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managua - liberal arts

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naples - liberal arts

Study in Italy
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perth - sustainability + the environment

Is this program right for you?

This program is designed for students with two-years of college-level Spanish or the equivalent and an interest in Caribbean area studies.

Program Snapshot

  • Interaction at multiple levels of Dominican society via homestays, university courses, rural and urban volunteer activities, and language partners
  • Optional community service course and optional Teaching English as a Second Language course, both with a hands-on practicum
  • Class trips ranging from visits to local Santería altars to the Free Trade Zone; excursions to sites of cultural importance; weekend trips to the Samaná Peninsula and mountains of Constanza; two optional weekend rural work retreats

Subject Areas

  • Anthropology
  • Caribbean Studies
  • Dance
  • Dominican Studies
  • Economics
  • Film Studies
  • Fine Arts
  • History
  • Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Education & Sports
  • Psychology
  • Religion
  • Sociology
  • Spanish Language
  • Teaching English as a Second Language

About Santiago

Santiago de los Caballeros, the second largest city in the Dominican Republic, is surrounded by mountains in the lush valley of the Cibao region. Places of historical, cultural, and ecological interest are nearby, and it is just a little over an hour’s drive to the Atlantic Coast. Known as La Ciudad Corazón (City of the Heart), Santiago is the commercial and cultural center of the fertile Cibao Valley region, housing over 100 industrial free trade zone factories, the León Jimenez cultural center and cigar factory, and the commercial street of Calle del Sol. Although it is a growing city with a population exceeding 800,000, Santiago retains many features of a small town.

Where You'll Study

Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra

The Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) is a private, non-profit institution of higher education. Founded in 1962, PUCMM has been ranked by the Inter-American Development Bank as the best academic institution of higher learning in the Dominican Republic. It has five academic divisions: social sciences and administration, science and humanities, engineering, health sciences, and tourism/restaurant management. With a population of approximately 10,000 students, PUCMM offers the academic resources, support services, and physical facilities of a superior-level Latin American educational institution.

Thoughts From Abroad

The Dominican Republic is “the land Columbus loved best”—a complex point of historical and social controversy. This is where Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans came together for the very first time to set into motion the complex social, economic, and political patterns that formed the basis for daily life today. These patterns are complicated by the fact that the island was colonized by both the French and the Spanish, creating differences that continue to spark political and socio-ethnic problems today, including an approach to race and color that is significantly different than that to which most North Americans are accustomed.

Dominican music, song and dance, foods, literature, religious practices, art, and even sports reflect this dynamic combination of cultures. We encourage you to come to Santiago to immerse yourself among Dominicans with their ready smiles, rapid-fire Spanish, and colorful customs. We hope your experience will be the one among all of your student experiences that most changes your life, the one that most broadens your outlook and, conversely, gives you the greatest insight into yourself and your own values and culture.

— Lynne Guitar, Resident Director

Staff Bios

Dr. Lynne Guitar, Resident Director, has lived in the Dominican Republic since 1997. She earned an M.A. in History in 1994 and in 1998, she earned a Ph.D. in Colonial Latin American History and Anthropology at Vanderbilt University. She has taught courses at both Vanderbilt University and Florida International University. Dr. Guitar’s research interests focus on history and popular Dominican culture, from its origins among the Taíno Indians and the African and Spaniards, who arrived in the 15th and 16th centuries, through its contemporary manifestations.

Nathaniel Thompson, Resident Coordinator, earned a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Colorado at Boulder. During his undergraduate studies, Nathaniel participated in several study abroad programs, including the CIEE Study Centers in Seville, Spain and Santiago, Dominican Republic. Before joining the CIEE Santiago team in the fall of 2006, he spent a year and a half working as a Student Advisor for the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Study Abroad Programs office. He also worked in Southern France, and returned to Spain to work for the CIEE Study Center in Seville.

Melba González, Program Assistant, graduated with a degree in psychology from the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago. She has worked with the program for more than 10 years. Leidy Medina, a psychology major at PUCMM, is the PUCMM student intern who works directly with the CIEE Resident Staff and acts as a bridge between CIEE students, PUCMM students, and the local community.

Recommended Credit

semester: 15-18 semester hours/22.5-27 quarter hours
academic year: 30-36 semester hours/45-54 quarter hours

Eligibility Requirements

  • Overall GPA 2.75
  • 3.0 GPA in Spanish language
  • 4 semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent

 

Program Dates

Fall 20098/17/2009 - 12/13/2009
Academic Year 2009-108/17/2009 - 4/30/2010
Spring 20101/3/2010 - 4/30/2010

Application Deadlines

Fall 20094/1/2009
Academic Year 2009-104/1/2009
Spring 201010/15/2009

Click here to check for deadline extensions.

Duration

Fall 200916 weeks
mid-August - mid-December
Academic Year 2009-1035 weeks
mid-August - late April
Spring 201016 weeks
early January - late April

CIEE Costs

CIEE program fees, inclusions, and estimated additional costs, are outlined below. Please note that CIEE reserves the right to adjust its fees in the event of significant change in exchange rates or other factors beyond its control. The actual cost of the programs may vary slightly for students from different institutions.

For comprehensive fee breakdowns and estimated additional costs, click the costs below:

  • Fall 2009 $10,750
    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, host institution identity card, admission fees to host institution events, immersion activities (including language pairs), comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.  

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Housing and Meals$2,150
    Medical Insurance$74
    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$8,526
    Total$10,750

    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, host institution identity card, admission fees to host institution events, immersion activities (including language pairs), comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.  



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Visa Fee$50
    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$600
    Personal Expenses$1,300
    Books and Supplies$100
    Local Transportation$400
    Total$2,450


  • Academic Year 2009-10 $19,350
    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, host institution identity card, admission fees to host institution events, immersion activities (including language pairs), comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$14,976
    Medical Insurance$74
    Housing and Meals$4,300
    Total$19,350

    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, host institution identity card, admission fees to host institution events, immersion activities (including language pairs), comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$600
    Personal Expenses*$2,600
    Books and Supplies$200
    Local Transportation$800
    Visa Fee$50
    Total$4,250

    *Academic year students are responsible for housing and meals during the break between semesters. These additional expenses are estimated at $450 and are not included in the Estimated Additional Costs listed above.


  • Spring 2010 $10,900
    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, host institution identity card, admission fees to host institution events, immersion activities (including language pairs), comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

    Program Fees

    This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

    Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed below.

    Educational Costs (direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; including $300 non-refundable Participation Confirmation Fee)$8,876
    Housing and Meals $1,950
    Medical Insurance$74
    Total$10,900

    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, host institution identity card, admission fees to host institution events, immersion activities (including language pairs), comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.



    Estimated Additional Costs

    The estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

    Transportation (round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure)$600
    Personal Expenses$1,300
    Books and Supplies $100
    Local Transportation$400
    Visa Fee (average cost)$200
    Total$2,600


Scholarship Information

For a complete list of scholarships available, please vist our Scholarships section.