International Exchanges – Cuba

Open to Pitzer students only. Program options subject to change.

Program Title: Pitzer Exchange with Sarah Lawrence College in Cuba

cuba-havanaLocation: Havana, Cuba

Host Website: https://www.sarahlawrence.edu/havana/

Eligibility
Students must be in good standing at Pitzer College and have a 3.0 or higher GPA. Preference is given to juniors and first semester seniors but sophomores are eligible if space is available. In addition, all course work is conducted exclusively in Spanish. Completion of Spanish 33 or a demonstrated equivalency is required. The application is highly competitive. Students who have a higher level of proficiency will have a stronger application.

Preparation
At least one Latin American or Chicana/o, Latina/o area studies course in literature or film, history, or political studies is strongly recommended. Suggested additional general preparation options include: Comparative Politics; Intercultural Communications; Language Culture and Society; Introduction to International/ Intercultural Studies; Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology.

Application
Students must first apply through Pitzer’s Office of Study Abroad and International Programs. If accepted by Pitzer, students will then be asked to complete the Sarah Lawrence College application.

Program Dates
Fall semester: Late-August to mid-December
Spring semester: Late January to late May

Required Courses
Students on the Sarah Lawrence in Cuba program are required to enroll in four courses for credit: the core course at CEDEM on Cuban society and development, at least two electives in the humanities, social sciences and the arts, and a Spanish language course.

Intensive Language
Unless students are completely fluent in Spanish (speaking, reading and writing), they must take the Spanish language course.

Credit Possible
Students are required to take four courses for a total of 15 or 16 credits to receive four Pitzer course credits.

Course Options
For the electives, course work in the humanities, literature and social sciences may be taken at the University of Havana https://www.uh.cu/estudios/pregrado. Film history is offered at the University of Havana or Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano. Performing and visual arts are offered at the Instituto Superior de Arte https://www.isa.cult.cu

Housing and Board Options
Students will be housed in a “casa particular”, which is part of a Cuban home for rent. The “casa particular” is similar to a homestay, and students will share a room with another student. The room will have its own bathroom and refrigerator. Students are provided with breakfast and dinner every day. The “casa particular” is in a building centrally located in the Vedado neighborhood, which is approximately twenty minutes by foot to the University of Havana.

Additional Notes
The Sarah Lawrence College in Cuba program is highly selective, and the number of students is limited. Students are encouraged to choose a Pitzer back-up option given the chance of placement is not guaranteed.