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ANTHROPOLOGY
& SOCIOLOGY
STUDY ABROAD IN LATIN AMERICA
Maximo Nivel’s Anthropology and Sociology programs help students gain firsthand experience with people, cultures, and pressing global and local issues through internships, service learning, and university courses. You can also combine your degree studies with language courses in Spanish, Quechua, and Kaqchikel.
Participants may schedule programs using the academic calendar or can take advantage of open enrollment internships and service learning programs, which begin every Monday year-round!
Anthropology programs offer the unique opportunity to study the history and development of Latin America. This is not limited to ancient civilizations such as the Incas and Mayas, but also modern day indigenous communities. You have the opportunity to learn, through direct experience, how these people live—bringing classroom studies to life via real interaction with the culture on its own terms.
Sociology is increasingly about our global society, especially with respect to core issues like globalization, economic development, race-class-gender, cultural change, and social justice. These issues are addressed by developing your international perspective and through working directly with people who are confronting these issues on a daily basis.
INTERESTED?
REQUEST UNIVERSITY INFORMATION & LEARN ABOUT TRAVEL GRANTS!
Why I Maximo Nivel
From start to finish, this program was a fantastic experience. The communication and preparation before I arrived in Costa Rica was brilliant, and when I finally got here I felt so welcomed and supported. The team at Maximo Nivel are all incredibly helpful and really want you to get the most out of the experience. I took advantage of all the opportunities offered such as salsa classes and the free coffee. My host mum, Vicky, was also fantastic…you can tell that Maximo seek out individuals who are warm, welcoming and (as a bonus) excellent cooks!
INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS
HUMAN RIGHTS IN LATIN AMERICA
The countries of Latin America are clearly making strides to improve regional politics, healthcare, and education. Philosophically, human rights are an integral part of the ongoing social and political development here. However, deep-rooted cultural obstacles, widespread corruption, and poor utilization of resources means that violence and discrimination against women, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community are pervasive problems. Indigenous groups remain largely outside of the political, economic, and social mainstreams, and the countries’ rural populations have unequal access to education and healthcare. As well, the use of child labor is a particularly common problem in informal sectors.
University students in the International Internship program are placed in local projects working with community organizations, NGOs, and government agencies. Interns work with change agents and other social workers who are focused on empowerment and social justice. You gain real-life work experience and international perspective by helping with community outreach, education, research, and fundraising. You are immersed into a community and a project where you see first-hand the impacts of culture, social values, and the roles of politics, religion, gender, and ethnicity and learn about the real people of Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru.
Intermediate Spanish or higher is required to be effective in a human rights internship placement.
SERVICE LEARNING
FOR ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS
Service learning provides unique opportunities to live and study in Latin America, while giving back to the global community. Short-term and semester-long service learning programs are available. You can get involved in the following projects:
CONSTRUCTION
These community projects include building and repairing homes and orphanages, and adding classrooms to schools. All construction is led by Maximo Nivel’s professional construction foremen.
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Students live and work as part of indigenous communities in Peru or Guatemala, living and working with the community, tending to crops and animals,
cooking meals, and teaching at the local school.
WORKING WITH KIDS
Students work with underprivileged kids and provide support to staff at orphanages, community centers, and after school programs, working to improve
education, emotional development, and healthcare.
UNIVERSITY COURSES
SPA 202 – Intermediate Spanish II
SPA 301 – Spanish Composition I
SPA 302 – Spanish Composition II
SPA 350 – Latin American Literature
SPA 360 – Latin American Civilization & Culture
SPA 361 – Modern Day Latin America
SPA 370 – Medical Spanish
SPA 371 – Business Spanish
SPA 380 – Intercultural Communication
SPA 420 – Advanced Spanish Grammar
SPA 480 – Advanced Spanish Conversation
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