Program Offerings
The PUCV study abroad experience is a one or two semester immersion study abroad program. PUCV semester courses are offered to full-time students, in a blended immersion format, in which international undergraduate students attend classes with their Chilean peers. All classes are taught in Spanish.
Students can take many of the regular PUCV courses according to their needs and their Spanish proficiency level. All exchange students through MU’s program are required to take a 6 credit Chilean Communication and Culture class with other exchange students through the PIIE Office as well as their chosen courses at the regular university. Students also have the option to take one additional Spanish Writing or Grammar class through the PIIE Office but no more than 9 credits total can be taken through PIIE. A minimum of 3 credits MUST be taken at the regular university and all students must be registered for at least 12 credits.
During orientation at PUCV, students will be given a Spanish proficiency test (written and oral) to assess their current level. They will then be placed into beginner, intermediate or advanced levels for the PIIE classes only. The “regular” classes are full immersion and will be taught as if all were native speakers.
PUCV Offers Courses in:
- Statistics
- Physics
- Math
- Chemistry
- Business
- Accounting
- Social Work
- Physical Education
- Education
- Philosophy
|
- Music
- History
- Literature
- Spanish
- Psychology
- Geography
- Ocean Science
- Oceanography
- Journalism
|
Exchange participants will create their academic schedules with their Chilean orientation leader during orientation week. It is important to have as many class options as possible because classes are spread out in university buildings over the greater Valparaíso area and a student may not have enough time between classes to take back-to-back courses if they are in different parts of the city. However, the drop/add period at PUCV is approximately one month long, affording the students greater flexibility in ensuring they are taking appropriate classes.
Winter/Summer Intensive Spanish Language Courses:
Students desiring a short-term one month study abroad at PUCV may do so each January, June or July. Each program offers 6 credits of Spanish language and Chilean culture classes for a separate cost. These short-term courses can be completed as a separate study abroad experience or in conjunction with beginning a regular semester of academic study at PUCV.
For more information on these special programs, please click here.
Eligibility
This program is available to Millersville University and non-MU students. Most students who study abroad are traditionally juniors. However, students can and do study abroad anytime after they have completed 24 credits. Students should complete an application to study abroad one semester before wishing to go abroad. A minimum of a 2.0 GPA, demonstration of at least 202 level Spanish proficiency, an official transcript and two letters of recommendation from professors from their home university are also required. The Study Abroad Coordinator will then review all applications. Approval will be determined shortly after the applications are received and students will be notified via email at the address noted on the application.
Accommodation
Homestay accommodations, arranged by PUCV, are the norm. Viña del Mar, where all students live with host families, is located about a 10-15 minute micro or metro ride away from Valparaíso, where the university is located. Viña, as it is often called, is a thriving resort town that is popular with Chileans and international visitors alike in the summer months because of its beautiful beaches and modern attractions. Viña is well maintained and beautiful year round due to tourism. However, most families do live in apartments as opposed to houses and these are “real Chilean families”. They are not rich vacationers who only come for the summer.
As part of the homestay, students will receive 3 meals a day and their own room with linens (sheets, pillows, comforter and towel). Laundry is done approximately once a week with the family’s laundry. One exchange student will be assigned to each host family. Students will complete a host family application to help the PIIE Office match them with families to the best of its ability. However, perfect matches cannot be guaranteed.
Students are encouraged to be flexible in adjusting to their new host family as they will be incorporated into an existing family system. Most students are fully satisfied with their host families and form life-long friendships. Yet, the placement can be changed if a student should feel unsafe or uncomfortable in their assignment for any reason. If a student plans to live with the host family for any period of time before or after the dates of the official semester, an additional “per day” rate will be charged.
Alternative housing can be arranged when necessary; however, it is not directly affiliated with the program. Therefore, Millersville University will assume no responsibility for alternate arrangements.
Dates
Students may choose to study abroad either for a semester or for a full academic year. The PUCV academic year begins in March and ends in December of the same year. The first semester runs from early March to mid-July. The second semester starts in late July and ends in the third week of December. Before classes begin, study abroad participants will have a one week orientation program in country.
See the PUCV Cost Worksheet (in the Cost section) for specific dates of the upcoming semester.
Cost
Billing for study abroad at PUCV follows the regular Millersville billing cycle. Bills are sent out and due to MU at the usual time.
