Mexico: Guadalajara Summer

The Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in Guadalajara

The Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara (UAG) was founded as Mexico's first private institution. UAG has six campuses in and around Guadalajara and currently enrolls 17,000 students. CCIS students take their classes on the main campus. The campus is located on the outskirts of the city in a park-like setting. Wireless access is available on the UAG campus. There is easy access to public transportation throughout Guadalajara.

Course Offerings

To supplement the regular four-week cycles, UAG offers two specialized short-term programs:

• Spanish and Culture Program: During the June – July session only, students may elect to take a three quarter credit literature course in Spanish, or one of six other courses (taught in English) on Mexican culture. These classes are taken in addition to the 4-week intensive Spanish language classes.  The courses are worth 2 semester/3 quarter credits each.
• Medical Spanish:  The Medical Spanish program is available to students during all 4-week cycles.  Both students and health professionals at all levels of Spanish can take the four-week language cycle as described above, but with the conversation component focusing on medical vocabulary and situations.  Open to all students, regardless of experience.  Offered with a minimum enrollment of five and a maximum of thirty.  Six quarter credits are granted for each Medical Spanish term.

Course descriptions available at:
http://www.cwu.edu/~studyabroad/north_america/mexico_uagsumprg.html

Academic Highlights

During the summer, the Centro Internacional de Idiomas (CII) at UAG offers eight levels of Spanish language.  Classes are taught in four-week cycles, and students can take one or multiple cycles as desired.  Classes are held for four hours each day (2 hours of grammar, 2 hours of conversation), for a total of 80 hours of instruction during the cycle.  Each level is offered with a minimum enrollment of 2 students and a maximum of 15.  Each cycle is worth 4 semester/6 quarter credits.

 

Student Life

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the Spanish speaking environment through extracurricular activities and personal contact with Mexicans.  During the academic year, students can participate in clubs, and the international office on site posts information on additional activities.  Students can also participate in an excursion to a location of historical or cultural significance during each 4-week course.

Housing

Students may stay with a host family or arrange their own housing.  The homestays offered by UAG are much like a boarding arrangement: students experience the culture of a Mexican home, but often live fairly independently of the family. Homestays cost USD $375 per month and include all meals.  Single occupancy homestays are available for USD $425 per month.  Homestays are arranged by UAG.

Alumni Feedback

"Studying abroad is the best decision I have ever made, I am so grateful I took advantage of this opportunity. This experience will stay with me for the rest of my life, I have learned so many new things I could never learn at home and made lifelong friends. Mexico is so incredible I extended my stay!"
- Margi Garrison, Central Washington University

"The program has been a life changing experience for me. I was only going to study for 8 weeks at the University but after the first 2 weeks I knew I wanted to stay and study longer because of the atmosphere and people. I have met life long friends, I have learned life long experiences, and I have recieved a good education. The culture is very diverse and I have enjoyed many aspects of the Mexican culture. The people are very friendly and welcoming, the food is wonderful, and the weather is awesome. The classes have been great because they are very small . I am very glad I made the decision to study in Guadalajara and look forward to coming back to visit or even study here again."
- Scott Alexander, Central Washington University

"I really like Guadalajara because the big-city life does not drown out the typical Mexican traditions. An added bonus is that there are several small municipalities and towns on the outskirts of the city where a large number of artisans make and sell their products. My favorite cultural experiences so far have been seeing mariachis perform in a variety of places and going to the Ballet Folcl—rico (Folkloric Ballet) that takes place every Sunday morning. By bus, the city is about 5 hours away from Puerto Vallarta, 3 1/2 hours away from Guanajuato, and 8 hours away from Mexico City, so there are many good opportunities for weekend trips that explore other parts of Mexico."
-Katie Giancola, Youngstown State University

 

Duration

Summer 2009

• May 18 - June 12
• June 15 - July 10 (Language & Culture)
• July 13 - August 7

Application Deadline(s)

March 20 for May Session

April 15 for June/July Sessions

Financial Aid

• Financial aid may be used to study abroad if the program has been approved for credit by the students' home institution. Students should contact their Financial Aid Office to learn more about the eligibility requirements for studying abroad.
• CCIS offers scholarships to students from CCIS Member Institutions. Students should contact their Study Abroad Advisor to learn more about the application procedures and deadlines.
• Additional scholarship opportunities may be found on the IIE Passport - Study Abroad Funding website.

Eligibility Requirements

Minimum GPA: 2.5

Sophomore (2nd year) class standing

Other Info: No previous knowledge of Spanish is required, but some prior study is recommended.
Good academic standing
No current disciplinary record
An interview may be required

Academic Levels

• Undergraduate

Costs

Summer program costs:

• $950 for 4-week session
• $1,125 for language and culture session

Costs Included

• UAG tuition and fees
• International health insurance
• CWU and CCIS administrative fees

Costs Not Included

Airfare ($600-$850), personal costs, room and board ($375 USD per month for shared room, $526 USD per month for single room), additional excursions, CWU application fee ($50), airport pickup fee ($20), homestay placement fee ($20)

All costs, fees, and dates are subject to change without notification. Please contact the appropriate individual to verify all costs, fees, and dates for this program.

Related Links

• Wikipedia Guadalajara, Jalisco

 

Application Instructions:

1. Complete the CCIS Application

To apply for the CCIS Guadalajara Summer Program, be sure to complete all of the following application requirements:

• CCIS Study Abroad Application
• Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara Application
• CWU Disciplinary Clearance Form
• $50 Non-Refundable CWU Study Abroad Application Fee (check, money order, or cashier's check made payable to Central Washington University)

2. Mail your application materials to Central Washington University

Once you have completed the CCIS Application, mail all of your application materials to:

Rebecca Garate, Study Abroad Advisor
Study Abroad & Exchange Programs
Central Washington University
400 East University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7407

E-mail: goabroad@cwu.edu
Tel: (509) 963-3623
Fax: (509) 963-1558
CWU Facebook Group for Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara

3. Secure your placement by paying the CWU Program Deposit

Upon acceptance, participants will be required to pay a $300 deposit within two weeks to secure their placement in the CCIS Guadalajara Summer Program. This deposit will then be deducted from the final program fee. Additional information about this requirement will be included in your acceptance packet from Central Washington University.

All costs, fees, and dates are subject to change without notification. Please contact the appropriate individual to verify all costs, fees, and dates for this program.