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Academics
- Visit the mysterious ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization
- Examine the threat tourism and development pose to the pristine Riviera coastline
Academic Structure
Program Type: The Mayan Riviera: Its Land. Its People. is a Global Seminar. Global Seminars are short-term study abroad programs led by University of Minnesota faculty. Instruction is in English.
Level: 3000 level coursework.
Term: Winter Break 2009/10.
Prerequisites: None.
Courseload: One 3-credit course.
Coursework
Through lectures, readings, and various excursions and meetings with local people students learn about Maya culture and Indigenous worldviews of nature and science.
Prior to departure, students attend a pre-departure orientation and receive pre-departure readings and assignments. Classes consist of lectures, discussions, and excursions. Students will complete a daily journal and write a final paper synthesizing aspects of the course. A large component of the course will be participation in a community service project with Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA).
For more information, see this year's tentative syllabus or last year's blog.
This course has been approved for the Environmental Perspectives theme.
View the Global Seminar Liberal Education Requirements chart.
Faculty Leader
Mark Bellcourt's educational background is in higher education policy and administration. His doctoral research focused on Indigenous worldviews of math and science and how they can be better integrated into the mainstream curriculum. He co-taught a course in Akumal during 2003 that explored both ecological and cultural patterns of the area and has visited the Yucatan more than ten times to explore more than 20 archaeological sites.
Last modified on October 6, 2009 |