The courses offered at the Puebla site are available for students who have completed grades 7-10. 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.
Introduction to Archaeology
In this course, students learn to survey, map, and excavate sites; recover and record data; process and analyze artifacts; and create replicas of stone tools and pottery. Field trips to local sites are an integral component of this course. Lab & Field Trip Fee: $85
Introduction to Astronomy
In this course, students are exposed to the physics and mathematical concepts which are part of the science of astronomy, including such topics as planetary science; solar physics; stellar evolution; general relativity; and exotic objects such as quasars, pulsars, and black holes. Students have opportunities to work at local observatories, planetariums, or science centers. Lab & Field Trip Fee: $85
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
Chemistry in Society
From the artificial sweeteners in a diet soft drink to the Gore-Tex® in a windbreaker, applications of chemistry are integral to our everyday lives. This course, designed for those who have not yet taken a chemistry course, gives students an introduction to the field of chemistry and its uses in the world around us. Course activities emphasize learning concepts in a laboratory setting to understand how chemistry affects our surroundings and daily routines.
Lab Fee: $65
Medical Sciences: Pharmacology & Toxicology
This course covers the fundamentals of two medical disciplines which are intricately linked: pharmacology and toxicology. Students begin by learning the basic principles of pharmacology, including drug receptor interactions, structure activity relationships, and cellular control mechanisms. The course then turns its focus to applications of drugs and toxins for human use. Lab work is an integral component of this course. Lab Fee: $65
Principles of Engineering Design
Students in this course explore key principles of engineering design by constructing working models. Through this hands-on learning process, students also gain exposure to fundamental topics in physics and chemistry, including basic atomic structure, density, kinetic theory of gases, velocity, acceleration, Newton's laws of motion, friction, kinetic and potential energy, fluid dynamics, electrical current, and work. Lab Fee: $65
Mathematics of Money
This course provides students with a rigorous, mathematical grounding in central concepts of business and finance. Students investigate the mathematics of buying and selling, and apply these principles to real world situations. They gain fluency with the concepts of simple and compound interest and learn how these affect the present and future value of loans, mortgages, and interest-bearing accounts. Students also explore stocks and bonds and acquire a firmer understanding of national and international financial markets.
The Americas on the World Stage
Students in this course are introduced to various geopolitical theories and to the existing approaches and methodologies used to understand and analyze world events. In a course that combines the study of international relations with geography, students learn how different populations, regions, and global organizations relate to and affect one another. Special attention is given to the relationship between the United States and Mexico, including border politics, as well as to the role of the rest of the Americas in the international political arena. Sample text: Materials compiled by the instructor.
Great Writers & Artists of Mexico
In this course, students examine literary and artistic works of well-known Mexican writers, poets, painters, and sculptors. Through analytical reading and critical writing, students consider these works in their cultural, political, and historical contexts. Field trips to local museums are an integral component of this course. Field Trip Fee: $65 Sample text: Materials compiled by the instructor.
Mexican Architecture
In this course, students examine pre-Colombian Mayan and Aztec architecture in Mexico, the introduction of European architecture to Mexico and the development of Mexican architecture from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries. The works of contemporary Mexican architects are examined, including the creations of architects like Luis Barragan, the winner of the Pritzker Prize, the top prize in architecture. Students learn how architecture has shaped both public and private spaces in Mexico and the interplay of art, politics and architecture over the centuries. Field Trip Fee: $65
Models of Economic Development in the Americas
In this course, students examine a variety of economic development theories and how they have been implemented in Latin America. The theories examined include import substitution industrialization, structural adjustment, and free trade and regional integration. Using historical cases, students discuss issues such as the difference between growth and development, the role of institutions in economic development, and the persistence of economic inequality and poverty in the Americas. Field Trip Fee: $65 back to top | 
