Program Overview
Communication, Film and Media majors will explore social change in Mexico, by examining migration and human rights. Through hearing stories from those traditionally marginalized by society such as migrants, deportees, immigrant returnees from the U.S. and Canada, indigenous people, women, LGBTQ people, and low-income people, participants will engage deeply with critical issues facing the U.S. and Mexico and will learn to look through the intersectional lenses of people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Learn more and apply to this program
Highlights
- Learn about the intersection of media and social change happening in modern-day Mexico, and how different communities lift up their message to share their stories with rest of the world.
- Frequent guest speakers, excursions, and hands-on active learning to immerse you in the community and culture. Examples of visits for communications majors include: a radio station in an indigenous community, local newspaper in Cuernavaca, and the communications department at a Mexican university.
- Participate on a program run by an organization dedicated to social justice, which uplifts the voices of underrepresented and marginalized peoples in all programs.
- Homestays with welcoming and friendly folks in Cuernavaca. Housing requests for gay and lesbian-friendly, sober/dry homestays, and vegetarian-friendly are all available!
Courses & Internships
Your coursework is in English, all levels of Spanish speakers are welcome, from beginner to bilingual!
(We recommend a base level of one-semester of college level Spanish prior to the start of the program, but it is not required). Students will choose 4-5 courses:
Required Courses:
- Intercultural Communication (Communication 329)* - 4 credits
- *Other options may be available if you have already completed this course
Elective Options in Communication Discipline:
- ?Communication for Social Change (Communication 490) - 4 credits
- Diversity and Representation in the Media (Communication 415/WST 481) - 4 credits
- Mexican Cinema: Past and Present (Film 251) - 4 credits
- Multimedia Communication (Communication 328) - 4 credits
Additional Elective Options in Other Disciplines:
- (Im)Migration, Gender & Social Change (POL 357/WST 352) - 4 credits
- Undocumented, Ecofeminist & Queer: Contemporary Latin American Liberation Theologies (RLN 344/WST 324) - 4 credits
- Choose from 16 Spanish language courses, with beginning to advanced options and including specialized courses such as Spanish for Heritage Speakers, Business Spanish, and Spanish for Healthcare Professionals
Student Life
The Augsburg CGEE Study Center in Mexico, nicknamed
"Casa Augsburg," is a 15-minute walk from downtown Cuernavaca and the main city plaza, in the neighborhood of San Antón. CGEE is well established in San Antón and has many friends and close connections in the neighborhood, including many of the homestay families.
Casa Augsburg is located at the top of one of the large ravines that runs through the city, offering a dramatic view from the nearby bridge that leads to downtown. Because of the ravine, there is a 100-foot waterfall right in the neighborhood, a local eco-tourist attraction. Right across the bridge, students will find a large public garden/park, an independent movie theater, the Cathedral, and several popular cafés.
This program includes regional travel (included in the program fee). Weekend excursions includes locations such as: Puebla, Teotihuacan, Toluca, a volcano, and a natural water park. Seminars and homestays in rural Indigenous communities, and a short seminar in Mexico City are also included.
Why This Program?
This program is perfect for students looking to enter the fields of journalism, media or film studies, and anyone who has an interest in storytelling about migration and social change.
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