| Overview |
From the bustling metropolises of Buenos Aires and Santiago to the picturesque cobblestone streets of Colonia, and the ancient cities of Cuzco and Quito, South America is a captivating region. The WFU/Chile: Across South America program is a unique multi-city program offering students the opportunity to study and experience the region's historical, political, economic, and cultural diversity.
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| Location |
The WFU/Chile: Across South America program is based in the capital city of Santiago. As the cultural and economic heart of the country, Santiago is known for its thriving business sector and its vast array of museums, galleries, and festivals. The city serves as a major Latin American travel hub, thus making it easy for students to visit other sites in Chile and Latin America.
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| Program |
Starting in Santiago, Chile in January over four weeks all students will start their academic experience. All students will enroll in CGS 170 Contemporary Chilean Language and Culture, a 3-credit course that fulfills the program language requirement.
Students will spend the month of February traveling throughout South America, exploring the different countries and cultures. Students may visit Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay before returning to Chile for the rest of the semester.
Upon return from the academic excursions, students will continue with the courses that they started in January.
ECN 271 Selected Area in Economics: Latin American Economics (3h) (D)
This course is primarily designed for undergraduate students with basic knowledge of micro and macroeconomics, but no previous exposition to empirical or theoretical approaches to Latin American countries, economic growth models or the economics of emerging and less developed economies.
CGS 170 Special Topics: Contemporary Chilean Language and Culture (3h)
This course takes advantage of students’ presence in one of the region’s most important capital cities, introducing them to Chile’s culture and society via trips to places of social and historical significance, as well as through structured Spanish-language interactions with locals. It also uses the month-long intensive travel experience across four other Latin American countries (Perú, Ecuador, Argentina and Uruguay) to introduce students to the culture and society of these nations as well. Required for all WFU students.
LAS 380 Latin American and Latino Studies Honors Colloquium (4h)
Honors capstone colloquium consisting of varied readings and an individual research project.
MSC 104 Music of Latin America (3h) (CD, D)
The course will focus on understanding the history, cultural connotations and sonic traits of Latin American music, aiming to enrich a listening experience devoted to diverse types of popular rhythms and genres that have flourished throughout the continent, while enabling discussions around the topic of Latin American identity. In a first stage, we will point out common characteristics of the music of Latin America as a whole, establishing a ground over which we may analyze the detailed particular cross-border cultural area ranging from Colombia to Chile, with special prominence in Peru (and Bolivia), Argentina and Chile, in a sort of musical journey across the territory. Once in Chile, and having attained a continental perspective, we will study characteristic types of local music, in an effort to understand their genesis, significance and projections.
POL 114 Comparative Government and Politics: Chile in World Perspective (3h) (CD, D)/POL 242 Topics in Comparative Politics: Chile in World Perspective
This course aims to provide a general introduction to Comparative Political Economy through an in-depth analysis of one case study (Chile). There will be regional (Latin American) and global (East Asian, North American and European) comparisons brought in, to illuminate our understanding of the politics and economics of Chile. Using this study of Chile, the course aims to address the ‘big questions’ in the field of Comparative Political Economy of Development: Why are some countries so rich while others are so poor? What kind of policies can reduce poverty and inequality in a country? How does democracy affect the struggle to reduce absolute and relative poverty and improve living standards for ordinary people?
POL 114 Comparative Government and Politics: Democratic Institutional Design (3h) (D) (CD)/POL 242 Comparative Government and Politics: Democratic Institutional Design (3h)
An analysis of political institutions, processes, and policy issues in selected countries. The course takes a comparative approach to understanding the quality of democracy and how different sets of institutional design contribute or detract from governability and the representational quality of political systems. Case studies will be drawn from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Available in Spring 2024 taught by Resident Professor and Program Director, Dr. Peter Siavelis
Additional courses taught in English will be available through our partnership with Syracuse University. Availability for the courses below are dependent on faculty availability and enrollment. These courses may include:
HST 311/POL 242 Dictatorships, Human Rights and Historical Memory in Chile and the Southern Cone (3h)
This course focuses on the military coup of 1973 and the systematic implementation of violence and fear as a method of control over society and as a formula for stability during the military government of Augusto Pinochet. Within this context, the course evaluates the significance of this period to the configuration of social, political and economic aspects of Chile today. Particular attention will be given to the role of U.S. foreign policy in the installation of the Pinochet government as well as the impact the U.S. has had on human rights in Chile.
POL 242 Topics in Comparative Politics: Sustainability and Development in Chile (3h)
Like many developing countries, Chile faces a dilemma: reconciling environmental protections with its traditional economic model. This course explores the challenges Chile faces on its path towards economic development, as recent efforts to strengthen sustainable development and environmental protections clash with the country's entrenched economic model, based on resource extraction. The struggle is framed within the larger context of recent social and environmental activism and the legacy of the Pinochet dictatorship, which consolidated the extractive model as part of its neoliberal project. Case studies in mining, forestry and fishing will be analyzed.
