Courses
Note: Second-year level college coursework in Spanish, taken in the year prior to the start of the program, is recommended. A student is expected to have a level of Spanish proficiency appropriate for his/her proposed research project. Projects which involve personal interviews will typically require higher-level Spanish language skills than some other types of research projects. ACM will review applications on a case-by-case basis and may recommend that a student arrange to refresh or augment his/her level of Spanish prior to the start of the program.
Spanish for Researchers
Instructors:Mario Morera and additional instructors
Required course
4 semester credits or 5 quarter/trimester credits
Click here to see a course syllabus
This course is designed to enhance students' language skills and cultural understanding for carrying out the independent field projects that are at the heart of the spring Costa Rica program. During the first month of the program, the course will meet for three and one-half hours each day, covering such topics as Costa Rican cultural norms and research strategies, as well as Spanish grammar, specialized vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Field Research
Required course
8 semester credits or 8 quarter/trimester credits
The independent field research project is the key component of the spring Costa Rica program, with opportunities available in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. More details about the project can be found on the field research page.
Research Seminar and Paper
Required course
4 semester credits or 5 quarter/trimester credits
Click here to see a course syllabus
During the final weeks back in San José, students complete their research papers, in consultation with their advisors, and present the results to the group.