Honors History & Global Good in Mérida

Temple Summer in Mexico

Honors History & Global Good in Mérida

Examine how cities, monuments, archaeological sites, and everyday spaces can be read as texts that reveal histories of conquest, resistance, identity, and power. Over four weeks in Mérida and the Yucatán Peninsula, you will investigate how colonialism, tourism, and contemporary development have shaped the region through visits to Chichén Itzá, Izamal, Vallodolid, museums, and cultural landmarks. Using the Tren Maya as a case study, the course asks how the past is represented in the present, who shapes public memory, and how local communities negotiate history, heritage, and change. Through readings, discussion, field-based research, and critical reflection on your role as a traveler and scholar, you will develop new perspectives on and approaches to interpreting place, history, and culture while engaging directly with the communities and landscapes of the Yucatán.

Program Overview

Expand upon each of the links below to view more details about this program.

Academic Program

Language of Instruction

English

Course Load

1 course, 3 credits

Course Offerings

You will select one of the following:

History 3900: Honors Special Topics I: From Colonialism to Tourism: Five Centuries of Conflict, Conquest, and Resistance in the Yucatan, Mexico (3 credits)
Intellectual Heritage 0852 Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good (3 credits)
Intellectual Heritage 0952 Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good (3 credits)

Non-Honors students are welcome to apply for the program. All students who want to take the history course will be registered in the Honors section of the course.

View all courses.

Location

Located in the northwest of the Yucatán Peninsula near the Gulf of Mexico, Mérida is the capital and largest city in the state of Yucatán, with a population of approximately 920,000 people.

Explore Mérida!

Mérida is a blend of the New World and the Old – a living contradiction between ancient Indigenous culture and the European infrastructure that attempted to convert and remake it in its own image. Temple’s programs in Merida will analyze the colonial past evident around every corner while highlighting the contributions of and influence of Mayan people, both past and present.

When you’re not in the classroom, take advantage of the local art and food cultures in Mérida. Calle 47 (47th Street) is home to Restaurant Row, and street markets with food and handmade goods appear in the city during the weekends. If art and music are more your speed, there are around a dozen museums and theaters to visit during your stay, including the Teatro José Peón Contreras – where you can attend a performance of the Yucatán Symphony Orchestra (for less than $20!).

The Yucatán Peninsula has much to offer, and the natural beauty of this region can feel like a hidden gem. Guests to the area can enjoy visiting public spaces near Mérida without as much of the tourist traffic as one might expect in other nearby areas. Flamingo-filled coastal parks such as Celestún and Progreso lie just under an hour to the north and east, and underground cave systems and swimming spots are located about an hour to the west. The Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, are under two hours away; an excursion to Chichen Itza will be part of the program.

View the map of Mérida.

Program Dates

Four weeks: mid-May through mid-June

Tentative Program Dates Summer 2026

Departure from U.S.	May 14
Arrival in Mérida	May 14
Orientation	May 15
Classes begin	May 18
Classes end	June 11
Last night in housing	June 11
Program ends	June 12

Do not use the above dates to book your flight, as they are tentative and subject to change. Accepted students will receive confirmed program dates and flight booking guidelines from Education Abroad before making travel plans.

Program participants are required to be present for the entire length of the program, from the official arrival date through the program end date.

Housing

Housing type: Hotel

Basic hotel (shared, single-sex bedrooms) in Lima for the duration of the program. If you have documented accommodation with Disability Resources & Services for a single room, please contact Education Abroad when you apply for the program.

Activities & Excursions

These courses will feature frequent excursions, enabling you to study firsthand the city’s rich Maya and Spanish heritage. These visits bring course texts to life and expose you to daily life in Mérida. Please note that the excursions below are not final, and are subject to change.

Day trip to Chichén Itzá, the renowned Mayan archaeological site, and Yodkzonot cenote where you will participate in a Mayan/Yucatecan cooking class and learn to prepare regional dishes
Day trip to Hacienda Sotuta de Peón to explore the 19th century hacienda, learn about its historical, cultural and economic importance, and experience the process for producing henequen fiber.
Day trip to Valladolid and Izamal to visit important colonial era convents and learn about the process of evangelization and the spread of Catholic religion in Yucatan.
Day trip to the archaeological site of Uxmal and the Museum of Chocolate
Overnight excursion to visit the Mayan community of Yaxunah, located within two hours of Mérida. While there, you will participate in a cultural engagement activity, meet with a local youth group, and interview Mayan peers about their lives and experiences.
Mayan archaeoastronomy activity including a talk on archaeoastronomy followed by stargazing at a private ecological park with archaeological ruins called Sihunchén. Activity led by a local archaeologist who specializes in the vision of the sky by the Yucatecan Maya from both pre-hispanic and contemporary points of view.

