Heredia, Costa Rica – Spanish for Health Professionals

Dates: January 5 – 16, 2027

Course Title: GCOS 398 – Spanish for Health Professionals 

Section Number: 001

Course Description: This course is aimed at future health professionals to improve their Spanish communication skills, an important skill for providing quality healthcare to a large sector of the population. The course begins with a 10-day intensive Spanish course in Costa Rica, combining class instruction with engaging field visits to different Costa Rican health-related settings. The course will continue with online sessions and coursework after the Costa Rica intensive portion of the course. Once in Costa Rica, students will be placed in small groups by level, so the course is open and will benefit students of all Spanish levels interested in the health professions. The course will focus on vocabulary and grammatical structures related to the daily work of healthcare professionals and provide field opportunities to apply their Spanish-speaking skills in different Costa Rican healthcare contexts. Students will also learn about the Costa Rican healthcare system and an overview of Latin American culture through its language and customs.

The main objectives are: To learn grammar and vocabulary that will allow students to communicate more effectively with Spanish-speaking patients or healthcare service users; To learn about different Costa Rican healthcare centers and interact with professional staff in different healthcare fields; To experience typical Costa Rican cultural practices such as popular sayings, cuisine, music, and dance.

Instructor: Professor Gabriela Garcia (Costa Rica Center)

Credits: 3 liberal arts credits. All study abroad courses also count as Honors College credits for students in the Honors College. NO SUBSTITUTIONS.

Spring Term Meeting Day/Time: Thursdays, 6:00–7:50 PM EST (Teams), 1/19/2027–3/9/2027

Travel Dates: January 5–16, 2027

Travel Details: Arrive at San Jose Airport between 11 AM–3 PM on 1/5/2027; check out by 11 AM on 1/16/2027.

Accommodation: Hotel Cibeles (double or triple rooms, en-suite).

Fees:

Total Program Fee: $1,880.00 (does not include airfare)

This fee includes:

• Airport transfer
• All transportation to field trips and activities
• All field trips, activities, and registration/entrance fees
• Books and course materials
• Hotel accommodation (double or triple rooms)
• Select meals (2 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 3 dinners)
• Travel insurance

Tentative Itinerary

• January 5: Arrival and welcome dinner.
• January 6: Orientation and language classes.
• January 7: Healthcare system lecture, language classes, and Central Market visit.
• January 8: Community health center visit, language classes, nutrition lecture, and host family dinner.
• January 9: San Jose visit (farmers' market, senior residence, National Museum) and language classes.
• January 10: Free day.
• January 11: Indigenous community health visit and language classes.
• January 12: Hospital visit, language classes, and physical therapy lecture.
• January 13–14: Overnight visit to the Longo Mai agricultural cooperative.
• January 15: Final class and farewell lunch.
• January 16: Departure.

Guidelines For All Courses

• Open to all undergraduate LIU students not graduating in December 2026.
• P1, P2, and P3 Pharmacy students are also invited to participate.
• Non-LIU undergraduate students are also welcome to enroll, but must pay the additional charge listed under Understanding Extra Fees below.
• These are spring courses with a travel component before the first day of the spring semester.
• Courses meet no more than 5 times during the semester; students should keep Thursdays from 6:00-7:50 PM on 1/19/2027–3/9/2027 open.
• Two virtual preparation sessions will be held in November and December prior to travel; these sessions will be recorded for students who cannot attend.
• Courses are typically capped around 22 students, depending on location, with a minimum of 10 students required to run.
• Students must adhere to the conduct rules outlined in the Student Handbook while on all trips.
• If students do not adhere to these rules, they can be expelled from the trip at their own expense.

Travel Requirements

• All participants must carry a valid passport for the entire duration of travel.
• Travel insurance is included in the program fee and is mandatory for all participants.
• Students must comply with all LIU codes of conduct while abroad.
• No visa is required for U.S. citizens; Costa Rica permits visa-free tourist stays of up to 180 days. Non-U.S. citizens should reach out to the Center-specific Director below to discuss travel requirements.
• Passports should have at least six months of validity remaining beyond the return date.
• No vaccinations are required for travelers arriving directly from the United States.

Understanding Extra Fees

• $1,307.00 additional charge per credit over 18 for LIU undergraduate students.
• $1,549.00 additional charge per credit over 18 for LIU students in the professional phase of the Pharmacy program.
• $4,450.00 additional charge for non-LIU undergraduate visiting students.

Deadlines

Students must enroll by September 30, 2026.

Registration

Complete the registration form (https://forms.office.com/r/bQzkNjfr5g) by September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM to reserve your place in the course. Submitting the form confirms your commitment to take the course and your acceptance of liability for all associated travel fees.

A member of the Global College team will follow up to enroll you in the correct section; students cannot self-register for these courses through MyLIU. You must be available for the weekly virtual meeting time during the spring semester, as this is a for-credit class. If you have a time conflict due to a mandatory course, a varsity sport, or an LIU artistic requirement, email Gregory.Barton@liu.edu to discuss participating asynchronously through recordings.

If a course is full, you may join the waitlist; if a spot opens, you will be notified by email and given 24 hours to claim it.

Students graduating in December 2026 cannot take these courses. Each course requires a minimum of 10 students to run — please wait for confirmation from the Global College team before booking flights.

Non-LIU students should email Global@liu.edu.

Scholarships

The Study Abroad Fellowship was created to help outstanding students study abroad during their undergraduate careers. The Fellowship is open to all students and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students will be evaluated on their application quality, academic merit, extracurricular engagement, and financial need. Please note that the Fellowship is not a complete award and is only meant to supplement the overall cost.

Applications for January travel courses are due by September 15, 2026.

Students will be informed as soon as possible regarding decisions so they can register before the enrollment deadline.

Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/CkM2T3sYev

More Information

Information sessions:

• Post: Wednesday, September 9th from 12:30-1:45 PM in the Gold Coast Cinema (Hillwood Commons)
• Brooklyn: Tuesday, September 8th from 12:30-1:45 PM in the Honors College Lounge (Pratt 310)
• Virtual: Wednesday, September 9th from 6:00-7:00 PM (https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/215021017723521?p=ZJCg9GtyIHfDfuYMF9)
• The recording will be made available to all students via email!

Questions? Contact the Center Director below:

• Dean Sarah Moran, Assistant Dean & Costa Rica Center Director — Sarah.Moran@liu.edu