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Costa Rica

Studies in Latin American Culture and Society (ACM)
Studies in Latin American Culture and Society (fall only) is an interdisciplinary program for students seeking a comprehensive understanding of life of Latin America and wishing to develop fluency in Spanish. This program, which focuses on humanities and social sciences, is designed to take full advantage of its Costa Rican setting. Language study is stressed as the key to understanding the culture.Course work in language, literature, geography, anthropology, politics and cultural change enables students to develop insights which are reinforced by field trips and two weeks of field work in rural areas. In San José and its environs, students live with families both to improve their language ability and to enjoy personal involvement in the daily life of a Latin American community.

Tropical Field Research
The Tropical Field Research Program (winter/spring) is designed for advanced work in the natural and social sciences. Independent research in the humanities is also encouraged. Costa Rica supports an extraordinary variety of plant and animal life and provides rich research opportunities for students of tropical biology and ecology. An equally broad range of research topics is available for students of anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, geology, history, political science, and sociology. Students prepare for their research during a month-long orientation which includes intensive language training, and a review of field work methodology. Their field study may be integrated with an ongoing project or undertaken independently under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

Ecuador

Community Internships in Latin America (CILA)
CILA offers a semester of study and experience with a focus on community participation and social change. A hands-on internship designed to meet the student's own learning goals is combined with a seminar, independent project and a home stay for an intensive immersion into Latin American daily life and culture. Models of community participation, organization, development and social change are compared and contrasted. Students learn first-hand about social problems in Ecuadorian communities and explore ways in which communities are addressing these challenges. Internship sites include organizations working on health, youth development, women's issues, environment, human rights and other issues. Each student also carries out an independent study project on a topic of personal choice, which includes hands-on field research. All lectures are in Spanish with discussions in Spanish and English. Readings are mostly in Spanish. CILA is for students from all majors interested in social change in Latin American communities.

Guatemala

Politics, Development & the City
Politics, Development & the City explores historical and current issues related to rural-urban migration, industrialization, government policies and effects on human communities. Students compare and critique theories of development and then explore their usefulness and limitations in understanding the region and its global context. "Spanish in the Field" courses facilitates significant language learning directly related to content and field experiences across the program. Students engage in dialogue with Latin American faculty and guest lecturers, activists and leaders from local communities. Learning is brought to life through small group field projects and experiences with organizations working on urban issues. Students observe, interview and make direct contact with local citizens and organizations to better understand local conditions and efforts to bring about change. Each student also carries out an independent study project on a topic of personal choice, which includes hands-on field research.
In Guatemala City, students stay with a host family. A two-week field excursion to Ecuador offers an experience rich in ethnic groups, cultural diversity and natural environments.

Guatemala and Cuba

Environment, Economy and Community in Latin America (EECLA)
This program explores the impact of global development on local culture and environment and the response of indigenous communities and other affected groups. An engaging interdisciplinary approach guides students in developing a broad and interconnected understanding of current political, economic, and social conditions in Guatemala. Fascinating comparative perspectives are provided through study-travel to Cuba. Environmental and development issues are examined by looking at market and community economy models and their respective practices and ethical implications. Students conduct a variety of field projects in small groups to learn about environmental and development efforts. Students gain hands-on experience through field placements with organizations working in the Guatemalan highland. There you can explore the limits and possibilities of classroom theories and concepts in the context of complex real-life experiences in the community. In all these aspects, you will engage in dialogue with faculty, guest lecturers, activists and community leaders. By living short-term with a Mayan host family in the Lake Atitlan region, students develop a critical understanding of rural living conditions and their connection with the urban centers. In Guatemala City, students will stay with a host family.

Spain

Seville Program (CIEE)
Semester I, Semester II or full year
Students of sophomore standing or higher, interested in Spanish language and culture, may participate in the academic program in Seville offered through the Council on International Educational Exchange. The program assumes that the student has already achieved the capacity to work in Spanish as the sole medium of study and endeavor. This capacity gives students in Seville access to courses in Spanish language and literature, history, anthropology, archeology, art history, psychology and sociology, some of which are available through the regular curriculum of the University of Seville.