Programs Description

» ICDS Semester Programs with NEW course options in SPANISH & ENGLISH!!

SEMESTER PROGRAMS

HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIETY, AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA

This program offers students the possibility to acquire in-depth knowledge on human rights and their relationship with human development while living and studying in Costa Rica. Gender issues, social cohesion, and the dichotomy of exclusion and inclusion are also examined, adopting a developmental approach. In addition, the effort to strengthen democracy, as well as the impact on development of Latin America’s relationship with the outside world is analyzed. By means of applied theory, policy discussion, and field trips students enhance their understanding of Latin American reality and the challenges that the countries of the region face to secure sustainability and equality in their development processes.

ACADEMIC COURSES

ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY, AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA

This program explores the challenges that Latin American countries face to secure the sustainability of their development. The concept of sustainability adopted for this program is multidimensional, and the relationships of the non-environmental dimensions (i.e., economic, social, political and cultural) to the environment are analyzed. The spatial aspect of development is also studied, as well as the impact of tourism on conservation and local development. The use of case studies, policy discussion and field trips enable students to assess the efforts carried out by different stakeholders in the quest for sustainability and development in Latin America.

ACADEMIC COURSES

SPRING QUARTER PROGRAM

LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA

This program is designed to give students from universities on the quarter system the opportunity to spend the spring quarter in Costa Rica, learning about culture and current issues in Latin America, at the same time as improving their Spanish language skills. The program consists in two topical courses and a Spanish class taught during a period of ten weeks. Each topical course comprises at least 45 teaching hours, and the Spanish class, 60 teaching hours for a total of 10 credits. The program is complemented with cultural activities, visits to sites relevant to the class’ topic, and a weekend field trip where the students will have the opportunity to observe or put into practice the knowledge acquired in their classes.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

ICDS’ experiential learning options in the form of practical complementary activities related to the courses’ subjects --such as field trips, visits to sites of special interest and others-- as well as volunteer work, internships, independent study projects, and coop placements offer students a unique opportunity to put classroom learning into practice, strengthen their Spanish skills, and acquire further knowledge about the culture.

ACADEMIC COURSES

SHORT TERM / SUMMER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA

This program provides students with the opportunity to learn about the internationalization of trade in Latin America and its impact on development. The study of business strategies is a central part of the program, in particular the adoption of corporate social responsibility policies aimed to create value, to manage risk and to improve governance. Public-private partnerships for Development are a key aspect of the program, supplemented with site visits to relevant organizations and businesses for experiential learning. The language of instruction is English, and the program is further complemented by a Spanish course tailored for business students.

SPANISH FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

To complement ICDS’ thematic academic programs, the Center also offers technical Spanish programs, especially during the summer term. These programs focus on preparing language students, of all levels, but primarily directed towards advanced students, for further study in Latin America. The courses prepare students in written, oral and spoken language skills, providing them with the technical vocabulary in the development field, as well as cultural skills and understanding, thus preparing them for university-level study and exchange or other semester or year-long immersion programs in Spanish-speaking countries.

SPANISH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES

This program provides students with the opportunity to explore health care in a developing country while furthering their Spanish language skills and gain an understanding of the life and culture of Costa Rica. ICDS six-week program provides health professionals and university students in the area of health with the necessary language proficiency to enable them to work and interact with Spanish speaking patients and their families, as well as with colleagues in a Spanish-speaking environment.

CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS

The International Center for Development Studies (ICDS) offers its affiliated academic institutions the possibility of developing customized programs --at undergraduate and graduate level-- run jointly with ICDS, such as faculty-led programs focusing on topics within ICDS’ areas of expertise and intended to give participant students and faculty insights on the challenges faced by Costa Rica and other Latin American countries to secure the sustainability of their development.