Washington & Jefferson College

Fact Sheet:

Host City:Guanajuato, Mexico

Located 234 miles northwest of Mexico City, Guanajuato is the capital of the State of Guanajuato and a college town with colonial charm. A beautiful example of Spanish colonial architecture, Guanajuato is known for its climate, scenery, cobblestone streets, and picturesque churches and plazas. The city is easily reached by highways from all points, or by plane to Guanajuato International Airport del Bajio (20 minutes away from the city). Guanajuato is approximately 4 hours away by car or bus from Mexico City.

Institution:

Universidad de Guanajuato is nestled in the mountains of the capital city of the state of Guanajuato. The city of Guanajuato is relatively small and most of the city's life is centered on the university. The university considers the entire city its campus because its buildings are spread all over town. The School of Philosophy, History and Literature is housed in the former Convent of Valenciana. In 1988, Guanajuato was declared a Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO because of its historic monuments and its varied cultural ambiance, which attracts many visitors and tourists as well as students, enriching the multicultural identity of the city.

U of GuanajuatoUniversidad de Guanajuato, with a tradition of more than 260 years in public education, has distinguished itself for its quality of teaching. The university's main campus is located in Guanajuato and its satellite campuses and schools are in the cities of Leon, Irapuato, Celaya and Salamanca, where the Schools of Medicine and Psychology, Agricultural Sciences, Business Management, and Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic Engineering are located.

Sports facilities are spread over the campus and the city. The university takes pride in its Symphonic Orchestra and many other varied musical groups. The university also participates in the famous International Cervantes Festival that annually invites artists from more than 30 countries in the areas of music, theater, dance, opera, cinema, art and exhibitions.

Program in Brief:

This program offers students in any major with Spanish fluency to experience the wonderful culture that is Mexico through its people, history and most importantly, its native language. The University of Guanajuato was founded in 1732 by the Society of Jesuits. Its Language School currently has 2,000 students over 9 different languages.

Academic Programs & Areas of Study:

During the year there are two semester courses, with 6 levels in Spanish. Students who would like to enter the semester program must a placement test. This test indicates the level at which they must register.
Courses

Natural and Exact Sciences- biology, biochemistry, chemical sciences, chemistry, computer sciences, mathematics, optics, pharmacy, physics, astrophysics, statistics

Engineering- agricultural, chemical, civil, electric, electronic & communications, environmental, food processing, geology, geomathics, hydraulics, mechanical, metallurgy, mining, physical

Health Sciences- medicine, nursing, psychology

Economic-Administrative Sciences- accounting, business management, economics, finance, human resource management, industrial relations, international commerce, management information systems, marketing, quality & productivity management, tourism management

Humanities and Social Sciences- education, educational administration, history, law, literature, philosophy, public management

Arts- architecture, design, graphics, music, painting, photography, printing lithograph, sculpture, site restoration

Languages- English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish

Academic Notes

Class attendance is required in order to receive credit. Tests and a final examination determine the final grade. Seven (7) is the minimum passing grade. Pre Hispanic, Mexican and Latin American culture and literature courses are offered for international students. Some undergraduate courses include short internships and practicums.

Housing & Meals:

Students live with Mexican families where Spanish is the sole language of communication. Homestays prove to be an excellent way to expose students to the language. Participating students will be provided with three meals a day in a warm family atmosphere.