Academics
This program will be limited to 11 students.
- COMM 3090 Experiential Writing in Oaxaca, Mexico (3 credits)
(Winter 2025, Travel: January 3-14, 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.