Heredia Courses – 2025 Spring

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Academics

Students may enroll in 12 to 18 semester credits each term. All students must complete a minimum of one Spanish language course, although we strongly encourage students to complete an entire language track.

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. Enrollment in at least one Spanish language course is required.

Spring Semester

Language, Literature, and Culture Courses

• Elementary Spanish I

  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

• Elementary Spanish II

  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

• Intermediate Spanish I

  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

• Intermediate Spanish II

  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

• Spanish Composition I

  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

• Spanish Composition II

  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

• Advanced Spanish I

  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

• Advanced Spanish II

  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

• Business Spanish

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  The use of Spanish in a business environment involves using variables as language develops in specific contexts. Thus, the dynamics in this course will enrich vocabulary within specific semantic fields related to business methods and therefore will be essential to student's immersion in public spaces in commercial transactions.

  El uso del español en un ámbito comercial involucra variables de uso en tanto se desarrolla el lenguaje en contextos específicos. Así, la dinámica en este curso pretende enriquecer el léxico dentro de campos semánticos específicos relacionados con modos comerciales y por esta razón será fundamental la inmersión del estudiante en espacios públicos de transacciones comerciales.

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

• Dances of Latin America

  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

• Government and Politics in Latin America

  Spring

  Political Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course presents a comparative analysis of the local, national, and international dynamics of Latin American politics during the twentieth century and the first decades of the twenty-first century.

  Although the focus of the course is the contemporary political processes of the region, an overview of colonial and post-independence history is provided in order to understand the historical evolution of these societies.

  Special emphasis is given to recent developments such as the effects of the Cold War and the influence of US foreign policy in the region. Issues of (under-)development, migrations, political violence, human and civil rights are also studied, as well as recent theoretical and societal trends such as governance, minority movements, neoliberalism, and the challenges of “Presidentialism.”

  Prerequisite: one semester of college-level political science

• Latin America and its Cultures

  Spring

  Anthropology History Spanish 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  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.

• Latin America and its Cultures Field Study

  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

• Latin American Cuisine

  Spring

  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

• Spanish Conversation and Oral Skills

  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

• Spanish for Health Professions

  Spring

  Spanish 300-level 3 credits Taught in Spanish

  This course is designed to broaden students’ knowledge of medical Spanish vocabulary in health care settings while improving their grammatical proficiency as well as exposing them to cultural aspects of medicine in Latin America. By studying specialized medical terminology and specific grammar, students will be able to communicate with Spanish speakers in a variety of health-related situations, which will prepare those students who plan to work in healthcare fields. Practical workshops presented by guest speakers and site visits to a local hospital will complement class discussion, translation exercises, reading, and individual research.

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

• Survey of Latin American Literature II

  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

• Twentieth-Century and Contemporary Latin American Cinema

  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 through the analysis of Latin American films.

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

Health, Sport, and Science Courses

• Cell Biology

  Spring

  Biology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course explores the field of cell biology including the morphology and physiology of cell membranes, the cytoplasm, and organelles. Topics include techniques in cell biology, motility, cell division, cell-cell interactions, signal transduction and protein and membrane trafficking. Course materials present classic principles in cell biology including important historical contributions and will use experimentally based examples to aid student understanding of important concepts in cell biology.

  Prerequisite: introductory coursework in college-level biology and genetics or biochemistry

• Cell Biology Lab

  Spring

  Biology 300-level 1 credit Taught in English

  Students will explore the field of cell biology including the morphology and physiology of cell membranes, the cytoplasm, and organelles. Topics include techniques in cell biology, motility, cell division, cell-cell interactions, signal transduction and protein and membrane trafficking. Lab activities present classic principles in cell biology including important historical contributions and will use experimentally based examples to aid student understanding of important concepts in cell biology.

  Co-requisite: Cell Biology

  This course has an additional fee

• Climate, Global Change, and Society

  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.

• Climate, Global Change, and Society Field Study

  Spring

  Geography 300-level 1 credit Taught in English

  This field study aims to complement the Climate, Global Change, and Society course through site visits to locations impacted by human-induced climate change. Students will interact, measure, and observe these ongoing changes directly in the field. Given the long-term nature of climate change and its effects on ecosystems, a deductive approach will be encouraged based on the students' observations and measurements. Students will witness the first-hand anthropogenic impact on natural sites and propose possible solutions from social and environmental perspectives.

  Co-requisite: Climate, Global Change, and Society

• Ecology and Population Biology

  Spring

  Biology Environmental Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Ecology studies the interaction of organisms with the biotic and abiotic environment; population biology studies the distribution and movement of organisms in the natural world. This should ideally act as a biology major capstone course for it incorporates many themes related to biology. Students will touch on many biological principles that they should already be familiar with. Students will gain an appreciation of ecological principles as they relate to the natural world.

  Prerequisite: one year of general biology with lab

• Exercise Physiology

  Spring

  Community Health Sciences Kinesiology / Movement Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  In this course, students will develop foundational knowledge of fitness, performance, and health to effectively evaluate and analyze topics in exercise physiology. This course will cover the history of exercise physiology, neuromuscular, metabolic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and endocrine responses to exercise, the methods for improving exercise performance and special considerations that are specific to the science of exercise physiology.

