| Click here for a definition of this term Class Eligibility: | Graduate, Junior, Pre-Junior, Senior, Sophomore | Type of Program: | Intensive Course Abroad |
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Credit/Registration: Students will be registered for HSAD 366 3 credits / HSAD T580 (3 - 4 credits) Global Aging as part of their winter term course load. Undergraduate students must leave room in their credit load when registering or will be billed for credits exceeding the credit maximum. Graduate students will be billed Drexel credits at their standard rate.
Instructor: Jesse Ballenger, Associate Teaching Professor, Health Administration, College of Nursing & Health Professions
Pre-Travel Online Learning Modules required for all participants. Date and time will be provided post-acceptance.
Arrival Date: December 14th, 2025 (Depart US on Dec. 13th)
Departure Date: December 21st, 2025 (Return US on Dec. 22nd)
Students are responsible for independent travel before or after program dates.
Itinerary Overview
Fall Term: Hybrid Orientation that students can attend in-person or via zoom.
This meeting will orient students to the course blackboard shell and requirements of the ICA. We will also present crucial information from Drexel Global about the program, focusing on communications and practical contingency planning as well as information specific to the to travel to Chile. All pre-travel reading must be completed by this time.
General ICA Structure
Each day of the trip will feature an excursion to a location that will allow us to explore a different theme related to aging through site visits and discussions with Chileans involved in many aspects of work with older adults. Most of these excursions will take 3-5 hours. Following these excursions, there will be an hour or two of structured reflection and open group discussion, and some unstructured time for students to relax and experience the beauty and conviviality of Chile.
NOTE – The itinerary below is subject to change as we work with our Chilean hosts.
Sunday, December 14: Arrival Orientation & Welcome Dinner
Group Welcome Dinner: This first formal meeting of the ICA group will be a welcome orientation followed by a group dinner at or in close proximity to the hotel.
Monday, December 15: Student Perspectives on Aging in Chile and the United States
Excursion: San Sebastián University for a discussion between Drexel and Chilean students and faculty. on various aspects of aging and student life.
Tuesday, December 16: Health Care
Excursion 1 (morning): Geriatric Unit and Hospice of the Hospital San Juan de Dios. This visit will involve a tour and observation of the unit and a discussion with members of the medical and nursing staff. Time permitting, we will also do some sightseeing in the area around the hospital in central Santiago, including Parque Quinta Normal and a visit to the Gabriela Mistral Museum of Education
Excursion 2 (afternoon): Mapuche café with Jose Miguel Aravena to discuss ethnicity as a determinant of health and aging.
Wednesday, December 17: Aging, Memory, and Trauma
Excursion: Museum of Memory and Human Rights. Many older Chileans must deal with the legacy of traumatic experiences under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet from 1973-1990. The Museum of Memory and Human Rights is a commemoration of the victims of the human rights violations during the regime. We will go on a guided tour of the museum, and discuss the mental health impacts of this trauma on people entering older adulthood, and policies and services created to help them. We will also do some sightseeing of historic sites in central Santiago.
Thursday, December 18: Community Care
Excursion: Site visit and discussion with staff at the “Kintun” Community Center for people living with dementia, and Age-friendly walk audit in neighborhood around the Peñalolén Center.
Friday, December 19: University/Community Partnership in Aging
Excursion: The Gerópolis Interdisciplinary Center for Elderly Adult Development, University of Valparaíso. Time permitting, we will also visit Valparaíso’s cultural park and visit memory sites there. https://parquecultural.cl/ or the Pablo Neruda historical home and museum.
Group meal in Valparaíso.
Saturday, December 20: Aging, Health, and the Environment
Excursion: Parque Metropolitano, Cerro San Cristóbal. The park is the perfect venue for a reflection on the intersection of aging, health, and the environment. This is the city’s largest green space. We will do walking tour of the park, observing how Santiago’s residents of all ages use the part for exercise and enjoying the outdoors. We will also take the funicular and teleférico (cable car), which carries people between different landscaped sections of the park and provides spectacular views of the city and the Andes mountain range just beyond.
Sunday, December 21: Depart Santiago for the United States.
Due September 30th - $500 Advance Payment + $25 Application Fee
Due November 1st - $540 Final Payment
*All payments are non-refundable unless declined admission or program cancels for unforeseen reasons.
Included in Program Fee:
Not Included in Program Fee (Estimated):
US citizens do not need a visa for entry to Chile. Other nationalities should confirm visa requirements on the Chile embassy website.
A suggested itinerary will be provided. Students are responsible for booking their own airfare but should not book until after travel to Chile has been given final approval by Drexel's Essential Travel Review Committee.
| Term | Year | App Deadline | Decision Date | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 2026 | 08/01/2025 | 09/01/2025 | TBA | TBA |