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Academic Overview

You have access to different types of courses, all taught in Spanish. Choose courses from one or a combination of the following groups:
  • Spanish language and grammar courses (exclusively for international students)
  • Subject area courses related to literature, history, Latin American studies, and cultural studies (exclusively for international students)
  • Regular PUCV courses (available to all PUCV students, international and domestic). 
One PUCV credit = 1 UWEC credit. PUCV requires international students to take 15 PUCV credits per semester.  Because 12 credits is considered full-time at UWEC, you can request a waiver of the 15-credit requirement by emailing your UWEC Study Abroad Coordinator and asking them to confirm with PUCV that you meet the minimum UWEC credit requirement with 12 credits.  Most courses are 3 or 4 credits, so you will take 4 or 5 courses per semester.

How to Find Courses at PUCV 

Courses for International Students
Click below for courses offered exclusively to international students. UWEC equivalents are also listed.There is a lot of consistency from year to year, so use this as a planning guide until the 2021 course offerings are available, usually in October. 
PUCV Courses for
International Students 2020

Regular PUCV Courses
To find what is offered in the regular PUCV course schedule, use the tentative list of course offerings on PUCV's website. The schedule is confirmed about one month prior to the beginning of the semester and will be sent to all accepted students at that time. 

Courses of particular interest to international students may include geography (Chilean and Latin American), arts (art workshops: Taller de América, urban space) and economics (macroeconomics, business administration, economic policy).However, the following is a list of all subject areas: 
  • Agronomy and Food Engineering
  • Architecture, Urbanism, Graphic and Industrial Design & Arts
  • Economics and Management (accounting/auditing, business administration, social work, journalism)
  • Law 
  • Philosophy and Education (elementary education, early childhood education, special education, physical education, history, geography, English interpretation, English translation, music, philosophy, psychology, Spanish) 
  • Engineering ( biochemical, bioprocesses, chemical, computer sciences, construction, electrical, electronic, industrial, mechanical, extractive metallurgy, transportation)
  • Natural Resources (fishing engineering, geography, oceanography)
  • Religious Sciences
Restrictions on Regular Classes
  • Classes from the following departments are offered on a full year basis only: Law, Philosophy, Music, and Special Education. International students can take these courses only if they are attending the PUCV for the full calendar year (March to December).
  • Access to psychology courses is limited to psychology majors or minors who have already completed coursework in psychology.

How Courses Come Back to UWEC 

To find regular PUCV courses that have been evaluated, go to the Transfer Credit Wizard (TCW) site by clicking here. 
  • Choose Chile, then click "Search"
  • Click on Pontifica Univ Catolica de Valparaiso (PUCV)
  • Click "Search" again. All courses that have been evaluated for UWEC credit will appear. 
If the course does not appear on the TCW, it has not yet been evaluated for UWEC credit. You can request an evaluation by sending the course title, number and description to your UWEC study abroad coordinator. It can take several weeks for an equivalency to be established.

The TCW is a historical record.  There is NO guarantee that the same courses will be offered in the future or that they will be offered during your term abroad. Begin with the PUCV course listing, then move to the TCW.

PUCV Grading Scale to UWEC Grading Scale

Grades are assigned by PUCV professors according to the Chilean system. All grades you earn at PUCV will count in your UWEC GPA; you cannot take courses pass/fail. The grades will appear on your UWEC transcript using the conversion scale below, approved by the UWEC Registrar's Office. This scale is non-negotiable.

PUCV Grade                      UWEC Equivalent
6.0-7                                        A
5.0-5.9                                     B
4.0-4.9                                     C
0-3.9                                        F

Liberal Education Requirements

If you are in catalog year 2016-2017 or later, you can fulfill an Integrative Learning (I1) requirement through study abroad. You will opt in after being accepted to your program and must complete a series of assignments before, during and after your time abroad. Talk with your academic advisor about whether you need to complete an I1 requirement through study abroad. You must complete the first assignments prior to going abroad; retroactive enrollment is not allowed.

Spanish Language Immersion Requirement

All Spanish and Latin American Studies majors and minors in any of the emphases offered must complete at least six weeks of language immersion in residence in a country where Spanish is spoken. This program meets the language immersion requirement.