growth and development in the coming decades.  At the end of this course students will understand the importance of the  "Bolivarian Dream" as a mythical story that spans the historical encounters and clashes among Latin American countries. Students will also be able to recognize and analyze the impact of the Cold War on the integration process of Latin America. Finally, students will learn about the main economic and political principals of Latin America (OEA, UNASUR, MERCOSUR, ALADI, ALBA-TCP, CAN among others).

II.    UVM  SCHOOLS COURSES:
If you have an advanced level of Spanish (B2/+) you are eligible to participate in typical classes in the university. In order to take courses in the different UVM departments (with Chilean students), please visit the following web site in:

http://www.uvm.cl/carreras.shtml

Choose the “CARRERA” (major), which is the area of studies you want to take, and go to “MALLA CURRICULAR” (left side), and check the classes you would like to take according to the semester you will be at UVM.

III. COURSES IN ENGLISH:

http://www.uvm.cl/dri/pdf/Courses%20in%20English%20in%20South%20America.pdf

Business Courses:

• Business Communication

• Negotiation Strategies

• Strategies of International Marketing

• Management Skills and Crisis M.

• Social Responsibility of Business

• Freedom and Responsability: A New Understanding of Ethics

Social Sciences Courses:

• Gender and Minorities Studies

• Human Rights in Latin America

• Social Inequality, Exclusion, and Democracy

• Latin America Regional Scenario in the XX century

• Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

Humanities- Liberal Arts Courses:

• Latin America History of Ideas

• Globalization of Art and its Marketing

Environmental Studies Courses:

• An Approach to Sustainable Development and Green Economy

Sample Syllabi 2013:

An Approach to Sustainable Development and Green Economy

Latin American Scenario in XX century 02

Freedom and Responsibility

Strategies of International Marketing

Social Inequality, Exclusion and Democracy

Indigenous Peoples in Chile

Human Rights Transitional Justice

Negotiation Strategies in Latin America

Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

Gender and Minority Studies in Latin America

Dates

Fall 2013:  August 3rd- December 14th, 2013