Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Beyond the Classroom

Field Study

Independent research is an integral part of the Monteverde program. Each student develops a research proposal on a particular aspect of tropical ecology designed around direct field experience. After conducting the field work, students analyze their results and produce a written report. They also share their findings in an oral presentation during the biology symposium at the end of the term. Past topics have included the effects of forest fragmentation on species richness, bioluminescence of beetles, and detection of anti-fungal agents by leaf-cutter ants. Students report that this independent work has been instrumental in initiating their research skills and strengthening their dedication to the field of biology.

Independent Study/Community Service/Internship

EAP at the University of Costa Rica offers a range of opportunities for experiential learning, some for academic credit. Students who wish to volunteer their time in community service projects (not for academic credit) find a range of activities from which to choose. Past EAP students have worked in public health agencies, in local elementary schools, in consulting firms, in women's shelters, in an English language magazine, and in rural enterprises close to the capital. Although these activities are extra-curricular, students say that community service is a rewarding way to delve more deeply into Costa Rican life. Study Center staff can direct students to those organizations that have expressed a need for volunteers. See the University of Costa Rica's information on volunteer opportunities.

Independent study projects and internships undertaken for academic credit during the regular semester are also an option. These must be supervised by either a host university faculty member or the Program Director. The National Identities and Immigration core course organized by the Study Center during the first semester provides substantial intellectual grounding for a range of studies in the humanities and social sciences that might take place in the second semester. Past students have also completed studies in public health, environmental resource preservation, and education.

Extended Internship Option

EAP students interested in more extensive internships may lengthen their participation in the first semester to complete a six-week internship following the termination of regular classes. These internships run from late June to mid-August and carry 9.0 UC quarter units. Early in the first semester, students decide whether they want to commit to the additional six-week opportunity, and then secure the approval of the Program Director.

Internships can be arranged in such areas as education, social work (especially labor or migration issues), computer networking, or biology. In 2005, students worked among indigenous communities in the south, on sustainable development projects, and with rural communities organizing eco-touristic projects. Exact information on placement possibilities becomes available to students after arrival in Costa Rica.

The academic aspects of the summer internship are supervised by the Program Director. In addition to performing the work involved in the internship and regular consultation with the internship supervisor, students must produce a substantial paper reporting the results of their work and placing their experience in the context of their academic field. The final paper is evaluated by the internship supervisor and the final grade is assigned by the Program Director.

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