SPA480.12 Asia and Latin America

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica; may not be offered every semester. Students in this course will undertake an analysis of different Asian societies and their relationships with Latin America from the geographical, spatial, political, and cultural perspectives of both regions and develop an appreciation for how both societies have been integrated into the world economy. The course thus seeks to promote understanding of the “other” and encourages a holistic view of socio-territorial problems through a combination of lectures, the “flipped classroom,” case studies, and bibliographic work. Activities will be evaluated individually and in groups, with an emphasis on the ability of students to critically reflect on the subject.

(PUC #GEO620)

PST380.4 Women and Workforce

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica; may not be offered every semester. In this course, students will analyze the challenges and problems associated with the participation of women in the world of work. You will review its evolution, evaluate from a critical point of view the way in which the protection of women at work has been legislated, and review the challenges faced by legislations and different societies in this scenario. During the class, lectures will be complemented with team-based and group learning experiences, analysis of bibliographic texts, and case studies. The evaluations will consist of written tests, group debates, and a final oral exam.

In this class, you will:

Analyze and compare the historical evolution of women’s participation in the Chilean and international workforces.
Reflect on social components, economic factors, and cultural elements associated with the low participation of women in the workforce, both in Chile and abroad.
Critically assess the current regulations in connection with the role of women in the workplace and the regulations related to motherhood, co-parenting, equal payment, and policies of non-discrimination based on sex.
Discuss the challenges faced by legislatures and societies to promote and encourage the incorporation, performance, and retention of women in the world of work.

(PUC #DER505S)

HOM380.2 Musical Performance: Process and Results

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica; may not be offered every semester. This is a theoretical and practical course that through concepts and direct observations, analyzes the process of construction of a musical interpretative proposal, according to the written tradition and different styles in the context of historic parameters. The goal is to understand and value the final product achieved by a musical interpreter. The course includes critical reading, concerts attendance, and interactive discussions with well-known interpreters.

After successfully completing this course, you will be able to

To identify and describe the basic elements or musical language in order to understand its formulation (from the composer’s perspective) and its reformulation (in the experience of the ).
Develop an appreciative critical judgment of, and strengthen your aesthetic sensitivity to, the interpretation of a musical work.
Observe and explain the path of the interpretative construction from the visual language of the music sheet to the auditory experience, revealing the interpreter as a co-creator of the piece.

(PUC #MUC872)

SPA380.15 Health Sociology

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica; may not be offered every semester. This course examines the contributions of Sociology to the study of health. The main goal of this class is to introduce the students to the main theoretical and empirical frameworks that examine how diverse social factors affect human health in interrelated ways.

Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

1) Identify and describe current social research trends and perspectives in the field of health.

2) Recognize and identify different types of data and main statistical indicators regarding the health of a population.

3) Recognize and critically evaluate the influence of social, environmental, and biological conditions on the health outcomes of a population.

(PUC #SOL142)

PSC405 Politics of the European Union (Fall, Spring)

Politics of European integration from a variety of perspectives: theoretical, historical, institutional, and policy-making. Fundamental post- war political process in modern-day Europe.

Syracuse Students note: You cannot get credit for both PSC 396 and PSC 405.

HST353 History of Ancient Rome (Spring)

Ancient Roman political, economic, social, and cultural history based on interpretation of primary sources, both literary and archaeological, from the foundation of the city to the dissolution of the Empire in the west.

This course has an associated course fee. See the Course Fees webpage for more information.

CRS325 Presentational Speaking (Fall, Spring) NOT OFFERED FALL 2026

Conceptual and practical dimensions of formal presentations in organizational settings. Analysis, adaptation, strategic arrangement and development of ideas, verbal and nonverbal presentational skills.

Speaking and presenting comfortably and effectively in public is a life skill. In both personal and professional situations, these abilities can make the difference between success and failure. This course teaches the value of public speaking and trains students in the practical skills of speech writing for different types of speeches and the presentational skills needed to be an effective communicator and participant in public discourse, as well as in the professional world. Public speaking skills are key to professional development, but practice is often intimidating and infrequent and for students it mostly takes place in a non-professional context. This class is specifically designed to strengthen your public speaking and presentation skills and to build your confidence. You will learn how to research and write speeches, how to deliver them with confidence and you’ll learn to establish rapport with an audience, all while practicing and delivering different types of presentations in a safe environment with personalized professional feedback.

IST380.1 Urban Hacking: From Smart Cities to Smart Citizens

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica; may not be offered every semester. The course aims to build a local theoretical-practical framework associated with Smart Cities that supports a critical position and sharpens observation in our urban, social, and environmental surroundings. Students successfully completing the course will develop analytical skills to understand the notion of objects and/ or intelligent environments, as well as project skills for the intervention of local spaces.

Experimental sensors (urban hacking) will be designed and implemented to allow the measurement of variables through the use of hardware and software that allow the operation of microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators.

The main goals of the course are the construction of a conceptual framework associated with local problems, and to design and implement an experimental device capable of interacting with the socio-urban environment. Specifically, students will be able to:

Understand the theoretical foundations of the Digital Cities paradigm.
Identify and formulate local problems associated with the socio-urban.
Develop hermeneutic prototypes with the ability to interact with the local environment.
Program software and hardware that allow the operation of sensors and actuators.

Design and manufacture prototypes of data visualization (out of phase), social debates, and interventions (in real time).

(PUC #IDN0062)

ECN380.19 Economic Experiences

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica; may not be offered every semester. This course provides a general overview of world economic development since the the industrial revolution up through the twenty-first century. It examines a series of regional development cases with the object of compiling a comparison of experiences using modern economic theory as the analytical frame. Students successfully completing the course will be able to:

Analyze world economic development as a means of understanding the current situation.
Describe different experiences of economic development, considering the context, international events, and institutional characteristics that shape these experiences.
Describe and comment knowledgeably on results of recent research in specific development cases.

(PUC #EAE286A)

PSC380.32 Human Rights in Latin America

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica; may not be offered every semester. This course examines the challenges of promoting human rights in Latin America, focusing on the most important analytical and empirical debates since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, First, we will discuss the most relevant theoretical frameworks for understanding human rights, placing them in the historical context of the construction of international human rights regimes. Next, we will review the experience of Latin American countries with authoritarian regimes and human rights abuses during the period of what is called “state terrorism.” Transitional justice policies in democratization processes will also be analyzed. During the last part of the course, we will analyze the current challenges to human rights in the region, especially in relation to security and violent conflicts. We will discuss questions such as:

What is the nature of human rights abuses in Latin America?
How have countries in the region responded to past abuses?
What is the role of NGOs and regional and international institutions in promoting human rights?
What are the challenges of promoting human rights protection in Chile today?