The courses offered at the Monterrey sites are available for students who have completed grades 9-12. They are enrichment courses, designed to offer you areas of study not usually available in middle or high school. They usually do not affect what courses students take in the fall. However, if you want to inquire about receiving school credit, show this catalog and the courses you are interested in to your principal or guidance counselor. Remember that only your school can make a decision about credit or placement. The following courses may be offered in English, Spanish, or both, depending on enrollment requests and the language proficiency of the students assigned.
Rocket Science and Beyond
Students in this course take a hands-on approach as they combine aspects of physics, computer science, and aeronautics to design, construct, test, and launch a model rocket. Activities range from wind tunnel testing to robotics platform design to graphical computer programming. Lab Fee: $65
Physics in the Real World
This course examines the physics of everyday phenomena. Through hands-on experiments, students answer questions such as “Why does an ambulance approaching you sound different than one moving away from you?” as they explore topics ranging from Newton’s laws of motion to the principles of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics to electricity and magnetism. Lab Fee: $65
Biotechnology
This course introduces students to the biology, technology, and potential of genetics. Students first explore some fundamental principles of genetics, including mitosis, meiosis, and Mendelian inheritance. Next they turn to the structure and function of DNA and RNA, sources and types of mutations, and genetic biotechnology. Lab work is an integral component of this course. Lab & Field Trip Fee: $85
Chemical Process Engineering
Each year chemical plants manufacture over 70,000 different products ranging from fertilizer to pharmaceuticals to semiconductors. Students in this course explore key concepts in chemistry and physics as they take a practical-experimental approach to learn the basics of chemical process engineering—including how to operate process equipment and how to manufacture select chemical products. Lab & Field Trip Fee: $85
Introduction to Biomedical Sciences
Students in this course examine the intricate anatomical and physiological mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal human function. Students learn about the role and functions of the different organs and systems and explore key biochemical concepts and their importance to human health. Students leave the course with a solid introduction to the workings of the human body and of human anatomy. Lab Fee: $65
Applied Mathematics: Game Theory
Thomas J. Watson, the founder of IBM, once said, “Business is a game—the greatest game in the world if you know how to play it.” In today’s global economy and the international political arena, the study of games and strategy continues to be a vital part of the education of historians, economists, and politicians. In this course, students learn how to use principles of probability, statistics, and combinatorics to make strategic decisions based on another party’s actions and reactions.
Fundamentals of Computer Science
This course introduces students to three major areas of computer science: theory and algorithms, hardware systems, and software systems. The theoretical component of the course covers the study of algorithms, Boolean algebra, binary mathematics, and the theory of computation. While studying hardware systems, students learn about the physical components of computers, and digital logic. In software systems, students are introduced to elements of programming languages, compilers, and graphics. Lab Fee: $65
Politics and Film: Latin America
As classics like Emilio Fernández’s Portrait of María (Mexico, 1944) and Tomás Gutiérrez Alea’s Memoires of Underdevelopment (Cuba, 1968) illustrate, film has always been a key medium for exploring and confronting urgent political and social issues in Latin America. Focusing on critical concerns such as poverty and violence, political oppression, and social constructions of race, class, and gender, students in this course examine films from different cultures and traditions within Latin America, including the work of key directors such as Luis Puenzo (Argentina), Guillermo del Toro (Mexico), and Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund (Brazil). Through intense discussion and analytical writing, students grapple with some of the most prescient issues facing Latin America today and gain the foundational skills necessary to successfully engage the ever-increasing complex global society in which we all live. Note: This course includes material which may be more graphic and controversial (e.g., R-rated films, vivid accounts of political violence) than found in some school settings. All materials covered in this course are approached from an academic standpoint and taught with sensitivity to the age of the students and with appropriate guidance and support from the instructor and teaching assistant.
Introduction to Media Studies
The constant introduction of new technologies continues to transform the cultural, political, and economic role of the media. Students in this course explore types of media ranging from the printed word to radio to film to digital technologies as they examine key media institutions and their roles during this time of transition. Through hands-on work in media labs, critical reading of central texts, conversations, and analytic writing students work to gain a better understanding of the media today and its ongoing impact on society.
Latin American Political Theory
In this course, students begin with the basic questions of political theory: What is justice? What makes a society just? What constitutes citizenship? What makes a state legitimate? Who has a right to use violence in a society? Students then apply the ideas of classical and contemporary political theorists to look at a variety of recurring historical, political dilemmas in Latin America. They discuss questions like the ability of a state to govern its people, national identity particularly when it conflicts with indigenous identity, the ability of citizens to hold governments accountable for actions of the state, and successful societal transitions from authoritarian to democratic institutions. Students use historical and contemporary case studies to understand the complex nature of Latin American politics.
Politics of Trade: The Americas
In this course, students examine the forces that are leading to increased trade; the dynamics of economic integration fostered by trade; and the economic, political, and social effects of free trade. Students study several examples of free trade in the Americas including the North American and Central American Free Trade Areas (NAFTA and CAFTA) and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas. They consider multiple variables such as macroeconomic performance, economic structures, legal and political structures, income distribution, and environmental impacts to compare the impact of free trade on different countries. The flow of goods, services and people within and among free trade groups will be evaluated by students. Students also take into account the broader international context of free trade including the role of the World Trade Organization and comparisons between regional trade schemes in Europe and Asia and those in Latin America. Field Trip Fee: $65 back to top | 
