Costa Rica 2010
- Introduction
- Summary Facts
- Courses
- Travel Arrangements
- Itinerary
- Student Eligibility
- Faculty Leadership
Introduction
The 2010 study abroad program to Costa Rica will be conducted May 16 – June 16 and will provide about 20 students with an opportunity to study ecotourism, multicultural awareness and Spanish language and culture. The language portion of the program will be taught by the faculty of the Instituto de Cultura Y Lengua-Costarricense, while ASU faculty will teach the ecotourism and multicultural awareness portions.
Instituto de Cultura Y Lengua-Costarricense, in San Jose, Costa Rica, is a culture and language institute that offers students a combination of learning Spanish and exploring the richness of the Costa Rican culture. The Centers for Academic Programs Abroad (CAPA) recommends the institute. CAPA will arrange details of the program.
The institute is located in a suburban area (Alajuela) of San Jose, which is the capital of Costa Rica. Although it is the second-smallest country in Central America, Costa Rica is known to be the most stable country in the region. Since 1948, when the government chose to disband its military and redirect all defense spending to education, Costa Rica has been recognized as an educational leader in Central America.
Summary Facts
- Summer Session I
- Travel Dates: May 16 – June 16, 2010
- Six credit hours in Spanish and six hours of undergraduate or graduate credit in Ecotourism (Business)/Biology
- Application deadline: Nov. 20, 2009
Courses
Each student is required to register for a total of six hours for the first summer semester term taught by Rene Segoviano. Students will register for undergraduate ecotourism/multicultural awareness courses, and the requirements of each course will be similar to on-campus courses. Textbooks and other source materials will be used and presentations of material and research papers will be required. While in Costa Rica, students will attend Spanish language instruction for an average of four hours per day, plus two hours of field work/excursions per day for the ecotourism course.
The institute’s faculty members will teach courses covering Spanish and culture. Student-to-teacher ratio for the Spanish and culture classes is 4:1. Students will also participate in afternoon field studies, recreational activities (cost extra) and commercial, industrial and cultural visits in San Jose led by institute staff and/or faculty members.
Students will be placed in Spanish classes based on their level of language proficiency. The grade earned for the Spanish classes will be factored into the final grade for the multicultural awareness course.
Check with your academic adviser to determine how these courses can be used in your degree plan.
ISTD 3381: Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies - Multicultural Awareness for Business. Ecotourism focuses on local cultures, wilderness adventures, volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on our vulnerable planet. It is typically defined as travel to destinations where the flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, initiatives by hospitality providers to promote recycling, energy efficiency, water reuse and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities are an integral part of ecotourism. Historical, biological and cultural conservation, preservation, sustainable development, etc., are some of the fields closely related to ecotourism. In addition, the impact of ecotourism on international trade will be discussed. Instructor: Rene Segoviano.
ISTD 3381: Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies - Ecotourism: Implications for International Trade. The term "ecotourism” was coined by Héctor Ceballos-Lascuràin in 1983 and was initially used to describe nature-based travel to relatively undisturbed areas with an emphasis on education. The concept has, however, developed into a scientifically based approach to the planning, management and development of sustainable tourism products and activities. The impact of ecotourism on international trade will be discussed. An important aspect of this course will be visiting successful reserves and other areas that will provide examples of the potential for ecotourism. Students will be expected to demonstrate mastery of materials presented through examinations. Additionally, a field journal describing the locations visited will be required for part of the grade. Instructor: Rene Segoviano.
More Information
Each of the courses will provide a minimum of 45 faculty-student contact hours. In addition to the classroom hours, which will be taught on campus at ASU and at the host university, organized activities such as fieldwork, special lectures, briefings and seminars under the supervision of the faculty directors will be scheduled during excursions. An important requirement of the program will be more than eight hours of community service, including participation in an organized park/lake clean-up project.
Travel Arrangements
Students will be extensively briefed regarding travel arrangements prior to departure, and schedules with addresses and telephone numbers given to each participant. All travel arrangements will be made by the program director and approved by the university.
All program participants must have adequate health and accident insurance coverage in case of emergencies or other medical needs. Students will be required to obtain International Student Identification Cards that will provide medical, death and discount benefits. Participants must provide the directors with a copy of the policy number and company name of their insurance policy.
Itinerary
The program schedule will be available as soon as details are formalized. The schedule is subject to revision as additional details of the travel schedules, excursions and special arrangements for meetings with business, government and university representatives are developed in consultation with faculty and administrative officers of the host university.
Student Eligibility
Undergraduate Students:
- Must be a full-time ASU student for two consecutive semesters at time of application
- Must have completed 30 hours of course work at time of application
- Must have cumulative GPA of 2.75
Faculty Leadership
Rene Segoviano, instructor of business administration in the Management and Marketing Department, directs this program. Segoviano is fluent in Spanish and has years of market research experience, including extensive research experience among Hispanic populations. He previously directed the 2008 and 2009 Costa Rica study abroad programs.
