Hampshire College

Program Availability: Spring Semester (see Eligibility and Prerequisites below)

Hampshire College offers students an exceptional opportunity to study in the setting of Havana, Cuba. In coordination with the Global Education Office, Hampshire faculty, and our academic partners in Cuba, students design their own course of study to include Spanish language, a seminar in contemporary issues in Cuban arts and society, and an individualized project with tutors toward Division II or III requirement.

This program presents students with the unique opportunity to develop fully their academic potential within several disciplines. With renowned Cuban writers, historians, visual artists, performance artists, or musicians as tutors, the program caters to each individual student’s set of academic goals. 

Rather than focus on the traditional classroom approach, students work in conjunction with their tutors in directed, semester-long projects. Students may intern at their tutors’ institutions in order to conduct research, which can enhance projects or theses. Through participation in this program, Hampshire College sustains its tradition of individual, close work with advisors. Students meet with tutors to exchange their ideas, discoveries, and developing projects, thus enriching their studies with the invaluable critiques of experienced scholars.

Students are tutored by members of La Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (The National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists), also known as La UNEAC. It serves as an institutional home for many leading Cuban intellectuals and was founded to preserve social justice and national independence within the arts. La UNEAC members are well-known writers and artists in a broad range of fields who work in many important institutions. Tuition fees generated by this program directly support la UNEAC’s efforts. Previous collaborators have included Nelson Rodriguez, editor; Alfredo Prieto, editor of Temas magazine; and Juan Valdes Paz, writer.

In addition to the internship projects, students are also required to participate in an advanced Spanish class, as well as a formal course on Cuba and Cuban culture, co-taught by Hampshire and Cuban faculty. These courses help students assimilate the Cuban experience into their semester projects by providing opportunities for more in-depth cultural integration. 

Housing is arranged for students in a family-stay situation. Students can request to live independently or with other students. All housing options are centrally located in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana.  

Spring Term: Open to Div II students and first semester Div III students.
Fall Term: Open only to Div III students with previous participation in the Cuba program or equivalent experience.

To participate, all applicants must be in good academic standing and have intermediate Spanish language skills. Students should also have a clear idea of the project they wish to pursue, as arrangements for tutoring and internships must be made before they arrive in Cuba.

Students for this program are required to take a course about Cuba usually taught in the fall semester (the semester prior to leaving), or a similar course that is approved by the faculty in residence. Please contact the faculty in residence for more details.

Due to recent changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba, all programs are restricted to undergraduate degree-seeking students at Hampshire College only.

Participants will pay the equivalent of Hampshire’s tuition, room, and board for one semester. Students are also required to have health insurance with international coverage, either through Hampshire’s Koster insurance or otherwise. Additional insurance in Cuba is covered by the program.

Other expenses: Students are responsible for the costs of passport and visa fees, international and local transportation, books and supplies, travel insurance, and personal expenses. GEO provides each Cuba program participant with a travel stipend to be used toward round-trip airfare, along with a stipend for living expenses.

How to Apply

You will need to complete and submit the Hampshire Exchange Program Application to the Global Education Office before the application deadline for the semester you are applying for.  Please contact the Global Education Office before completing an application.

Faculty in Residence

If you would like to hear more about the academic content and options for the Cuba program, please contact one of these faculty members. Students planning on applying should contact the faculty in residence for that semester beforehand.

Margaret Cerullo
Faculty in Residence for Spring 2008
Professor of Sociology
School of Social Science
413.559.5514
mcerullo@hampshire.edu

Flavio Risech
Faculty in Residence for Spring 2009
Associate Professor of Law
School of Social Science
413.559.5504
frisech@hampshire.edu

Jacqueline Hayden
Faculty in Residence for Spring 2010
Professor of Film and Photography
School of Humanities, Arts & Cultural Studies
413.559.5617
jhayden@hampshire.edu 

Area Specialists

Carollee Bengelsdorf
Professor of Politics
School of Social Science
413.559.5402
cbengelsdorf@hampshire.edu

Also, see the professors listed above as Faculty in Residence for this program.

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