Program Courses

What program courses does IFSA-Butler offer?
The following courses are specially designed for IFSA-Butler students on the Mendoza Universities Program. You are required to enroll in the mandatory Spanish language class; your placement level will be determined by an oral and written exam after your arrival in Argentina. Additionally, you can choose to enroll in one additional program course.

Click here to download all program course syllabi or on the individual title below for the corresponding syllabus.

Advanced Spanish and Argentine Culture (4 U.S. semester credit hours)This mandatory intensive Spanish class is designed specifically for IFSA-Butler students studying on the Mendoza Universities Program. It is taught intensively by Argentine instructors during orientation and is continues less frequently throughout the course of the semester.

Regional Development (3 U.S. semester credit hours)This optional course emphasizes the study of regional development issues of the Cuyo region and is divided into two parts. The first part will cover the following sections: development theories, society and cultural perspectives of development. For the second part of the course, you will choose to focus on one of the four following topics: Argentine and regional economy, development and gender, development and childhood, or development and human rights.

University Info

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo
The Universidad Nacional de Cuyo's (UNC) campus is located in the beautiful San Martín Park on the western-edge of Mendoza. The large campus is very similar to a U.S. style campus where most buildings, libraries and university facilities are in the same location. With an enrollment of approximately 35,000 students, UNC offers a large variety of subject areas to choose from. Popular subjects include studio art, fine art, art history, political science and education, among others. UNC also offers abundant student activities, clubs and intramural sports.

Universidad de Congreso
The Universidad de Congreso (UC) is a small, private university located in downtown Mendoza. Popular subject areas include economics, international relations, architecture, tourism and others. UC also offers the possibility to take classes in the Instituto Frederic Chopin, specializing in subjects related to art such as dance (tango and folkloric dance), acting, drawing and culture.

University Courses

Where can I find a list of courses that the Mendoza Universities Program offers?
Follow these steps to access the online course catalogs for the two universities in Mendoza:

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

1. Click here to access UNC's online course catalog
2. Click on the facultad (listed under Areas) in which you are interested (i.e. Area Ciencias Sociales y Humanas)
3. Next, select a carrera (major) that interests you (i.e. Licenciatura en Sociología)
4. On the next page, click on the link under "Titulo" (i.e. Licenciatura an Sociología)
5. Scroll down to the middle of the page for a list of course offerings

Universidad de Congreso

1. Click here to access UC's online course catalog
2. On the left-hand side of the page, click on one departments under "Carreras de Grado"
3. There you will find a list of courses offerings

If a particular course you are looking for is not listed, contact your program advisor for more information. Course availability changes every semester.

What Universidad Nacional de Cuyo courses am I eligible to take?
As an IFSA-Butler student, you may enroll in undergraduate courses for which you are qualified and space is available. Additionally, you may enroll in open courses as long as you meet any prerequisites and have the adequate level of Spanish. Additionally, students can choose to take all of their courses at one university or can divide them up between the two universities. Please see following list of available departments and course restrictions for both UNC and UC:

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo
Students can take courses in the following departments:

• Artes y Diseño
• Ciencias Económicas
• Ciencias Políticas y Sociales
• Educación Elemental y Especial
• Filosofía y Letras
• Ingeniería

All other UNC departments are closed to IFSA-Butler students with the following exceptions:

• Ciencias Médicas: Only some courses in this department are available to IFSA-Butler students.
• Derecho: Students can take some courses in the law department, such as history and politics courses.  Since Argentine law is different from U.S. law, it is not recommended that students take actual Argentine law courses.
• Instituto de Ciencias Básicas: Most of these classes are not open to IFSA-Butler students, as they are annual classes. The only classes IFSA-Butler students can take at the institute are semester-long courses. If a student is staying for the entire year, then annual classes can be taken.

Are there any restrictions or additional requirements for courses I can take at the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo?
Only the departments listed above are open to IFSA-Butler students.  The following facultades in which students are not allowed to take classes are: Ciencias Agrarias, Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria, Ciencias Médicas (only select courses are available), Odontología, Derecho (only select courses are available) and classes at the Institutos (with the exception of the Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, where some courses are available).

What Universidad Congreso courses can I take?
Students can take classes in the following departments at UC:

• Administración
• Arquitectura
• Comercialización
• Comunicación
• contador Público
• Economía
• Gestión Ambiental
• Psicología
• Relaciones Internacionales
• Turismo
• Instituto Frederic Chopin

Are there any restrictions or additional requirements for courses I can take at the UC?
IFSA-Butler Students cannot enroll in classes at the law school, and students are only allowed to take one class at the Chopin Institute each semester.

