California State University, Sacramento
Study Abroad Program
Study in Mexico at the Tecnológico De Monterrey
The Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), commonly known as Tecnológico de Monterrey, was founded in 1943 with the purpose of educating professionals and equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in the business world. It is a university system of 32 campuses in 26 cities. Tecnológico de Monterrey is known for its academic excellence, particularly in the fields of business and engineering. The system is even accredited in the USA.
Our university study abroad program is with the main campus, which is located in Monterrey, the business capital of Mexico. With a population of about 2 ½ million, Monterrey is the capital of the State of Nuevo Leon. It rests in the valley surrounded by the jagged Sierra Madre mountain range. The city blends old and new, and the downtown area features magnificent plazas and gardens highlighted by a pedestrian mall to the west and a historical district to the east. The city has the Naranjos Cultural Center, a number of museums, theaters, shopping centers, and a Consulate General of the United States of America. A number of major airlines provide service to Monterrey.
The Monterrey campus has about 19,350 undergraduate and graduate students. It is located on 125 acres in the southern zone of the City of Monterrey. It has a library with more than 92,000 books, 188 classrooms, 105 laboratories, 18 residence halls, and 7 cafeterias and dining rooms. The Library houses a Center of Business Information, computers, compact disc readers, printers, and fax and photocopy services. At the Monterrey campus, sports facilities include soccer fields, tennis courts, racquetball courts, softball fields, a football field, and basketball and volleyball courts. There are also two swimming pools, a gymnasium, a stadium, and a large auditorium. The Student Center is a modern building with physical fitness facilities and a cafeteria. Activities also are offered for those interested in music, martial arts, dancing, cooking, photography, and mountain climbing. There are over 150 student clubs and associations at the Monterrey campus. All students are encouraged to participate in volunteer social opportunities as well.
COURSE OFFERINGS
In order to ensure that you register for courses that meet your Spanish speaking skills, Tecnológico de Monterrey provides an online Spanish placement test. The Monterrey campus has developed a well-rounded program that provides students with three options: programs for international students with beginning to advanced Spanish levels, regular courses in various departments offered in English, and regular courses in Spanish for those students who have advanced Spanish language skills. Students can take a combination of courses from these three options, not to exceed six courses.
Programs for international students include (a) Spanish as a Foreign Language (taught in Spanish, with courses offered from the beginning through advanced levels), which is designed to help those who have beginning or intermediate level Spanish language skills to improve their skills quickly; (b) Doing Business in Mexico, available in English and Spanish (intermediate level), which addresses import/export operations, available goods and services, technology, and other related topics; (c) Mexican Culture, available in English or Spanish, which includes an array of interesting courses focusing on history and culture, art and architecture, civilization and culture, films and literature, and diplomatic relations between Mexico and the USA.
Undergraduate courses available in English at the Monterrey campus include limited offerings in the following fields: architecture/industrial design, chemistry, civil engineering, communications, economics and finance, electrical engineering, financial and managerial accounting, financial management, food technology, human resources, humanities, information systems, international business, international relations, law, marketing, mathematics, mechanical engineering, physics, and political science. For more specific information on courses offered at the Monterrey campus in English, see the publication “Study in Mexico” in the Office of Global Education or see the website: http://www.studyinmexico.com.mx . Select “Courses”, “Undergraduate”, and “Regular Courses in English.”
For those students who have advanced Spanish proficiency, regular courses can be taken in the following disciplines: accounting, business administration, chemistry, communications, computer science, economics, engineering (chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, information systems), finance, financial management, food technology, human resources, humanities (including Spanish and Latin American literature), international business, international relations, law, marketing, mathematics, medical sciences, natural resources, physics, and psychology.
There is also the opportunity to participate in an internship program. International students are not paid for these internships but would receive academic credit. The internship would be part of the student’s full-time coursework load. Advanced Spanish skills are recommended for all internships, but not required. There are only a limited number of English speaking internships available.
HOUSING
The Monterrey campus does have dormitories known as “Residencias.” Single or double rooms are available. All dorms have central heat but may or may not have central air conditioning. Dorms have common bathrooms on each floor. There are coin-operated laundry machines, common kitchens, a tv room, a computer room, vending machines, public telephones, ATMs, and a photocopy machine.
