Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) - Santiago, Chile
The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) was founded on June 21, 1888, to offer training in the traditional professions and in technological and practical fields such as commerce, accounting, chemistry and electricity. On February 11, 1930 it was declared a Pontifical University by Pope Pius II and in 1931 it was granted full academic autonomy by the Chilean government. It is a private (but with substantial public support), urban, multi-campus university, one of three Catholic universities, and one of 24 institutions within the Chilean university system.
Its 16 schools are distributed on four campuses in Santiago and five regional campuses located in southern Chile. The technical training centers affiliated with the university are: DUOC, Rural Life Foundations, Baviera Foundation, Catechetical Home and the San Fidel Seminary. These centers carry out technical-academic extension activities in rural and agricultural areas. Other PUC activities are a sports club, a television network that broadcasts into eight regions and a clinical hospital dependent on the School of Medicine.
Location
Santiago is the capital of Chile and has a major population of 5 million. Due to its geographic location, it is one of the few capital cities in the world which has easy access to both ski slopes, just 50 km away, and beaches, 100 km away. It is in fact possible to visit the modern ski resorts as well as the famous beach resort of Viña del Mar or picturesque Valparaiso, Chile's main port, in just one day. Numerous villages located in the countryside around Santiago invite the visitor to relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility of country life.
Approximate Term Dates
Fall Term (3rd Quarter): Late September to mid December
Winter Term (1st Quarter): Early March to late May
Academic Information
Areas of concentration include Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing, General Management, Organizational Behaviour, Accounting and Social Enterprise.
Grading is based on papers, case studies and group projects. Exams and class participation is also part of the final grade, therefore, attendance is required. Poor attendance will result in a lower grade.
Credit Equivalency
30-35 PUC credits = 12 SSB credits
40 PUC credits = 15 SSB credits
Size of Classes/Features
There are 500 students in the MBA program and approximately 20 to 45 students per class.
Language
Language of instruction is Spanish, however almost half of the course kits are written in English. There are 2 classes per term taught in English.
Computer Facilities
Students have access to Crisol computer clusters on each campus; there, they can use about 11 computer rooms with 25 computers in each room. The services include Internet and e-mail.
Type/Availability of Accommodation
The University does not provide accommodations on campus, however, they will assist students in finding an appropriate off-campus apartment. It is a common practice to share apartments with other roommates especially between the foreign students (exchange and full-time). Information is provided by PUC’s International Programs Office.
Health Insurance
It is mandatory for exchange students to have health insurance.
Visa Information
For information on visa requirements please visit:
2 Bloor Street West, Suite 1801
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2
Tel: 416-924-0106, Fax: 416-924-2627
Web site: www.congechiletoronto.com
Further Research
For more information about this partnership school, see the exchange literature available in the Schulich Exchange Reference Library located in room W263 SSB or visit their Web site at: www.puc.cl.