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The School for Field Studies (SFS) Costa Rica - Biodiversity and Sustainable Food Systems (Summer I) (Outgoing Program)

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  • Locations: Atenas, Costa Rica
  • Program Terms: Summer, Summer I, Summer II
  • Program Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: The School for Field Studies (SFS) 
Dates / Deadlines:
Dates / Deadlines:
Term Year App Deadline Decision Date Start Date End Date
Summer 2025 03/03/2025 ** Rolling Admission TBA TBA
Summer I 2025 03/03/2025 ** Rolling Admission TBA TBA
Summer II 2025 03/03/2025 ** Rolling Admission TBA TBA

** Indicates rolling admission application process. Applicants will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline.
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Discipline of Study: Anthropology, Biology, Economics, Environmental Science/Studies, International Studies, Latin American Studies Language of Instruction: English
Housing Options: Student Dormitories Class Status: 1st year (Freshman), 2nd year (Sophomore), 3rd year (Junior), 4th year (Senior), 5th year and beyond (Super Senior), Graduate student
Program Type: Study
Program Description:

SFS COSTA RICA: BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS (SUMMER I)

sfs costa rica1


PROGRAM DETAILS

  • Term: Summer Session I
  • Credits: 4 semester-hour credits (8 credits if taken with Session II)
  • Prerequisites: No course prerequisites: 18 years of age
  • Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Early applications encouraged
  • Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans


OVERVIEW

Spend a summer in Costa Rica and examine the relationships between food systems, ecology, conservation, and sustainability. Two of the country’s most popular crops – coffee and chocolate – serve as case studies for these issues as you learn how different agricultural techniques have the potential to restore biodiversity and combat climate change. Trace the sociocultural histories of coffee and cacao, from Indigenous histories to modern production and exports, and see how people around the world can follow Costa Rica’s example of sustainability.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT:
  • Visit La Iguana Chocolate Farm, where you’ll harvest cacao by hand and learn about permaculture, sustainable living, and local methods of chocolate processing.

SFS students live and study at the Center for Sustainable Development Studies. The Center is an active organic farm overlooking the vibrant Central Valley, where green is the predominant color as far as the eye can see. Dorms and classrooms intermingle with orchards and gardens, while Center dog Hera keeps watch over it all. The friendly town of Atenas is a 10-minute cab ride away, offering restaurants, shops, parks, and cultural events.
 

SUMMER COMBINED

Take back-to-back summer sessions and get the hands-on learning and skill-building experiences of an internship, while also going off the beaten path and exploring the world. Each summer session focuses on a different topic, and you’ll have time to travel independently between sessions. Receive a $1,000 discount on your second session.


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CONNECT WITH SFS

Visit the SFS website
Call the Admissions Hotline at 800.989.4418
Email admissions@fieldstudies.org
Read updates from the field on the SFS Blog
Follow SFS on Instagram and Facebook
Watch student videos on YouTube and Vimeo