Study Abroad

Faculty-led Programs

Writing (in) Place

Yucatán, Mexico
CRWT 3750 (4 credits)
December 29, 2023 – January 9, 2024
Professor Liz Egan | [email protected]

“Write what you know” — or so the saying goes. Traveling abroad enhances a creative writer’s craft by not only expanding the boundaries of what is known, but by also creating unique opportunities to discover and practice writing techniques. We’ll investigate and question the “rules” of storytelling, meet local Yucatecan writers and unearth the stories that archaeological sites, museum galleries and crowded marketplaces can tell us.

Maya Gods, the History of Chocolate and You

Yucatán, Mexico
RLST, HIST or SOAN 3750 (4 credits)
December 29, 2023 – January 9, 2024
Dr. James Bowley | [email protected]

Everyone in the world seems to know and love chocolate, but how did that happen? In this course we will explore the history of chocolate in the land of its beginnings. Moving from Yucatecan Maya temples to the history of Europeans in the land until today, this course will deal with chocolate, of course, and history, religion and anthropology (and can be credited for all three!). We’ll see beautiful vistas, swim in the ocean, cenotes and pools, and enjoy every minute of learning and exploring! It’s a fascinating story of nature, religion, conquest, technology, trade and exploitation, and we’ll see it all in the fascinating and beautiful land and culture of Yucatán. We’ll spend 11 days in the Yucatan visiting temples, museums, beaches and the Millsaps Biocultural Reserve, and we’ll eat plenty of chocolate. And of course, you will experience New Year’s in Mexico!

International Business Latin America

Yucatán, Mexico
EMGT 600 (3 credits) or MGMT 2020 (4 credits)
December 26, 2023 – January 7, 2024
Dr. Jesse Beeler | [email protected]@millsaps.edu

This is an intense course that requires you to travel to and live in Latin America for a two-week period. You are required to assess and understand geographic, environmental, economic, sociocultural, political and legal factors that impact the business environment of Latin America. In addition to the classroom instruction, the course provides experiential learning opportunities through participation in field trips that expose you to the history and culture of the region, as well as to various leaders of business, industry and government.

Culture and Environment in Yucatán:
An Ethnographic Field School

Yucatán, Mexico
May 25 – June 16, 2024
Dr. Matt Samson and Dr. George Bey

The course focuses on Maya culture and the environment in the Yucatán Peninsula as a way of introducing students to the history and contemporary sociopolitical realities facing the countries in Mesoamerica. Themes will include Indigenous cultural rights, environmental justice, religious change, the relationship between development and tourism, and migration. Brief field experiences in museums and archaeological sites, urban and rural community settings, and an ecological reserve will serve to introduce students to basic ethnographic fieldwork in Mexico and the larger Mesoamerican region, as well as to current theoretical concerns in anthropology such as identity politics, sustainability and political ecology.

Spanish in Yucatán

Yucatán, Mexico
SPAN 1000-3000 (4 credits)
June 1 – July 1, 2024
Dr. Judith Caballero | [email protected]

This program immerses students in the language, culture and history of the Yucatán Peninsula. In collaboration with Marista University and the Yucatán Institute for Language and Culture, students may enroll in courses ranging from introductory Spanish to advanced literature courses. Students will attend classes at Casa Millsaps and practice their conversation skills with Marista University students. Culture classes and weekend excursions to local archaeological sites, historical places and other sites of cultural and historical interest are also part of the curriculum.

Beyond the Studio: Painting the Spanish Landscape

Madrid, Spain
May 16 – May 29
Prof. Sue Carrie Drummond

This course will focus on painting from observation in Madrid, Spain. Students will learn how to develop successful color relationships, utilize light and shadow, draw in 1- and 2-point perspective, layer paints through glazing and other plein air techniques. We will visit museums to consider how both historical and contemporary painters have used these painting strategies. We will also visit historical locations and take day trips to vary the scenery we paint.

The Mathematics of Renaissance Italy

Rome, Florence, Padua and Milan, Italy
May 12 – May 26
Dr. Emlee Nicholson

This course will introduce students to the early history of mathematics beginning with the Egyptians and leading up to the trip abroad where we will study the Roman aqueducts, a major engineering achievement, and then the works of famous Italian mathematicians of the Renaissance period. We will study their achievements and see artifacts from their work, how they thought about complex mathematics without many of the tools we have today, and how their work influenced modern mathematics.

Tunghai University Mini-Semester

Taichung, Taiwan
Mid-May – Late June
Dr. Lynn Raley

As part of a five-week mini-semester at Tunghai University’s International College, students choose two courses from an array of topics: Mandarin language, art, music, culture, film, food, business, psychology and more. Courses are taught Monday through Thursday, with weekend field trips, and trips around the island after classes end. Dr. Raley will offer a course on the history of popular music in Taiwan, investigating Mando-Pop, Taiyu, Hakka and aboriginal artists, as well as American-influenced rock and hip hop, placing the music in the island’s cultural and political contexts.

