Description

The Liberal Arts study abroad program in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is for advanced level Spanish students who are motivated to gain a deeper appreciation of the realities of Dominican society, and the Caribbean region as a whole, especially issues of underdevelopment, through both academic and internship activities.

Academic Program
Established in 1998, the CIEE Study Center in Santo Domingo gives students the opportunity to enroll in classes at Instituto Filosofico Pedro Francisco Bono (El Bono), Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), and Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo (INTEC). In addition, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) offers specially designed courses for CIEE students in Spanish language and cultural, literary, artistic, political, and social aspects of the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean as a whole. Students generally enroll in one Spanish language course and a variety of CIEE-FLACSO content courses, as well as in courses at the other host institutions. This arrangement permits students to combine the specialized, more personalized "think tank" atmosphere of FLACSO with courses offered through INTEC, UASD, and El Bono. The program is suitable for advanced undergraduate students with strong language skills and a background in the social sciences or in Latin American studies.

The CIEE Study Center is housed in an elegant home in the Gazcue neighborhood of Santo Domingo. It provides a safe and beautiful space for students to study, share experiences, and gather for program and cultural activities. The new facility boasts large classrooms and plenty of office space, ample study spaces, a computer lab, and several outside terraces and lawns.

Academic Culture
Dominican universities differ from universities and colleges in the United States. Direct enrollment in Dominican universities is one of the richest opportunities for academic learning, for immersing oneself in the language, for meeting Dominicans, and for learning about Dominican culture and society. However, it also requires adapting to a more formal academic culture and dealing with limited or hard-to-find materials.

CIEE students enrolling at INTEC can choose classes from the Faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities, of Business and Natural Sciences. Classes range in size from 30 to 40.

Most of the 100 students at El Bono are young men studying philosophy on scholarship as part of their training to become priests. The classes are small (20-30) and lecture-based.

The UASD, a large public university, has an undergraduate population of 160,000 on its main campus in Santo Domingo. Classes tend to be very large and may vary from department to department.

At CIEE, class content and structure is closer to U.S. universities, and that the atmosphere is more intimate. A tutor is available at CIEE to assist participants.

Post-graduate classes in the social sciences at FLACSO are available to CIEE students when they are offered. FLACSO is a small graduatelevel think-tank educational institution and is the CIEE academic host in Santo Domingo.

At each institution, students can expect three to four contact hours per week for each class and should dedicate an hour of preparation for each hour of class.

Students are expected to rely on the advice of the Resident Director for their final course registrations during orientation, and any communication with home institutions is the responsibility of the student. The add/drop period varies from institution to institution. Students need to keep track of each institution's deadlines when course selections become final. There is a three-week break between the spring and fall semesters.

Highlights

• Significantly improve your Spanish skills through language courses of varying levels
  
• Work with local non-profit organizations on an optional development internship
  
• Opportunity to focus on a Caribbean Studies track.
  
• Focus on a Caribbean Studies track
  
• Visit sites of cultural importance, including the colonial zone, anthropological museums, ecological preserves, and overnight trips on CIEE excursions
  
• Enhance your semester with a CIEE independent study option, non-credit volunteer opportunities, and peer advisors

A trip to a market along the Dominican/Haitian border is also included as part of the coursework. One-day excursions are also offered to national heritage sites, such as a colonial sugar mill; a religious syncretic altar; and caves with Taino pictographs. Cultural activities in the city have included theater performances, classical music concerts, and visits to museums and baseball games.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

Cost in US$:

Please check the CIEE website for current program pricing

Program Fees Include:

The CIEE fee includes tuition, housing, all meals, optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, field trips, access to university libraries, admission fees to host university events, immersion activities including Dominican peer advisors, comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Experience Required

yes

• Overall GPA 2.75
• 5 semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent
• Spanish language course within the past year recommended

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Scholarships are Available

We have several scholarships that students can apply for. Contact CIEE for details.

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Transcript
• Written Application
• Other

CIEE's Mission Statement

Since 1947, the Council on International Educational Exchange, known as CIEE, has been in pursuit of its mission, "to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. Our services to young people studying, working, teaching, and traveling abroad are more important than ever.

Year Founded

1947