College of Charleston in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Program Overview
The College of Charleston Spring semester study abroad program in Buenos Aires, Argentina is designed for students who major or minor in Spanish, or who are interested in earning up to 12 credit hours of upper level Spanish; students who major or minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies or International Studies; or for students from any academic discipline interested in developing fluency in Spanish and maintaining normal progress towards graduation. Classes are held at the University of Buenos Aires’ Law School.
Information for Spring 2012 Participants
Program Dates
January 25, 2012 to May 3, 2012
Program Requirements
- Interested students must have completed, or currently be registered in, at least one 300 level Spanish course (SPAN 313, etc.) prior to participating in the program
- Students must have at least a 2.5 overall GPA
- Students must either already possess a valid passport or be able to obtain a valid passport
Program Highlights
There are many opportunities for students while studying for the Spring semester in Buenos Aires. One of the program highlights is that students will live with Argentine families during their semester in Buenos Aires. The families are selected by a company that specializes in placing college students with Argentine families, and placement is based on answers to a questionnaire that students complete. Living with families provides students a great opportunity to learn about Argentina daily life and culture.
During the semester, students as a group will take one cultural excursion to a location that provides a rich cultural and historical experience. The excursion is to Andean northwest to the provinces of Salta and Jujuy. Salta is a city that is punctuated by mountains and canyons and offers the facilities of a large town, but retains the comfortable vibe of a smaller place while preserving more colonial architecture than most places in Argentina. It is the most toured spot in northwest Argentina because it has many historical museums and plenty of outdoor activities. Jujuy is considered to have the most “indigenous” feel of any of Argentina’s cities because the Incas settled along the Andes mountains and their influence is very noticeable in this city. The combination of pre-hispanic cultures with the more recent colonization by the Spanish has left a remarkable historical wealth, present in buildings, religious celebrations, art and music.
Courses offered
Students must enroll in at least 12 hours (4 courses) while in Buenos Aires, to maintain their full-time student status at the College of Charleston. The courses offered are actual College of Charleston classes, therefore students will earn grades just as they would if they were offered on campus. Grades earned will factor in to the student’s GPA at the College. Classes are held at the Universidad de Buenos Aires School of Law and Social Sciences and are taught exclusively by Argentine faculty who are carefully selected and approved by the College of Charleston. Classes are conducted Monday – Thursday each week, providing students long weekends to explore Buenos Aires and to travel throughout Argentina and Latin America.
- Spanish 320: Introduction to the Study of Hispanic Literature
- Spanish 326: Latin American Civilization and Culture I
- Spanish 328: Foreign Language Study Abroad
- Spanish 344: Advanced Grammar and Lexicon
Courses taught in English
- Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) 106: Introduction to Contemporary Argentina
- Political Science (POLS) 321: Politics of Latin America
Note: Students should meet with their academic advisors to verify which courses meet the requirements for their major or minor.
Program Costs
Students will pay their normal College of Charleston semester tuition and a program fee. The program fee of $5,400 (estimated) includes the round-trip airfare from Charleston to Buenos Aires, housing with Argentine families, 2 meals a day provided by the families, comprehensive medical insurance, and the international student ID card. Also included in the program fee is the costs for the planned program excursion, including travel, lodging, two meals a day, and entrances into sites/museums.
Additional costs beyond the tuition and program fee are: passport fees, student visa fees (obtained upon arrival in Buenos Aires), one meal per day not covered by the family or on the excursion, and any personal travel and other personal expenses/spending money during the semester.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Any financial aid that a student currently has at the College of Charleston will apply like normal for their semester abroad in Buenos Aires (ie. Life Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, Academic Scholarships, Federal Student Loans and Grants, etc.). Students should meet with an advisor in the Office of Financial Assistance to determine exactly what aid a student is eligible for.
Additionally, the Center for International Education awards scholarships for the semester that are worth up to $2000. Click here to learn more about the CIE scholarship.
Application process
Application deadline is October 15, 2011 for the Spring 2012 program. Students must submit a completed study abroad application form to Julie Swigert (swigertj@cofc.edu) Study Abroad Coordinator, Center for International Education. Applications can either be downloaded from our website or can be picked up in the CIE office. A $250 deposit will be posted to the student’s MyCharleston account once the application has been submitted to, and approved by, the CIE.
