Questions? (212) 986-0989
"It is one thing to study abroad, learn about a culture and see the sights. It is quite another thing to go beyond the temporary, visiting tourist status and collaborate with a community that will receive you as one of their own."
- David, now working as the Assessment Coordinator for 9/11 Recovery at the American Red Cross in New York
During the fall semester, you will be immersed in the culture at many different levels. The academic studies, service placements, and homestays are designed to provide a complex intercultural experience. Courses are taught by local professors in the style and custom of their university system, allowing you to experience how an educational system both reflects and shapes a culture. Students are encouraged to challenge critically their own assumptions regarding academics, family, work, and culture.
There are five required courses, plus the "Reflection on Service-Learning" course, which starts during orientation and continues throughout the year. You engage in studies that integrate your classes, research, and learning from your service experience.
Social and Cultural History of Jamaica/Mexico
Includes study of the family, work, cultural values, and structure of the community.
Contemporary Conditions of Jamaica/Mexico
Includes study of demographics, health, education, employment, and economic organization.
Cultural Context through Language and Literature
Considers issues of the society as revealed through the nation's literature.
Case Study in Addressing a Community Need
Requires you to study the agency where you are serving, analyzing its development in response to community needs.
Research Methods and Writing
Prepares you for the preparation of the Master's thesis/dissertation. Simultaneously, you begin work on your thesis, identifying a community problem that you will address, and completing background research under the supervision of a tutor/advisor.
You will be placed in an established service agency in the community, serving under professional direction for approximately 15–20 hours per week during the semester. Placements are based on your interests and skills as well as on the needs of the community. Areas of service include education, health care and community development. Students have served with international organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the International Red Cross, as well as with smaller, local organizations such as the YMCA, educational institutions, prisoner rehabilitation initiatives, and homes for young single mothers. The service may be direct human care such as assisting orphans or the disabled, or it might draw upon and develop your organizational skills, such as designing educational programs for children or assisting in the development, implementation, or running of social service programs of all kinds.
In Jamaica or Mexico, you live in a homestay with a local family, who introduces you to family life in the culture and provides some of your daily meals. An integral part of the program, the homestay offers you the opportunity to make life-long friends, reinforce language skills, and experience the culture from "the inside."
