Program Duration

Fall Semester: Mid-September – Mid-December
Spring Semester: Early February – Early May
Summer Program: Early June – Early July or Mid-July – Mid-August

Program Description

Offered through the School for Field Studies (SFS), the program in Costa Rica is co-sponsored by UW-Madison. The program takes place at the Center for Sustainable Development Studies in Atenas, Costa Rica. Costa Rica is currently undergoing a period of great economic and social change. As the country continues along a path of rapid development, it is becoming increasingly influenced by global policy. Costa Rica's economy has shifted from one based on agriculture to one driven by ecotourism and technology exports. At the same time, population growth is straining resources. SFS’s goal is to study different sustainable management models that protect the biodiversity of Costa Rica's ecosystems while promoting socioeconomic benefits for its people.

Students will examine the effects of globalization on classic sustainability issues. Visits to cloud forests, dry forests, volcanic parks, lowland rainforests, and plantations offer opportunities to examine management schemes, identify the benefits of protected areas, and determine which systems offer the best option for economic development, the maintenance of cultural norms, and the preservation of biodiversity.

This program is designed for all students who like to learn in an interdisciplinary and experiential environment, although it may be most appropriate for students with biology or ecology- related majors. Highlights of the program include field research, participation in field trips, community service trips, and the opportunity to gain research experience through an independent project.

Academics

SFS’s interdisciplinary, experiential approach to education is designed to train students to learn by doing. As students engage in high-quality field research, they begin to understand the challenges of confronting environmental issues. They learn the value of experiencing another culture, of collaborating with their fellow students and with the local community to develop workable solutions. They are also given the rare opportunity to work side by side with an international research team and learn state-of-the-art field research skills.

The program combines classroom-based academics with field study. Students should expect an academically intensive experience and be willing to learn in a variety of settings. SFS's interdisciplinary approach to research teaches students about tropical ecology, agro-ecology, socioeconomics, sustainability, park management, natural resource management, ecological economics, and Costa Rican history, culture, and the Spanish language.

Each field station is staffed by a Center Director and two to three full-time, resident faculty. Most of the SFS faculty are native to the country/region in which they teach.

Semester students are registered in five academic courses: Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Development (four credits), Economic & Ethical Issues and Sustainable Development (four credits), Principles of Resource Management (four credits), Directed Research (four credits), and Language, Culture and Society of Costa Rica (two credits).

Summer students register for Sustaining Tropical Ecosystems: Biodiversity, Conservation, and Development (four credits).

Housing

The Center for Sustainable Development Studies, the SFS field station, is a small farm on a hillside with spectacular views overlooking the Rio Grande River in the fertile Central Valley. The field station includes a large house, an outdoor classroom, an organic garden, a patio, and pool. Students live in a dormitory (up to four to a room) with bathrooms. There is a classroom, small laboratory, and a library/computer room with internet access. The field station is part of the small neighborhood of La Presa/Los Angeles. The friendly town of Atenas is a short walk from the field station while Costa Rica's tropical forests, beaches, mountains, and volcanoes are within a day's travel.

Excursions and Activities

Students participate in a pre-departure orientation at UW-Madison as well as an on-site orientation upon arrival in country. The orientations are designed to introduce students to the program and prepare them for living abroad.

As part of the program, students take field trips to sample and examine an array of forests. Camping, hiking, traveling, and research may all be part of the trips. An extended field expedition to Nicaragua is included to compare and contrast development and resource use issues between the two countries. Past field trip locations have included: Palo Verde National Park, Braulio Carrillo National Park, Volcan Arenal National Park, Rincon de La Vieja National Park, and the Monteverde protected zone. In addition, a variety of cultural events and activities are available to students.