![\"costa-rica\"](\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/88\/2014\/12\/costa-rica1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Start Course Planning Here<\/a><\/p>\n View Estimated Semester Budget<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Office of International Education Scholarships<\/a>\u00a0(Need-Based, Merit-Based, Region Specific, Language Study)<\/p>\n ICADS Scholarships<\/a>\u00a0(Need-Based, Merit-Based)<\/p>\n External Scholarships<\/a><\/p>\n Speak with the Office of Student Financial Assistance for Options<\/a><\/p>\n The Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS) was created in 1986 to fill the information gap in foreign policy between United States citizens and their government. \u00a0This program is committed to providing opportunities for language and cultural immersion through classes and community work, as well as access to background information, scholarly materials, lectures and contact with Central Americans.<\/p>\n Semesters at ICADS focus on economic development, education, environmental studies, human rights, public health, wildlife conservation, and women\u2019s issues. \u00a0There are two tracks available: the internship track or the field research track.<\/p>\n ICADS is based in San Jose, Costa Rica. \u00a0Located in the Central Valley, San Jose is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and a major transportation hub. \u00a0It is the most important working area of the country, which brings in more than a million people on a daily basis.<\/p>\n Originally designed to reflect the European influences of Spanish immigrants, the city center offers a wide variety of cultural events, farmers\u2019 markets, nightlight, and activities. \u00a0It is also easy to take advantage of weekends to travel to many of the nearby mountains, volcanoes, beaches, and other destinations, both popular and off the beaten track.<\/p>\n There are two 14-week semester program options at ICADS. \u00a0The first is the Social Justice and Development Internship, and the second is the Environment and Sustainable Development Field Program.<\/p>\n All credits pre-approved for ILCS automatically, regardless of disciplinary designation of the course number, and therefore can count toward the major or minor in Spanish. <\/span><\/p>\n Courses other than the language course can alternatively count toward the major or minor in Latin American Studies. <\/span><\/p>\n Students do not need pre-certification or an audit upon returning to determine transferability for those area of study, but do need it for alternative areas of study such as ENST.<\/span><\/p>\n If the Spanish course credits are upper-level or not depends on student placement. If a student at SMCM has taken ILCS 260 already, the gateway to the advanced level, they should receive upper-level credits.<\/span><\/p>\n Please note that when students apply on ICADS for admission, they must also request a Hampshire College<\/a> transcript ahead of time (by 11\/1 for Spring or 4\/1 for Fall semesters). Credit cannot be transferred to SMCM without a Hampshire College transcript through the ICADS program. Grades from an ICADS transcript are equivalent to SMCM grades and credit will be transferred per the SMCM transfer credit policy.<\/p>\n There are two potential tracks for students:<\/span><\/p>\n Social Justice and Development Internship:<\/a><\/p>\n This hands-on program offers a structured internship that helps to integrate theoretical concepts and real-world experience. Students will move from the classroom theory to actual practice in their internship placement, learning how communities are seeking to create lasting social change. \u00a0This track is divided into three blocks:<\/p>\n Environment and Sustainable Development Field Program:<\/a><\/p>\n As part of the Field Program, students gain research experience in both the natural sciences (forest ecology, agro-ecology, soil sciences) and social sciences (sociology, anthropology, history, economics) while learning to address environmental issues from a multidisciplinary perspective. Students are provided with the analytical tools and research expertise to make meaningful contributions to ongoing work in the area of \u201csustainable development,\u201d with the recognition that workable solutions to environmental conflicts can only come from an understanding of the intersection between community needs, ecosystem dynamics, and political-economic systems. \u00a0This track is divided into three blocks:<\/p>\n *Please note that while the ICADS website indicates the language course is 3 credits, it satisfies the number of contact hours needed for SMCM to award 4.<\/p>\n Upon arrival, students are placed with Costa Rican families. \u00a0The host families provide students with private rooms, breakfast, dinner, and laundry service. Family placements are supervised by a housing coordinator who makes every effort to match the needs of each student with the reality of the host family.<\/p>\n In the city, students primarily reside with lower middle to middle class families. While traveling or during internship residences, students may be housed with humble, rural families.<\/p>\n ICADS takes a very participatory approach and offers a variety of activities during the time that you are not in class. You will have the opportunity to visit quality local museums, hear from expert lecturers on a variety of topics, taste-test a buffet of tropical fruit in ICADS\u2019s fabulous Fiesta de Frutas<\/i>, learn Latin dancing, volunteer in marginalized communities, and more. \u00a0Additionally, there are gyms in San Jose that students can join and many find that dance lessons are an excellent way to stay fit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dr. Joanna Bartow<\/a> – jrbartow@smcm.edu<\/a><\/p>\n How credits taken abroad will transfer back to SMCM.<\/p>\n The academic and judicial requirements for any student considering studying abroad.<\/p>\n How financial aid will apply towards your study abroad program and what scholarships are available.<\/p>\n Payment processes for semester-long, short-term, and non-SMCM study abroad programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pre-Requisites Minimum GPA: 2.5 Foreign Language: 2 semesters of Spanish, recommended ILCS 260 level to earn Spanish Major\/Minor credits Approval from SMCM Spanish faculty Judicial Check Deadlines: OPEN NOW! Spring 2027 Program Dates: Early February – Early May SMCM Application Deadline: October 1st for Scholarship Consideration, October 15th Final Deadline on Via TRM ICADS Application Find out more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":187,"featured_media":0,"parent":403,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-114","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry","6":"has-post-thumbnail"},"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/187"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2294,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/114\/revisions\/2294"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Study Abroad Budget<\/h4>\n
Financing Studying Abroad<\/h4>\n
<\/div>\n![\"Lesbian,](\"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/88\/2014\/12\/lgbtq-friendly-logo1.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n<\/div>\nAbout the Program<\/h4>\n
Location<\/h4>\n
Academics<\/h4>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Housing and Meals<\/h4>\n
Student Life<\/h4>\n
Important Links<\/h4>\n
\n
\n
Faculty Liaison<\/h4>\n
Transfer Credit Policy<\/a><\/h4>\n
Academic and Judicial Policies<\/a><\/h4>\n
Financial Aid and Scholarships<\/a><\/h4>\n
Payments and Services<\/a><\/h4>\n