Mexico: Cultural Competence in Human Services

Eligibility

This course is intended for undergraduate and graduate students planning a future career as a human services professional. Priority will be given to those applicants. However, interested students from a wide variety of backgrounds and interests are welcome to apply. Students should have an interest in Mexico and strong desire to study and explore Mexican culture. Preference will be given to students in Family Science with a 3.0 GPA or higher, but students from other majors may also be admitted. Students must be adaptable and sensitive to differences as well as cognizant of representing an American university as ambassadors of cultural exchange.

This course is extremely intensive because it has twice the class time and twice the homework of a 3-credit Winter Term program. Students must be highly motivated and prepared to meet the demands of a challenging but uniquely rewarding experience.

Course Expectations

The objectives of the course are to:

• Develop an understanding of family and community life in Mexico
• Learn about human service systems, folk beliefs, and indigenous healing in Mexico
• Develop cultural competence and effective tools for cross-cultural communication with Mexican clients, including basic proficiency in Spanish.

To realize these objectives, this three-week program will include:

• Excursions to local and regional sites of historic, cultural, or ecological significance and visits to government and non-profit organizations. For example, we will visit a program for street children, an organization that educates rural communities about the medical and nutritional value of local herbs, a cultural history museum, and a regional market.
• Intensive instruction in Spanish through Solexico Language and Cultural Center
• Daily lectures and discussions
• Daily structured experiential thinking, and writing assignments

Credits

Accepted undergraduate and graduate students will earn 6 Maryland resident credits for  FMSC 498C / 698C and 498L / 698L, Human Services for Latino Clients. FMSC 498C/698C is approved for CORE diversity credit.