Summer Courses

A three week summer semester in conjunction with the Monteverde Institute in Costa Rica offers a unique opportunity for students to experience an interdisciplinary overview of tropical biology, law, culture, and policy in central America. The course aims to allow students to experience all aspects of the diverse country, from the beautiful Monteverde Cloud Forest to world-renowned beaches at Playa Grande and Ostional. Daily activities immerse students in Costa Rican culture, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental and cultural interplay that shapes public policy. Past groups have explored ecotourism, alternative energy sources, fair trade coffee, endangered sea turtle nesting, the ecology of rainforests and mangrove swamps, organic farming techniques, and more.

Typically 15-20 students are accompanied by Professor Peter Auger, Department of Biology, and class credit is earned by maintaining a field journal and completing a final project in any of a number of disciplines. The course can be counted torward the Environmental Studies minor, as an upper division Biology Lab, or as approved by other majors.