May 12– June 8, 2009

Application

The Costa Rica Ecology Program is an interdisciplinary tropical field course involving study of tropical environments, their natural history and their people. The approach is hands-on, with an emphasis on developing skills of observation, analysis and critical thinking, and learning to apply those skills in carrying out original research in the field.

While many participants will be from Ecology, students from other disciplines are strongly encouraged to apply. In previous years, participants have represented biology, genetics, geography, Spanish, Latin American studies, education, landscape architecture, anthropology, journalism, horticulture, art, and international agriculture, among other fields.

Host Country
The program will take place in Costa Rica. Located between Nicaragua and Panama in Central America, Costa Rica is a small country known for its pioneering role in tropical conservation, its peaceful, democratic traditions, and its commitment to education, health, and diplomacy. Costa Rica is the only country in the Western Hemisphere without an army. Only 1/3 the size of the state of Georgia, Costa Rica is home to some half a million species—about 4% of the species on the planet.

Faculty
Drs. Diana & Milton Lieberman liebermv@racsa.co.cr
Tel/Fax in Costa Rica: 011-506-645-5890

Courses
Participants will normally earn 8 semester hours. Students will enroll under the following course numbers:
ECOL 3510 Ecology Laboratory (3 credits)
ECOL 4960 Ecology Research (2 credits)
MARS 4510 Field Methods in Marine Science (3 credits).

Prerequisite
GPA: Good standing; BIOL 1107/1108; selection based on application, letters of reference, and interview. No previous background in Spanish is required.

Optional Post-course Credit
Students may remain in Costa Rica after the end of the program, in consultation with faculty, for advanced credit. Post-course activities could include continuing research projects (including thesis research), internships, homestays, community service, conservation work, and travel. Note that participants who undertake post-course programs remain subject to the guidelines of the University of Georgia, the Office of International Education, and course faculty.

Cost
The program cost is approximately $2600. Airfare and UGA in-state tuition are additional.

Included in this estimate are: All lodging, meals, ground transportation, guest lectures, excursions and group activities, entrance fees, cultural events and fiestas, most optional activities, laundry, welcome dinner and farewell banquet, medical insurance, and airport departure tax. Not included are: airfare, personal supplies, telephone, and incidentals.

***Note: Out-of-state students pay in-state tuition. The HOPE scholarship applies.

Non-UGA Student Costs & Transient Application
An additional application and $50 processing fee is required for non-UGA students to enroll. Click here for instructions and to download the Transient Student applicaiton. Contact the UGA Costa Rica Office to confirm when you have started the application process.

Non-UGA students will be charged $250, in addition to their tuition, for their non-UGA student accounts through the UGA Bursar’s office.

Application Process
To apply, students must submit a complete application by email to Drs. Diana & Milton Lieberman, liebermv@racsa.co.cr. A $300 deposit payable to UGA Costa Rica must be delivered to the UGA Costa Rica Office, 110 E. Clayton St., Bank of America Building, 3rd Floor, Suite 316, Athens, GA 30602.

Enrollment is limted to 24 qualified students.

Target Dates / Deadlines
Application & $300 deposit deadline: March 2, 2009
Program fee payment deadline: March 30, 2009

Contact Us
Drs. Diana & Milton Lieberman, Ecology Program Directors, at liebermv@racsa.co.cr or
Email ugacr@uga.edu or call 706-425-3318.