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Heredia Courses – 2024 Spring

Studying abroad can be a more meaningful and invigorating learning experience than at home—both inside and outside of the classroom. You may be more curious and alert than you usually are so use this heightened energy to enhance your studies as well as your cultural and geographical explorations. You may also encounter different teaching styles and course processes; be prepared to adapt and to learn.

Academics

Students may enroll in 12 to 18 credits per semester comprised of language courses plus electives in environmental and Latin America studies. All students must complete a minimum of one language course, although we strongly encourage students to complete an entire language track. Course availability is contingent upon student enrollment and is subject to change.

Click the course title to view course details, description, and availability.

Spanish Language Tracks

USAC offers intensive language courses grouped into tracks in which courses are taught sequentially (back to back) within one semester. If you have already taken the first course in a track, you do not have to take it again for credit, but you must audit it to be prepared for success at the next level. Language courses are small and typically have a maximum enrollment of 15 students each.

Track I: 14 credits

Prerequisite: None

  1. Elementary Spanish I
  2. Elementary Spanish II
  3. Intermediate Spanish I
  4. Intermediate Spanish II

Track II: 12 credits

Prerequisite: 2 semesters of college Spanish

  1. Intermediate Spanish I
  2. Intermediate Spanish II
  3. Spanish Composition I
  4. Spanish Composition II

Track III: 9 credits

Prerequisite: 4 semesters of college Spanish

  1. Spanish Composition I
  2. Spanish Composition II
  3. Advanced Spanish I

Track IV: 6 credits

Prerequisite: 6 semesters of college Spanish

  1. Advanced Spanish I
  2. Advanced Spanish II

      Language Courses

      • Spring
        Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication

      • Spring
        Spanish 100-level 4 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication.

        Prerequisite: one semester of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication.

        Prerequisite: two semesters of college Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course is designed to help learners of Spanish to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The main emphasis of this track is on communication.

        Prerequisite: three semesters of college Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        The focus of this course is to improve learners´ written abilities through the analysis and the production of different types of texts. In addition, several grammatical topics will be reviewed in order to enhance and refine the learners´ grammatical competence.

        Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        The focus of this course is to improve learners´ written abilities through the analysis and the production of different types of texts. In addition, several grammatical topics will be reviewed in order to enhance and refine the learners´ grammatical competence.

        Prerequisite: five semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        These two advanced courses of Spanish have been designed for students who may manage in daily tasks and interactions, but still need to improve their control over different oral and written registers. In addition, these courses will offer them the opportunity to enhance their vocabulary in specific and technical areas, and to improve grammatical accuracy in their oral and written expression.

        Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        These two advanced courses of Spanish have been designed for students who may manage in daily tasks and interactions, but still need to improve their control over different oral and written registers. In addition, these courses will offer them the opportunity to enhance their vocabulary in specific and technical areas, and to improve grammatical accuracy in their oral and written expression.

        Prerequisite: seven semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      Spring Semester

      Language and Literature Electives

      • Spring
        Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish Cancelled

        This course is an advanced Spanish elective designed to develop students’ written communication and expression skills and to increase Spanish reading and writing proficiency. The highly collaborative classroom environment will also encourage students to ask and answer questions and discuss topics, all while building Spanish language competency and confidence.

        Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        The use of Spanish in a business environment involves using a variety of contextual variables. Thus, this

        course will focus on enriching vocabulary related to business methods and marketing communication. At

        the end of the course students will not only have a basic proficiency in Spanish for business but will be

        able to recognize important aspects of business operations and communications in Costa Rica as well as

        in the rest of Spanish-speaking world.

        Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course is designed to improve the knowledge, listening, and expressive capabilities of language

        students. Students will not only learn necessary vocabulary to express themselves in daily situations, but

        they will also learn to navigate more complex situations through conversation and free discussion of

        contemporary topics, using visual material, listening comprehension exercises, articles, and other course

        materials. The objective of the course is to facilitate the acquisition of language necessary to express

        oneself in daily situations.

        Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent, or instructor approval

      • Spring
        Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course is an overview of some of the leading contemporary Spanish-American literary works written

        from the 1980s to the present. These works include fiction (novels and short stories), essays and poems,

        and address issues ranging from war and politics to migration, sexuality, and technology, as well as the

        historical context in which the various works were created.

        Prerequisite: five semesters of college-level Spanish; students who have completed second-year Spanish with strong grades may be considered with home university approval

      Latin American and Ecological Studies

      • Spring
        Geography 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

        This course aims to analyze fundamental aspects of climate dynamics, global warming, and their impacts on societies across the globe. As heavy rainfall in the tropics dictates how landscapes are formed and shaped, Global Warming is changing the building blocks of our societies. This class combines scientific evidence and social perspectives to analyze how people is mitigating and adapting to global changes, for example: climate-induced migrations, changes in agricultural practices, clean energy production, and social media networking and information.

