Semester Internship and Research Program
The need for an independent, international and interdisciplinary program of study in Central America has never been more evident or more urgent. Consequently, ICADS offers an excellent opportunity for intensive study of Central American issues in combination with individualized structured internships in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Belize.
PROGRAM FORMAT
ICADS offers a program each semester; Fall and Spring (14 weeks), September - December, and January - May. See specific dates listed for each term. Each program includes a classroom and a field internship component. During each semester students have the option of doing field work in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, or Belize. In accordance with the program's emphasis on language as the key to in-depth understanding of the culture, the language courses are taught entirely in Spanish. In all other courses, Spanish is used as the language of instruction to the fullest extent possible and students may elect to write their papers in either Spanish or English.
FALL AND SPRING
SEMESTER PROGRAMS
BLOCK I (4 weeks)
During the initial four-week block all students take intensive Spanish as well as required seminars on the cultures and politics of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Belize, as well as specialized seminars in the areas of women's studies, environmental problems, Central American literature and/or human rights. Students prepare for their field internships during this first month by planning the internship in consultation with faculty advisors who are experts in the culture of the country chosen and in the students' area of interest.
SEMESTER COURSES
LANGUAGE
Grammar, Conversation, and Culture.
Instruction is provided at the Institute by experienced native instructors. Students are grouped into small classes by ability (four students maximun). Instructors rotate weekly among the classes to give students exposure to varieties of speech. Classes meet twenty hours per week and focus on oral comprehension, conversation practice, and grammar review (3 credits).
SPECIALIZED COURSES
Students elect two of three course offerings which include but are not limited to the following: Women in Central America, Ecological and Environmental Issues in the Region, International Issues in Human Rights, or Survey of Central American Literature (2 credits each).
Semester Program Dates
Spring Term Fall Term
1996: February 5 - May 10 1996: September 2 - December 6
1997: February 3 - May 9 1997: September 8 - December 12
Enrollment: 20-25 students
BLOCK II (8 weeks)
STRUCTURED INTERNSHIPS
After the initial course work period students pursue research agendas and/or applied fieldwork. This individualized internship provides students a rare opportunity to gain experience in urban or rural areas working on individual or group projects with national and international scholars and professionals. Only one student is placed at each internship site.
ICADS offers over 85 structured internship and research opportunities in the areas of women's studies, environment, education, health, development, and wildlife conservation. The Institute makes a special effort to carefully match each student with a supervisor and project which reflects her/his specific interests and educational needs.
BLOCK III (2 weeks)
Upon completion of the eight week internship, students have the opportunity to participate in a special four-day study-tour to either Nicaragua or Panama. After the trip, students return to ICADS to complete written work and oral presentations (Fieldwork and research paper, 8 credits).
ELIGIBILITY
Undergraduates and graduate students with at least one year of college Spanish (two years strongly recommended). Preference will be given to those with two or more years of language studies and to students who have a demonstrated interest in the issues addressed by the program (for example, participation in community service activities, solidarity groups, environmental organizations, etc.). There is no Spanish language prerequisite for students who plan to do fieldwork in Belize. However, they will be required to take Spanish as part of their coursework at the beginning of each semester.
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Each student will live with either a Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, or Belizean family. Family placements are supervised by housing coordinators in each country. An integral part of the program, this home-stay experience facilitates language learning as well as a more active participation in the culture and society of the host country.
CREDITS AND GRADES
Recommended credit is fifteen semester credit hours or the equivalent for each Fall or Spring semester. Consult your off-campus studies officer for your college's specific credit and grading policy for these programs. Both the number and distribution of credits should be determined in advance.
ICADS is affiliated with Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Credit transfers may be arranged through Hampshire College. Hampshire charges a credit transfer fee of $200. Credit transfers must be arranged by ICADS. Usually this credit transfer process is not necessary as ICADS credits are widely accepted by many of the best colleges and universities in the U.S.
The ICADS Internship-Only option (see back page) is a non-credit program, thus no credits will be granted for participation.
COSTS
TUITION
Tuition and program fees for each full semester are $6.900. These fees cover tuition for classes, books, fieldwork placement and supervision, room and partial board (breakfast and dinner), laundry service, round-trip transportation from San José to internship sites in Costa Rica, field-trip expenses, and a four day study-tour to either Nicaragua or Panamá. A non-refundable deposit of $500, due upon confirmation of acceptance, will be applied toward the total fee. After the program begins, no refund will be made of tuition or of any part of the program fee already expended on behalf of the student.
TRANSPORTATION
Students must budget for their own round-trip transportation to San José. ICADS will refer students to a travel agency which will assist them in making travel arrangements at the lowest possible cost.
OTHER EXPENSES
Students should budget $250 - 300 per month for local travel, lunches, week-end travel, visa-related fees, and other personal expenses. In most cases, students receiving financial aid from their home institutions remain eligible for the college's aid program and should consult their aid officers well in advance. ICADS offers a limited amount of financial aid for students of color and those with special needs.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Obtain application materials directly from ICADS. Deadlines for completed applications are as follows:
Spring Terms Fall Terms
Early - Oct. 1 Early - March 1
Late - Nov. 1 Late - April 1
Early applicants will have an advantage over those who wait for the deadlines, since applications are considered on a space-available basis. Decisions will be announced within two weeks of each deadline.
For more information about ICADS Spanish or other ICADS programs,
please contact:
Dept. 826, P.O. Box 025216 Apartado 3 (2070) Sabanilla
Miami, FL 33102-5216 San José, Costa Rica
Tel: (506) 225-0508 Fax: (506) 234-1337
E-mail ICADS 
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