Before anyone can apply, you must

1. You must have completed ANTH 1312, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, or some similar course
2. You must consult with the Program Director or Faculty Affiliate on your campus to verify that you can speak Spanish well enough to carry a conversation and conduct ethnographic interviews and research.  

Applications will not be accepted until Dr. Juarez, Dr. Pimentel, or a Faculty Affiliate has confirmed that your Spanish is adequate.

Once you have fulfilled the application pre-requisites, applicants submit

• A completed application form (including a one-half to one page Statement of Purpose)
• Two letters of recommendation forms (preferably from professors) 
• An unofficial transcript
• A signed Behavior Contract

The preferred application deadline is November 1. Applicants will be notified during the first week in November to ensure that they are able to register for the prerequisite courses and schedule the required Preparation Workshops. 

After students have been accepted to the program, they must obtain a passport and apply to Texas State's Study Abroad Office. All students must complete Part I and Part II of the Study Abroad Application, and students from Affiliate Schools will have to apply for admission to Texas State before they can apply to Study Abroad. UTSA students will also have to register with the UTSA Office of Study Abroad.

Participating in this program involves a huge commitment, but it also provides a unique opportunity. Students commit to preparatory work prior to the summer, during the summer, and afterwards.

• During the spring semester you must successfully complete 1) ANTH 4361, Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology (or a similar course), 2) ANTH 3314, Latin American Cultures (or a similar course), and 3) a preparation workshop that will meet five times during the semester and will be available to Affiliate Institution students via interactive video. The schedule for the preparation workshop will be finalized once all particpants have been chosen, and the preferred meeting time will be Thursday or Friday afternoons. Attendance at the workshop is required and will cover program logistics such as travel and housing, and research preparation including readings related to the region and the research topic.
• The summer itself involves conducting intensive research, learning, and implementation of field methods, while living with a host family. Students are likely to experience culture shock and may experience some challenges in adjusting to living conditions, including the lack of privacy, immersion in a foreign language, different sleeping and bathing arrangements, and so forth. Students will take three courses: ANTH 3326, Maya History and Society:Globalization; ANTH 3375U Community Research:Advanced Methods; ANTH 4360 Directed Study:Ethnographic Analysis. You will also present the preliminary findings of your research at a mid-term conference, with Faculty, Faculty Affiliates and local scholars serving as discussants.
• After the summer you will continue to work with the program faculty on analyzing and writing up your research results for publication and presentation at conferences. You will be required to attend occasional meetings and Article Writing Workshops, and to meet the deadlines designed to produce a peer-reviewed publication before the following summer. Students will be encouraged to take an independent study or other course that will allow them to receive credit while they analyze and write up their research during the fall semester.

Students are provided with a unique opportunity to receive hands-on training and conduct supervised research with faculty in a foreign country.

• You will have the opportunity to live with a host family, be immersed in a Spanish-speaking community, and experience Maya and Mexican culture first-hand.
• You will earn nine credit hours of upper-division anthropology courses, will have the opportunity to publish your research either as a single author or with a faculty co-author, will have the opportunity to present your research at conferences, and will have the opportunity to be mentored for graduate school and careers in research.
• You will have almost all expenses paid, including tuition, travel, books, and living expenses. In addition, you will receive a $1000 stipend to compensate for loss of summer employment.

Texas State University is the Host Institution for this program, but students from Affiliate Schools are also eligible to participate. Each Affiliate School has agreed to work with Texas State and provide an Affiliate School Faculty Mentor, required pre-requisite courses, and administrative support for the ITV Preparation Workshops. Faculty Affiliates have also committed to attending the mid-term conference to serve as discussants of student papers and to evaluate the program.

Students from Affiliate Schools should contact their Faculty Affiliate to certify that they speak Spanish well enough to participate in the program prior to submitting an application.

The Affiliate Schools and Faculty include:

• University of Texas at San Antonio, Dr. James McDonald
• University of Texas Pan American, Dr. Servando Hinojosa
• Brigham Young University, Dr. John Hawkins