CET Colombia Study Abroad

CET Colombia: At-A-Glance

Study race, ethnicity, and identity
Spanish language electives
Live with a Colombian roommate
Direct-enroll electives
Traveling Seminar to the Caribbean coast
Out-of-class learning and assignments
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Fall

SPRING

Fall

SPring

CET Colombia study abroad students study race, identity, and ethnicity through the Afro-Colombian lens in Cali—a city with the second largest population of African descent in South America. The program’s curriculum, developed in consultation with Howard University, allows you to examine these dynamics through sociopolitical, economic, artistic, and historical representations of race in Colombia. And with out-of-class learning, local roommates, and direct-enroll classes that put you in a Colombian classroom, you grow your understanding both intellectually and experientially.

Academics in Colombia

Semester
Snapshot

Choose your Spanish Level

All levels of Spanish speakers are welcome at CET Colombia, but your proficiency level determines your curriculum.

Curriculum & Syllabi:
BEGINNING & INTERMEDIATE SPANISH

Beginning and intermediate-level Spanish speakers take one core course, a Spanish course, one direct-enroll course, and two or three CET electives to meet the total 15 to 18 recommended credits.

You take this 3-credit course that is taught exclusively for CET students. This course is initially taught in English, but as your language skills improve, your teachers introduce more Spanish instruction.

CA/SOCI 330 Race and Identities: Debates in the Colombian Context

You take this 3-credit elective taught in English at Universidad Autónoma de Occidente

The Colombian Pacific Region: History and Culture

 

CET converts final grades from the local host universities to US letter grade equivalents.

You take two or three CET electives to meet the total 15 to 18 recommended credits. These 3-credit electives are exclusively for CET students in English or Spanish.

Area Studies
CA/CLTR 340 A Social History of Colombian Coffee
CA/GEOG 310 Environmental Conflicts, Territorialities, and Ethnic Groups in Colombia
CA/SOCI 315 Crime & Justice in Colombia
CA/ANTH 330 The Cultures of Afro Descendants in Colombia (taught in Spanish)

Curriculum & Syllabi: ADVANCED SPANISH

Advanced-level Spanish speakers take one core course, at least one direct-enroll elective at UAO, and three or four additional electives to meet the total 15 to 18 recommended credits.

You take this 3-credit course that is taught exclusively for CET students. This course is taught in a combination of English and Spanish.

CA/SOCI 330 Race and Identities: Debates in the Colombian Context

You take at least one direct-enroll elective at UAO for 3 credits, then choose three or four additional electives to meet the total 15 to 18 recommended credits. 

CET Electives

These 3-credit electives are exclusively for CET students in English or Spanish.

Area Studies
CA/CLTR 340 A Social History of Colombian Coffee
CA/GEOG 310 Environmental Conflicts, Territorialities, and Ethnic Groups in Colombia
CA/SOCI 315 Crime & Justice in Colombia
CA/ANTH 330 The Cultures of Afro Descendants in Colombia (taught in Spanish)

Spanish Language as a Foreign Language
 

Direct-Enroll Electives at UAO 

These are elective courses taught at one of the program’s host universities, Universidad Autónoma de Occidente. Most classes 3 credits each, taught in Spanish (unless otherwise noted), and offer the opportunity to learn alongside Colombian undergraduates and learn as local students do. To enroll in Spanish-taught courses at UAO, students must have achieved C1/advanced Spanish language proficiency on the CET language placement test. Course offerings differ each semester but past courses have included:

Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAO):
The Colombian Pacific Region: History and Culture (taught in English)
Identities & Culture 
Cinema, Memory, & Peace 
Social Anthropology of Valle del Cauca 
Music & Cultural Identity in Colombia 
Public Relations (Organizational)

CET converts final grades from the local host universities to US letter grade equivalents.

Dive Deep in Colombia

Experiential learning in Cali. As a city that celebrates Blackness as one of its defining features, Cali is the perfect home base to explore race, ethnicity, and identity, both in and out of the classroom. Depending on your electives, you could connect food cultures with empire and race at an Afro-Colombian gastronomy workshop, learn the basics of esgrima de machete y bordón (traditional martial art of stick fighting that has become a symbol of resistance), or even host Proudly Afro-Colombian: A Discussion Series by facilitating a public discussion with prominent artists, scientists, or activists.

