Location: Quito, Ecuador

Program Type: Exchange

Semester: Fall/Spring

This multidisciplinary program, organized in collaboration with La Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), is open to all majors and provides a wide variety of classes that explore the extraordinary diversity of Ecuador’s natural resources, language, culture, and society.  MSU participants will attend a combination of Spanish language courses designed for non-natives and regular USFQ classes taught in Spanish by USFQ faculty.  MSU students will also have the opportunity to participate in field trips to different parts of Ecuador to experience the varied climate and cultural diversity within the country, including a visit to the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazon.

Quito is the capital city of Ecuador and boasts a population of more than 2 million people, offers a wide range of activities and recreation options for its residents, and was one of the first cities to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Major restoration projects were recently completed in Quito’s Old City or historical center which hosts a number of churches, convents, public squares, museums, restaurants, and cafes. The northern district caters more to tourists, and the Mariscal Sucre is a popular area among foreigners for restaurants and nightlife.