Location:

Montevideo, Uruguay

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Academic Year, Fall Semester, Spring Semester

Program Overview

Program Description:

Intended for students with an advanced proficiency in Spanish, the direct enrollment structure of the School in Uruguay provides students with the opportunity to increase their language abilities through constant interaction with native speakers. Whether spending time with local students in their classes, their colleagues at an internship placement, or in their homestays, students use their language in a very real immersion environment.

While in Montevideo, students enroll directly alongside their Uruguayan peers at one of Middlebury's three host institutions: the Universidad Católica del Uruguay, the Universidad de la República, or the Universidad ORT. Universidad Católica del Uruguay: Founded in 1985, a few days after the country was returned to democratic rule, this is a private liberal arts institution that has complex historical roots dating back to the first Jesuit educational institution founded in the late seventeenth century in Uruguay. While standing firmly in the Jesuits' long history of providing alternative forms of education in Uruguay, Católica was designed to be complementary to the sole university authorized by the Uruguayan constitution, La República. Católica has a full range of social science and humanities disciplines including economics (though history and literature courses are currently only for foreign students) and is also very strong in the natural sciences. Universidad de la República : Founded in 1838 to be the sole university of the republic, it currently enrolls a total of more than 68,000 students on its numerous campuses throughout the country and employs some 6,000 faculty. 40,000 of these students attend classes in Montevideo, where every major discipline is represented. It would be particularly well-suited for students in the humanities. Universidad ORT: A private institution of some 8,500 students, sponsored by the World ORT, an international educational foundation and social agency founded by Russian Jews in St. Petersburg in 1880 and now centered in London, the Universidad ORT began its existence in 1943, though has only recently been recognized as a university. It is committed to providing universal access to higher education. Unlike most Latin American institutions, it takes pride in its full-time faculty, most with PhDs, who divide their time between teaching and research on the U.S. model. The university is especially strong in the social sciences, the faculty for which is housed in a series of imaginatively renovated buildings located on a block in a charming section of the city.

Participants in the C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad don’t just study a language—they live it. Many of our students major in disciplines other than foreign languages, yet all bring a level of proficiency that supports their commitment to language and cultural immersion. They sign and honor the Middlebury Language Pledge because they want the greatest possible challenge in a study abroad program and an authentic experience in every respect; academic, social, and even professional. Participants take courses in most subjects, often with host country students, intern or engage in volunteer work, and live with a family or local students. Indeed, at every juncture of their time abroad, students have the chance to "live the language" and immerse themselves in the host culture.

Setting Description:

Nearly half of Uruguay's three million inhabitants call Montevideo home. Located on Uruguay's southern coastline and separated from its more famous western neighbor in Argentina by the estuary of the world's widest river, the Rio de la Plata, Montevideo is a different world from Buenos Aires. While it, too, is a cosmopolitan city, also of primarily Spanish and Italian heritage, there is also a significant African influence. Smaller and calmer than Buenos Aires, Montevideo nonetheless boasts the usual cultural and entertainment facilities of a major city: including historical monuments, museums, theaters, cinemas, a varied and fascinating, if somewhat under-maintained architecture, the famous Avenida 18 de Julio, as well as stunning beaches, and a unique and lively nightlife. With very few American students, this capital city is an ideal location for immersion into a strong and proud culture and language.

Cost:

Semester Tuition (includes health insurance): $12,650. Year Tuition (includes health insurance): $25,300