Spanish language immersion. Get ready to challenge your Spanish skills like never before. Navigate life in a city that speaks English minimally, take a Spanish class, and—for more advanced speakers—study alongside local Colombian undergraduates with direct-enroll coursework at Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAO).

Traveling Seminar: Comparative Learning

Take learning on the road as you spend seven days exploring concepts from your core course in San Basilio de Palenque and Cartagena. You might:

• Learn about the local justice system from La Guardia Cimarrona. Then meet with a doctor of ancestral medicine, and explore traditional healing.
•  Attend a music workshop and examine the diverse rhythms of the Caribbean coast while in Cartagena.
•  Head to La Boquilla and speak with locals to learn about the negative effects of rapid-growth tourism for livelihoods dependent upon fishing.
•  Meet with local social leaders in communities displaced by armed conflict and gentrification.

Traveling Seminar: Comparative Learning

On your Traveling Seminar, concepts from your core course will come to life as you explore the dynamics of race, ethnicity, and identities across Colombia with your cohort.


Day 1
: Travel to San Basilio de Palenque. Meet with community members to discuss local history and culture.
Day 2: Learn about the local justice system from La Guardia Cimarrona. Meet with a doctor of ancestral medicine, and explore traditional (natural) medicines. Then participate in a music workshop that examines the diverse rhythms of the Caribbean coast.
Day 3: Hike to the local farming spot and assist a Palenquero farmer for the day. Then in the evening, eat dinner with Palenquera women and hear them talk about their individual projects in the community, their fight against oppression, and their resilience.
Day 4: Travel to Cartagena. Explore the city and then relax on the beach.
Day 5: Head to La Boquilla, a village outside the city with a large Afro-Colombian population. Hear about the negative effects of rapid-growth tourism for livelihoods dependent upon fishing from locals. Learn about Colombia’s biodiversity and the techniques of traditional fishing. Afterward, help cook a delicious meal with the local community.
Day 6: Meet with local social leaders as you visit neighborhoods populated by those displaced by armed conflict and gentrification. Then engage in an intercultural exchange activity with a local school in the neighborhood that helps empower students to stay off the streets through performance arts.
Day 7: Travel back to Cali.

Housing and Meals

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Living Like a Local

Local Roommates. Want to learn where to find the best manjar blanco (Colombian dulce de leche)? How to navigate the local bus system? Not only does sharing a home with a local roommate give you instant insider’s access to the city, it brings language and local culture out of the classroom and into your home life. Learn more about living with a local roommate. 

Eating in Cali. For meals, take your pick of Cali’s many inexpensive eateries. Find your favorite arepa spot or cool off with some cholado, a fresh fruit salad with condensed milk served over shaved ice. Feeling like a home-cooked meal? Grab ingredients at the supermarket and have a night in with your roommates. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Cali. 

student selfie in the street at night

Life in Cali

group of students sitting on ledge with city view behind

In a city where the influences of diversity are ever-present, your everyday surroundings will inform your studies and Cali’s active calendar of cultural activities will fill your days. Enjoy a cold champú (refreshing local drink) as you relax in town. Use your Spanish to befriend the barista at your favorite café. Spend the weekend at the mountains or on the beach with your roommate. Go dancing with friends at Calle de la Salsa, a community salsa event at Boulevard del Río. Head to Loma de la Cruz on the weekend to hear live music and see local artisans exhibiting their work. 

Experience Cali with CET

Around the city. Each term, the program offers different extra-curricular activities that allow you to explore Cali and Colombian culture. Take a salsa class to try your hand at the national pastime. Spend time in the beautiful Farallones mountains. Explore Eje Cafetero, the region famous for producing most of Colombia’s coffee. Or simply kick back and relax with a day at the river. And there’s even more to see on your own.

A Weekend Away. Let us show you another side of Colombia. Spend the weekend in San Cipriano, a nature reserve two hours outside of Cali. Hike a waterfall. Explore the small town. Meet with locals to discuss how tourism impacts their community. On another weekend, explore Buenaventura—home to the country’s most important port and a large Afro-Colombian population. Listen to local students share stories of their community. Learn about ancestral practices from traditional midwives.

