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Semester in Mexico at Cuernavaca Center for Linguistic and Multicultural Studies of the Universidad Internacional (UNINTER)
Program Description
The Semester in Mexico program takes place during the spring and fall semesters at the Center for Linguistic Multicultural Studies (CLMS) in the Universidad Internacional (UNINTER) in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The semester lasts 13 weeks: two six-week sessions with a week of vacation in the middle. A summer program is also available for six or eight weeks. Students study intensive Spanish and develop communication strategies that promote thorough and in-depth oral and written Spanish skills. Other courses in civilization, culture, literature, history, religion, psychology, and sociology are also available. All courses are in Spanish but at a variety of levels.
University The CLMS at UNINTER was founded in 1980 with the mission to teach Spanish as a second language along withMexican culture at the university level.
UNINTER
has 14 buildings located in a safe residential area. The campus
includes facilities such as a computer lab, library, bookstore, money
exchange office, first aid center, copy center, cafeteria, fax, and
telephone services.
Students of many ages come from around the world to live and study. There
are numerous extracurricular activities on and off campus in which
students can participate. For instance, there are various dance classes
(including salsa), cooking, singing, yoga, chess, and personal defense
classes. Sports available include tennis, swimming,
basketball, volleyball, and soccer.
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca (population 500,000) is known as the "City of Eternal Spring", boasting year-round temperatures of 75 to 80
degrees F. It is a resort city and capital of the state of Morelos, 75
kilometers (50 miles) south of Mexico City. Acapulco beaches are less than 4 hours away by bus.
The
city offers many interesting museums, colonial and archaeological
sites, a cathedral dating back to the sixteenth century, Jardin Borda,
and the Palace of Cortes with murals painted by Diego Rivera. Other attractions include parks, a modern mall with a large movie theatre that boasts plush, reclined seating.
Academic Program
You can expect to earn 12 to 18 hours of transfer credit in Spanish language, history/culture, or literature during the semester. Check the catalog below for additional course options.
Intensive language study in the classroom: Spanish grammar, conversation, and composition classes from beginning to advanced levels meet three hours per day, Monday through Friday. Each language course lasts four weeks (60 hours). Classes are small (often with five students or fewer) and are always taught in Spanish by faculty whose first language is Spanish.
After an online placement test and oral test at orientation, students are grouped by their knowledge of Spanish, ability to communicate, and fluidity of conversation. If, for whatever reason, you are not satisfied with your group, the Academic Coordinator on site will help you switch to a different group with a different instructor.
Spanish language and culture courses: A list of courses in the Center for Linguistic and Multicultural Studies at UNINTER is available on their website.
Prerequisites and course requirements are similar to those set for courses taken on the ISU campus. The grades for these courses are based on 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. Here is a sample class schedule. Schedules may change from week to week, depending upon the courses taken during each term.
Other courses in various majors are available for transfer credit. Select courses are available in English, but most require an advanced level of Spanish for regular UNINTER classes with Mexican students. You must be prepared to arrive early and stay later for regular 16-week semester courses. Grades are determined by the teachers and the Academic Director at the UNINTER. One person from UNINTER will be assigned to the ISU group, in case you have immediate questions or concerns. Students may also contact the coordinator at ISU directly.
Internships
Internships are available in Business, Criminal Justice, Education, Hotel/Restaurant Management, and Social Work and earn one credit. Students must apply prior to departure.
Accommodation
Immersion
into modern Mexican culture through housing with Mexican families
provides opportunities for learning outside the classroom. 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 if they are not
comfortable with the one assigned.
ISU
requires that
students live with a Mexican family in Cuernavaca. Students share a
room and bath with another student of the same gender. Included in the
students' housing is transportation to and from the university and
three meals per day:
Full breakfast
Full dinner (or box lunch when on an excursion or at optional classes)
Light supper
Excursions The following cultural excursions are required for all students enrolled in the program and are included in the program fee:
(Descriptions provided by UNINTER)
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 C.E. and represent the religious, cultural, and architectural importance of the region.
Folklore Ballet and Museum of Anthropology Attend the Ballet Folklórico de Mexico, which presents a grand and beautiful mosaic of Mexico's folkloric tradition! 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. Mexico City murals and art 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 introduces you to the Mexican Murals Movement, such as the magnificent murals of Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros, Tamayo, and other painters who form a part of the artistic movement originally inspired by the Mexican Revolution, the first social revolution the 20th 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. You will have opportunity to walk through the art market.
Taxco Taxco is a beautiful colonial city famous for silver-mining.
Program Fee The
2010 program fee is $4,800. The fee includes registration, tuition, fees, accommodation, 3 meals a day, and excursions. The fee does not
include health insurance, airfare, books, supplies, incidentals, passport, ISIC card, and personal travel expenses. Questions? Contact: Nancy T. Guthrie Study Abroad Center 3224 Memorial Union 515-294-6792 nguthrie@mail.adp.iastate.edu
Brochure
