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Costa Rica (Summer Program)

This study abroad program in Costa Rica provides an international experience by combining learning about conservation and sustainable development in the tropics with instruction in practical conversational Spanish.

Costa Rica Summer Program Brochure (PDF)

Locations

San José is the capital of Costa Rica and sits at an altitude of 3,772 feet. San José and its suburbs have approximately one million people. The average temperature in the early summer ranges from 63 to 78 degrees F with cooling showers in the afternoon.

Monteverde is nestled at 3,950 feet in the Tileran Mountains of northwestern Costa Rica.

With only one road in and out, Monteverde is a small town and a nature lover's paradise. The weather in Monteverde ranges from 61 to 76 degrees F.

Visitors to Monteverde can enjoy canopy tours, cloud forest tours, night walks, waterfalls, a serpentarium and a butterfly garden.

Academics

Students have 3 different options on this program.

Option 1: Spend six weeks in Costa Rica and earn 9 credits: 3 credits of Rural Sociology 4310; 3 credits of Communications and 3 credits of Ag Elective (Ag Econ majors can use 6 of these credits as Production Ag, and Biochemistry students can use 6 of these credits as CAFNR credit)
Option 2: Spend three weeks in San José studying Spanish and receive 3 credits of either Spanish 2100 (prereq Spanish 1200) or Spanish 3150 (prereq Spanish 2160).
Option 3: Spend two weeks in San José and receive 3 credits of Spanish 2100 or 3150 and spend four weeks in Monteverde and receive 3 credits of Rural Sociology 4310 and 3 credits of Ag Elective.

Spanish language classes take place at the Costa Rican Language Academy (CRLA) in San Jose. Classes are very small (three to six students) and meet four days a week, allowing time for field trips and personal travel.

Classes in Monteverde occur at the Monteverde Institute (MVI). They include lectures and field trips on agro-ecology, landscape ecology, local history, gender studies and sustainable development.

Students also have two classes a week with Jere Gilles, Ph.D., the program leader. One is a group seminar and the other is with small groups of three to four students to discuss their experiences and their journals.

No previous Spanish language experience is required but students having less than two years of high school Spanish need the instructor's permission.

Requirements

2.0 GPA
Good academic standing.
Minimum of a university course in Spanish, two years of high school Spanish or permission of instructor.
This program is open to all MU students.

Accommodations

Students stay with Costa Rican families throughout the program. All students have their own rooms and in San José many have their own bathrooms. Both CRLA and MVI take preferences into consideration when placing students with host families.

Field Trips/Excursions

In addition, to visiting E.A.R.T.H. University and the Arenal Volcano, students will have an opportunity to hike in the rainforest, sail to Tortuga Island and go white-water rafting.

Costa Rica Links

Funding Study Abroad

CAFNR scholarships and loans are available for CAFNR students on this program. Students may also use Financial Aid and University Scholarships for study abroad.