Student Resources

"While most of CET’s classes are hosted in-house, there are plenty of out-of-class activities, projects, and field trips. By the end of our first week of class, we had a 4-person group project to remake an Afro-Colombian dish which included a trip to a local farmer’s market."

— Maya Martin,
Howard University | Spring student

READ MAYA'S BLOG
"The program is great, but it is not for the weak. The staff is amazing and attentive, but the courses here are meant to be challenging."

— Anonymous student evaluation
"My time in Colombia was amazing! I learned so much about Afro-Colombian culture, Colombian history, and society as a whole. This program not only allowed me to learn about new places and cultures but also forced me to be introspective and learn new things about my own identity."

— Amara Payne,
George Washington University | Spring student
"Language study at CET Colombia is so rewarding. I started with no Spanish. Now, I am at a level of practical intermediacy. I have made friends and met with professors in Spanish, despite having never taken it before this program."

— Noah Rowan,
Clark University | Spring student
"Academically, the program has been strengthening my bilingual and performance skills. Studying here has made me realize how valuable participation is and strengthened my Spanish-speaking skills. Personally, the program has been helping my development with time management and has made me realize the importance of valuable rest since I find it easier to do here vs. in the US."

— Anonymous student evaluation
"Being able to see and talk with local communities, have Afro-Colombian roommates, and have first-hand conversations has really brought my education to a whole new level."

— Vanessa Vigier,
Kalamazoo College | Fall student
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On-site Staff

Beatriz E. Balanta, PhD
Senior Academic Coordinator

Armando Zuñiga
Senior Resident Coordinator

Andrés Álvarez
Academic Coordinator

Program Fees

Fall/Spring

$16,990

What's Included

All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.

We arrange your housing in a fully-furnished apartment about a 10-minute walk from campus. Your program fees go toward rent, utilities, furnishing, and other management costs.
 

We cover your transit, housing, and most meals during your Traveling Seminar to Cartagena and Palenque. Don’t forget to bring a camera and your curiosity. 

The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!

From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way. 

You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.

We guide you step-by-step through the visa process. Most nationalities (including US citizens) can receive a visa exemption on arrival at the airport, and we’ll help you finalize your status on-site to cover the full program dates.

Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.

At the end of your term, you’ll receive academic documentation as proof of all you’ve accomplished abroad. Depending on your home institution, you will either get a CET grade report or a School of Record transcript from the University of Minnesota.

 

More on finances

group of students on beach
Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $15,740 goes to tuition and fees, and $1,250 goes to housing and other student life fees.

Local Cost of Living. The cost of living in Colombia is considerably more affordable than that of the US. An average cost of living is estimated at 350 USD/month, though this varies depending on how often students eat at restaurants and/or participate in nightlife.

Estimated out-of-pocket expenses: 

How to Apply

  • •  Pre-requisites: None. Open to students of any Spanish level, but students with more Spanish language experience have more curricular flexibility.
  • •  Must be 18 or older at the time of program participation.
  • •  Open to students from any US college or university
  • GPA: 3.0 or higher is recommended, students with lower GPAs will be asked for a faculty recommendation to supplement their application

Complete the application through your online CET account. This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.

Upload a scan of your passport to your online CET account. This should be a single scan that includes the signed signature page and the photo/personal details page. Don’t have a passport yet? Let us know and we can help advise you.

This is an online form that your study abroad office completes to let us know you meet the requirements to study abroad. To send the electronic form request,  simply enter the name and email address of your study abroad advisor in the designated fields of your online account.

Your online CET account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.

Application
Deadlines

Fall Semester:

April 1

Spring Semester:

November 1

Have a question? Get in touch!

Melanie MacKenzie

Manager, Student Services 
202.846.7662
[email protected]

Price Subject to Change:

CET reserves the right to increase quoted charges at any time without prior notification, based on increased instruction costs, exchange rate fluctuation or other cost increases beyond CET’s control.

Course Availability

Our goal is to offer every course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in one particular course, please contact us
 

CET Jordan: Academic Consultation Board

Over the years, we’ve built a strong network of locally-based faculty that we’re proud to call our peers. These faculty make up our Academic Consultation Board—a select group of local voices and thought leaders that help advise and shape components of the CET Jordan program. 

Board members support the program in many ways, including but not limited to:

Academic Consultation Board Members

Learn More about our Programs