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Costa Rica Direct enrollment into regular university courses at the University of Costa Rica in San José, including liberal arts and natural and social sciences. Pre-session Course offered. A minimum of 5 semesters of college-level Spanish is required. Housing with host families.
The Country
Situated between
Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the South, Costa Rica is considered
by some to be the jewel of Central America. Its magnificent geographical
diversity offers rugged mountain ranges laced with smoking volcanoes;
dense, tropical jungles; and amazing waterfalls. Throughout the country
temperatures remain nearly constant all year, with an average in the 70s,
making it a very pleasant place to live. Opportunities abound for the
international traveler too who can visit Panama, historical Cartagena
in Colombia, modern Caracas in Venezuela, or the Yucatan Peninsula in
Mexico. All of these destinations are interesting and relatively close.
Costa Rican people, known as ticos, have a reputation for being friendly with a strong sense of national pride. Ticos are a socially progressive, politically active and well-informed people, whose attitudes are rooted in a tradition of liberty and democracy. They are also favorably disposed to the United States, which gives Costa Rica a social and political environment that is hospitable to American students.
San José
The City
Located in
a valley in Costa Rica's central plateau, San José is a metropolitan
capital city with a population of nearly one million. The city's central
location allows easy travel to the many natural attractions nearby. It
is also the hub of Costa Rican government, culture, and industry. Whereas
many parts of the city are tranquil with tree-shaded plazas, a profusion
of flowers, and spacious, suburban ranch houses, downtown San José
bustles with traffic amidst high-rise office buildings and a central open-air
market. The city offers many attractions and activities for any visitor.
Throughout the year plays and concerts are performed regularly at the
opulent National Theater and Pre-Columbian art can be viewed at the National
Museum and the Plaza de la Cultura. Any number of other events are happening
all the time.
The Program
The University
at Albany's exchange program with the University of Costa Rica offers
students the opportunity to study Spanish language, Hispanic literature,
tropical ecology, topics in Latin American studies, and a variety of additional
liberal arts areas. Albany students enroll directly into regular university
courses in any division for which they are qualified. Most importantly,
our program provides integration into the university and fosters independence
in our students. You can participate for a semester or an academic year.
However, you should consider the Costa Rican academic year when planning
your studies: our spring semester is their first ciclo and all year-long
courses begin at that time.
The University
The University of Costa Rica is located at San Pedro de Montes de Oca, just outside of San José. UCR, the oldest and most prestigious university in Costa Rica, was founded in 1940 and enrolls over 30,000 students. It is a modern university offering athletic facilities, cultural events, special interest organizations, and a variety of bookstores and small restaurants. The main bus lines are located nearby, offering service to the city at large.
On-Site Support
Students receive on-site support from Asuntos Internacionales at the Universidad de Costa Rica. The staff is available to help you with academic and personal concerns that arise while you are on our program. They are responsible for orientation and housing arrangements; they can advise you on extracurricular activities, health care, and travel opportunities and help with the adjustment to daily life in Costa Rica.
Orientation & Presession Course
Once
you arrive in Costa Rica, you will participate in a mandatory on-site
orientation for foreign students, hosted by Asuntos Internacionales. Our
2 to 3-week long Presession Course, which carries 3 credits, also serves
as an orientation for our students. Although this course is not mandatory,
it provides very important information, and you are strongly encouraged
to attend. The staff at Asuntos Internacionales is also available throughout
the year to help in any way possible.
Course Offerings
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You are expected to register for a full-time load, usually 15 credits per semester. Our presession course carries 3 credits that will be factored into your 15-credit total. Albany students enroll in regular university courses and are able to enter any course offered by the university for which they are qualified. Below are a few examples of courses that may be of particular interest for their Latin American emphasis.This is not a complete course listing, and many other courses will be available. |
The current schedule of classes is available about a month before the start of each semester. Additional information about courses offered can be found on the UCR web site at http://www.ucr.ac.cr/
Spanish Linguistics: The Spanish of America and Costa Rica, Spanish American Dialectology, Topics in Semantics in the Spanish of America
Hispanic Literature: Costa Rican Literature,
Social Poetry of Central America, Spanish American Literature of the XIX
Century, Contemporary Spanish American Narrative, Social History of the
Meso-American Traditional Theater, Generation of 1927, Seminars on individual
writers such as Alejo Carpentier, Miguel Hernandez, Pablo Neruda, and
Juan Rulfo
Social Sciences: History of Pre-Columbian America,
Colonial History of Latin America, Contemporary History of Latin America,
Economic and Social History of Costa Rica, Archeology of Costa Rica, Economic
and Social Structure of Costa Rica, Anthropological Field Investigation,
Theory and Analysis of Latin American Underdevelopment, Contemporary Political
Regimes, International Social Forces in the Developing Nations of Latin
America, Spanish American Paleography
Natural Sciences: Natural History of Costa Rica,
Introduction to the Flora of Costa Rica
Housing
Participants are given the opportunity to live with host families and to experience Costa Rican life and culture first-hand. This is the perfect way to learn about Costa Rican families, customs, and cuisine. It is also a great way to practice and improve your Spanish skills. Families provide room and partial board and a variety of services, including laundry. The UCR staff makes all arrangements for your home stay.
In Costa Rica
students also have the option of making their own housing arrangements.
The Albany and UCR staffs are not able to get involved in the search,
rental decision, or contract process for your accommodations. In this
situation, you are fully responsible for making final arrangements.
Costs
These costs are estimates and include tuition, university fees, room, board, and round-trip air fare. They do not include additional expenses for local transportation, health insurance, books, passport and visa fees, and miscellaneous personal expenses.
Click here to view cost estimates. Please contact Office of Study Abroad if cost estimates are not posted.
Financial Aid
University at Albany students participating on any SUNY program are eligible for regular financial aid when studying abroad. You could be eligible for more aid than you currently receive. Please check with your financial aid adviser for details. Non-Albany students please check with the financial aid office at your home campus for details.
Requirements
Juniors,
seniors, and exceptional sophomores are eligible to participate. Applications
are welcome from students in all majors. Candidates must meet the following
criteria:
· A high level of Spanish language proficiency is required. Completion
of at least one course above the college intermediate level; completion
of a full year of advanced language courses is strongly recommended. Equivalent
language skills accepted.
· A minimum 3.0 GPA in Spanish and a high overall GPA. Although
students with a 2.7 GPA may be admitted, students are advised that your
overall GPA determines priority in registration at UCR.
Program Dates
Registration occurs approximately one month before the start of classes, after which students enroll in our intensive Presession Course. UCR classes follow. You must be present for UCR’s registration period even if you do not take the Presession Course. Please remember that UCR’s First Ciclo is our Spring Semester and their Second Ciclo is our Fall Semester.
First Ciclo (U.S. Spring Semester): early January
to mid-July
Second Ciclo (U.S. Fall Semester): early July
to late December
Academic Year: early January to late December,
or July to July
To Apply
Deadlines: U.S. Fall Semester/Academic Year
April 1
U.S. Spring Semester October 15