Co-sponsored by UCSD Division of Global Public Health, UCSD Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, and UCSD Latin American Studies Program

The Mexican Migration Field Research Program (MMFRP) is a unique opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students who want an in-depth, hands-on research experience focused on international migration. Students involved in MMFRP consistently report that their participation in this program is a life-changing experience, as they gain an understanding of the Mexico-to-U.S. migration experience that could never have been obtained in a typical classroom environment.

Note: MMFRP is scheduled to take place during the 2012-2013 academic year contingent on the availability of funds. We will make a final decision on the program’s continuation on June 1. In the meantime, we encourage students to apply with the understanding that the program’s continuation cannot be fully guaranteed at this point.

What will you get out of this program?

• Hands-on, community-based field research experience in Mexico and the United States.Experience working with a multidisciplinary research team of undergrads and graduate students from both countries.
• Extensive, direct guidance and training from professors at UCSD and partner institutions.
• Opportunities to explore how public policies, economics, and culture on both sides of the border affect the health of migrants to the U.S. and of family members who are left behind.
• Learn how to gather and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data using the latest social science and biomedical methods.
• The opportunity to have your work published as a professional journal article.

For undergraduates this program, with its unique research and scientific writing opportunities, is excellent preparation for graduate school as well as a career in teaching, public health, non-governmental organizations, and law. For graduate students, the program can be used to satisfy an international field experience requirement, obtain data for a thesis project, and expand your publications record.

During Fall Quarter 2012 students will be trained in field research methods and in how to conduct fieldwork in other cultural settings. In Winter Quarter 2013 students will study a high-migration town in rural Jalisco, México, and its satellite communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. In Spring Quarter 2013 the field data will be analyzed and written up for publication.

Who is eligible to participate?

• Graduate and advanced undergraduate students in all majors and UCSD colleges are eligible to apply. Non-UCSD students are accepted on a case-by-case basis. If you are a non-UCSD student interested in participating, please contact Isela martinez at ivmartin12@gmail.com.

What does it cost?

• Students selected to participate in the program will pay a non-refundable $200 registration fee.  Other costs, including travel expenses for the Mexico-based fieldwork, are being determined based on the availability of other funding for the program as a whole.

What are the requirements for the program?

• Proficiency in conversational Spanish
• Commitment to take both the Fall Quarter and Winter Quarter courses (total of 2 courses).
• The Spring Quarter course (data analysis and write-up) is optional but recommended for graduate students and undergraduates  planning to go to graduate or professional school.

How do I apply?

To begin your application, visit the online application page. The on-line form will guide you to the next step in the process. The deadline to apply is April 15. Applications will then be reviewed and the top candidates will be selected for interviews. Students selected for an interview will be contacted shortly after in order to schedule an interview. Those not selected for interviews will be encourage to apply again next year.