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Modern Languages at UL Lafayette
H I S P A N I C S T U D I E S
Study Abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico (UAG)
The Program | The City |
The University |
Courses and Curricula |
Credit and Grades | Housing |
Expenses |
Applications
| Handbook [.pdf] |
Scholarship Application [.pdf]
The Program
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
and the Universidad Autónoma de
Guadalajara (UAG) have a broad agreement
that provides for cooperation between the
two institutions at many levels. At
present, the agreement provides three
exciting benefits to UL Lafayette
students:
1. UL Lafayette students may
study at UAG for UL Lafayette credit,
2. UL Lafayette financial aid is applicable
to study at UAG during the academic year,
and
3. One fee waiver per term is granted to a
UL Lafayette student for study at UAG. The
waiver is granted on a competitive basis
and is available in the fall and spring
semesters (not in summer session).
UL Lafayette
students who study at UAG may enroll in
regular courses, and they may also study
Spanish at UAG's Centro Internacional de
Idiomas (CII), where they become fluent in
Spanish and learn about Mexican history,
literature, and culture. Credit earned at
CII and UAG is transferrable to UL
Lafayette, with students receiving possible
grades of S (satisfactory) or U
(unsatisfactory). Students typically earn
3-6 units of credit during the summer term,
and 12-15 units during the regular
semester.
The City
Guadalajara (population 5,000,000) is the
second largest city in Mexico, and offers
many opportunities for entertainment and
cultural life. There is a large colonial
center, with fine buildings, squares, and
walkways, surrounded by the modern city.
The picturesque towns in the nearby
countryside are good centers for arts and
crafts, and hold seasonal festivals.
Reliable and inexpensive means of public
transportation make Mexico City and the
other towns of central Mexico
(Querétaro, Guanajuato, León,
Morelia) accessible on weekends.
The Vive Guadalajara site, maintained by
the municipal government, gives detailed
information on the city and its environs in
English and Spanish, with photographs and
maps.
The University
Founded in 1935, the prestigious
Universidad
Autónoma de Guadalajara is
recognized throughout Mexico and the world.
Offering a full range of undergraduate,
graduate and professional degree programs,
UAG also has an extensive library, modern
facilities, and a highly qualified faculty.
The student population is about 15,000, of
whom 85% are Mexican and 15% are
international students.
Courses and Curricula
UL Lafayette
students who are already proficient in
Spanish may take courses in regular
curriculum at UAG. This is the most genuine
study abroad experience you can have, since
your classmates will be regular UAG
students, not foreigners learning Spanish
as a second language.
Most UL
Lafayette students, however, enroll in the
program in Spanish and Culture at UAG's
Centro Internacional de Idiomas (CII),
where they receive language instruction
based on cultural content. The
CII page provides an updated calendar as
well as detailed descriptions of the
courses offered. After an initial placement
examination, students are assigned to
courses on one of eight levels, which range
from absolute beginning to fluent. Students
who place in levels 6-8 may enroll in one
or more regular UAG courses in addition to
the CII program. Students who place above
level 8 take only regular UAG courses.
Credit and Grades
Credit is transferable to UL Lafayette as
long as the courses taken at UAG and CII do
not correspond to courses already taken.
Because UAG is a foreign university, UL
Lafayette awards credit
but not letter grades for
work completed there.
Students in the summer program usually complete 5-6 units
of UL Lafayette credit. Students in the
semester or year long programs usually
complete 12-15 units of UL Lafayette credit
per semester. While it is possible to
complete as many or nearly as many units as
they would at UL Lafayette, some students
elect to take a lighter course load while
studying abroad.
Equivalence with UL Lafayette courses is established according to the
following guidelines. Since precise content varies both at UAG and
ULL, this table serves as a guide, not as a set of fixed rules. Students should bring their
syllabi, exams, and papers home with them
to facilitate the process of establishing
equivalence.
Level 1 = Spanish 101
Level 2 = Spanish 102 and 201*
Level 3 = Spanish 203
Level 4 = Spanish 302 or 310
Level 5 = Spanish 302, 310, 320, 361, or 362
Level 6 = Spanish 302, 310, 320, 361, or 362
Level 7 = Spanish 302, 310, 320, 361, or 362
Level 8 = Spanish 302 or 402
[*Yes, that's a lot, but UL
students who have had 201 here usually place in level 3 at UAG, and
students who have had 203 here tend to place in level 4 there.]
Additional or alternative credit for Spanish 216 (2
credits) may also be awarded to students who complete UAG courses at
levels 1-4, and for 317 (2 credits) to
students who complete UAG courses at levels 4-8. Students who enroll
in regular courses at UAG (outside the CII) may receive credit at
higher levels, or in other disciplines.
Housing
Room and board with a Mexican
family may be arranged through the CII for
approximately $100 per week. Most summer
students choose this option. Semester and
academic year students may choose to
arrange their own housing. Dormitory
accomodations are scarce, but room and
board situations are easily found. It is
also possible to rent furnished
apartments.
Expenses
Tuition, paid in Guadalajara, is $550 for
the one-month summer program, and $1400 per
semester during the academic year.
Round-trip air transportation is
approximately $650 (depending on the
season). Other expenses will include books,
personal expenses, weekend tourism,
leisure, and shopping. These expenses will
vary somewhat with individual tastes. A
typical figure is about $100 per week. It
is possible to spend much less, but we
advise planning on at least $100 per week
so that you will be able to travel and take
advantage of cultural opportunities while
in Mexico.
The total cost of the summer program,
including transportation, tuition, room and
board, and other expenses, is about
$2000.
The total cost of the semester program (16
weeks), including transportation, tuition,
room and board arranged through UAG, and
other expenses, is approximately
$5300.
Applications
To apply, please submit a letter
of intent, addressed to the Committee on
Spanish Scholarships and Exchanges, and a
complete transcript to Regina LaBiche,
secretary of the Department of Modern
Languages (hand deliver to her in 453
Griffin Hall, or mail to her at Modern
Languages, P.O. Box 43331, University of
Louisiana, Lafayette, LA 70504).
Approximate deadlines are March 15 for the
summer and fall semester programs and
October 25 for the spring semester program.
In your letter, please discuss your
preparation in Spanish and your reasons for
wishing to study in Mexico. If you are
applying for the tuition waiver, indicate
this and explain why you are a strong
candidate for this award, on the basis of
academic preparation, future plans,
specific interest in Mexico, and financial
need (if applicable).
There are no specific prerequisites for the
program, but completion of one year of
college level Spanish is strongly advised.
Students who take History 351 or 352
(History of Latin America) prior to
participating in the program will find the
adjustment to life in Mexico easier, and
will be better prepared to make the most of
their time there.
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