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Program Fee Information:

• Regular tuition + the trip fee."
• Trip fee is $6,400 estimate, subject to change until November 2013.
• Trip fee covers room and board (2 meals per day); airfare; classroom space rental; Costa Rican exit taxes; instructor travel expenses; internet access; trips to Panama, the Arenal volcano, a banana plantation, a cheese making dairy, and a black pepper farm; and ground transportation in Costa Rica and Panama when traveling as a group.
• Total Personal Expenses: $13-$15 per day
  • 10$ per day for personal expenses/toiletries plus $3-$5 per day for lunch or $10-$15 for American food.
• Extra (optional) trips (3 are offered) will cost about $1000 total. Students may choose, a la carte, which optional trips they want and pay only for those they select.

Boarding Information:

• Students will stay with a host family in Costa Rica in the town of Zarcero.
• Some residences will be within walking distance to classrooms, others may require a short bus ride.
• Each student will have a private bedroom and a shared bathroom with hot water.
• Laundry will be provided once per week.

COURSES OFFERED:

This course presents the material from SPA101 and 102 in a one-semester format. The course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of the Spanish language. It emphasizes pronunciation, vocabulary, and elements of grammar needed to read, write and speak Spanish at a basic level with accuracy and confidence.

This course focuses on everyday conversation for students at the 100 level. Students will be provided the necessary tools to be able to have basic oral communication in a Spanish-speaking environment. Experiences on the streets and in other public places, and especially with the host families, will reinforce the teaching. Does not count toward the major or minor in Spanish. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. (Offered on demand)

The course provides an expansion of the fundamentals of the Spanish language studied at the 100 level. It emphasizes pronunciation, vocabulary, and elements of grammar needed to read, write and speak Spanish at an intermediate level with accuracy and confidence. Students whose secondary education was conducted in Spanish may not enroll in this course. Prerequisite: Completion of the non-native language requirement in Spanish. (Offered once every two years)

This course focuses on everyday conversation for students at the 200 level. Students will be provided the necessary tools to be able to have basic oral communication in a Spanish-speaking environment. Experiences on the streets and in other public places, and especially with the host families, will reinforce the teaching. Prerequisite: completion of the non-native language requirement in Spanish. (Offered on demand)

This course is an introduction, through English translations, to several of the most significant and influential works of literature in Spanish from Spain; sub-Saharan Equatorial Guinea; the Caribbean; and North, Central and South America. It is open to any student seeking a broad familiarity with Hispanophone literature. Does not count toward the major or minor in Spanish. Prerequisite: ENG102 or 210.

This course will teach students how to prepare typical dishes from Costa Rica like gallo pinto, olla de carne, and arroz con pollo. Grades will be based on participation, attendance, and vocabulary tests. An additional fee for ingredients will apply.

An introduction to the substantive areas of sociological inquiry including theory and methods, the American social class structure, socialization, gender, deviance, population, ethnic relations, collective behavior, marriage and family, and others. The student will become aware of how social forces influence and shape the lives of individuals and how sociology advances our understanding of society.