Skip to main content Skip to secondary navigation

Santiago Overview

Main content start

Academic Objective

The objective of the Santiago Program is to introduce students to the richness and diversity of Latin America. It seeks to familiarize students with the nuances of language, artistic expression, political culture, and environment that characterize the region, while also understanding the uniqueness of the nations in this part of the world. It also seeks to show how past and present can coexist, how legacies endure, and how modernity and innovation can thrive in a national context.

Academic Prerequisites

Please see the Language Prerequisite page for more detailed information.

Related On-Campus Courses

Gateway Course: ILAC 131, Winter - "Introduction to Latin America: Cultural Perspectives" - Héctor Hoyos

Additional consideration during the application process for this program will be given to students taking this course.

Please see the list of related on-campus courses for more detailed information.

Directed Readings

Students studying in Santiago can arrange a directed reading guided by a mentor who is a Stanford faculty member.

  • Those interested in pursuing a directed reading should work closely with their academic advisor and the Santiago Program Director in developing these projects. Students planning to work with a Stanford faculty member should also consult with this mentor as well.
  • Directed Reading Proposal (PDF) must be submitted to the Bing Overseas Studies Program office at least one month prior to the quarter of intended study.
  • A directed reading may be taken only in addition to twelve units of regular coursework offered directly by the program.

Course Credit

The Santiago Program offers courses that provide credit toward Stanford graduation and most classes also count toward an undergraduate major. Students must enroll in a minimum of twelve units from the courses offered through the program. For a list of all BOSP courses offered in the current academic year and planned for the next, and for information on which courses earn departmental credit or fulfill General Education Requirements, please refer to the BOSP course database. For information on courses scheduled for the current academic year and for enrollment, please refer to Axess.

Global Minor with a Concentration in Latin American Studies

The Center for Latin American Studies falls under the division of Stanford Global Studies (SGS). As a part of SGS, CLAS is pleased to offer a Minor in Global Studies with a specialization in Latin American Studies.

Global studies encompasses the insights and knowledge base of area studies: the interdisciplinary study of world regions and their intersecting cultures, languages, history, politics, and societies. Global studies advances this concept further by applying multi-disciplinary knowledge, from human biology and earth sciences to music and engineering, to better understand the character of world regions, their respective developmental trajectories, and the way those trajectories fit within the larger context of globalization.

Global Studies Minor

The Global Studies Minor is available to Stanford undergraduates from any major, and is designed to provide students an opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary study in one of six specializations, including in-depth language study, while integrating this knowledge within a larger global perspective.

Students planning to pursue the Global Studies Minor with a specialization in Latin American Studies should consult the CLAS Adviser Elizabeth Saenz-Ackermann, or Executive Director of Stanford Global Studies,  Kate Kuhns. Then students must declare the Global Studies Minor and subplan in Axess. Students should submit an online proposal of coursework for approval no later than the second quarter of their junior year. CLAS requires that students demonstrate intermediate proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese and complete 28 units of coursework certified for the Minor that are not redundant to required units for their majors. Students are urged to pursue field experience or study abroad in Latin America.

All students will be required to complete 28 units, including a three-unit gateway course, Global 101. The remaining 25 credits are unique to each specialization. The minor must be completed by the second quarter of the senior year. Students participating in the BOSP Santiago Program are especially encouraged to enroll. 

For more information, please consult the Center’s website. Questions should be directed to the Center for Latin American Studies, located in Bolívar House.

Cultural Events and Trips

Cultural experiences and field trips, both class-related and center-wide, are an important part of the study-abroad experience in Santiago. Classes have taken field trips to:

  • Pablo Neruda’s home
  • Southern Chile’s Lake District
  • Historical sites
  • Yerba Loca National Park