For the student who wants to live in a Mexican family atmosphere, the Monterrey campus offers a host family program. Participants usually share a room with another international student and are provided 3 meals a day (except Sundays when they can prepare their own ), housekeeping, laundry facilities, and utilities. Transportation is not included. Students can, if they wish, find their own apartments.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Applicants should have upper division standing with a declared major or classified graduate standing at this university by the time of departure, good academic records, and a 2.75 cumulative grade point average for undergraduates and a 3.0 for graduates or better at the time of the application deadline. Applicants who want to take courses in Spanish in their field of study must have advanced Spanish language skills . There is no Spanish language pre-requisite for applicants who want to study Spanish as a Foreign Language nor for students who want to take classes offered in English in their majors. These latter students, however, must take Spanish language during each semester of study at Tecnológico de Monterrey. The applicant also should be prepared to accept the challenge of study in a country with an educational system different from our own. The Writing Proficiency Examination must have been passed at this university prior to departure, and, in most cases, the lower division courses of the appropriate field of study must have been completed prior to participation in this program. Applications will be accepted for one semester or one academic year. Students are required to be full-time while studying in Mexico and, thus, take the equivalent of 15 units during each semester for undergraduates and 12 units per semester for graduates.
SCHOLARSHIPS
For information on scholarships for study abroad, you should register for and attend a scholarship workshop in the Office of Global Education.
CALENDAR
Tecnológico de Monterrey operates on a semester system. The spring semester takes place from January to mid-May for a total of 16 weeks, and the fall semester takes place from August to the beginning of December for 16 weeks. Credits are based on weekly contact hours as they are at this university. Thus, generally speaking a class that meets for 3 hours per week for 16 weeks receives 3 units of credit. There are strict regulations regarding the number of absences permitted at the Tecnológico. Students who miss more than 12% of the classes (per subject) do not have the right to take the final exam and, thus, will receive no credit. Undergraduates may not take more than 18 units of credit, and graduate students may not take more than 12 units of credit per semester.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Students accepted to the program will pay the usual California State University, Sacramento fees, remaineligible for financial aid (except work/study), if otherwise qualified, and receive resident credit just as if they were attending classes at this university. (Please note that equivalency of courses falls under the jurisdiction of the academic department.) Tecnológico de Monterrey has agreed to waive non-resident tuition, approximately 101,376 pesos (approx. $9,400) per year, making this a particularly attractive opportunity for participants. Students will pay for their travel to and from Mexico, room and board, books and incidentals. In addition, each student must have the required insurance during his or her stay in Mexico. Expenses for a semester at the Tecnológico de Monterrey are estimated at the following: usual undergraduates fees - $1,779 (graduates would pay the graduate fee), housing - $2,100 (depends on selected option), meals - $1,100, airfare - $700, insurance - $200, incidentals (including local transportation, books, clothing, entertainment) - $1,020. Total $6,899. The estimated expenses for an academic year are about $13,098. This estimate is given for planning purposes only and is subject to changes from currency fluctuation, inflation, and fee changes. Keep in mind that the costs to obtain a passport and a student visa are not included in this estimate.
YOU
SHOULD CONSULT THESE RESOURSES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
You should consult these resources for further information:
The Office of Global Education home page: http://www.csus.edu/oge
The Tecnológico de Monterrey system (all campuses) home page: http://www.studyattecdemonterrey.com.mx
Campus Monterrey information for international students (includes course descriptions
and housing):
http://www.studyinmexico.com.mx
For information on Mexico visit: http://www.lonelyplanet.com.
The Tecnológico de Monterrey catalogs and brochures available at the Office of Global Education
To obtain an application or to speak with a study abroad advisor, please call the Office of Global Education at 278-6686 or go to Lassen Hall, Room 2304. Applications, references, and transcripts should be sent to the address below. The deadline for materials to be received is February 29 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. Please note that there is an interview process for this application, also.
| Monica
G. Freeman Coordinator, International Programs Office of Global Education Lassen Hall, Room 2304 or California State University, Sacramento 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6012 |
Janis
Silvers |
last updated 9/06
