Where You’ll Go

May 17 – June 14

(Order and dates of some activities may change depending on availability)

May 17: Students depart from their hometowns. They will meet Dr. Carreño at Puerto Vallarta airport and transfer to their host families or hotels.

May 18: Walking tour to explore the city.

May 19 – June 13: Spanish Experience Center (SEC) classes will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

May 24: Tour to San Sebastián del Oeste (Coffee plantation and Tequila distillery).

May 31: Tour to Cabo Corrientes (Botanical Garden and Tuito Town).

June 7–8: Tour to Mascota and Talpa (Archeological temples and guava factories / Overnight in Talpa.

June 13: Last day of classes

June 14: Transfer to Puerto Vallarta airport (Students are free to travel independently). 

* During the four-week program, students will also participate in cultural activities (e.g., cultural small-town tours, social activities on the beach, taco tours, cooking classes, and salsa classes).  

What You’ll Study

The Summer Study Abroad Program in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, offers up to six credit hours upon completion of the requirements of two courses. The Spanish Center in Puerto Vallarta teaches one of the two classes, and Truman faculty typically teaches the other.

Students receive six contact hours of instruction five days a week at the Spanish Center in Intermediate grammar, Grammar and Composition, Conversation, Spanish Culture and Civilization, or Topics in Spanish Literature. The Spanish Center is in charge of all instruction, testing, and final grades for the language courses. The six credit hours may be applied to the Spanish major or minor.

Prerequisite: Span 102

Courses offered in the program, depending on your level:

1) Intermediate levels

1. ESP 201 Intermediate Spanish I – Truman (counts as Span 201)
2. ESP 202 Intermediate Spanish II – Truman (counts as Span 202)

1)  Advance levels:

1. ESP 335 Spanish Grammar and Composition – Truman (counts as Span 330)
2. ESP 340 Spanish Conversation – Truman (counts as Span 340)

2) Superior level:

1. ESP 395 Advanced Spanish Conversation – Truman (counts as Span 300-elective) 
2. ESP 450 Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition – Truman (count as Span 450)
3. ESP 355 Topics of Hispanic Literature – Truman (count as Span 353) 
4. ESP 362 Culture and Civilization of Spain – Truman (count as Span 362)

Students participate in the native culture daily by taking educational field trips to various parts of the region (San Sebastián del Oeste, Mascota, Talpa) and participating in many other group activities in Puerto Vallarta.

Your Instructor

Dr. José Carreño Medina

Associate Professor of Spanish
jcarreno@truman.edu | BH260

A little bit about Dr. Carreño Medina…

Ph.D. and M.A. University of Missouri-Columbia
B.A. Universidad Internacional

Dr. Carreño Medina teaches all levels of Spanish courses, including Latin American literature and culture.
His research focuses on contemporary Hispanic poetry and 20th- and 21st-century Mexican literary and cultural studies.

Program Note: You must have completed SPAN 102 prior to the beginning the program.

…

Early Application Deadline: December 2, 2024

Students who wish to be considered for Foundation Scholarships will need to complete ALL OF the steps outlined below before December 2, 2024. Truman awards approximately $90,000 in Foundation Scholarships for Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs in individual awards ranging from $1,000-$4,000. Foundation Scholarships will be announced by December 9, 2025, and students will have until January 15, 2025 to either accept or decline any award. Deposits made before the early deadline of December 2 will be refundable until January 15 regardless of whether an award is received.

Regular Application Deadline: Rolling until January 15, 2025

Admissions for this program are rolling, but we encourage students to complete ALL OF the application steps outlined below as soon as possible, and no later than January 15, 2025 in order to secure a place in the program. All deposits made after December 2, 2024 will be non-refundable unless the program is cancelled.

How to Apply:

• Apply through TruView. Go to TruView > Tools > Student > Student Tools > Registration > Apply to Study Abroad. Truview Applications for this program will open at the start of Fall semester. The application will ask for responses to several short-answer questions, passport information, two emergency contacts, and your acceptance of an assumption of risk and release form and media waivers.
• Submit Additional Materials If Required. After submitting your application, you may be contacted by the Instructor or the Study Abroad Office with a supplemental application document to complete and return. In some cases, an in-person interview may also be required.
• Pay the Truman Cashier a $200 deposit. Once you have been accepted into this program, you will need to immediately pay the Truman cashier a $200 deposit in order to secure your spot in the program.