MAJ09439 Mexico

Mexico is a large, rapidly developing country with a fascinating history and tremendous regional variety of geography and culture. Pre-colonial civilisations, conquest, Spanish settlement and popular revolution have all left a big mark on contemporary society. Indian and mestizo populations retain strong native traditions. Mexico has outstanding architecture, art and design, cuisine and popular music. Being located between the United States and Latin America also gives the country special characteristics and helps to shape national consciousness. The migration of Mexican workers, the establishment of border industries, and the NAFTA trade agreement testify to Mexico's close and often difficult relationship with the United States and with the processes of globalisation. The country has recently made an historic transition to genuine multi-party democracy.

Students spend two consecutive semesters studying social science or culture and humanities subjects at an institution of higher education in Mexico through arrangements made by UTS: International Studies. The focus of study varies in each semester depending on individual student preferences and the availability of subjects at host institutions. Students are assessed on each semester separately and assessment is based on the subjects undertaken at the host institutions, as well as project work administered by UTS: International Studies.

Students may expect that no greater costs will be incurred through undertaking a period of in-country study in Mexico than are involved in living away from home in Sydney.

Locations
Mexico City, Mexico

The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) was founded in 1910 and has approximately 275,000 students. It is public, secular and pluralist. It is Mexico's premiere university and is ranked the No. 1 university in the Spanish-speaking world. It was created in the wake of the Mexican Revolution as the jewel in its crown and was intended to extend higher education to a greater proportion of Mexicans. It currently houses 70 per cent of all research academics in the country. Its main campus is located in the south of the city in Ciudad Universitaria (University City), which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. It boasts murals by some of Mexico's most famous artists. There are undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in the faculties of Architecture, Economics, Law, Engineering, Philosophy and Letters, Accounting and Administration, Science, Political and Social Sciences, Medicine, Odontology, Psychology, Chemistry, Veterinary Science, Zoology, as well as schools of art, music, nursing and obstetrics, music, and social work. The university has a lively cultural and sporting life including its own national football team. The Centro de Estudios para Extranjeros (CEPE — Centre for Foreign Students) provides professional Spanish language and culture support classes for visiting students.

Guadalajara, Jalisco

Guadalajara, Mexico's pearl of the west, is incredibly diverse and stately with amazing qualities, both modern and historic, that embrace all who visit. It is considered the most Mexican of Mexico's big cities. As the second largest city in Mexico, Guadalajara is a busy metropolis and a major Mexican business centre. Although this city moves at a busy pace, things here have a way of seeming to always remain serene. Guadalajara is a city of monuments, parks and flowers, fountains and tree-lined avenues, whose history dates to the 16th century. The Guadalajara area is known as the birthplace of the world famous Mariachi bands, the home of the Mexican hat dance and tequila. Guadalajara's month-long October festival attracts visitors from all over the world and performers from all over Mexico for a wide variety of music, cultural and artistic events and crafts exhibits.

Presently, students can choose to study at the Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG) (providing they have a minimum of Level 6 Spanish) or the Guadalajara campus of the Tec de Monterrey. Subjects offered to UTS students at the Universidad de Guadalajara are within the Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences (Centro Universitario de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades (CUCSH).

CUCSH is sub-divided into Cultural Studies, Studies in State and Society, Political and Social Studies, History and Humanities, and Juridical Studies. Students can take classes in law, literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology, geography, journalism, etc. Students who wish to do in-country study at the Universidad de Guadalajara must have Level 6 Spanish competence. This site is available to UTS exchange students in general providing they have university-level Spanish.

At the Tec de Monterrey campus in Guadalajara, students have access to the same range of subjects as other Tec students, including engineering, architecture and design, communication studies, literature and culture.

This site is also available to UTS exchange students in general who have university-level Spanish. There are, however, a limited number of subjects available in English (culture and business).

Completion requirements