500 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, San Miguel de Tucumán offers another option for study in Argentina. Tucumán is the vibrant economic and cultural center of the NOA--Andean Northwestern Region--and neighboring countries. Known as "the garden of the republic," the city of 400,000 is where Argentina claimed its independence in 1816. 18 different microclimates exist within the area surrounding the city, creating a diversity of plants and animals and a unique setting for study. Close to the eastern face of the Andes, Tucumán provides access to several national parks and a wide variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and mountaineering. Andean indigenous groups are also more strongly represented in this region of the country than elsewhere and there are numerous traces of their cultural impact, both on contemporary life as well as in the many archaeological sites in the area.

Founded in 1912, the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán is today a modern university offering its 43,000 students twelve Facultades and several Escuelas andInstitutos Universitariosin which to study. It is the intellectual and cultural center of the NOA--Andean Northwestern Region--and neighboring countries, and combines academic excellence, a commitment to regional development, and international visibility. A full range of courses is offered in the humanities and social sciences, with particular strengths in anthropology and archaeology. Areas such as Medicine and Applied Science are at the top of the national ranking.  To access available courses, first select a carrera de grado, then a licenciatura within that department.

Argentina, the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, known locally as "The Land of the Six Continents" for its geographic and climatic diversity, has a long and fascinating history and is a major economic and political power in South America.