        Classes will combine 3-hour lectures (once a week). Lessons will generally include an introduction to fundamental climate concepts followed by group discussion of climate change impacts and mitigation/adaptation challenges around the globe.

      • Spring
        Dance 100-level 1 credit Taught in English/Spanish

        Students will physically connect with Latin American culture through dance and music. This course will cover traditional dances such as Cha-Cha, Son, Bolero, Merengue, Salsa, Guaracha, and Cumbia. Students will also improve Spanish language and vocabulary as it pertains to dance commands.

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spring
        Sociology Spanish World Languages and Literatures 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course focuses on the history of migration in Latin America. From the earliest days of the Federal Republic of Central America, human displacement, especially of Europeans, accelerated economic, social, and cultural transformations. However, more recent patterns of large-scale migration have varied accordingly to political, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Changes in the socio-demographic profile of migrants have turned the South and Central America into a territory of interconnected migratory movements. In this context, this course intends to offer students historical and multidisciplinary tools to better understand the concepts of migration, including contact and engagement, interchange, tension, conflict, linguistic differences, and cultural diversity.

        Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Political Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

        This course presents and analyzes the economic development and discussion of the political, economic, commercial and financial issues from the point of view of contemporary institutions and specific countries. Due to the interdependency created by globalization, we will study the relationships between North and South as well as West and East. We will focus on Central American and Latin American relations to US political economy in the recent past.

      • Spring
        Biology 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

        This course is intended to give students a firsthand knowledge of conservation biology. It does so in the context of an intensive foreign study tour in Costa Rica.

        We will discuss definitions, values, threats, and approaches to conservation of biodiversity. Although this is a conservation biology course, we will also be examining the social, economic, and political aspects of conservation, as well our own personal roles in using and protecting biodiversity and our environment.

      • Spring
        Biology 200-level 1 credit Taught in English

        TThis course will be focused on 3 field trips to discuss topics related with conservation, specifically, biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, the role of protected areas (private and public), ecotourism, and animal recues centers as well attending short lectures on conservation biology by individuals involved in local conservation efforts. We will discuss definitions, values, threats, and approaches to conservation of biodiversity. As it is inevitable for conservation biology, we will examine the social, economic, and political context in the places we visit..

        Co-requisite: Introduction to Conservation Biology

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spring
        Biology 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

        Students will learn extensively about the world of tropical plants. The world has around 350,000 species of vascular plants and the tropics represent around two-thirds of this diversity. The course will cover the basic principles of plant classification and the appropriate terminology to identify flowering plants.

        Plants are key components of terrestrial ecosystems. They shape environments and offer resources to many organisms. Students will examine many well-known and economically important plants such as sugar cane, bananas, cocoa, coffee, Manihot and yam.

        The course will combine the capacity to identify main tropical plant groups with the knowledge about their relevance in natural environments and their importance in our daily lives as a source of an unimaginable quantity of products.

      • Spring
        Biology 200-level 1 credit Taught in English

        This course will be focused on 3 field trips to discuss topics related to plant identification using the tools of classification and identification and gaining a real-world experience in plant identification. Field work will provide practice and experience in data accumulation, specimen collection and preparation, identification of major taxa, and use of identification resources.

        Field trips may require long hikes or walks and will require appropriate clothing and footwear.

        Co-requisite: Introduction to Tropical Plant Biodiversity

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spring
        Anthropology History Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in English Cancelled
        Spring
        Anthropology History Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course provides an overview of those cultural patterns that define what we call “Latin American Civilization” and the class between ideas of “Culture” and “cultures.” Different regions of Latin American will be analyzed with an emphasis on Costa Rican culture. The course introduces these cultures, first from a historical point of view and then from a more contemporary perspective. Emphasis will be given to present-day Costa Rica’s way of life, education, gender issues, traditions, religion, and other cultural manifestations.

      • Spring
        Anthropology History Spanish 200-level 1 credit Taught in English

        Students will travel to two sites in Costa Rica to experience topics studied in the lecture course. Students will explore topics including contemporary society, education, the role of gender, traditions, religion, and other cultural manifestations.

        Co-requisite: Latin America and Its Cultures

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spring
        Nutrition 200-level 1 credit Taught in English and Spanish

        An introduction to a local cuisine in a hands-on kitchen environment. Authentic preparations of several local dishes will be taught. Correct cooking techniques are emphasized. Readings and lectures on local food customs and traditions will support and contextualize the cooking instruction. Students will learn about Latin American culture, and practice conversing and following instructions in the Spanish language.

