Crossing Borders:
Gender and Social Change
in Mesoamerica

Fall Semester

Late August - Mid December
Location: Cuernavaca, Mexico

(with one week at U.S./Mexico border & 10-12 days in El Salvador)

Learn about the central issues facing Mesoamerica, with emphasis on the experiences and empowerment of women. You will engage in gender analysis of key social, economic, political, and cultural issues in Mexico and El Salvador; explore the interconnectedness of race, class, and gender; and learn first hand from both women and men who are involved in struggles for sustainable development and social change.  Earn credit in Religion, Political Science, Women's Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Spanish. The semester includes small group intensive Spanish study provided by Mexican instructors. Fieldwork opportunities (including both internships and independent research) are also available.   See Course Descriptions

u Check out the blog page written by past semester students

Sample Fall Semester Schedule

         
Location: 
The program is based in Cuernavaca, a city known for its perennial springtime (70-80 degrees). Cuernavaca, the capital of the state of Morelos, is about a 1 1/2 hours drive south of Mexico City. Both the city and the state are important in Mexican history: the palace of the conqueror Hernan Cortez borders the central plaza in Cuernavaca and Morelos is known as “the cradle of the Mexican revolution” of 1910 led by Emiliano Zapata, who was born in a small town near Cuernavaca. A city of more than one million, Cuernavaca is also known for its innovative grass-roots education programs, economic cooperatives, and base Christian communities inspired by liberation theology.  More location information.

Housing 
The Center for Global Education maintains two houses in Cuernavaca which will be your home base during the semester. It is located in Colonia San Anton, across the street from the language school where you will take your Spanish classes and just a 15 minute walk from downtown Cuernavaca. Approximately four students will share a room.  There is also common living space for classes, study and leisure time, as well as a small library. Meals (including vegetarian options) are prepared and served on the premises. More housing information.

Homestay 
You will spend six weeks living with a local working class family in Cuernavaca. Longer homestays are available upon request. Lesbian and gay-friendly homestays also available.

Staff 
The Center for Global Education has an ethnically and culturally diverse staff of North Americans and Latin Americans who coordinate educational programs. The program instructors are Augsburg College faculty who live full-time in Mexico and Central America, have advanced studies and are bi-lingual. In addition, a diverse pool of individuals and organizations serve as community resources. You will also be assisted by an intern/resident advisor who lives in the house and assists in planning house meetings and activities. Meet our staff

Travel Experiences: 
The program includes a week-long orientation seminar at the U.S.-Mexico border, a two-week educational seminar to El Salvador, and day trips to Mexico City and to rural villages, as well as opportunities for individual travel on weekends and during breaks. 

Curriculum

Most students will take four courses:  1) a Spanish language course; 2) Women, Gender and Social Change in Latin America (POL/WST); and 3) Latin American Liberation Theologies (REL/WST). For the fourth course, options are:

a) a second Spanish language course, b) an internship, or c) an independent study (see below). Full course descriptions.

Fieldwork Options:

During the second half of the semester, students may choose to complete and internship or independent study.

Internships and Independent Studies may be taken for credit in:

- History

- Interdisciplinary Studies

- Political Science

- Religion

- Spanish

- Women's Studies

To learn more about field work opportunities offered through Center for Global Education semester programs see the Internship or Independent Study pages.

Community Service

Community service opportunities are also available for students who do not wish to complete a formal internship but would like hands-on experience serving in the community.

Requirements: 
Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors at any college or university. Enrollment is limited; one previous college-level course in Spanish or its equivalent is required. 

Credit: 
Each course is the equivalent of one course credit (or four semester hours), for a program total of or 16 semester hours. 

Application Deadlines: 
Applications are accepted on a rolling admissions basis. The deadline is April 1. Enrollment is limited; early application is encouraged to ensure a place in the program. Application form.

Cost: 
The comprehensive fee for the program is $16,375 (2008-09 academic year). This includes tuition, room and board, medical/emergency insurance, travel from the U.S./Mexico border to Cuernavaca, travel seminar to El Salvador, and all other program costs in Mexico, El Salvador, and at the border. Students are responsible for their travel to the U.S./Mexico border, and home from Mexico.  Contact the Center for Global Education with questions or for information about our scholarships for students from historically disadvantaged groups (e-mail: globaled@augsburg.edu or 800-299-8889).