LAS 310 Special Topics: Chilean Identity in Concrete Images/SOC 386 Special Topics Seminar: Chilean Identity in Concrete Images
This course will explore buildings, squares and monuments around the city of Santiago as representations of identity as well as sources of collective identity. Students will analyze the tension that can be identified between the traditional narrative installed in 1810 at the time of the nation’s founding, and more diverse perspectives that began emerging publicly in the 1960s. In parallel, Santiago’s architecture will be studied as a primary source that relates the main sociological characteristics of santiaguinos and their social class structure, in a city infamous for its social segmentation.
SPA 111 Elementary Spanish I
A two-semester sequence designed to help students develop the ability to understand and speak Spanish and also learn to read and write Spanish at the elementary level.
SPA 112 Elementary Spanish II
A two-semester sequence designed to help students develop the ability to understand and speak Spanish and also learn to read and write Spanish at the elementary level.
Topics in Media Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity in Contemporary Chilean Film (3h)
This course examines Chile's renascent film industry and how film production has been impacted by diversity issues, with particular emphasis on productions from the past 20 years. Students will analyze selected topics that have acquired greater visibility in recent years: immigration, poverty, old age, the experience of the queer community; marginalized political voices silenced by official discourse. These topics will serve as entry points into a broader analysis of the evolution of Chilean society, which, as it becomes more inclusive and open to diversity, registers its transformation through the visual medium of film.
It is the student’s responsibility to speak to their major and minor advisor(s) regarding their abroad coursework and how (or if) it will count towards their degree plan.
Printable course list: WFU/Chile: Across South America Course Approvals
The Honors Program (13-16 hours): Students hoping to earns an Honors designation for their LAS minor are required to complete of at least one 200-level Spanish course at Wake Forest before going on the program. Additionally, on this program, students are required to take one Resident Professor course, CGS 170 Contemporary Chilean Language and Culture and LAS 380 Latin American and Latino Studies Honors Colloquium (4 hrs).
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| Faculty |
Spring 2022: Dr. Paul Jones, Chemistry, jonespb@wfu.edu
Spring 2023: Dr. Karin Friederic, Anthropology, friedeku@wfu.edu
Spring 2024: Dr. Peter Siavelis, Politics and International Affairs, siavelpm@wfu.edu |
| Accommodation |
All students participating in the WFU/Chile: Across South America program are required to live in program-provided housing.
WFU/Chile: Across South America housing consists of homestays where students live with a local host family. This approach optimizes learning of language and culture. Typically, only one student is hosted per family. Students will have a private bedroom, but they may share a bathroom. NOTE: Accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to abroad and certain housing accommodations (single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available.
While on program excursions students, will live in shared accommodations. |
| Excursions |
During their time in Chile, students will visit Valparaiso and Viña del Mar and other local attractions.
During the month of February, students will embark on academic excursions to locations that may include Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay. All costs associated with travel, housing, some meals and program activities are covered. Students are responsible for some meals, personal expenses, and visa fees where applicable.
Previous excursions have included a graffiti tour and traditional Argentina BBQ at an estancia in Buenos Aires, beach visit and city tour in Montevideo, ride in the TelefériQo in Quito, and an unforgettable day at Machu Picchu.
Students will also have the opportunity for personal travel throughout the semester.
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| Selection |
Most successful applicants have a GPA of 2.5. If your GPA is lower than 2.5, you are still encouraged to apply and to discuss your application with a study abroad advisor. The admissions committee considers a number of factors in addition to your cumulative GPA. Students must also be in good academic standing with the university to participate in the program.
This program has rolling admissions, enabling student to receive admission decisions as soon as their application is complete. Students should have their applications submitted no later than October 15.
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| Costs |
Students will pay regular WFU tuition, a housing fee and a meal fee. The cost will include materials, orientations, excursions, most meals, housing during the program, laundry, and registration fees. Accepted students will receive a travel scholarship of $1,500.00 to offset the cost of roundtrip airfare. Federal and institutional financial aid may be used on this program.
Students are responsible for personal expenses, some meals, visa/entry fees and passport fees and round trip airfare to Santiago.
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| Scholarships |
All students accepted to this program a receive a travel scholarship up to $1,500 to help off-set the cost of airfare. Students are also eligible for scholarships from the Center for Global Programs and Studies. For more information on scholarships, visit our funding page.
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| Visa & Passport |
Passport Information
Students going on the Chile: Across South American program need to check their passport's expiration date and ensure that it will be valid through at least mid-November of the same year of their program.
US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State's passport website for information on this process.
Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country's passport office.
Visa Information
US passport holders going on this program do not need to obtain a visa prior to the program's start date. They will receive their visa upon arrival in Chile.
Non-US passport holders should check with their host country's embassy or consulate to find out if they are required to obtain a visa prior to departing for the program. If you need to obtain a visa, it will be your responsibility to do so but GPS can help you gather documentation for your application.
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| Contact |
Dr. Peter Siavelis
Professor, Politics of International Affairs
Kirby Hall 308
Phone: (336) 758 5451
E-mail: siavelpm@wfu.edu
Cody Ryberg
Senior Study Abroad Advisor
Reynolda Hall 116
Phone: (336-758-6194)
E-mail: rybergcj@wuf.edu
Chile Global Ambassadors:
Gavin McRae (mcrage19@wfu.edu)
Elise Wood (woodek20@wfu.edu)
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| Testimonials |
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