Academics

This program will be limited to 11 students.

  • COMM 3090 Experiential Writing in Oaxaca, Mexico (3 credits)
    (Winter 2025, Travel: January 2025)

Course Description: The natural and cultural experience of 8-10 days in Mexico will serve as the inspiration for compelling written communication in this writing-intensive course. Students will master writing for diverse audiences in a variety of common formats, from science communication to popular media. Keys to successful communication include; the ability to grab and maintain the reader’s attention while synthesizing complex or controversial material; developing a narrative; and, above all, not distracting the reader with weak writing, lack of clarity, or poor structure. Through readings and field trips, students will explore cultural, environmental, and socioeconomic development issues in a rich and diverse landscape. These experiences will be the basis of the written assignments, augmented by research. Classes while in Mexico are full days with homework overnight.

Pre-requisite: At least a B+ in a Freshman Writing Seminar or other college-level writing class.

This course fulfills CALS Writing Distribution Requirement

COMM 3090 fulfills CALS requirements for:

Distribution Requirement:

  • Written Expression

Social Science and Humanities Requirement:

  • Cultural Analysis
  • Knowledge, Cognition and Moral Reasoning
  • Literature and the Arts

The course counts toward the 120 credits that Cornell undergraduate students must earn for graduation. Depending on a student's college, the courses may also fulfill other requirements for electives, distribution requirements, or majors.

Course expectations

You'll be expected to:

  • Attend class daily.
  • Write every day with homework overnight.
  • Complete all assignments in a timely manner.
  • Read assigned materials in advance of each class period.
  • Participate in class discussions, case studies, seminars, and field trips.