Academic Year and Semester Program
Noted among study abroad programs for its excellence in facilitating student engagement, the program begins with a three-week immersion prior to the academic semester that includes intensive Spanish classes, cultural activities and field trips in the rural part of Chile. This strong preparation program is consistently one of the best evaluated elements of the study abroad program as it gives the students the chance to experience a different reality of Chile, and helps them create strong bonds with the rest of the group before arriving in Santiago. The preparation program is organized and led by Cecilia Espinoza, Maryknoll lay missionary.
During their semester of studies at PUC in Santiago, students live with Chilean families and take up to five classes, typically taught in Spanish where Notre Dame students learn alongside Chilean students. In addition to their specific program classes, Notre Dame students enroll in a Spanish class and the course “Politics and Society” organized especially for them. Many students also choose to enroll in the course “Poverty and Development” at Universidad Alberto Hurtado. The course includes a significant service component and facilitates students’ experience of the socioeconomic differences in Chilean society. Program staff continually develop the service, learning, research, and internship opportunities for students who come to Chile. The outstanding student interest in this program reflects the reputation of the Chile program among our students and the potential for the program to increase the number of accepted students.
Learn more Study Abroad website
Summer Program
Global Professional Experience
Notre Dame Global offers undergraduate students an international experiential learning opportunity to experience firsthand within an immersive environment how businesses and organizations operate in selected locations throughout the world. The Global Professional Experience Program places students with selected global and local companies and organizations in Asia (China, India, and Japan), Europe (Greece and the United Kingdom), and Latin America (Brazil and Chile).
This seven-week program includes three main components:
- A one-credit course offers an exploration of historic, social, and economic dimensions related to each of the program’s regions, in addition to providing a forum to reflect upon new international perspectives, inter-cultural knowledge, collaborative skills, integrative competencies, and career discernment.
- A one-week on-site orientation provided by Notre Dame's global locations and selected service providers. The on-site orientation helps students better understand the local cultures and includes cultural excursions and basic language training.
- A six-week placement within a business or organization that will provide students with professional experiences related to their academic and professional interests. Host businesses and organizations include media, startups, technology, healthcare, finance, NGOs, and think tanks, among other sectors.