The city of
Guanajuato is the capital of the State of Guanajuato and a college town located
about 234 miles northwest of Mexico City, with an altitude of 6,583 ft. (2,008
m). It is a historical and
picturesque town which has preserved much of its colonial charm.
The city is a maze of cobble-stone streets and alleys that wind around
steep hillsides upon a small ravine, opening onto vistas of beautiful churches
and small plazas, creating an enjoyable place to walk.
Guanajuato is known for its climate, scenery, subterranean streets, and
an international cultural event known as the Cervantino Festival. The city exemplifies the cultural values of Mexico and the
architectural splendor of the Spanish colonial period.
It has been a major mining center for centuries.
Since 1988, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Guanajuato is easily reached by highways from all points.
It is possible to travel by plane to Guanajuato’s International Airport
del Bajio (also known as Leon’s airport), 20 minutes away from the city, or to
Mexico City’s International Airport, approximately 4 hours away be car or bus.
The climate is
usually spring like, with some rain in the afternoons between July and
September. It is usually chilly
from December to February. We
recommend practical clothing. Comfortable
low-heeled shoes are essential because of the occasionally steep cobblestone
streets in Guanajuato. Dress
clothes may be necessary due to the social and cultural events.
The University
of Guanajuato was founded in 1732 by the Society of Jesuits, and financed by
Josefa Teresa de Busto y Moya. By
authorization of King Felipe V of Spain, it was officially recognized on August
20th, 1744 with the name of “La Santísima Trinidad”.
In 1828 the Institution was transferred to the Government of Guanajuato,
and later in 1867 it became a state college.
In 1945, it became the University of Guanajuato.
Since then, the University of Guanajuato has demonstrated constant
academic and demographic development. Currently,
42 professional degrees, 18 major areas of study, 24 masters degrees, and 6
doctorates are offered in 23 different schools, 6 research institutes and 4
research centers. There are
approximately 21,000 students enrolled in the University of Guanajuato.
The Language
Center has been operating since 1976. Currently
there are 2,000 students who study 9 different languages that are being offered:
English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Italian, Greek, Latin, and Spanish. It also has a large Self-Access Center with many materials for
independent study which include an extensive collection of movies, music,
CD-ROMs, as well as internet, conversation cafes with native speakers, different
workshops, a library, active counseling, etc.
The service of Self-Access has an extra cost. The Language Center is located on the fifth floor of the
University’s main building. With
no elevator, it is a climb of approximately 120 steps.
The Language
Center is an extension of the University of Guanajuato. One of its functions is to provide academic services to
students who wish to study other languages.
Foreign students have the opportunity to learn Spanish and acquire
knowledge of Mexican and Latin American Culture. Effective teaching methodology is used, offering a
completely integrated program of instruction.
The Spanish classes are complemented with workshops of arts and crafts
from the area of Guanajuato and Mexican folk dance.
Course Description
There are three levels:
Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced.
*Spanish
– Intensive practice in spoken and written Spanish, highlighting vocabulary,
morphology forms, and complex syntactic structures. 40 hrs.
*Mexican History –
A comprehensive survey of the history of Mexico from the Colonial period to the
present time. 18 hrs.
*Mexican Literature –
A historical view of Mexican literature dating from Pre-Hispanic to
contemporary. 18 hrs.
*Mexican Art –
An examination of the important periods of Mexican Art: Precolombian, Colonial,
and Modern. 8 hrs.
*Interdisciplinary
Perspective of Mexico – Seminars
of political, economic, cultural and social affairs of contemporary Mexico. 4
hrs.
*Handicrafts –
Creative local Guanajuatense arts and crafts. 8 hrs. (Optional)
*Folk Dance –
A practical approach to learning traditional Mexican dances and salsa, rumba,
etc. 16 hrs. (Optional)
All Instruction is in
Spanish