International Summer Institutes

Cancelled 2009

MSU Faculty Led Short-Term Study Abroad Institutes Global Education Center Montclair State University 22 Normal Avenue Upper Montclair, NJ 07043

Tel: 973 655-4185 Fax: 973 655-7654 simonw@mail.montclair.edu

Montclair in Guadalajara
Mexican Culture and Spanish Language
July 12 – August 9, 2009

Program Overview Guadalajara, often described as the “most Mexican of Mexican cities,” is located in the mountainous western state of Jalisco. Guadalajara is Mexico’s second largest city and a vibrant center of contemporary arts and commerce. Known for its spring-like climate, its historic colonial center, impressive Orozco murals, and as the birthplace of world famous Mariachi music, Guadalajara is an excellent base for examining contemporary Mexico. The program includes faculty-led excursions to the market places and art centers of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá, and an historic Tequila hacienda and manufacturing center in the Jalisco countryside, and a weekend in the historic and beautiful city of Guanajuato. The last week of the program will move to the regional capital city of Patzcuaro and then to Mexico City, where Spanish colonial and ancient Amerindian traditions intersect. This expansive city of 20 million and over a mile high is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the ancient Aztec capital. Reminders of past civilization pervade the city, particularly at the Templo Mayor excavation and Anthropological Museum at Chapultepec Park. Participants will also visit the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan, the Franciscan missions and view the murals of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul. As the capital, it is the seat of government and the center of commerce, finance and the arts; in addition to being the largest city in the world. A business focus group will also visit corporations and meet with government officials in both Guadalajara and Mexico City, supplementing course objectives by providing students a first-hand exposure to Latin American business practices, market opportunities, cultural conventions, and performance expectations.

Accommodations
Montclair in Guadalajara is hosted by UNIVA (www.univa.mx), a private university with modern campuses in safe, residential neighborhoods of Guadalajara. Students will reside with carefully selected local families, (two students per family) allowing them to experience the warmth and vitality of Mexican culture. Students receive housing and all meals from families. Homes are within walking distance to campus.

Faculty
Dr. Katherine McCaffrey is a Professor in the Anthropology Department at Montclair State University and is on the Steering Committee of the Latin American and Latino Studies Program. She received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the City University of New York. She has lived and traveled extensively in Latin America, mainly in Puerto Rico and Mexico. Her research focuses on the rapid social and economic transformation of the island of Vieques from a rural sugar cane producer into a military theater of war, the vicissitudes of protest, and the ways Puerto Rico’s colonial status has shaped the conflict. She also examines Vieques in relationship to other base communities, as part of a broader interest in the military’s impact on and relationship with civil society.

Dr. Luis San Vicente Portes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of International Business at Montclair State University. He earned his bachelor's degree in Economics from the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM), and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University. He has worked as a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank, as an advisor for non-tax revenue for the Mexican Ministry of Finance, and as an advisor for regulatory policy for Pemex, Mexico's state owned oil company. His research focuses on macroeconomics and international economics. Using computational techniques, he takes a theoretical approach in the study of business cycles, international trade and inequality.

Spanish language courses are taught by UNIVA faculty with extensive training in teaching Spanish as a second language.

 

Academics
In addition to the Non-Western Perspectives requirement, all study abroad programs fulfill GNED 303: Global Issues (one of the Contemporary Issues "Core" courses in GenEd 2002).

All participants will register for
Cultures of Latin America (ANTH 150)
This course, which fulfills MSU’s Social Science Non-Western Cultural Perspectives General Education requirement, will survey the earliest evidence of human occupation of Middle and South America, the diverse origins of food production, intellectual achievements, political organizations, material contributions to world culture and aspects of early European contact and conquest.
Participants select one of the following as a second course.

Economic Relations in Latin America (INBS 352)
In the context of the existing trade relations in the Latin American region, this course provides a thorough understanding of what do the Latin American countries trade,  with whom do they trade and what factors inspired such trade patterns.  It helps students develop valuable insight on the political economy of trade and investment that influences businesses in the Latin American region, enabling consideration of the challenges and implications of extending the trade relations further beyond the Latin American region.  Finally, the course offers students the opportunity to apply and evaluate their analytical insights by integrating classroom learning with Mexican corporate visits and meetings with Mexican business and government officials. The course provides opportunities for critical examination of economic, financial, technological and political issues facing businesses in Latin American economic blocs, and an authentic introduction to Latin America’s broader economic challenges including debt reduction, capital market reform, and currency flexibility. Prerequisites: INBS 346 or LALS 201.

Beginning and Intermediate Spanish Language (SPAN 101, 102, 103, 104)
Studying Spanish in Mexico allows the language to come alive in a way that is not possible in a US institutional setting. Small classes with individualized attention provide students with the foundation to speak Spanish in everyday experiences—in the market places, in casual conversation with friends, with host families over meals. Students take a placement test to match them to an appropriate level class. In addition, students are assigned a language partner, a student or faculty member at UNIVA, with whom the student can further develop Spanish conversational skills.

Spanish Composition and Stylistics (SPAN 242)
This course is designed to improve the students' mastery of the language through written and oral exercises accompanied by a review of advanced grammar. Prerequisite: SPAN 241

Capstone Course in Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS 401)
Intensive reading, field work and research that focuses on a specific area of Latin American and Latino Studies. Prerequisite: LALS 201

 

Tentative Program Costs:
Approximately $2,600 plus tuition and fees for six credits. The program cost includes:

• Roundtrip airfare
• Homestay with meals in Guadalajara
• Double occupancy hotels in Guanajuato and Patzcuaro
• 6 nights double room in hotel in Mexico City
• All local transfers in Mexico
• Local excursions and entrance fees

Application procedure and payment schedule:
All participants are required to have
1) a minimum GPA of 2.75;
2) an interview with one or both of the faculty leading that program;
3) a reference form completed by a faculty member other than the faculty
leading that program; and
4) the $100 non-refundable application fee.
Summer programs are open to non-MSU students and high achieving high school seniors who demonstrate special interest. Non-MSU students, new transfer students and high school seniors will need to submit two references forms plus an official transcript from their home institution(s).

Pre-Enrollment form and Application packet,

Space Still Available

Once accepted into the program, the payment schedule for program costs is as follows:

Tentative Payment Schedule:
Non-Refundable Application fee:       $ 100
By February 15, 2009:                       $ 800
By March 15, 2009:                            $ 800
By April 15, 2009:                              $ 900
Make checks payable to “Montclair State University”
A limited number of partial scholarships are available for MSU students. Contact the Global Education Center for further information.

Non-MSU Students
Applicants should submit two reference forms and official transcript(s) from the home institution(s) plus the $100 non-MSU administrative fee and the $100 non-refundable deposit. Telephone interviews with the faculty will be accepted for out of state students. After completion of the program, non-MSU students will need to request an MSU transcript for submission to the home institution.

 

For Further Information:
Contact the Global Education Center at 973-655-4185 or email simonW@mail.montclair.edu.
For further information about Anthropology courses contact Dr. McCaffrey at 973-655-7560 or mccaffreyk@mail.montclair.edu.
For further information about the Business courses contact Dr. Portes at 973-655-2126 or portesl@mail.montclair.edu