Questions? (212) 986-0989
"It is an invaluable aspect of a service-learning experience that students learn to both define and work toward solving societal problems. Background knowledge from our service-learning courses at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara about institutions in Mexican society helped us understand the needs of the community."
- Stephanie, University of South Carolina
The program is based at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG), one of the leading universities of Mexico. UAG was founded as Mexico's first private university over 70 years ago and has been a pioneer in service-learning. You take three required courses for a total of 8-12 credits (8 credits if you complete one module of Spanish, or 12 credits if you complete two). A transcript is issued by UAG upon successful completion of the program.
Students are given a language examination for placement in one of eight levels, from beginning to advanced. Each level is taught in intensive 4-week modules, each module equating with a U.S. semester at that level. Summer students may move through 1-2 modules, each of which carries 4 credits.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 4-8 (4 per module) | More Course InformationIntroduces students to the cultural, economic, and political aspects of present-day Mexican society. An overview of Mexican history and analysis of contemporary social and governmental structures and issues provide a foundation for students to understand the realities of their daily experiences and service agency work.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 2 | More Course InformationA guided group tutorial for IPSL students intended to lend structure and direction to the process of orientation and basic acculturation into Mexican society and its social processes. Students keep a literary-style journal, using the IPSL textbook Charting a Hero’s Journey, in which they reflect upon their own experience.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 2 | More Course Information