Curriculum:

Intensive Spanish Courses: A full course load includes four, 50-minute periods of classroom instruction perday, Monday through Friday, in small groups (five or fewer students) of similar levels of proficiency in Spanish. Classes are taught at La Escuela De Idiomas in Desamparados, a suburb located a short distance from San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica. Lanugage courses courses are offered at six different levels: Beginning I and II, Intermediate I and II and Advanced I and II. A particpants' proficiency level is determined by a short placement test given on the first day of the program.

Internships: Full-time internships require eight hours of work per day, four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Part-time internships are three hours a day, four or five days a week. Participants have the option of combining a part-time internship with the intensive Spanish courses, combining a full-time internship with a Spanish tutorial, or participating in a full-time internship for the entire duration of the program. Although most internships are in Spanish, there are some available in English.

Tutorials: These are available as a three-credit course in a variety of Hispanic studies such as:

  • SPN 353 - Literature and Culture of Spain,
  • SPN 354 - Literature and Culture of Spanish America,
  • SPN 458 - Contemporary Spanish American Writers,
  • SPN 460 - Spanish Phonetics, etc.

    These course-specific tutorials require 42 hours of contact with the instructor. Language tutorials also are available at different levels of proficiency and are intended to help students advance more rapidly in their acquisition of the language. Tutorials are given by experts in the field.

    Credits:

    Prior to departure, each participant in the Costa Rica Program will have developed a specific plan earning fifteen (15) credits of tutorials, language courses and/or a full or part-time internship.

    Participants in the Brockport Costa Rica Summer Program can earn 6 or 12 credits depending on their length of stay.

    Internships Available:

    Internship placements vary widely, they are made in both the private and public sectors. Many of the organizations with which we place our interns offer a variety of roles for a variety of majors. It is also possible to arrange a "custom-designed" site with sufficient notice. Some of the more typical organizations in Costa Rica with which we have placed interns in previous semesters are listed below:

    Fundacion Neotropica: A non-profit organization dealing with environmental issues. We have been able to place two students at any time for any length of time. Interns do translations, they work with databases, they work on editing written materials in English and in Spanish, and they do general clerical work. Any major, advanced level of Spanish is required.

    Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores: This is the Ministry of External Affairs of the Costa Rican Government. We have been able to place up to four students at any time for any length of time. Preferred majors: International Studies, Political Science, History, Spanish, Economics, International Business and Economics. Advanced level of Spanish is required.

    Empresa Dos Pinos: The largest dairy products exporting company in Costa Rica. They can place two students any time for any length of time. Preferred majors: International Business and Economics. Participants manage data-bases, assist with exporting procedures, edit labels, and other written materials in English and Spanish. Advanced level of Spanish is required.

    Canal 7: The most popular and powerful T.V. enterprise in Costa Rica. They can place one student any time for any length of time. Preferred majors: Communications, International Studies, Spanish. Participants edit written materials, assist managers and reporters. Participants must be highly bilingual, very advanced Spanish is required.

    Empresa Tam: A very solid travel agency dealing with national and international tourism. They can place one student any time for any length of time. Participants work as office assistants, as editors of publicity, and they manage telephone stations. Any major, but participants must be highly bilingual.

    Instituto Monteverde: Located in the cloud forest region of Santa Elena and Monteverde, this institute can place several volunteers to work on environmental projects. They have placements for students majoring in environmental sciences, biology, communication, and languages.

    Hotel Herradura: One of the most prestigious hotels and conference centers in Costa Rica. They can place two students at any time for any length of time. Preferred majors are: International Business and Economics, Computer Science, and International Studies. Participants must be highly bilingual.

    Colegio Angloamericano: Located in San Jose, this is a private bilingual school (English/Spanish). Their curriculum ranges from kindergarten to high school. They have placements for students majoring in Elementary Education, Languages, ESL (English as a Second Language), Nursing, and Social Work.

    Fundacion Guilombe: Placements in San Jose and Puerto Viejo, Limon (Atlantic region). This foundation carries out research in environmental sciences, soil preservation, organic agriculture and related areas. They have placements for students majoring in Environmental Sciences, Biology, Earth Sciences, and Business Administration.

    Hospital de Ninos (Children's Hospital) in San Jose: They have placements for students majoring in Nursing, Business Administration, Social Work, and Health Science.

    ILUNAD (Instituto Latinoamericano de Naciones Unidas para la Prevencion del Delito y Tratamiento del Delincuente): This is a United Nations-sponsored institute for the prevention and treatment of delinquency in Latin America. They have placements for students majoring in Criminal Justice.

    IMAS (Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social del Estado): This is an agency of the government devoted to helping low income people. They have placements for students majoring in Nursing, Social Work, and Communications.

    Radio Reloj: A community oriented radio station. They have placements for students majoring in Communications.

    Banco Central de Costa Rica: Located in San Jose, the Central Bank of Costa Rica has placements for students with advanced levels of Spanish whose academic majors are in International Business and Economics, Accounting, Communications, and International Relations.

    Fundacion Arias: Located in San Jose, the Arias Foundation is named after ex-president Oscar Arias, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The Arias Foundation works on projects related to international peace and demilitarization, as well as on projects related to gender equality, and environment preservation. Placements are available to students with advanced levels of Spanish who are majoring in any liberal arts field. Preference is given to students who know Spanish, English, and other languages.

    La Pacifica Hotel and Resort: Located in Guanacasie, La Pacifica offers placements for students with advanced levels of Spanish who are interested in working in the field of Ecological Tourism. Preference is given to students with majors in Hotel Management, Tourism, Communications, and Physical Education.

    Orange Tennis Club: Located in San Antonio de Desamparados, San Jose, this sports facility has placements for students with intermediate levels of Spanish, whose academic majors are in Sports Management and Physical Education.

    Parque Bolivar: Parque Bolivar is the national zoo. It is located outside of the city in San Jose, and it offers placements for students with intermediate levels of Spanish who enjoy studying and assisting with the care of animals. Preferred academic majors are Biologoy, Zoology, and Environmental Sciences.

    Courses Available

    SPN 111 Beginning Spanish I

    SPN 112 Beginning Spanish II

    SPN 211 Intermediate Spanish I

    SPN 212 Intermediate Spanish II

    SPN 301 Spanish Grammar Review

    SPN 322 Spanish Conversation and Composition

    SPN 323 Intermediate Spanish Conversation and Composition

    SPN 326 Costa Rican Culture

    SPN 350 Communication in Spanish

    SPN 351 Composition and Grammar Review

    SPN 352 Hispanic World Today

    SPN 353 Literature and Cultures of Spain I

    SPN 354 Literature and Cultures of Spanish America I

    SPN 360 Spanish for Native Speakers

    SPN 363 Literature and Cultures of Spain II

    SPN 364 Literature and Cultures of Spanish-America II

    SPN 399 Independent Study in Spanish

    SPN 450 Topics in Hispanic Literature/Culture

    SPN 451 Spanish for the Professions

    SPN 452 Hispanic Cultures Through Film

    SPN 453 Spanish-American Women Writers

    SPN 454 Hispanic Literature and Cultures in the US

    SPN 455 Hispanic Popular Culture

    SPN 456 Literature and Cultures of the Caribbean

    SPN 457 Contemporary Spanish Writers

    SPN 458 Contemporary Spanish-American Writers

    SPN 459 Mexico Today

    SPN 460 Spanish Phonetics

    SPN 461 Advanced Spanish Grammar

    SPN 462 Spanish Language Variations in the USA

    SPN 499 Independent Study in Spanish

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