The Oaxaca Program is the oldest study abroad program at Cal Poly Humboldt with more than 25 years of experience in Mexico. 

This intensive 10-week, 12-unit summer immersion experience explores Spanish language and culture. As an all-services included program, you will live with selected Oaxacan families, take classes five days a week, participate in service learning activities with local organizations, and participate in various academic visits to outstanding cultural sites in the State of Oaxaca.  

The World Languages & Cultures department partners with the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca at the Centro de Idiomas, which was established in 1974. The center offers semester courses in English, French, Italian, Japanese, German, and Spanish. It also offers special courses in Zapotec, Mixtec, Chinese, Russian, and Portuguese for adults and international students. 

Location

Located in the Southeastern region of Mexico, the state of Oaxaca is surrounded by the states of Veracruz and Puebla, Chiapas, and Guerrero. The pleasant subtropical climate and the serenity of isolation attract most travelers to the Oaxaca Valley, whose peaks reach almost 10,000 feet (more than 3,000 meters). The region features caverns that are among the deepest in the world, in addition to pristine beaches, hidden jungles, and luminous valleys. Oaxaca is the most diverse state in Mexico and a crucible of cultures such as Zapotecs, Mixtecs, and the 14 other ethnic groups who are thriving there today.  

The city of Oaxaca, the state capital, was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1987, and owes its fame to the beauty and harmony of its architecture and the richness of its cultural traditions. See: oaxaca-travel.com.

Program Highlights

• Immerse yourself in the language and culture of Mexico.
• Live with a Mexican family.
• Visit cultural and natural places guided by faculty.
• Use financial aid to cover all related expenses. Plan in advance with a Financial Aid counselor.
• This is a rigorous program that requires 45 hours a week of study time. All field trips are mandatory.