COURSE OVERVIEW

All students are required to enroll in 4 courses, choosing from a combination of CASA Courses and coursework at the University of Havana.
CASA Courses (60 contact hours / 4 semester hours)
CASA Courses are taught at the CASA Cuba Study Center (la Galería) by distinguished Cuban scholars vía Casa de las Américas and faculty from the University of Havana. Depending on interest and availability, local Cuban students are also invited to participate in CASA Courses.
Throughout the semester, students have access to an onsite https://casaeducation-cuba.com/curso/ where they can access course content and materials for all CASA Courses. Access to the website will be given prior to the start of the semester so that students can start reading and preparing for their courses in Cuba.
Examples of the courses commonly taught at the CASA Center can be found here: https://casa.education/havana#academic-programs/casa-courses
The courses offered at CASA are specifically designed for international students with little or no knowledge of Cuba, include site visits and invited experts that will engage with students. The format of theses classes is more akin to the US/international seminar style with debates, presentations etc.
University of Havana Courses (32, 48, and 60 contact hours / 2, 3, and 4 semester hours)
Students have the opportunity to enroll in up to two courses at the University of Havana (UH) as part of their 4-course program requirement, and are encouraged to take at least one of their courses at the UH to enhance cultural and social immersion into Cuban society.
The University of Havana is designed for Cuban students who are enrolled in a four year program with pre-determined courses where each cohort takes most of their classes together without many choices. There is little online/advance information of courses available. Examples of courses typically offered and taken by international students you can find below. Some courses require previous knowledge or completion of other courses and therefore are not available to visiting students. No pre-registration is necessary. International students will have a two week “shopping period” where they can visit classes of their choice. If you have interest in any specific subject or course, please let the CASA Director know in advance.
Course Credit
UH Courses can vary in length from 32 to 64 contact hours, and the equivalency is as follows:
32 contact hours = 2 semester hours
48 contact hours = 3 semester hours
64 contact hours = 4 semester hours
Final credit transfer determinations are made by CASA home institutions for their respective students.
The 32 and 48 contact hours courses can be supplemented through additional work at the request by the student to the professor resulting in one more semester hour, if needed. Example: a 32 contact / 2 semester hours course can be supplemented by additional academic work to a 48 contact / 3 semester hours etc.
Schools/Facultades
Traditionally, international students take most of their classes at two different schools (Facultades) within the university: Artes y Letras where literature, art history, linguistics and some cinema courses are being offered; as well as Facultad de Filosofia e Historia, the school where history, philosophy, sociology, and social work are taught. Beyond these two schools students may now also take courses at other departments, such as psychology, law, geography etc. but should inform the program director about their interests.

Syllabi
The Cuban education system does not frequently provide students with an extensive syllabus the way that US institutions do. Keep in mind that in order to grant departmental credit for a course, some home university departments may request course syllabi. A short general description of the courses offered at UH can be granted upon request. It is recommended that students keep a log of lecture topics, required readings, class notes, assignments, and final papers to provide to their home university department upon returning from Havana.

CASA Courses

University of Havana Courses

Students may enroll in courses in two divisions of the University of Havana: in the Social Sciences Division (Facultad de Filosofia y Historia-FFH) and the Division of Humanities (Facultad de Artes y Letras-FAyL). These divisions of the University of Havana offer a variety of courses in history, philosophy, political and economic theory, sociology, anthropology, gender studies, art history, musicology, sociolinguistics, and literature with concentrations in Latin America, the Caribbean and Cuba.

Opportunities to take courses at the University of Havana outside of these two divisions are extremely limited. Students hoping to take courses in other parts of the University must notify the program director upon application by the deadline established by the University of Havana so that requests may be made before they arrive. Such requests are not possible to guarantee, and depend on the prior approval of University of Havana administration before the semester begins.

University of Havana courses usually vary in length from 32 to 64 contact hours. Students will need at least 48 contact hours for a three-point credit, and 64 hours for a full credit. On an exceptional basis arrangements can be made with the Cuban professor or department offering a course to arrange for a student to do extra work to earn additional credits (for example: in a 32 hour course, which in the US system is worth two credits, a student may be able to complete additional assignments and earn a full three credits). Professors and departments vary on their willingness to make these accommodations, and students should speak to their professors about such requests at the first class meeting to have time to drop the class and add another if such arrangements cannot be made.

There is a two-week drop-add period for foreign students at the University of Havana. By the end of the second week of classes, students must decide and register for their classes.

Final determinations of semester course load and credit transfer policies are made by the CASA home institutions for their respective students. The Cuban education system does not frequently provide students with syllabi the way that US institutions do. Keep in mind that, in order to grant departmental credit for a course, some home university departments may ask to see course syllabi. Since syllabi are rarely provided, it is recommended that students keep a log of lecture topics, required readings, class notes, assignments and final papers that they may be able to provide to their home university department upon returning from Havana.

Students should communicate with their corresponding home institutions about the transfer of credits as early as possible. Because the Cuban academic calendar differs considerably from the US, the program will end about one month before the official end of the Cuban semester. Program students are therefore responsible to inform their Cuban professors early on about their departure date and arrange for final examinations ahead of time. Most professors in FFH and FAyL are used to this common practice by all international programs.

Popular UH Courses:

Since course offerings are not readily available on the UH website, we have provided some common courses among students:

• Art History
• Afro-Caribbean Studies - Dr. Lazara Menendez
• Caribbean Art III - Dr. Kirenia Rodríguez.
• Cuban Art I - Dr. Osvaldo Paneque
• History
• History of Cuba II – Dr. Paula Ortiz Gavilán
• History of the Cuban Revolution - Dr. Fabio Fernández
• History of the Formation of Latin American States - Dr. Sergio Guerra Vilaboy
• Literature
• Cuban Literature I - Dr. Leonardo Sarria
• Philosophy
• Latin American Philosophical Thought - Msc. Andrés Iglesias
• Theory and History of Marxism Leninism II - Dr. Natasha Gómez Velázquez.
• Theory and Ideology of the Cuban Revolution - MSc. Ariel Pierucci Pérez.

University of Havana Courses for Fall 2024:
Note: most likely only first year courses will be available as all other courses only start in mid-October

Schedules:
Mapa currocular Plan E.docx
Syllabus Cultura Cubana Otoño 2024.pdf
Letras I Semestre. Olguita.docx
Hist. del Arte I Semestre. Olguita.docx
Curso de Amñerica Latina y Cuba(AMERICANOS).docx