The Costa Rica Center is the gateway to the Global Studies degree, offering students a strong academic foundation and hands-on field experiences. Over the course of the yearlong program, students explore Central America’s role in global dynamics, focusing on the region’s history, cultures, politics, and ecosystems. Through coursework, fieldwork, and travel to neighboring countries, students analyze the local effects of globalization and the lasting impact of colonialism and African migration. The program also highlights how governments, organizations, and communities address global challenges.
The Costa Rica Center is located in Heredia, a university town near San José, Costa Rica. The country, rich in biodiversity, offers diverse landscapes from rainforests to volcanoes. Students live with local families, study Spanish, and engage in field research and community projects. They also visit Panama for extended study.
Academic Overview
The Costa Rica Center hosts first-year students and visiting study abroad students, offering a curriculum that includes the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Seminar, courses on Environment & Ecology and Governance, and electives in strategic communications and social entrepreneurship. Students gain research and writing skills, enhance their Spanish proficiency, and develop cross-cultural communication abilities through homestays, community projects, and field excursions. The program provides a deep understanding of how environmental, cultural, economic, and political issues intersect and how communities respond to global forces.
| Fall Curriculum |
| Latin American and Caribbean Studies Seminar |
| Foundations of Global Studies: Environment & Ecology |
| Foundation Year Orientation Seminar |
| Joining the Conversation: The Argumentative Essay |
|
Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced Communicative Spanish I |
| Spring Curriculum |
| Foundations of Global Studies: Governance |
| An Introduction to Field Research |
|
Exploring Questions: Writing the Research Paper I |
|
Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced Communicative Spanish II |