Merida, Mexico
Public Health in the Yucat谩n鈥擲ummer
Program Overview
BROADEN YOUR LENS WITH UNIQUE, FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCES IN MEXICO AND CUBA
Take your interest in community health to the beautiful Yucat谩n Peninsula. Explore the issues that shape health policy and health care in Mexico through unique academics and immersive visits to health care delivery centers. Plus, gain additional perspective into state-run, universal health care for a diverse population with a rare, five-day excursion to Cuba. 听
Throughout your stay, homestays, meetups with local university students, and a banquet of curated activities and day trips that highlight local culture鈥攆rom ancient Maya treasures to Yucat谩n鈥檚 natural wonders鈥攕park cultural understanding.听听
We offer this program in partnership with Brandeis University. Please apply through , not the 91制片厂 Student Portal.
Details at a Glance
Application deadline
Minimum GPA
3.00
Credit load
8
Housing
Single Room Option, Homestay
Instruction language
English
Language prerequisites
None
Visa required?
Not in most cases. Learn More.
Academics
Classes are taught exclusively to students in this program by local instructors. Academic learning includes three to five visits to local hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private practices, and the like for interactive experiences with health care practitioners that provide insights into public health issues and health policy in the Yucat谩n.
An increase in diversity presents Yucat谩n healthcare providers with many new challenges to respond effectively to patient wellbeing. Gain an overview of healthcare in the Yucat谩n and examine the public and private healthcare systems in Mexico, including the use of mainstream and traditional approaches in urban and rural settings. Through numerous field visits, consider local prevailing health issues such as cervical cancer, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, and deepen intercultural agility as you explore how patient expectations and understandings of personal health differ in this cultural context. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)听
Build an introductory knowledge of how public health is addressed in Latin America, including how the system is organized and main indicators that drive public policy. Explore social and economic determinants of health, principal issues in Latin American context, and how different systems across countries address them. Learn about differences between Latin American and U.S. systems, social medicine and its contributions, the roles of the state, private sector, NGOs, and international organizations, and how studying Latin American systems can boost global comprehension of public health. (3 U.S. semester credit hours)听
Essential Spanish.听
Six hours of lessons provide opportunities to learn key words and phrases in an informal setting.听听听
Connecting with local university students.听
Meet peers that will help introduce you to 惭茅谤颈诲补 and invite you to participate in cultural activities. 听
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS听
Eligibility听
- Must be at least 18 years of age. Those under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.听
- Must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.听
- Must have completed at least one (1) full-time year of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.听听
- GPA: 3.0
TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, Brandeis will send an official Brandeis University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your Brandeis Study Abroad Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost.
Excursions
Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There鈥檚 no extra fee to participate in these optional outings鈥攅verything is included in your program fee.听
Below are a selection of activities and excursions; options may vary for your program.听听
Activities听
- City-as-Text activity: Get to know 惭茅谤颈诲补鈥檚 beautiful downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. Learn both the legendary history of the city and the region as well as the impact of contemporary social processes like gentrification and touristification.听听
- Guided walking tour of historic downtown. A fun way to get the historical context you鈥檒l need for your classwork. Highlights include the Governor鈥檚 Palace, House of Montejo, and the 惭茅谤颈诲补 Cathedral, one of the oldest in Mexico.听听听
- Bus tour of 惭茅谤颈诲补. Learn about the city鈥檚 main features, history, and important landmarks from an experienced local guide.听听
- Museum of the Mayan World. During this visit, you鈥檒l learn about the history, culture, and identity of the Maya, from pre-Hispanic times through modern day鈥攊deal preparation for our day trips!听听
- Biciruta. Explore the iconic Paseo de Montejo鈥攖he city鈥檚 main avenue鈥攚ith beautiful green spaces and impressive architecture.听听
- Salsa lesson. Learn how to connect movement with distinctive Caribbean rhythms that reflect years of fusion and cultural history.听听
- Chich茅n Itz谩 day trip.听Explore the remnants of an ancient Maya听city, where as many as 35,000 once lived.听Visit a nearby听cenote听(swimming hole) and learn to cook a delicious Yucatecan meal.
- Uxmal day trip.听Travel back in time听to this famed World Heritage site to explore the impressive pyramid, palace, and roadways of this ancient Maya听city.
Excursions听听
Public health in Mexico City.听This six-day/five night听excursion to Mexico鈥檚 capital city听gives you an urban听perspective on public health听and society听in听this country. Expect a mix of academic, cultural, and听experiential learning, that could include the following:
- Visit a government-run clinic听that provides HIV prevention, treatment, and sexual health services to vulnerable populations to see how public health services and outreach work in Mexico.
- Take an ecological tour in Xochimilco听to听learn about听Indigenous听traditional floating garden systems (chinampas) and their sustainability practices.
- Learn from听public health experts听on topics such as听urban health challenges, policy, and healthcare delivery in the capital and the country.
- Visit听Facultad听de Medicina at UNAM.听Includes听discussions with medical students and faculty.
- Tour the听UNAM Central Campus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,听with a guide who will听highlight its cultural and academic significance.
- Deepen听cultural听understanding听with听visits听to听landmarks听such听as听Castillo de Chapultepec, Palacio de Bellas Artes,听Museo Nacional de听Antropolog铆a,听Coyoac谩n, and La Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo Museum).
Housing and Meals
Housing
Single Room Option, HomestayDetails
Students live with local families in what鈥檚 known as a homestay. Homestays make it easy to immerse yourself in the region鈥檚 rich culture. They also provide many opportunities to build your Spanish language skills.听
Homestays:听
In 惭茅谤颈诲补, we place students with carefully screened families, many of whom have been hosting 91制片厂 students for nearly 20 years. Many have grown children who have left home and enjoy having young people around. Families host up to two 91制片厂 students at a time.听听听
You might live with a retired couple and their beloved terrier, with frequent visits from their young grandchildren. Your hosts might have high school-age children and a grandparent living with them. Or you might join a single mom who shares her home with her adult daughter and grandson, with another adult child living nearby.听听听
- Location. Host families live throughout the city. You might live close to downtown within easy walking distance to the 91制片厂 Program Center鈥攐r 45鈥�60 minutes away via public transportation (that鈥檚 just 15 minutes away via Uber).听
- Living space. Each student has their own bedroom. Bathrooms are sometimes private but could be shared with other family members. Your hosts provide a desk or other suitable place to study.听听听
- Meals. Three meals a day included. Your homestay family understands that you also need time out to be with friends and explore鈥攖hey鈥檒l appreciate a heads-up when you plan to eat out. Students buy their own snacks.听听听听
- Language. Few families are fluent in English, but most can communicate. We do our best to place students without Spanish skills with English-speaking families.听听
- Other details. Internet included. Air conditioning is limited to eight hours at night, so expect to adjust to heat and humidity in this tropical environment. Most homes have a washing machine that students can use once a week. In some cases, the family offers to do the laundry. If the family does not have a washing machine, they will take the student once a week to the laundromat.听听
- Nearby. Cafes, restaurants, malls, and public transportation.听
Dates and Fees
Get Started
Selena Rincon
Senior Enrollment Counselor