OTS/Duke Semester In Costa Rica (Fall, Spring) - Global Health

  Costa Rica

• San Jose: 
San Jose
• North Western Region: 
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui
• Central Pacific Coast: 
San Pedro

Term: Fall, Spring 

Description: Fall and Spring semester programs sponsored by Duke University and the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) provide students with good understanding of the close connection between the areas of ecology, tropical medicine and sociology. This program is designed for students considering careers in public health, medicine and other health-related areas. It emphasizes both the scientific and social issues of tropical medicine, public health, ethnobiology and research topics in these subjects.

Students in the program are enrolled in the following courses and receive the equivalent of four semester hours for each course:

Tropical Medicine and Public Health (GLHLTH 171) - This course integrates classroom and field instruction to introduce students to the fundamental principles of tropical medicine and public health including the tropical environment and its related health issues. Students are exposed to current techniques and concerns in tropical medicine and public health, analyze the impact of climate change for human health, and analyze the social and economic determinants that contribute to the expanding impact of infectious disease. Field trips will include visits to primary health care facilities and possibly hospitals and clinics in urban and rural communities (including Indian reservations). Topics covered include infectious diseases, epidemiology, virology and zoonosis, sexual health and reproductive issues, environmental health (vector ecology, water quality, waste management, entomology, toxicology), global health issues (emerging tropical diseases), and traditional and alternative medicine.

Introduction to Field Ethnobiology (BIO 136L) - This course focuses on the human use of plants and animals as medicine and their symbolic and spiritual role in different cultures. It will examine the use of resources in contrasting communities around the OTS biological stations where the program will be based. As an introduction to the country and to the field of ethnobiology, students will visit places such as the National Institute of Biodiversity (INBIO), the National Museum, the Center for Natural Products, and local markets.

Research Practicum (GLHLTH 172) - This course introduces students to research design, field methods, and basic data analysis in a tropical context. Lectures and faculty-led projects introduce the principles of hypothesis formation, experimental design, sampling, and the application of basic statistics to the interpretation of data. As part of the course, students work closely with resident professors in the design, implementation, interpretation, and presentation of their own research project in tropical medicine and public health. Students have the opportunity to engage in group learning activities as well as complete individual work.

Culture and Language in Costa Rica: Intermediate and Advanced (SP 62) - This course is designed to expand the vocabulary and conversational skills, with an emphasis on technical and colloquial terms, of students with an intermediate background of the Spanish language. Taught entirely in Spanish, students are introduces to are introduced to new vocabulary that will both increase their understanding of medical information as well as enhance their familiarity with daily customs or cultural institutions that shape daily life and affect human health. For two weeks during the semester, students will participate in a homestay with a Costa Rican family in San Jose which will include morning Spanish instruction and afternoon cultural activities.

Highlights: Students will visit 2 of OTS' 3 biological field stations: La Selva and Las Cruces. La Selva Biological Station, located in lowland tropical forest on the Atlantic slope, is an internationally renowned research center and home to thousands of species of flora and fauna. Las Cruces Biological Station, located in cool mid-elevation forest on the Pacific slope, houses Costa Rica's premier botanical garden with the richest plant collection of Central America. The program also visits additional sites that vary each semester.

Reasons to Study Abroad with OTS:

1. You earn Duke University credit.

2. Experiential learning is at the heart of what we do! You will delve into science and produce your own independent research project.

3. OTS students come from universities and colleges all over the United States and study alongside Costa Rican students. Through these student interactions, our program provides you with the opportunity to embrace cultures from all over the world.   

4. You will spend considerable time at the OTS La Selva Biological Station; an intellectual hub for researchers. Every 66 hours, a scientific research paper is published with data gathered here.

5. OTS has over 45 years of collected data that can be used to inform independent research projects. You will have enormous potential to have your work published.

6. You will benefit from renowned facilities and technologically smart infrastructure. OTS is installing wireless sensor towers; we are the first program of our kind to have this amazing capacity to pull a variety of information instantaneously and simultaneously!

7. You will have an amazing opportunity to explore Costa Rica's beauty and learn about the culture. You will stay with a host family and interact with indigenous communities.

8. You will have the opportunity to make incredible connections for graduate school and your career. OTS provides a rich network through its consortium, which is comprised of 66 universities and research institutions, visiting faculty and scholars from all over the globe.

9. You can partake in white water rafting, zip lining, and enjoy the beach during break periods. You will learn to salsa and other Latin dances, Costa Rican cuisine, and about other elements of the culture.

10. OTS has been the premier leader in education, research, and responsible use of resources in the tropics since 1963.

11. OTS offers semester and summer programs.

12. OTS has generous funding available for under-represented students in the sciences.

Our Enrollment Management Team is well positioned to handle your questions and we are passionately interested in assisting you with the initial inquiry, your arrival and stay, return, and future involvement with OTS. Each of us has a variety of intercultural and higher education experiences which allow us understand and respond to your concerns. We look forward to embarking on this adventure with you!

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: USD18,800

Non-Duke students should add USD40 for a one-time only, lifetime transcript fee.

Experience Required: yes

OTS requires that students have one semester of college-level biology and one year of Spanish language experience prior to their participation in this program.

This Program is open to American and Worldwide Participants.

Scholarships are Available. Funding is available through the Andrew F. Mellon Foundation for qualified, under-represented students in the biological sciences. Other scholarships are available on the basis of financial need. All applicants are asked to fill out a financial aid form, which is used to determine a student's financial contribution to the program.

Application Process Involves:

• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Transcript

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Organization for Tropical Studies / Duke University's Mission Statement: OTS was founded to provide leadership in education, research and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is a non-profit consortium that has grown to include 65 universities and research institutions from the United States, Latin America and Australia. In the early 1960's, scientists from U.S. universities forged working relationships with colleagues at the Universidad de Costa Rica in the interest of strengthening education and research in tropical biology. Intense interest both in the U.S. and Costa Rica led to the founding of OTS in 1963. To address this mission, OTS conducts graduate and undergraduate education, facilitates research, participates in tropical forest conservation, maintains three biological stations in Costa Rica and conducts environmental education programs.

Year Founded: 1963