For both UNC and UC, keep the following in mind:

• Some classes are not offered both semesters.
• Yearlong courses cannot be taken for just one semester.
• Course syllabi may not be available until the beginning of your semester.

How are courses I will take on the Mendoza Universities Program different from the courses at my U.S. university?
The system of higher education in Argentina is more specialized than the U.S. liberal arts curriculum, which means that Argentine students enter the university with some background in the subjects they wish to study. Therefore, local students take most, if not all, of their courses in one faculty and receive a degree in one field. In the U.S. system, students take a little of everything and usually don't specialize until a couple of years into their studies.

Additionally, you might notice that your Argentine classmates know each other very well. This is because students enroll in carreras rather than majors. Carreras are similar to majors in the United States, but with a more structured program of study and fewer elective courses. Students from the same carrera enroll in the same courses together during their entire undergraduate career.

I need to provide course descriptions and/or syllabi to my home university advisor. Where can I find those?
If course descriptions or syllabi are not available online, contact your program advisor for assistance. Please provide the following information in your request:

• University
• University department/facultad
• Course title and number (if available)

Please limit your request to 10 courses at a time. Keep in mind that it may take a few days to a month to obtain this information.

Registration

How will I register for courses?
Course registration will not take place until you are in Argentina. You, along with the help of the IFSA-Butler staff, will plan your course schedule during orientation. Before leaving for Argentina, it is a good idea to start thinking about the courses you want to take while you are abroad. Be sure to discuss your courses with your U.S. university academic advisor.

Additionally, there is a shopping period the first few weeks of the semester which allows you to "try-out" different courses at both UNC and UC. This allows you time to meet your professors, talk with fellow classmates and see if the course will be a right fit for you.

While we are sure that your time abroad will be rewarding, you must be aware of some of the challenges inherent in dealing with the Argentine educational system. The resident director will not only discuss these issues at orientation but will also be available to help you with any problems that may arise during the semester.

Keep in mind that the educational system in Argentina is different from the system in the U.S. For example, universities do not usually publish course schedules until just before the start of the semester. In many cases, current course listings are not available until you arrive on site.

What if I need to take a required course?
Because of the universities' schedules, it is difficult to confirm course availability before you depart. If you are flexible in your course choices, you will probably be able to find a course that fits your needs. Keep in mind that if you need a specific course to fulfill your home institution's requirements, we may not be able to confirm the availability of that course or enroll you in it even if it is available. Both academic flexibility and patience are requirements for studying in Latin America.

Science and engineering courses require a high level of expertise, and students should be prepared for the increased challenge of studying these disciplines in Spanish. As these are fields in which there are generally few international students, visiting students may feel that a support system is not readily available. However, previous visiting students on the Mendoza Universities Program have found science and engineering course professors to be helpful.

What are the registration conditions?
You must take a full university course load as determined by IFSA-Butler, which is 15-16 U.S. semester credit hours per semester. Credit will be awarded on a Butler University transcript based on a typical U.S. full course load. The number of courses you will take depends on the individual value of the courses you select. Please be aware that you may be charged additional fees by your home university or host university to take or process additional credits. Taking less than a full course load may jeopardize your student status and result in personal academic repercussions and/or loss of financial aid.

All courses are graded on an A-F scale, and there is no provision for pass/fail or auditing courses unless pass/fail is the only method of assessment for the course. Students are not allowed to register for on-line, distance education or hybrid courses. See the "Academics" and "Program Fees and Financial Aid" sections in Preparing to Study Abroad for more information.

Exams

What do I need to know about exams?
Due to the difference in academic systems, your exam schedule will not be available until after you register for courses. Be sure to confirm exam dates with your professor at the beginning of the semester. You are not permitted to reschedule exams, request alternate assessment or arrange to have your exams proctored in the United States. If this occurs, IFSA-Butler will not be able to assist you in conducting an academic record query on the class in which you made this arrangement. Additionally, all academic obligations, including final exams, must be complete before leaving Argentina.

Transcripts

How will my home university know what my classes were and what grades I received?
After you return to the U.S., IFSA-Butler will send a Butler University transcript to your home university. The transcript reflects the courses taken, credits attempted and grades earned on the Mendoza Universities Program during your study abroad semester or year. We will also send an official transcript to your permanent home address.

Academic Tutors

What if I need academic help during the semester?
In addition to the formal Spanish class, IFSA-Butler organizes tutoring sessions for students throughout the semester or year. These may be scheduled at various times during the week, when students meet with the tutor on an individual basis. Please meet with the IFSA-Butler resident staff if you would like the assistance of a tutor.