        Dietary restrictions may not be accommodated.

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spring
        Art Art History 200-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course offers an overview of the socio-political Spanish irradiation in America. Spain conquered and subdued the native American villages and drove out their cultural manifestations bringing with it a new civilization. Nevertheless, its most distinctive characteristic turned into the survival of plenty of elements and traditions of pre-Columbian cultures and the mixture of Iberian characteristics that ended up into the miscegenation.

        Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Art Film Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        The course offers a critical historical review of cinema in Latin America. Students will evaluate the development of Latin American society, identify its colonial heritage, and explain how it influenced modern society.

        Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Spanish 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish Cancelled

        This course will cover Latin American literature from the nineteenth century to the present. Students will explore literary creation multiple facets: historical, aesthetic, and stylistic - to observe the continuity between critical reflection, thought, and cultural production in the region.

        Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      • Spring
        Biology Geography 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

        In this course, students will study the unique topographic features of Costa Rica, from the high cordilleras on the Pacific coast to the Caribbean lowlands through a series of lectures and field visits. Topics covered include the tropical hydrological cycle, hydrological metrics, tropical biomes, and ecohydrological processes in tropical landscapes.

      • Spring
        Biology Natural Resources 300-level 1 credit Taught in English

        This field study course will help students develop their understanding of the tropical hydrological cycle, hydrological metrics, tropical biomes, and ecohydrology processes in a tropical landscape as well as to analyze the effects of land and urban management needs in tropical developing countries in order to preserve ecosystem connectivity. Site visits to the Cerro Dantas Wildlife Refuge and Carara National Park and the Tárcoles River Basin lowlands will give students a first-hand experience with the various regional environments and ecosystems of Costa Rica, including Caribbean ecosystems dominated by high rainfall year-round and a Pacific-type transition rainforest.

        Co-requisite: Water in Tropical Landscapes

        This course has an additional fee

      • Spring
        Spanish Women's Studies / Gender Studies 400-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

        This course taught in Spanish is designed for students who would like to broaden their knowledge of writings by Latin American (from Colonial times until present) women. The course explores how these writers were shaped by their social and cultural surroundings as well as how their writing redefined or are still shaping their cultural and social worlds. The course is primarily centered around women’s literary productions (prose and poetry), but it is not solely about women, since it is imperative to understand "womanhood" as a relational category. Thus, we will explore how gender ideologies affected the meaning and experiences of "manhood" as well as "womanhood." The aim of the course is to compare and contrast the experiences of different groups of women according to factors such as historical period, race, and class. The course analyzes the meaning of gender and how it has motivated women to become writers. Students must prepare for class every week and read carefully. Class debate will be centered ion on discussions of issues, questions, relationships, concepts, and approaches, not in a mere presentation of facts. We will use a wide range of primary and secondary sources in order to gain a greater understanding of the complexities of gender in Latin America.

        Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish, or equivalent

      To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu

      Field Studies

      Optional field studies are an excellent way to deepen your academic experience abroad. During your 1-credit field study course, you will participate in carefully planned excursions that allow you to explore the cultural, historical, and natural features of Costa Rica. These overnight field experiences, combined with required academic components such as readings, research, and written assignments, will increase your understanding of the sites and locales visited.

      As an experiential learning method, optional field studies complement the larger academic program and provide you with opportunities to learn in new ways, to gain hands-on experience, and to connect your classroom learning to the world around you.

      Optional field studies have an additional fee, are subject to meeting minimum enrollment requirements to run, and may not be available every semester. Refer to the course list above for current field study offerings.

      Internships

      USAC in-person and virtual internships are rich resources for your academic and professional development. Whether onsite or virtually, you will work closely with a USAC Resident Director (RD), an internship coordinator, and a professional supervisor to gain valuable experience and skills that can be applied to your chosen career field. Internships are also a great way to immerse yourself in the culture of Costa Rica, deepen your cross-cultural understanding, and help you develop intercultural communication and language skills in an internationally focused organization or other professional work setting.

      Among the many benefits of an internship experience, USAC in-person and virtual internships help you

      • Learn about a career that matches your academic and personal interests
      • Gain practical, hands-on experience
      • Master highly sought-after soft skills such as time management, teamwork, and problem solving
      • Build a network of professional contacts
      • Improve your resume
      • Cultivate intercultural communication skills that are essential in a globalized workforce
      • Develop an understanding of the workplace norms, expectations, and culture of Costa Rica

      For eligibility requirements and application information, see the USAC internship page.

      For more information about placement options, see the Heredia internship page.