COURSE DETAILS
Offerings in both English & Spanish!
NEXT COURSE DATES
Stay tuned!
Rolling bilingual course launching early 2022.
$395 USD
(approx. $525 CAD)
+ taxes + fees
OVERVIEW
This certificate course is aimed at interdisciplinary social science and humanities students – from the disciplines of environmental science, anthropology, Latin American studies, and more – who are interested in sustainable development, nature conservation, and socioecological change. It is for the university student and life-learner alike!
This course will offer seminars, virtual field-trips, and one-to-one mentorship. It will give you an inside look at critical development and conservation issues, while supporting local communities and grassroots non-profit organizations. All profit will be donated to partnering non-profit organizations across Latin America.
NUTS & BOLTS
WEEKLY TIME COMMITMENT
Approx. 6 hours
(Including seminars, readings, discussions)
CLASS TIME
Rolling (asyncronous)
DURATION
10 weeks
TOTAL COURSE HOURS
30 (two 1.5-hour seminars per week)
COST
$395 USD + taxes and fees
(approx. $525 CAD)
MAX NO. OF STUDENTS
20
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Identify concepts and issues in sustainable development, with a specific focus on the intersection of culture change and conservation policy within the context of tourism development.
2. Collaborate in research and projects with professionals working in sustainability NGOs and community organizations across Latin America.
3. Implement cross-disciplinary dialogue on conservation and culture, and among people of diverse backgrounds.
CONTENT
-
Narrated presentations
-
Narrated virtual fieldtrips
-
Live Q&A
-
Articles
-
Videos and photos
-
Project-based learning
PARTNERING NGOS
-
Bay Islands Conservation Association
-
CREMA Costa Rica (Centro de Rescate de Especies Marinas Amenazadas)
-
Fundación Para La Tierra
-
Mosqoy
-
Wildlife Conservation Association
COUNTRIES
-
Costa Rica
-
Honduras
-
Peru
-
Paraguay
PREREQUISITES
-
Prior understanding of or study in a related field (sustainable development, environmental studies, anthropology, political science, international relations, Latin American studies), although we are open to informal ways of acquiring such knowledge, including lived experiences and traditional knowledge.
-
Competency in English (oral and written). This version of this course is taught in English (please register for our Spanish version, if you prefer).
-
Open to all, university students and life-learners alike.
INSTRUCTORS
-
Ashli Akins
-
Daniel Arauz Naranjo
-
Dr. Vanessa Bézy
-
Andrea Izaguirre
-
Rebecca Smith
UNITS
1. Introduction to sustainable development in Latin America
2. Understanding marine protected areas in theory and practice
3. Revitalizing culture amidst rapid economic development in the Andean mountains
4. Balancing economic growth & conservation at a sea turtle sanctuary
5. Assessing coastal ecosystem health and sustainable livelihoods
6. Conserving a biodiversity hotspot in South America’s forgotten corner
7. Reflections & Conclusions
FORMAT
Live, synchronous seminars, virtual field trips, and one-to-one mentorship.
All material is adapted for accessibility and recorded for asynchronous learning, if needed.
NOTE ON ACCESSIBILITY
This course is available to you from the comfort and safety of your own home. You do not need to physically travel to take part in this field school.
We will closed-caption all recordings for students with disabilities. We will try to accommodate all time-zones and lifestyles, recording any live seminars and field-trips for those who cannot attend.
We value inclusivity, accessibility, diversity, and non-discrimination. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in the course on the basis of race, colour, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
If the course fee is an accessibility barrier for you, please contact us, and we will let you know about current available scholarship opportunities and subsidized tuition.
Please stay tuned for the Spanish-English bilingual version of our course, launching early 2022!