Applications now being accepted
for Summer 2010 - Deadline is November 17, 2009
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Spanish Study Abroad
Mexico

SUMMER IN CUERNAVACA, MEXICO


Universidad Internacional
Cuernavaca, Mexico

This six-week summer program seeks to develop your understanding of Mexican culture while pursuing the study of the Spanish language at the intermediate and advanced levels. The core of the program is intensive small group instruction for six hours daily. In addition to this, we will explore history, economics, politics, society, and current events as we truly "live" the language and culture of Mexico through lectures, field trips, excursions and extracurricular activities.
The academic institution hosting the program is Universidad Internacional, located in a residential area of Cuernavaca, state of Morelos. The student body is broadly diverse in age and national origin. The school is entirely Mexican-operated and all your Spanish language teachers will be native instructors. All courses will be conducted in Spanish. Those accepted are required to participate in our orientation program during the spring term.

Eligibility: Students who have completed Furman's 201-level course in Spanish or the equivalent before the beginning of the program are eligible to apply. Completion of at least one course beyond Sanish 201 is highly recommended.

Academic component. During this six-week program at Universidad International, students will take two courses:

Intensive Spanish Language (equivalent to 4 Furman credits)
Emphasis on idiomatic expression in speech and writing with review of fundamentals of grammar. Students are enrolled in a course section according to their level of Spanish. No more than five students are assigned to one professor, thus ensuring individualized attention and amply opportunity for practice.

Latin American and Mexican Literature or Culture (equivalent to 4 Furman credits)
One culture or one literature course of your choice. Universidad Internacional offers several options of courses in the cultures and literatures of Spanish America and Mexico. In culture courses, students have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with contemporary Spanish American life, as well as with the contributions of indigenous cultures to contemporary Spanish American and Mexican society. Literature courses offer an overview of Spanish American narrative, poetry, and/or drama, with particular emphasis on Mexico.

Extracurricular activities. In addition to daily coursework, Universidad Internacional offers several extracurricular programs to further students' learning of the language and culture. Some of these activities include the café social, an informal gathering of international and Mexican students as well as Faculty from the study abroad program, the Programa amigo, where each participant is paired with a Mexican student who will be his/her "Mexican pal" during the stay in Cuernavaca, sports, salsa danse classes, etc. Internships in Mexican companies, hospitals, schools, non-profit and government organizations are also available for more advanced students.

Housing: Housing is with carefully selected Cuernavaca families; note that the cost of all meals taken during the homestay period is included in the comprehensive cost of the program.

Study Tours of Mexico: Tours include visits to Mexico City, Taxco, Puebla, Cholula, Tepoztlán, Acapulco, Teotihuacan, and other sites of historical and cultural importance.

Costs: The estimated comprehensive fee for the summer 2010 program is $5,250.00. 
The program cost includes tuition (equivalent to 8 semester hours of Furman credit), round-trip transportation from Greenville or another designated point of departure in the United States, housing and all meals in Cuernavaca, costs for structured study tours, many extracurricular activities, and meals during organized excursions.

Students may obtain additional information about the program from:
Dr. Adrián Pablo Massei, Dept. of Modern Languages and Literatures
Furman University
3300 Poinsett Highway
Greenville, SC 29613
Telephone: 864-294-3318
Email: adrian.massei@furman.edu