Andean Cultural Studies Program in Ecuador

Students at Machu Picchu

Study the ancient cultures of the Andes

  • Follow the trail of the Spanish Conquistadores
  • Live in a coastal village, a colonial town in the Andes, and in Quito, the vibrant capital city
  • Visit archeological sites and digs
  • Volunteer in a community service project
  • Enjoy the beaches of the Pacific coast
  • Hike the Inca trail
  • Explore the Amazonian jungle
  • Climb majestic volcanoes
  • Learn and practice Spanish
  • Appreciate marvelous art and architecture
  • Learn local crafts from indigenous teachers

And... earn academic credit!!!

Andean Cultural Studies Course (3 credits) includes topics on Ecuadorian culture, history, literature, art, indigenous arts and crafts, anthropology, archeology, business, and economic development. Course serves as an elective for Spanish and Anthropology majors (with permission of advisor) and may serve as an elective for other majors with permission of the department. Also serves as a core course in the Latin American Studies Certificate. Can be taken for graduate credit.

Spanish Conversation Course (3 credits) offered at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. Provides students opportunity to practice the language in real-life situations with native speakers. Course serves as a Spanish elective for the minor and major and satisfies the University Foreign Language requirement.

Program directed by FAU faculty: Associate Professor of Andean literature and culture, Dr. Michael J. Horswell will direct the program and team-teach the Andean Cultural Studies course with local Ecuadorian professors and experts. Ecuadorian language teachers, under the supervision of the Universidad de San Francisco en Quito, will teach Spanish classes.

Program fee is $3,000.00 and includes all of the activities listed above and complete room and board for 6 weeks, workshop materials, excursions, guest lectures, guides, museum visits, travel within the country. Tuition at the in-state rate is extra and depends on the number of academic credits taken (approx. $122.00/credit). Airfare from Miami will be an additional $500.00 to $600.00.

Financial Aid is available. See International Programs (SU 106) for more information. Application deadline for the program is March 15, 2010.

For more information on program details, contact program director, Dr. Michael Horswell at horswell@fau.edu or call him at 561-297-3863.