Tropical Field Biology and Conservation, Costa Rica

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Tropical Field Biology and Conservation, Costa Rica

Imagine spending three weeks conducting research in one of the most biologically diverse countries on the planet: Costa Rica. From the lowlands to high mountain ranges and a variety of ecosystems in between, your field work will bring your academic studies into full bloom.

Coming soon! We’re planning to offer this program again for Winter Break, January 2026. We’ll add more information to this page as we receive it, and you can also alert your Education Abroad Advisor of your interest so we send you an email reminder.

Location

San Jose, Costa Rica

Term

Winter Break

Housing

Hotel, Dormitory

Program Highlights

This course is designed to introduce students to many of the major issues in tropical ecology and conservation. In addition, participants will learn about the threats to the biological diversity of tropical ecosystems resulting from human activities.

As you travel throughout the country, you will learn the most important characteristics and the most distinct features of six major tropical ecosystems: seasonally dry forest, cloud forest, mangrove swamps, coral reefs, and two types of rainforest.

As part of this course, we will also visit coffee and cocoa plantations, where you learn about the domestication of these two tropical crops, their cultivation, and the processing of their fruits.

Program Contact Information

Desiree Dube

Sr. Education Abroad Advisor

Email: ddube1@kent.edu

Office Phone: 330-672-7989

Important Dates

Application Deadline: TBA

Deposit Deadline: TBA

You can :
- Under "Categories" select "Student Travel Deposit: College of Arts and Sciences".
- Under "Items" select "Faculty-Led: Tropical Field Biology and Conservation, Costa Rica".
- From there, you can add the item to your cart and complete the payment.

Withdrawal Deadline: TBA

Final Program Fee Deadline: TBA

Application Process

You will need to complete a ��MŮ�� Education Abroad application. These quick steps will help walk you through the process.

1. Start an Education Abroad Application

When you click the "Apply Now" button (located towards the top and bottom of this page), you will be brought to the Education Abroad application system where you can view program costs and start an application. Be sure to submit your application before the deadline!

2. Guest Application (If applicable)

Are you a student at another university? To apply for a ��MŮ�� education abroad program, you will first need to apply for admission to ��MŮ�� as a “Guest Student”. Please apply as either an “Undergraduate Guest Student” or as a “Graduate Guest Student”, depending on your course level.

Once you have applied and been accepted as a ��MŮ�� student, you will receive an email with your FlashLine login credentials. Activate your account and then proceed to the next step, which is to apply to the Education Abroad program of your interest. You can return to this page and follow the “Apply Now” button to start that application.

You can also refer to the FAQs for Guest Students if you need further help.

3. Wait for Acceptance

Once you have submitted your study abroad program application, it will be reviewed by the faculty leader. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. You should hear back from us within one month.

4. Commit to the Program

If you are accepted, you need to log back into your application by going to and clicking LOGIN. Once you see the name of your program, you need to click on it and commit (i.e., accept your offer of admission).

Academics

Course Information

Course Name: BSCI 40376 - Tropical Field Biology and Conservation

Number of Credit Hours: 5

KSU Sponsoring College: College of Arts and Sciences

Program Language of Instruction: English

Course Description:

Our planet is home to a vast diversity of ecosystems which have been shaped by climate, geography, evolution, and geological history. We will study the effect of these factors on tropical regions as we introduce you to the main characteristics of tropical environments.

Through visits to major tropical habitats, you’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the diversity of ecosystems found in the tropics. You will observe the features of tropical rainforests, tropical seasonally dry forests, mangrove forest, coral reef, coastal ecosystems, and montane forests, as well as the natural history of plants and animals that inhabit them.

Finally, we will discuss the current status of tropical environments, appropriate management, and conservation alternatives to secure their future.

Given the sensitive and delicate nature of the four research stations you will visit, please note that you are expected to stay with your group for the duration of the program.

Field Work and Final Projects

The course will follow the model pioneered by the Organization for Tropical Studies for teaching courses in tropical biology, which emphasizes the use of field work to address specific issues in tropical ecology.

You will learn how to apply modern field observation techniques to generate and test problem-solving hypotheses.

Over a three week period, you will be responsible for the design and collection of data in field projects under the supervision of participating faculty. You will also be expected to conduct data analysis and to present your results and conclusions to your classmates.

Finally, you will complete a written report of each of the four stations you visit in Costa Rica. These reports should follow the format of a scientific article written for Biotropica –The journal of tropical biology and conservation.

We will visit four Biological Research Stations across Costa Rica. See the Itinerary and Location sections below for more details.

Faculty Contact Information

Professor's Name: Dr. Oscar Rocha

Title: Associate Professor

Email: orocha@kent.edu

Phone: 330-672-2297

Eligibility

Preference will be given to upper division students.
We recommend you take at least one ecology class before taking this study abroad program.
Must have taken BSCI Biological Diversity.

