PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN MEXICO
This is a three (3) credit hour course for graduate and senior level undergraduate students. The course introduces students to Mexican culture, the human service system, and to professional practice by Mexican social workers and psychologists working with clients across a variety of service contexts. For the first two weeks of the course, students participate in the Ultimate Home Visit – an immersion program (CEU) for community-based professionals in Kentucky who are working with Latino populations in various human service agencies and settings. Along with these community practitioners, students attend six classes (1.5hrs each) on human services (education, medical, social services, legal, political), and the Mexican family and culture. These classes prepare you for visits to social service programs, hospitals and schools in Morelia and for all-day excursions to outlying rural villages to visit clinics, schools and cultural sites.
For the last four weeks of the course, students choose placements to complete mini-internships in Morelia. Placements include family-based programs from DIF (Desarollo Integral de la Familia – the government family services agency), domestic violence programs, mental health, and medical (hospital) locations.
The mini-internship is designed to provide experiences learning about specific human service programs, how professional services are provided in Mexico, the professional role in relationships with service recipients, and how client needs and problems are presented.
Course assignments include theme-based journaling including some parts written in Spanish, a paper on a Mexican human service agency or program, and evaluation of the mini-internship participation.
Morelia visits, excursions to rural areas, and mini-internship opportunities.
course syllabus and six week education abroad schedule.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Spanish Language Abilities: Students must have an intermediate level of Spanish language abilities to take these courses. Language abilities include adequate levels of reading, writing, listening comprehension, and verbal (conversation) are necessary. Students are advised to spend the months preceding the onset of the summer courses practicing and enhancing their Spanish language skills. Students must be able to “hit the ground running” so to speak with respect to their working language skills when they arrive in Morelia on June 7 th, 2008. Intermediate levels of Spanish are defined as showing documentation of completion of a Spanish undergraduate major; passing a written and verbal exam at the level of a Spanish undergraduate minor; native speaker with equal written and verbal abilities.
2. Academic Status: Students must be enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate as a senior* in an accredited social work, psychology, family studies (MFT), or educational counseling psychology program. Doctoral students are welcome to take the courses as well.
* Undergraduate students with the requisite language skills may take the courses if they are at minimum rising seniors or have just graduated from an accredited undergraduate program (post-bac status) and intend to enroll in a graduate program.
College of Social Work main phone number (859) 257-6650
Site Created and maintained by Gary Trumble
Last updated 10-18-07
