Hope College | Department of Modern and Classical Languages

Querétaro, semester abroad program

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Introduce students, through an interdisciplinary curriculum, excursions, activities and a service component, to Mexican life and culture.

2. Allow students to gain knowledge of Mexico's rich indigenous and Spanish history.

3. Discover both traditional Mexico and its contemporary political, economic, social and cultural challenges.

4. Develop Spanish language skills with an emphasis on intercultural communicative competence, oral expression and listening comprehension.

5. Provide students with multiple opportunities to interact sensitively and responsibly with the people of Mexico and to enhance their intercultural skills through participation in homestays, Mexican cultural, social and recreational activities, and interactions with students of the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro.

6. Introduce students to some of the pressing needs of contemporary Mexican society and provide them with the opportunity to participate in social service projects, which attempt to address these issues.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• On-site orientation led by Hope faculty member.
• Earn 16 semester hours.
• Take specially arranged courses (see listing).
• Earn credit toward core, a Spanish minor.*
• Live with a Mexican family.
• Participate in a service learning project.
• Pay regular Hope College tuition, room, board and activity. This includes round-trip airfare to Mexico, travel to Querétaro and program excursions.
• Program travels to Sierra Gorda, Mexico City, Teotihuacán and Oaxaca.
• 12 of the hours from this program can be counted toward a Spanish major or minor. Spanish 222 is a required course and Spanish 295 (4 hrs) will count as one elective option.

COURSES OFFERED

• Spanish 295 Life and Culture of Mexico
(4 credit hours - may be used to fulfill a social science core requirement or Cultural Heritage II; also meets Hope’s cultural diversity requirement and it counts as the elective course for a minor/major in Spanish).
An interdisciplinary course in English and Spanish with required readings, lectures, discussions, three educational/cultural field excursions. Topics include history, culture and civilization of Mexico from pre-Hispanic to current times. Political, social, economic and religious institutions and historical background will be used to examine issues facing contemporary Mexico.

• Sociology 295: Field Experience/Placement
(2 credit hours - will fulfill the Social Science II requirement in the General Education program, see Hope Catalog, p. 99-100)
All students have a field experience placement in Querétaro, which, following periods of observation, reading and interviews, will result in an ethnographic study paper. Students are given the opportunity to develop their own topic or request a particular type of placement. Final approval rests with the Program Coordinator in Querétaro and Prof. André from the Modern Language Dept. Students develop their topic as part of the required on-campus orientation program conducted at Hope prior departure. Past topics have included: issues of water in Querétaro, traditional holidays and celebration, the role of indigenous artisans, traditional medical practices, pilgrimage in religious practice, and placement within a bilingual school or a local business.

SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES

Spanish 222 Spanish IV
(4 credit hours)
An intensive, intermediate level Spanish language course. Particular emphasis will be given to intercultural, communicative competent, oral expression and listening comprehension.

Spanish 280 Practicum in Spanish with Composition
(4 credit hours)
A course designed to develop aural and oral competency in Spanish with a special emphasis on writing in Spanish.*

Spanish 280 Practicum in Spanish with Conversation
(4 credit hours)
A course designed to develop aural and oral competency in Spanish.**

* Students entering the program with Spanish III credit are expected to take this course. Upon return to Hope College they may take an exam, which if passed with an 80/100 average, may allow them to waive Spanish V and enroll in Spanish VI. Not all students may qualify to do this.

** Students who enter the program having completed only Sp. II, are expected to take this course. Upon return to Hope College they will enroll in Sp. V.

REQUIRED LANGUAGE PREPARATION

The majority of students completing the program have successfully completed Spanish 221 (Sp. III).

Students with only Spanish 122 (Sp. II ), and with the strong recommendation of Spanish section faculty will also be considered.

For more information consult Prof. María Claudia André at andre@hope.edu or ext. 7911.