Spanish in the Dominican Republic (Faculty-Led Program)

Enhance your Spanish language skills in the Dominican Republic over spring break.

• Learn about Dominican culture and society through film and explore how film is a form of expression that reflect's the Caribbean's cultural and national identities.
• Stay with a host family in a homestay and engage with the local community to better understand Dominican culture and traditions.
• Explore the history, art and nearby nature of Santiago de los Cabballeros, the DR's second-largest city located in the lush Cibao Valley.
• Course can count towards a Spanish major, minor, or immersion or as elective credit.

During the spring 2025 semester, you will take a Dominican Culture and Cinema course in Rochester and then travel to the Dominican Republic to meet Spanish-speaking film professionals and students at RIT’s partner university, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM).

While in the Dominican Republic, you will stay with a local host family and participate in academic and cultural excursions organized by the faculty director and PUCMM.

Course Term: Spring course at RIT, travel to the Dominican Republic over spring break
Travel Dates: March 8-16, 2025
Credits: 3

Course Details:

• MLST 449: Dominican Culture & Cinema (3 credits)
  Pre-req: MLSP 201 (completed by spring 2025 or concurrent during spring 2025) or prior equivalent Spanish language proficency.

Students will be enrolled in a spring 2025 course at RIT and will travel to the Dominican Republic over spring break. Open to all undergraduate majors, all year levels. 

Application Deadline: October 20, 2024

Eligibility:

• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher (students with lower than a 2.5 GPA would be considered on a case-by-case basis)
• Have a clear conduct record with RIT
• Have no financial holds on your RIT eServices account at the time of your program acceptance/confirmation

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Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: Student Budget Worksheet - Spanish in the Dominican Republic - Outlines all program costs.

Financial Aid:
Financial aid may cover some program costs. As you review the budget worksheet, please remember that it does not include your RIT financial aid or scholarships which may cover some of the program costs. The purpose of the budget worksheet is to show all the costs associated with your study abroad program which will help your RIT Financial Aid Assistant Director determine how your aid and scholarships may be applied. 

To understand how your financial aid and scholarships may apply to your program costs:

• Download a copy of the budget worksheet (link above)
• Make an appointment with your financial aid assistant director (call Financial Aid at 585-475-2186) and mention that you are calling for a study abroad appointment
• Upload a copy of your budget worksheet(s) via the Financial Aid upload portal at https://join.rit.edu/register/FA_upload (at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled meeting, so they have time to prepare). For the type of document you are providing, select “Other Financial Aid Forms and Documentation” in the Financial Aid portal.
  • Please rename the file name of your budget worksheet before uploading it to the Financial Aid portal based on the instructions provided in the portal (adding your name and student ID)

To find out the name of your financial aid assistant director for your degree program visit: https://www.rit.edu/admissions/aid/contact#counseling-team

We recommend you meet with Financial Aid before the application deadline so you understand how your aid will apply. The RIT financial aid office is located in Bausch and Lomb Center (Bldg. 77), 2nd floor, 2125.

Scholarships:

• RIT Education Abroad Travel Grants ($500-$1,000)
  All students with pending applications in the RIT Study Abroad Compass for this program will be automatically considered for an RIT Education Abroad Travel Grant. You will be informed of your scholarship status shortly after the application deadline. Scholarships awarded based on financial need.

• Other scholarships: RIT Study Abroad Scholarships, National Study Abroad Scholarships

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To Apply

1) Start an application in the RIT Study Abroad Compass

2) Watch this video on application steps for RIT faculty-led programs which covers important information (video is captioned)