Tentative Itinerary

This program is designed to take place over Winter Break 2026.

Below is a tentative itinerary; however, the exact sequence, sites, and departure city are subject to changes in availability and cost.

Day 1:

Arrive in Costa Rica
Transfer to Palo Verde Research Station
Orientation and evening lecture

Day 2:

Orientation and field work

Day 3:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 4:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 5:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 6:

Transfer to Monteverde Biological Station
Orientation and evening lecture

Day 7:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 8:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 9:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 10:

Transfer to La Selva Biological Station
Orientation and evening lecture

Day 11:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 12:

Field projects and evening lecture

Day 13:

Field projects and student presentations

Day 14:

Transfer to Sierpe
Visit Coffee Plantation

Day 15:

Transfer to Campanario Biological Station
Mangrove swamp visit and evening lecture

Day 16:

Independent project and student presentations

Day 17:

Independent project and evening lecture
Visit Isla de Cano National Park

Day 18:

Independent project and evening lecture

Day 19:

Independent project and evening lecture

Day 20:

Transfer to San Jose
Visit to local markets

Day 21:

Return to the U.S.

Location & Transportation

Costa Rica

We will visit four Biological Research Stations in Costa Rica.

is located within the Palo Verde National Park on the Pacific slopes of the Guanacaste Province in northwestern Costa Rica (10° 21' N, 85° 21 W). The 19,000-hectare park has seasonally dry forest on limestone outcrops and extensive wetland vegetation bordering the Tempisque River that flows into the Gulf of Nicoya.

is located at the highest point of the Tilarán Mountain Range, between 1400 and 1800 meters above sea level. This elevation influences its weather, creating a microclimate with very distinctive characteristics since it is affected by the Pacific Ocean.

Located at the confluence of two major rivers in the Caribbean lowlands of northern Costa Rica, comprises 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of tropical wet forests and disturbed lands. It averages 4 meters (over 13 feet!) of rainfall that is spread rather evenly throughout the year.

lies in the Pacific lowland tropical rain forest of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and stretches nearly 150 acres inland from the sea. A remote reserve, it is proud to be home to a wide array of rare and endangered flora and fauna.

Transportation

Transportation, including airfare and in-country travel, is included. The group travels together at all times in an air-conditioned bus. We will travel to Campanario Biological Station by boat.

Airports

Students arrive at Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) in Liberia, Guanacaste and will depart from the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela.

Local Transit

All local transportation in Costa Rica is provided. Since we stay in isolated Biological Stations, students are not allowed to separate from the group.

Housing & Meals

Accommodations

Students will stay in multiple occupancy rooms with a shared bathroom. Accommodations vary among the four Biological Stations. Please note that no accessible housing options are available at these stations.

Meals

Cafeteria style meals are served in all stations and are included in the program costs. During routine stops at gas stations or supermarkets, students may purchase soft drinks, ice cream, fresh fruit, and other snacks or supplies. Students may want to bring $100-$200 to cover those personal expenses. Credit cards are taken throughout the country.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

There is a financial aid counselor specifically for Education Abroad. You can schedule an appointment with them on KSU Advising (Group Name: Education Abroad) or email finaideducationabroad@kent.edu.

It is possible to use your federal financial aid to go on ��MŮ��-approved education abroad programs. You can learn more on the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center website.

It is also possible to use most ��MŮ�� scholarships for education abroad costs. You can find education abroad scholarships on ScholarshipUniverse.

Health & Safety

Pre-Departure Orientation

Prior to your study abroad experience, you will participate in a mandatory pre-departure orientation hosted by the Office of Global Education. During this orientation, you will be provided with information including but not limited to:

international travel procedures;
in-country resources;
health and safety resources and information;
culture shock and resources to help prepare for living abroad.

All students are encouraged to register with the prior to departure.

You can also review a wide variety of resources we’ve pulled together for you on our “Before You Go” page.

Country Profile

You can learn more about your destination(s), including travel advisories, through the .

In addition, we encourage you to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel page for for traveling to your destination(s).

If vaccinations or medications are needed according to the CDC, you should make arrangements for appointments with your healthcare provider or the DeWeese Health Center as soon as possible. Appointment openings at the DeWeese Health Center are limited and vaccines may need to be ordered, which takes time. Please note that not all immunizations are available at the DeWeese Health Center.

Costs and Funding

Costs for the program will differ for every student. You can use our Cost Calculator to get an estimate of what you might expect for your program.

We also encourage you to meet with your Education Abroad Advisor and the Financial Aid Counselor for Education Abroad to see how your aid may apply to an international program by emailing finaideducationabroad@kent.edu.

Your Journey is Just Beginning

Before You Go