 Millsaps College (and its non-profit organization Kaxil Kiuic—www.kiuic.org) supports and
operates a 4000 acre tropical forest biocultural reserve in the heart of the Yucatan peninsula. The
Helen Moyers Biocultural Reserve with its incredible biological and archaeological resources
serves as a center for our Living In Yucatan Program, which offers courses in the study of
archaeology, business, ecology, education, geology, history, literature, and socio-cultural
anthropology. Courses alternate by year so check the guide for the 2006-07 offerings. Students
may return to Yucatan to take additional courses and may decide to participate in the ongoing
archaeological and natural science research going on at the Reserve.
The Southern Campus consists of an off-the-grid Research and Learning Center located within
the Reserve, a laboratory and research facility in the nearby Maya town of Oxkutzcab and the
new Center for Business and Culture, a dormitory-classroom facility in Merida developed by the
Else School of Management. While at Millsaps College take advantage of our Southern Campus
by taking a course in the Living in Yucatan Program and/or doing research or an internship in a
wide variety of fields at one of our facilities. Contact George Bey (beygj@millsaps.edu) if you
have any questions.
Courses for 2008
Beginning Spanish Immersion (6 credits)
Spanish 1050: Survival Spanish (2 credits, elective credit) You will spend nine days studying Survival Spanish with Millsaps professor Sarah Wamester on the Millsaps KIUIC Reserve and in the nearby city of Oxkutzkab, learning how to get around in Mexico and how to communicate with people in Spanish on a very basic level. You will learn how to greet people politely and express thanks, how to order food in a restaurant, and how to communicate with people in a home environment.
Spanish 1000: Beginning Spanish I (4 credits, counts toward the language requirement) You will enter a language immersion program in the city of Merida. For 3.5 weeks, you will live with a middle-class Mexican host family and take Beginning Spanish classes from native speakers. Average class size of 3-5 students insures high levels of personal interaction. During the course of your stay in Merida, you will have the option to visit nearby attractions such as Mayan ruins, natural caves, beaches, nature preserves and even a working ranch. You will truly be immersed in the language and culture of Mexico.
http://www.merida.gob.mx/turismo/ www.kiuic.org
- May 12 - June 25, 2008
- Cost: $4500 / 6 credit hours
- Sarah Wamester Bares, wamess@millsaps.edu
- Spanish 1000 may be combined with Math 1750, Art 2200; Art 3300; Biol 3210; MGMT 2000; EBUS 600; or STAD 2040; See Dr. Wamester Bares for details
- Medical Internship course available for advanced students
- Other levels of Spanish may be available for independent study, if combined with other courses (above) in Yucatán
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Searching for the Golden Mean
Math 1750: Data Analysis of Ancient Mayan Ruins (4 credits)
 Course Prerequisites - a creative mind, an adventurous spirit, and an attention to detail.
We will meet for one week during the Spring ’08 semester to get the background info including discussing Mayan mathematics and how geometry is incorporated into art, architecture, and nature. In May we will travel to the Yucatán peninsula and participate in measuring, modeling, and mathematical analysis of ancient Mayan ruins. The trip will include visits to a number of Mayan sites including Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil, Labna, and Kiuic. At the ruins we will be looking for patterns by measuring and exploring the mathematics involved in these sites. As much as possible, we will diagram these sites including as much mathematical detail as we can gather.
- May 2008
- Approximately $2800 plus airfare, some meals, insurance, and personal expenses
- 4 credit hours
- May be combined with Spanish 1000
- Dr. Connie Campbell (campbcm@millsaps.edu)
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Culture, History and Literature in the Maya World
STDA 2040
 Study literature, history, cultural anthropology and archaeology while being immersed in the
unique culture of Yucatan. Travel among the peninsula’s most important archaeological,
geographical and historical sites, and consider the development of the Yucatan world from ancient Maya or pre-Columbian times into the 21st century. While experiencing Yucatan in its
local, Mesoamerican, trans-Atlantic and global contexts, we will sample key historical,
anthropological, and literary texts. We will produce our own texts (whether creative, ethnographic, historical or literary-critical) from the travel journals and field notes we produce
along the way.
- May 14—28, 2008
- $3795 plus airfare and personal expenses
- 4 credit hours
- Dr. Eric Griffin (griffej2@millsaps.edu)
Who can take this course?
- Students majoring in (or considering a major in) English, History, Sociology- Anthropology, or related fields.
- Students interested in studying culture, history, and social issues outside the U.S.
- Students wanting additional credit hours in their majors, elective credit; core equivalency may be petitioned.
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Drawing the Yucatan
ART 2200 or ART 3300
Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced artist, this trip will allow you to hone your drawing skills in one of the most visually captivating settings on earth. The Yucatan offers limitless subject matter ranging from Mayan architecture to rain forests and pristine beaches.
Equipped with paper, pencils and a reliable pair of walking shoes, we will sketch the abundant plant life and archaeological sites of the Yucatan countryside, as well as the Spanish colonial architecture and urban street life of Merida. Through a daily practice of observational drawing, students will learn to render more accurately and to establish a personal vocabulary of mark making. Participants will also have the opportunity to get acquainted with Merida¹s museums, burgeoning art scene and other attractions.
- May 11-31, 2008
- $3053 plus airfare, meals, and personal expenses
- 4 credit hours
- Professor Brent Fogt (fogtbe@millsaps.edu)
Course Prerequisites:
- The desire and ability to sustain a daily practice of drawing while exploring the rich culture of the Yucatan.
Millsaps study
abroad |