• General Chemistry II

  Spring

  Chemistry 100-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course is focuses on the fundamentals of chemistry including properties of solutions, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acid-base equilibria, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry will be covered.

  Prerequisite: General Chemistry I and lab, or equivalent

  Corequisite: General Chemistry Lab II

• General Chemistry Laboratory II

  Spring

  Chemistry 100-level 1 credit Taught in English

  This course provides the laboratory component to accompany General Chemistry II in examining the fundamentals of chemistry including solutions, kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, and properties of inorganic and organic compounds.

  Corequisite: General Chemistry II

• Global Health

  Spring

  Community Health Sciences 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course is directed towards the student who wants to deepen his/her knowledge of global health and how preventive and promotive work can be carried on from an international perspective. Provides an introduction to problems involved in assessing international health needs and designing, implementing, managing, and evaluating public health programs in international settings. Topics include: issues in global health; major health problems and concerns of developing vs. developed countries; international health organizations; international health care systems and health development assistance; development of population/demographic transition; the global economy and health; access to medical care; cultural differences; emerging crises in global health.

• Plants and People

  Spring

  Biology 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Plants and people have a long history of coexistence and have intertwined roles and consequences throughout the progression of life. Students will evaluate, analyze, and explain the human way of life developed over centuries of adaptation. The focus will be on the production and consumption of plants in Costa Rica.

• Plants and People Field Study

  Spring

  Biology 200-level 1 credit Taught in English

  This course will examine the relationships between plants and people through a one-day and an overnight field trip, with specific attention to the social, economic, and spiritual components of this relationship.

  Co-requisite: Plants and People.

  This course has an additional fee.

• Psychology of Happiness

  Spring

  Psychology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  American college students are typically taught that financial success will lead them to a fulfilling and happy life. The problem is that, empirically, this is not quite true. This course will help students examine the science on happiness—both in terms of individual quests and nations—to answer the most fundamental questions of all regarding human life. The course will address topics such as global perspectives on happiness, a qualitative comparison of happiness levels in different countries, and up-to-date scientific research on what makes individuals happy.

• Sociology of Sport

  Spring

  Sociology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Sports are an integral part of social life in Costa Rica and the world. Millions of people grow up playing sports and spend countless hours watching them. In many ways, the world of sports is a microcosm of society—and an arena through which we can understand more about our society’s dynamics, values, and problems. This course will review a broad range of historical and contemporary sports issues through a sociological lens. We will learn about the intersections between sports and topics such as gender, race, inequality, health, politics, economics, and more. The overarching theme of the course is to understand the complex, interconnected relationship between sports and society. Trends such as corporate sports, children as professional athletes, the association of sports and education, the influence of mass media, and the economic impact of sports and the more critical social conditions, inequality structures, and relationships.

• Sports Nutrition, Exercise, and Performance

  Spring

  Kinesiology / Movement Science Nutrition 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will cover topics related to the role nutrient selection, metabolism, and timing play in supporting and improving human physical performance. Students will learn to apply evidence-based strategies and recommendations to realistic case studies, analyze controversies within the field, and explore other topics related to fuel use during exercise, nutrient requirements for optimal performance, behavioral strategies for improving dietary habits, and supplements.

• Tropical Biodiversity Field Study

  Spring

  300-level 1 credit Taught in English

  Coming soon

  Co-requisite: Plants and People or Climate, Global Change, and Society

• Tropical Marine Biology

  Spring

  Biology 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will cover topics related to tropical oceanography, marine geology, marine ecology, and marine biology, with emphasis on the interaction between species, between species and their environment and between ecosystems. Students will analyze human environmental impact, and the utility, management, and conservation of the ecosystems. Students will participate in field trips to gain experience working in the marine environment and coastal population.

  Prerequisite: one semester of college level biology or marine biology

• Tropical Marine Biology Field Study

  Spring

  Biology 400-level 1 credit Taught in English

  In this course students will visit marine ecosystems that they studied in theorical lessons. Students will be able to explore various marine ecosystems like: Coral reefs, rocky reefs, mangroves, and intertidal zones.

  Corequisite: Tropical Marine Biology

  This course has an additional fee

• Water in Tropical Landscapes

  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.

• Water in Tropical Landscapes Field Study

  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

To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu

Field Studies

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

Internships

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

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

• Internship

  Spring

  Internships 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  USAC skills-based internships abroad are designed to complement a student’s program of study while providing a structured work or field experience under the direction of a professional supervisor and with the oversight and support of an on-site USAC internship coordinator.

  USAC internships facilitate the academic and professional development of students through:

  1) the practical application of knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a professional work environment.

  2) the further development of practical competencies essential to the ongoing work of the placement site.

  3) the cultivation of a network of professional contacts.

  USAC internships will expose students to the workplace culture, norms, and expectations of their respective placement site and host country, deepening cross-cultural understanding and helping students develop intercultural communication and language skills in an internationally focused organization or other professional work setting.

  Through the consistent participation in the processes and practices of a professional field, students will acquire a working knowledge of that field and will apply that learning to their own career and academic choices and goals.

  This course has an additional fee