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The School for Field Studies (SFS) Costa Rica - Ecological Resilience Studies (Semester) (Directory Program)

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  • Locations: Atenas, Costa Rica
  • Program Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: The School for Field Studies (SFS) 
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Click here for a definition of this term Language of Instruction: English Click here for a definition of this term Class Status: 1-first year, 2-sophomore, 3-junior, 4-senior, 5-grad student, 6-other
Housing Options: Dormitory Click here for a definition of this term Areas of Study: Anthropology, Biology, Botany, Earth Science, Ecology, Economics, Environmental Studies, Foresty, Geography, International Studies, Latin American Studies, Sciences, Tourism, Zoology
Program Type: field study, study abroad Minimum GPA: 2.7
Program Description:
SFS COSTA RICA: ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE STUDIES
(SEMESTER)
 

CR_2

PROGRAM DETAILS

Terms | Fall, Spring

Credits | 18 semester-hour credits

Prerequisites | One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science | 2.7 GPA | 18 years of age

Application Deadline| Fall: May 1st. Spring: Nov 1st. Early applications encouraged!

Financial Aid | All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans.

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OVERVIEW

From misty cloud forests to coffee farms carved into volcanic slopes, Costa Rica’s landscapes are layered patchworks of conservation and cultivation. Students conduct biodiversity surveys in rainforests, design experiments in dry forests, and measure ecosystem resilience in cloud forest corridors, while meeting farmers and cooperatives balancing livelihoods with ecological health. Each transition between forest, farm, and community lays bare Costa Rica’s central contradiction: conservation celebrated globally yet lived daily in compromises, between tourism and biodiversity, agriculture and land scarcity, growth and preservation. Climate change brings both intensified droughts in some regions and flooding in others, while tourism and land-use decisions reverberate through fragile biodiversity corridors. Students leave with data, research experience, and a deeper understanding of how conservation must adapt within working landscapes.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

→ Monitor canopy bird populations and amphibian diversity using transect surveys in Monteverde cloud forest.

→ Analyze tropical dry forest regeneration in Santa Rosa National Park to assess resilience after fire events.

→ Partner with Indigenous and rural farmers to co-design agroecological systems that sustain pollinators.

→ Evaluate community-based water management strategies by monitoring mammal presence near protected springs as indicators of ecosystem health.

→ Conduct Directed Research: frame a stakeholder-driven question, collect and analyze field data with faculty guidance, and present actionable findings to local partners.

LOCATION 

SFS students live and study at the Center for Ecological Resilience Studies. The Center is an active 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, and the Center dog Hera watches over it all. The friendly town of Atenas is a 10-minute cab ride away, offering restaurants, shops, parks, and cultural events.

RESEARCH THEMES

  • Climate Change and Tropical Ecosystems
  • Agroforestry and Conservation
  • Permaculture
  • Bird Communication
  • Urban Ecology
  • Sustainable Ecotourism
  • Carbon Sequestration
  • National Park Management
CORE SKILLS
 
  • GIS
  • Species Identification
  • Habitat and Biodiversity Assessment
  • Tourism Impact Assessment Methods
  • Basic Spanish Language
  • Research Design and Implementation
  • Data Collection and Analysis
  • Research Presentation
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CONNECT WITH SFS

• Visit our website: fieldstudies.org

• Email: admissions@fieldstudies.org

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