Program Duration

Academic Year - August - July
Calendar Year - March - December
Fall semester - August - December
Spring semester - March - July

Program Description

The University of Wisconsin-Madison academic program in Lima, Peru allows students the opportunity to directly enroll in courses at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP). This program allows students to improve their Spanish language skills while learning about Peruvian culture.

Lima is located on the western coastline of Peru and is the capital city with a population of around eight million inhabitants. The historic center of Lima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988 due to the large number of historical buildings dating from the Spanish Colonial era. Most notably are the Plaza Mayor with its 16th Century Cathedral and the Presidential Palace and the Catacombs of the Convento de San Francisco. The city also has a large number of fine museums such as the Museum of Anthropology and the Gold Museum.

Academics

PUCP was founded in 1917 and has an enrollment of over 16,000 undergraduates. Program participants directly enroll in courses at PUCP and take classes with Peruvian and other international students. PUCP has a wide range of academic fields for students to choose from including fine arts, management and accounting, archaeology, anthropology, political science, education, natural sciences, engineering, communication, social sciences and humanities. The university has consistently been ranked as one of the top Peruvian and Latin American universities.

The university is located in a suburban area of Lima and is in close proximity to pre-Incan ruins. The campus is large and modern and offers several amenities to students; there are nine libraries, forty-six wireless internet access points on campus, a health center and a major sports facility.

Housing

Students have the option to live with a Peruvian host family, in student residences located around the city or find other housing options in Lima. Students make their housing arrangements prior to arriving in Lima. On campus there are four comedores that offer typical meals at a reasonable price as well as four cafeterias where snacks can be purchased.

Excursions and Activities

The university has a very active student body and offers several opportunities for program participants to get involved in cultural or sport activities. The campus emphasizes the rich culture of Peru and houses the following cultural groups and centers: andanzas; a center for studies, investigation and diffusion of Latin American music; a music and dance center; theater; the Riva-Aguero Institute; and an Ethnomusicology Institute. PUCP also offers opportunities for program participants to get involved in the following sport activities: basketball, soccer, volleyball, martial arts, ping pong, swimming, cycling and chess. PUCP also offers a Compañero PUCP program that matches international students with a PUCP. The PUCP student helps introduce students to the university life and the city of Lima. The Internatinal Office at PUCP has also provide information to students who are looking to travel outside of Lima. Lima’s location allows program participants the flexibility to travel to several wondrous areas of Peru: the vast Pacific coastline, the Andes Mountains, Cuzco and Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines, as well as many other great locations.