textbooks & Pre-Trip Reading/WORK

CGEE Education Philosophy

Pillars of CGEE Pedagogy

All CGEE-Mexico programs include the oportunity to earn the Global Competence Certificate (GCC). Please click on this link to learn more about it:  Global Competence Certificate. We ask you to complete the first 7 modules before your arrival in Cuernavaca, as we will discuss them during orientation. Stay tuned to your Augsburg email for information on how to access the platform closer to the start of your semester. 

We have used copies of SOME required texts available for rent in Mexico for US $10 - $40 (depending upon the book and the course). However, if you are in the Social Work program and are taking SWK 271 (Comparative Social Policy), SWK 316 (Working with Groups and Families), &/or SWK 317 (Fieldwork), you will need to rent or purchase copies of the texts for those courses at least 4-6 weeks BEFORE coming to Mexico! Please see the book information below.

You will also need to order your Spanish text books 4-6 weeks in advance if you are taking SPA 111, SPA 112, SPA 211, SPA 212, 218, &/or SPA 311 or SPA 337. Please see the books listed below and in the course syllabi. You can order them through the Augsburg University bookstore or online. 

For used copies of books available in Mexico, please the prices for each book below. We aim to keep our book rental affordable, but please let us know if you have any concerns. You should plan to spend the equivalent of approximately US$ 20-40 per course  (for typically 4 courses) with the exception of the Social Work courses mentioned above (SWK 271, 316, and 317). 

If you want to buy  or rent your own copies of the books, that is fine, too.

BIO 118: Environmental Biology - Readings given online 

COM 328: Multimedia Communication - $30

COM 329: Intercultural Communication - $30

• Martin, Judith and Thomas Nakayama (2025). Intercultural Communication in Contexts, 8th edition. McGraw Hill. ISBN: 9781266597091 (This is for rental of the e-book version of the text. If you prefer to buy a paperback copy, you can do that or get an online version.)  Since we are only using SELECTED CHAPTERS of this book, you may choose to buy or rent a hard copy in Mexico. 

COM 415: Diversity and Representation in the Media - $30

COM 490: Keystone: Conversations about Communication for Social Change - $30

FLM 251: Mexican Cinema: Past and Present - $30

HIS/WST 388: Queer History in Latin America - $30

INS 492: Topics in Intercultural Communication - $ 0

INS 495: Topics: Intercultural Development: Mexico - $30

POL 357/WST 352: (Im)Migration, Gender and Social Change - $30

RLN 344/WST 324: Undocumented, Ecofeminist and Queer: Contemporary Latin Ameican Liberation Theologies - $30

• Gonzalez, Karen (2019). The God Who Sees: Immigrants, the Bible, and the Journey to Belong. Herald Press.  You can order this online as a paperback book or Kindle book prior to departure for Mexico. You can also buy or rent a copy once in Cuernavaca. 

SPA 111 and SPA 112: Beginning Spanish I and II - 

• Blanco, Jose A. Panorama 7th edition, 2025. Vista Higher Learning. 

SPA 211 and 212: Intermediate Spanish I and II 

• Blanco, Jose A. Imagina: Español Sin Barreras, 5th edition, 2023. Vista Higher Learning. 

SPA 218: Spanish for Healthcare Professionals - Depends on price when you order it online.

• Rios, Joanna and José Fernñandez Torres.  McGraw-Hill’s Spanish for Health Care Providers, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2021. ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1260467880  ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1260467888 

SPA 220: Business Spanish - $20

SPA 225: Spanish for Heritage Speakers I - Please note that you can download this book for free, as it is open source. If you want a printed copy, you can purchase one in Mexico for approximately US $20. 

• Carter, Amalia, Joe Romero, and Cecilia Monto. (2024) Español Para Hispanohablantes Nativos. https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/spanishbiliteracy/  

SPA 311: Intermediate Conversation and Composition

• Cisneros, Sandra, La casa en Mango Street.

• Jiménez,  Francisco.  Cajas de cartón. 

SPA 316: Conversations in Cultural Context - purchase this new book or rent or buy a copy for approximately US $20 in Cuernavaca.

• Blanco, José. Revistas, 7th edition. (2026). Vista Higher Learning. 

SPA 325: Spanish for Heritage Speakers II - Please note that you can download this book for free, as it is open source. If you want a printed copy, you can purchase one in Mexico for approximately US $20. 

• Carter, Amalia, Joe Romero, and Cecilia Monto. (2024) Español Para Hispanohablantes Nativos. https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/spanishbiliteracy/  

SPA 334: Contemporary Mexican Literature - $20

SPA/WST 335: Contemporary Latin American Women: Texts and Voices - $20

SPA 337: Mexican Civilizations and Cultures

• Delgado de Cantú, Gloria M. Historia de México. Legado histórico y pasado. ISBN:9789702607977 

• COSÍO VILLEGAS, DANIEL. HISTORIA MÍNIMA DE MÉXICO, COLEGIO DE MÉXICO , 2022,  FONDO DE CULTURA ECONÓMICA, ISBN978-607-16-7412.

SPA 356: Latin American Literature – 20th Century Voices - $20

SPA 411: Advanced Conversation and Composition - $20

SWK 261: Social Welfare: The U.S. Mexican Context - $20

• Martin, Judith and Thomas Nakayama (2025). Intercultural Communication in Contexts, 8th edition. McGraw Hill. ISBN: 9781266597091 (This is for rental of the e-book version of the text. If you prefer to buy a paperback copy, you can do that or get an online version.)  We will only read SELECTED CHAPTERS, so you may want to buy or rent hard copies in Mexico.

SWK 271: Comparative Social Policy: Social Policy and Social Change in Mexico and the U.S. 

Be sure to buy or rent the following at least 4-6 weeks PRIOR to coming to Mexico:

• Ritter, Jessica A. (2022).  Social Work Policy Practice: Changing Our Community, Nation, and the World., 3rd edition.  Cognella Academic Publishing.

SWK 316: Working with Families and Groups: Practice Course 

Be sure to buy or rent the following at least 4-6 weeks PRIOR to coming to Mexico:

• Madsen and Gillespie. Collaborative Helping: A Strengths Framework for Home-Based Services. ISBN: 9781118567630

• Toseland, R. and Rivas, R. (2017) Introduction to Group Work Practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Publishing. 

SWK 317: Fieldwork in Social Work 

You do NOT need to buy or rent the following book prior to arrival in Mexico unless you want it for your own reference. There will be copies available in Mexico.

• Larkin, Shelagh. (2018). A Field Guide for Social Workers: Applying your Generalist Training. SAGE Publications, Inc. ISBN: 9781506379241.

Internship (not in Social Work) - $10

Independent Study - Independent study students should purchase and bring with them any and all books relevant to their research topic. If you want to check to see if we already have a particular book in our library, please email mejiar@augsburg.edu.