Students pay Millersville University tuition, a small tuition differential, and fees. There is also a $40 application fee and a non-refundable, non-transferable $400.00 MU program participation fee paid directly to Millersville at the time of application. Room and board are separate and are a student's individual financial responsibility.
Below is an estimated worksheet of costs for the fall 2009 semester at PUCV.
PUCV Cost Worksheet [pdf]
Financial Assistance
Students should investigate loans which may be available, such as Federal Student Aid. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if their scholarships are transferable, since scholarships have individual regulations. One option is to research online on www.studyabroadfunding.org or stop by our office for additional opportunities.
Please see Financial Considerations for more information.
How to Choose Courses
To see a complete list of PUCV courses categorized by major (carrera), please click here. (For instructions on how to search for classes and course descriptions on the PUCV website, click here first: PUCV Course Selection Instructions).
Courses are broken down by faculty and semester. Students who will study abroad during the fall semester should look at Semester 2 (or 4, 6, 8) classes at PUCV, and students going in the spring semester should look at Semester 1 (or 3, 5, 7) classes, due to differences in the academic calendar.
Transfer of Credit
Students should work with their major/minor advisors to select courses which will fit into their major(s), minor(s), and General Education requirements, where appropriate. The Office of Global Education cannot provide any academic advice or determine class equivalencies.
A Request for Study Abroad Resident Credits form, available through the Office of Global Education & Partnerships, must be completed before the student leaves. This form gives students and their major/minor departments the opportunity to determine multiple possibilities of course equivalencies before departing for their program. As students will not register for classes until they are on-site, this form gives the students the opportunity to ensure that as long as they register for the pre-approved classes, they will be able to make complete academic progress if they so choose. With advisor and departmental approval, the Resident Credits form can also be amended while abroad, should students wish to register for new classes that were not approved before departure.
Please note: In order to receive 300 level Spanish course equivalents for the PIIE Chilean Communication and Culture class and the Spanish Writing class, students must place into the intermediate or advanced level.
After the study abroad program is completed and a transcript is sent to Millersville University, the Registrar's Office determines the final transfer of credit. All courses taken at PUCV will come back to Millersville as transfer credit. Please consult the Undergraduate Catalog ("Transfer Credit") for the transfer policy.
Volunteer Opportunities
Students may also take advantage of the English Opens Doors program, a semester-long opportunity to volunteer as an assistant to an English teacher in a local public school. Following a study abroad experience, this volunteer program is also available on a full-time basis, teaching from 10 weeks to 8 months for academic credit as an internship or independent study.
For more information about this program click here: www.centrodevoluntarios.cl.
For information about other volunteer opportunities in Chile, click here.
PUCV Video
To watch a short video about PUCV and the Study Abroad Program, click here.
To Apply
See our home page http://www.millersville.edu/~globaled/index.php for the date the applications become available and the final application deadline. As a general rule, for spring semester study, applications are due by mid September and for fall semester or year-long study, applications are due by mid February.
Before downloading and submitting an application to study abroad through this program, students are STRONGLY encouraged to research the program thoroughly and discuss their plans with the Office of Global Education, their academic advisor(s) and any family members or others involved in the decision making process.
Once you have thoroughly read through the above information and addressed any questions/concerns with: parents or decision-making parties, advisor(s), and the Office of Global Education, you may follow the instructions below.
READ THE DIRECTIONS BELOW BEFORE BEGINNING THE APPLICATION.
IMPORTANT: Please carefully read the eligibility requirements on the first page to ensure you have meet the necessary minimum requirements. Type directly into each page of the application, including the recommendation forms. You will be able to save the document on your computer and resume in more than one sitting if necessary. Once the entire application is complete, please print it out, sign and date on the appropriate pages, and submit to the Office of Global Education. The application checklist on the second page is there for your convenience - incomplete applications will NOT be accepted.
**YOU MAY ONLY APPLY FOR ONE STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM PER SEMESTER**
For the STUDENT: PUCV Application [pdf]
Please type directly into this document.
The Recommendation Forms below is for EVALUATOR USE ONLY. The student's portion of the evaluation is included in the application and should be submitted to the evaluator BEFORE he/she completes the following document(s).
For the FOREIGN LANGUAGE EVALUATOR:
PUCV FOREIGN LANGUAGE Recommendation Form [pdf]
Please type directly into this document.
OR
For the STANDARD EVALUATOR:
PUCV STANDARD Recommendation Form [pdf]
Please type directly into this document. |