Heritage, Identity and the Politics of Travel in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
June 10 – July 1
Dr. Victoria Gorham

Students will engage in Kiswahili language learning, experience multiple exciting locations (including Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, Moshi and Zanzibar City), and visit museums and heritage sites as places where we can study identity-making and interrogate the power of the tourist gaze. You will learn about everyday life in Dar es Salaam, interact and learn daily with Tanzanians and enjoy going on safari, visiting markets and beaches, and hiking to the ruins of Ottoman colonial strongholds.

Spanish Language and Culture in Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain
July 1 – July 31
Dr. David Wood

This course will immerse students in the language and culture of Spain. Students will study at a language school in Barcelona, visit stunning architectural sites and enjoy the warm beaches of Barcelona. Students will learn about the political history of the Spanish Civil War explained brilliantly by George Orwell in his “Homage to Catalonia,” required reading prior to the program.

French Language and Culture on the Côte d’Azur

Nice, France
June 1 – June 30
Dr. David Wood

The course immerses students in French language and culture through classroom study and weekend excursions throughout the region and country. It provides irreplaceable direct contact with native French speakers in an authentic cultural setting. It also provides swimming and hiking in the nearby Parque nacional de Calanques.

Field Study in International Management

Florence, Italy, and Munich, Germany
July 1 – July 17
Dr. Jesse Beeler

In this course, students will travel throughout Europe exploring new cultures and gaining valuable career training. They will experience an in-depth study of international business through travel, classroom training and site visits to businesses. This course includes six hours of formal classroom instruction at Millsaps and 38 hours of classroom instruction once in the region. Field trips throughout their time abroad will expose students to the incredible history and culture of Europe.

Capitalism/Socialism/Communism — Choices

Florence, Italy, and Munich, Germany
July 1 – July 17
Prof. Harvey Fiser

 

The Psychology of Fear and Terrorism

Florence, Italy, and Munich, Germany
July 1 – July 17
Dr. Kurt Thaw

The focus of this course is on the psychology of fear and terrorism — not necessarily terrorists, although we will be discussing a number of key players along the way. Drawing from insights and analytical tools offered by psychology, sociology, political science, history and philosophy, students will explore such topics as serial killings, Nazi Germany, cyberterrorism, radicalization, the neural correlates of fear, and the causes and consequences of recent terrorist acts (such as the London bus bombing, the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11, vehicle attacks, etc.).

International Lessons in Leadership

London, England
July 18 – August 2
Dr. Jesse Beeler

In this course, students will be exploring new cultures and gaining valuable career training in London. They will meet and learn from well-respected industry leaders and build valuable cross-cultural skills acquired by living in an international setting. This course includes six hours of formal classroom instruction at Millsaps and 38 hours of classroom instruction once in the region. Field trips throughout their time abroad will expose students to the incredible history and culture of London and the surrounding areas.

Field Study in International Marketing

London, England
July 18 – August 2
Dr. Penelope Prenshaw | [email protected]

Field Study in International Marketing explores issues in designing and executing successful marketing strategies for global markets. This course affords students the opportunity to enhance their understanding of global marketing — the offering of products and services in many countries of the world. The course emphasizes the strategic implications of marketing in different country cultures, employing a cultural approach that permits a truly global orientation.

Great Britain: Culture, Power and Politics

London, England
July 18 – August 2
Dr. Amy Forbes

How has political power been legitimated in Britain? This course explores how myths and images, rituals and symbols, theatre and media have helped represent, create and sustain different forms of political authority across nearly two millennia of English/British history. From the cult of the Roman emperor to the sacral kingship of the Middle Ages; from Renaissance courts to revolutionary cities; from the propaganda image of the imperial leader to the tabloid celebrity of the modern princess; we will explore how religious beliefs, architecture, legends, paintings, plays, statues, movies, revolutionary hymns and street posters, public executions and political advertisements, coronations, processions, and festivals have all helped shape and legitimate the exercise of political power in England and Great Britain. We will explore too the arts of resistance that grow up in the shadow of the arts of power: The Renaissance playwrights who identified the hollow crown at the heart of myths of monarchy; the libelers and pornographers who tarnished the images of English kings; and the dissident rock bands and poets who practiced the power of the powerless in post-war regimes.

Other Study-Abroad Programs

Links

• Foundation for the Advancement of
  Mesoamerican Studies Inc.
  FAMSI provides grants, resources and research forums for studies of Mesoamerican culture.

• Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia
  Mexico’s federal agency devoted to anthropology and history administers museums and archaeological sites.

• Society for American Archaeology
  A forum for archaeologists with resources for both students and professionals.