LAS Study Abroad
CUERNAVACA
SEMESTER PROGRAM
Spring 2008 - January 18 to April 19, 2008
Application Deadline: October 1, 2007
Fall 2008 - August 29 to November 29
Application Deadline: March14, 2008
The
Semester in Mexico at Cuernavaca is a Spanish study abroad program sponsored
by the Department of World Languages and Cultures of Iowa State University,
during spring, fall, and summer semesters at the Center for Linguistic Multicultural
Studies/CLMS in the Universidad Internacional (UNINTER) in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
The program focuses on the basic communicative, grammatical, and cultural contents
of the Spanish language. The main goal of the program is that students learn
to communicate as native speakers, using the target language correctly in different
situations.
Program objectives:
Experience the Hispanic culture, avoiding stereotypes.
Learn a study method that motivates you to continue your interest and progress
in Spanish, even after formal education is ended.
Admission Requirements:
Open to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students in all majors
2.5 overall GPA (2.8 for students from other universities)
No previous knowledge of Spanish is required
Intensive language study in the classroom: Spanish grammar, conversation,
and composition classes meet three hours per day, Monday through Friday. Each
language course lasts four weeks (60 hours). Classes can have five to ten students,
and are always taught in Spanish by native speaking faculty. Students are grouped
by their knowledge of Spanish, ability to communicate, and fluidity of conversation.
If for whatever reason a student is not satisfied with their group, the UNINTER
academic coordinator will help them switch to a different group with a different
instructor.
ISU grants credit for the following Spanish language courses:
Span 101: Elementary Spanish I (four credits)
Span 102: Elementary Spanish II (four credits)
Span 201: Intermediate Spanish I (four credits)
Span 202: Intermediate Spanish II (four credits)
Span 301: Spanish Composition and Grammar (three credits)
Span 303A: Spanish Conversation (three credits)
Span 401: Advanced Spanish Composition and Grammar (three credits)
Prerequisites and course requirements, as well as number of credits for a course,
do not differ from those set for courses taken on campus. Grades are based on
partial written exams (taken each Friday), final written exam (the last Friday
of each course), vocabulary exams, auditory quizzes and oral exams, compositions,
presentations in class, attendance and participation, and homework.
Cultural courses (focus on Hispano-American history, art, literature,
and music) Cultural courses meet two hours, Monday through Thursday, for six
weeks (48 hours).
ISU grants credit for the following courses:
Span 304: Spanish for Business (three credits)
Span 314: Introduction to Reading Hispanic Texts (three credits)
Span 321: Spanish Civilization (three credits)
Span 322: Spanish American Civilization (three credits)
Span 324: Mexico Today (three credits)
Span 326: Introduction to Mexican Art (three credits)
Span 332: Survey of Spanish American Literature (three credits)
Span 333X: Latin American Literature-20th C. (three credits)
Span 352: Introduction to Spanish Phonology _(three credits)
Span 395: Study Abroad credit (one to six credits)
Span 499: Internship (available in Business, Criminal Justice,
Education, and Hotel and Restaurant Management) (one credit only)
Prerequisites and course requirements, as well as number of credits for a course,
do not differ from those set for courses taken on campus. Grades are based on:
Final exam, final essay, midterm, weekly essays (four in the course), participation,
and attendance.
Housing
Immersion into modern Mexican culture by living with Mexican families provides
opportunities for learning outside the classroom. ISU requires that students
live with a Mexican family in Cuernavaca. This is a great way to practice Spanish
and learn about Mexican life and culture. Students live in middle-class Mexican
homes. Families are carefully interviewed and selected for the program through
UNINTER, and students always have the opportunity of changing families for any
reason. Students cannot live independently in Cuernavaca.
Included in accommodations are three meals:
- Full breakfast.
- Full dinner or box lunch for excursions or optional classes.
- Light supper
Excursions ISU requires four cultural and historical excursions
for all students enrolled in the program:
Pyramids of Teotihuacán: The most important, complete, and
popular archaeological zone of Central Mexico due to the pyramids (Sun and Moon
Pyramids), and the city around them. The pyramids date back to 500 A.D. and
represent the religious, cultural, and architectural importance of the Teotihuacán
era.
Mexico City: Murals of the University, Zócalo, Murals of the
National Palace, Cathedral, Plaza of the Three Cultures, walk through Coyoacan.
The field trip to Mexico City includes the Mexican Murals Movement, such as
the magnificent murals of Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros, Tamayo, and other painters
that form a part of the artistic movement originally inspired by the Mexican
Revolution-the first social revolution of this century. Coyoacan is a suburb
of Mexico City whose colonial style of buildings and present day intellectuals
give this area a special bohemian, artistic flair. Students may walk through
the art market.
Folklore Ballet and Museum of Anthropology: The Ballet Folklórico
de Mexico, representing a grand and beautiful mosaic of Mexico's folkloric tradition,
is the focus of this excursion. Through music and dance, acquaint yourself with
the native costumes from various regions of Mexico. The National Museum of Anthropology
and History houses an ample collection of works from the apex to the fall of
the Mesoamerican cultures.
Taxco: Taxco is a beautiful colonial city famous for silver.
Students can expect to earn 12 to 18 hours of ISU credit in Spanish (including
one credit for internships, if applied for). An academic coordinator will
be assigned to the ISU group at UNINTER if you have immediate questions or concerns.
Students may also contact the ISU program coordinator directly.
All students selected must have an interview in Spanish with the program coordinator.
For non-ISU students who live out of Ames or cannot travel to ISU to interview
in person, the coordinator interviews by phone. The interview helps determine
your level of proficiency before enrolling in courses and allows the coordinator
to advise students which courses are more appropriate for them.
A pre-departure orientation program is required for participation in the program.
All students selected receive information from UNINTER with host family name
and address and contact information prior to departure.
Costs
- Program fee is $4,500-$5,000 dollars. (Contact Director below for details.)
- Not included in the program fee are:
- 10% of net ISU tuition (students are eligible for 90% of Study Abroad
Tuition Aid) plus designated fees
- Airfare, incidentals, individual travel
Students make their own travel arrangements and meet the group at the
Mexico City airport. Cost is about $600 for roundtrip airfare from Des
Moines to Mexico City.
Nancy T. Guthrie
Program Director
Study Abroad Center
3224 Memorial Union
Ames, Iowa 50011
Phone: 515-294-8036
Fax: 515-294-8263
nguthrie@iastate.edu
Also visit:
Study Abroad Center
