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Overview

Location

Academics

Cost

Housing

Itinerary

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Program Overview

Interested students are invited to attend an information session that will be offered by Dr. Pozo on Tuesday, January 29 from 4-5 p.m. in 2320 Schneider Hall (MBA program office and Global Business Center.) 

Uruguay serves as a point of departure for understanding the complexities of the Latin American economies. The region faces many economic challenges including vast informal employment, poverty and inequality, migration, and environmental challenges.  We will observe these in our stay and explore how Uruguay and other Latin American nations deal with these issues.  Other areas of focus include the delivery of healthcare, inflation, exchange rate systems, property rights and the many ways that Latin American nations are impacted by the world economy.   This course will consist of some traditional classroom instruction at the Universidad de Montevideo along with field trips within the capital city and two overnight excursions into the interior of the country.  Students will interact with Uruguayan students and with business entities with the intent of gaining a deeper understanding of common economic characteristics throughout Latin America.  Instruction will take place in English.

Your instructor has had extensive experience researching, living and working in Uruguay and in several other Latin American countries including Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Mexico.

Students applying for this program may be eligible for the Haenicke Institute for the Global Education Study Abroad Scholarship.

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Location

Nestled between Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay is one of South America's smallest and most peaceful countries, with a long history of progressive and stable government.  Uruguay can be broadly divided into three areas: the capital, the countryside (el campo), and the coast.  About half of its three million citizens live in Montevideo, with its Old City, carnival, soccer, and waterfront boulevards. The countryside is the traditional source of Uruguay's wealth, where cattle and sheep far outnumber the gauchos. The beaches of the Rio de la Plata and the Atlantic coast draw vast numbers of Uruguayans and Argentineans for their annual summer holidays; during the rest of the year, the fishermen enjoy solitude.

In this course, will visit all three areas of Uruguay.  We' ll start out in the capital city of Montevideo, with class meetings at the Universidad de Montevideo.  During week two we will travel to Tacuarembo and spend three nights in the “campo” as guests at a working “estancia,” observing the rural towns along the way.  During week three we will travel up the coast of Rocha and spend three nights at Punta del Diablo, a beach town bordering the Santa Teresa National Park. While in Rocha we will visit the Brazilian border town, Chuy.

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Academics

Academic Eligibility
Good academic standing and minimum 2.0 GPA.

Academic Program
This course will consist of some traditional classroom instruction at the Universidad de Montevideo along with field trips within the capital city and two overnight excursions into the interior of the country.  Students will interact with Uruguayan students and with business entities with the intent of gaining a deeper understanding of common economic characteristics throughout Latin America.  Instruction will take place in English.

Academic Credit
WMU credit will be awarded for ECON 3890 (ECON 5980 grad): Latin American Economies (3 credits) upon successful completion of the program.  Students are urged to work closely with the appropriate academic advisor(s) to determine how these credits will be counted towards their degree.

This course is also approved for Gen Ed Area IV credit.

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Cost & Financial Aid

Cost
The WMU program fee includes: tuition, fees, instructional costs, lodging, some group meals and excursions, and health and emergency insurance.
Not included are: airfare, meals and beverages not specified, passport fee, books, local transportation, tips and any personal expenses.

Students applying for this program may be eligible for the Haenicke Institute for the Global Education Study Abroad Scholarship.

Financial Aid
Students eligible for federal or state financial aid may use their awards for studying abroad. After a student has been accepted to the program, he/she must complete required paperwork with WMU Financial Aid to apply financial aid to the program costs. It is the student's responsibility to complete the paperwork prior to departure and to maintain compliance with financial aid regulations while studying abroad (i.e., remain enrolled full-time). *Non-WMU students must apply for financial aid through their home university.

Note: Program fees are subject to adjustment due to changes in actual exchange rates or other factors. In addition, programs may be modified or canceled in the event of insufficient enrollment. Program dates are subject to slight adjustment by the home/host university.

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Housing

While in Montevideo, students will be housed in double or triplet rooms (2 or 3 single beds) at the Punta Trouville Apart Hotel. Rooms include a private bathroom, kitchenette, direct dial phone, cable  TV, hairdryer, individually controlled hot and cold air-conditioning, free WiFi internet access .  At the estancia/rancho students will be housed in variously sized male and female rooms and at the hotel in Punta del Diablo similarly.  Breakfast is included in all the accommodations and for an additional charge a student can elect to secure single accommodations at Punta Trouville Apart Hotel.

Punta Trouville Apart Hotel
Francisco Vidal 726
Pocitos
Montevideo, Uruguay
(598-2) 712-0903
www.puntatrouville.com.uy

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Itinerary

Summer 2013 

Tentative itinerary*

Two  1.5  hour pre-departure sessions on WMU campus:
Dr. Pozo will review the syllabus and spell out course expectations.  Geographic and demographic information about Uruguay will be reviewed along with an introduction to
Uruguayan customs and traditions and how these vary across Latin American nations.  A review of the itinerary will motivate a discussion of logistical considerations including what and how to pack, passport, health and wellness while traveling.  A few brief pre-departure assignments will be outlined that include preliminary readings and the collection of materials necessary for the course.

May 13
Travel to Montevideo

May 14– May 19
Class sessions at Universidad de Montevideo, excursions in Montevideo, meetings with Uruguayan economic experts, the Central Bank and cultural activities.

May  20– May 22
Travel to Tacuarembo to stay at the Panagea ranch.  We work with the sheep and cows and learn about interacting with the world economy and  the commodity exporting business.

May 23-May 27
Classroom sessions, partido de futbol, typical meal at home of Uruguayan.

May 28-May 30
Travel to Punta del Diablo (beach town), Chuy (border town with Brazil), with excursion to the Santa Teresa National Park.

May 31-June 3
Final class sessions

June 4
Travel back to USA

*Tentative itinerary subject to change


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Additional Resources

Contacts: 
 
Dr. Susan Pozo, Faculty Director
Department of Economics
5315 Friedmann Hall
E-mail: susan.pozo@wmich.edu
Telephone: (269) 387-5553

Ann Ganz, Study Abroad Specialist, Sr.
WMU Study Abroad
2424 Ellsworth Hall
E-mail: ann.ganz@wmich.edu
Telephone: (269) 387-5890
www.wmich.edu/studyabroad

Host Institution Information (external links)
Hotel Information

Demographic Information (external links)
Uruguay - Lonely Planet
A Year in Uruguay - Blog
Additional Country Information

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