NOTE: SIT will make every effort to maintain its programs as described. To respond to emergent situations, like COVID-19, SIT may have to modify programs. Visit the SIT website for more details.
Discover the current realities and human impacts of undocumented migration, border enforcement, and the related international political and social tensions.
WHY STUDY MIGRATION IN MEXICO?
Tensions related to migration through or from Mexico are high and policies change frequently. You’ll start your program in Tucson, Arizona, near a major point of entry into the United States, to learn what undocumented migrants face once on U.S. soil. Then, you will travel to Oaxaca, Mexico, where you will discover how international economics, labor shortages, war, and immigration policy affect migration patterns.
You will also visit Chiapas on the southern Mexican border with Guatemala to hear directly from Central American migrants about challenges they face and see how efforts to restrict human mobility can generate greater levels of vulnerability, including serious human rights abuses. In addition, you’ll learn about transnational communities and the creative ways they support families.
Throughout the program, you will develop the Spanish language skills to discuss and research human rights and social movements issues through classroom learning, cultural immersion, homestays, and excursions.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Live in Oaxaca, Mexico, a point of origin for many migrants going to the U.S.
- Understand the factors that lead to undocumented migration.
- Get a firsthand look at Mexico’s northern and southern borders.
- See how migration affects Central Americans and their communities.
PREREQUISITES
Three recent semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent and the ability to follow coursework in Spanish, as assessed by SIT.
Please visit the
SIT Study Abroad website for details on the
program courses (including syllabi), educational excursions, and housing.
KEY TOPICS OF STUDY
- Factors contributing to high rates of undocumented migration
- Effects of large-scale migration on communities
- Gender and family culture shifts as women take on new leadership roles
- Experiences of undocumented migration and changes over time
- Border enforcement strategies and their impacts on border communities
- Policy changes that could address the causes of undocumented migration
MONEY MATTERS
Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor.
SIT tuition and room and board fees include the following:
- All educational costs, including educational excursions
- All accommodations and meals for the full program duration
- Transportation to and from the airport, and on all educational excursions
- Health and accident insurance
SCHOLARSHIPS
- SIT awards nearly $1.6 million in scholarships and grants annually.
- All scholarships and grants are need-based.
- Awards generally range from $500 to $5,000 for semester programs.
- Contact the financial aid and/or study abroad office(s) at your college or university to learn if your school’s scholarships and grants and federal and state aid programs can be applied to an SIT Study Abroad program.
CONTACT SIT STUDY ABROAD