Faculty & On-site Support

Temple Program Director

Dr. Bryant Simon serves as the program director overseeing the academic program and will serve as your point of contact for academic matters. He will be on-site in Merida for part of the program.

Faculty

The Spanish and Mayan language classes are taught by local IFSA instructional staff.

On-site Support Staff

In addition to your program director, you will have support from our on-site partner, the Institute for Study Abroad - IFSA .

Program Costs

Program Deposit

Students will pay a non-refundable program deposit of $400 within 2 weeks of acceptance to the program, or 2 weeks after the application deadline, whichever is earlier. This non-refundable deposit is credited to your program fees as a prepayment.

TUITION AND FEES (3 CREDITS)

Temple students pay their usual per-credit rate by school/college and residency.

Non-Temple students are charged the Part-time Rate for Non-Matriculated Students per credit hour of enrollment based on their state of permanent residency.

All students pay:

University Services Fee
Mexico Program Fee: includes housing in shared accommodations, orientation, airport transfers, some field trips and some group meals.

For complete details about billable costs and estimates for non-billable expenses, such as airfare, meals, and personal expenses, view the program cost sheet.

View detailed program costs.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

Education Abroad offers competitive, need-based scholarships for this program. Learn more about scholarships and financial aid.

Health & Safety

Staying healthy and safe abroad requires good planning and strong support. Review our health and safety page for important steps to preparing for study abroad, and details about international travel medical insurance and assistance provided by Temple.

Contact

Program Director: Dr. Bryant Simon, Laura H. Carnell Professor of History and Academic Chair of the University Honors Program, [click-for-email]
Program Director: Dr. Robert Raibee, Associate Professor of Instruction, Intellectual Heritage, [click-for-email]
Program Director: Dr. Douglass Greenfield, Professor of Instruction, Intellectual Heritage, [click-for-email]
Education Abroad: 215-204-0720; [click-for-email]

Eligibility Requirements

Temple Rome, Temple Japan, Temple in Spain, and Temple Faculty-led programs are open to qualified students matriculated at any U.S. or Canadian college or university.

Temple Exchange programs, Temple Global Seminars, and External programs are open only to matriculated Temple University students.

You are eligible to apply if you meet the following requirements.

Are enrolled fulltime and will have completed 2 semesters before studying abroad

You are enrolled as a full-time matriculated student at the time of application as well as during the semester prior to studying abroad.
You will have completed at least two (2) semesters of college-level study by the program start.

Are in good academic standing and meet minimum GPA requirement for the program

You meet minimum cumulative GPA requirement from all colleges/universities attended. As of May 2025, the GPA requirement for most programs is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Exceptions include:

Rome Internships: 3.0
Exchange Programs: 2.75
External Programs: various, provider requirements may differ from Temple's

You remain in good academic standing from the time of application until the start of your term abroad; students on academic warning are not eligible to participate.

Have a valid passport

You will need a passport, valid well beyond the length of your program, by the application deadline.

View deadlines and validity requirements for your host country.

Are in good disciplinary standing

You must be in good disciplinary standing at the time of application and remain so through the start of your term abroad. Students who have been found responsible for a code of conduct violation and will not be in good disciplinary standing (including disciplinary probation) may submit a petition for review.

Meet the minimum age requirement

You are at least 18 years old at the time of application.

For Temple in Mexico - The Honors History & Global Good program, there are no additional requirements.

Application Requirements

Complete the online application and submit the additional checklist items, including advisor approval and transcript, outlined in the online portal.

For Temple in Mexico - The Honors History & Global Good program, there are no additional application requirements.

Admissions Timeline

Admissions is rolling (early applications encouraged).
Once you submit your application, you should expect a decision within two (2) weeks.

I'm excited about study abroad because instead of memorizing dates from a textbook or lecture slides, we'll get to learn from real people and see history with our own eyes.

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