Skip to content

Programs : Brochure

This page is the brochure for your selected program. You can view the provided information for this program on this page and click on the available buttons for additional options.
The School for Field Studies (SFS) Chile - Wild Patagonia: Fire and Ice (Semester) (Outgoing Program) Print 
  • Locations: Patagonia, Chile; Puerto Natales, Chile
  • Program Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: The School for Field Studies (SFS) 
  • Restrictions: UConn applicants only
  • Budget Sheets: Fall, Spring
Dates / Deadlines:
Dates / Deadlines:
Term Year App Deadline Decision Date Start Date End Date
Fall 2025 03/02/2025
03/17/2025 09/01/2025 12/12/2025
Spring 2026 09/10/2025 09/24/2025 01/26/2026 05/08/2026

Indicates that deadline has passed
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Click here for a definition of this term Class Standing: 2nd Year, 3rd Year, 4th+ Year Click here for a definition of this term Language of Instruction: English
Click here for a definition of this term Program Types: UConn Affiliated Click here for a definition of this term Open to Non-UConn Students: No
Click here for a definition of this term Academic Area: Humanities, Natural Resources, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences Click here for a definition of this term Housing: Dormitory, Other
Click here for a definition of this term Cost Structures: Direct-Bill Program Community Size: Town/Rural (Less than 100,000)
Experiential Opportunities: Research, Study
Program Description:

SFS CHILE: WILD PATAGONIA: FIRE AND ICE
(SEMESTER)

Jenny Chile

PROGRAM DETAILS

Terms | Fall, Spring
 
Credits | 18 semester-hour credits
 
Prerequisites | One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science | 2.7 GPA |18 years of age
 
Application Deadline | Fall: May 1st. Spring: November 1st. Early applications encouraged!
 
Financial Aid | All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans.
 

______________________________________________

OVERVIEW

Patagonia is a land of fire and ice. Here, massive glaciers and active volcanoes form a wild landscape unlike any other. Spend a semester amid soaring peaks, narrow fjords, and ice fields as you study conservation and the impacts of climate change. The trails of Torres del Paine National Park will become your classroom for research and fieldwork. The semester ends with an extensive research project in the field. 

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

→Hike through the dramatic landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park. 

→Travel to the island of Tierra del Fuego, encountering king penguins, windswept landscapes, and evidence of massive past volcanic eruptions, and meet with the Selk’nam community still living on the island. 

→ Visit the site of Fuerte Bulnes to learn about the Chilean state's arrival in Southern Patagonia and how historical and environmental conservation coincide. 

→ Examine Chile's economic and environmental policies and how they have been influenced by the visible and dramatic impacts of climate change in the Patagonian region. 

→ Embark on a multi-day expedition to the volcanic Lakes Region of northern Patagonia, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, to ascend volcanoes, meet local artisans, and partake in local customs. 

→ Travel to El Calafate, Argentina, to visit the Perito Moreno glacier and areas with prehistoric cave paintings made when glaciers were far more extensive than they are today. 

→ Conduct a comprehensive field research project: Develop a research question, collect and analyze data, write a paper, and present your findings.

LOCATION 

SFS students live and study at the Center for Climate Studies, located near the bustling port city of Puerto Natales – the gateway to the famous Torres del Paine National Park. This scenic city, surrounded by the jagged peaks of Cerro Benítez and the deep blue waters of the Señoret Channel, serves as your home base for expeditions throughout the region.

RESEARCH THEMES

  • Climate Change Impacts and Resilience
  • Glacial and Freshwater Dynamics
  • Geology and Volcanic Activity
  • Penguin Behaviour
  • Endangered Species Protection
  • Coastal and Alpine Ecology
  • Conservation Strategy and Practice
  • National Park Visitation and Protected Areas Management
CORE SKILLS 
 
  • GIS
  • Water Quality Assessments
  • Terrestrial and Freshwater Biodiversity Survey Techniques
  • Species Identification and Population Monitoring
  • Landscape and Soils Analysis
  • Natural Resource Valuation
  • Basic Spanish Language
  • Research Design and Implementation
  • Data Collection and Analysis
  • Research Presentation
 ______________________________________________

LEARN MORE

REQUEST INFORMATION

APPLY NOW

 ______________________________________________

CONNECT WITH SFS

• Visit our website: fieldstudies.org

• Email: admissions@fieldstudies.org

• Read updates from the field on our blog

• Follow us on Instagram 

• Check out our Vimeo