Notable Programs - First Stop Resource for ES Students Wishing to Go Abroad

The Environmental Studies Program urges its majors to think carefully about their educational goals when considering off campus study. Environmental Studies majors frequently find that off-campus study complements their academic program effectively. If you are considering off-campus study, we urge students to consult with their adviser and program OCS liaison about:

• The off-campus program(s) that can best meet the students academic goals.
• The best semester to study abroad. This choice will depend upon the OCS program selected and the individual's academic program. The ES program has no preferred semester for off-campus study.

Environmental Studies majors are in a special situation when it comes to studying abroad. Their primary goal is to study the natural history and ecological relationships as well as environmental problems of the area. For this reason, the requirement to have taken three semesters of the country's language before the semester abroad is waived when the student attends selected Environmental Studies-recommended programs. For most ES approved programs in non-English speaking countries, students should complete a class in the language of the country. In special circumstances, however, if a particular student is required to take a full load of natural science and environmental studies courses while abroad, the Environmental Studies Program in consultation with OCS may permit her/him to omit the language class.

All classes to be credited toward the major must be pre-approved by the chair of the program or OCS liaison of the program. Any subsequent changes to the approved courses must also be pre-approved. ES Majors may transfer a maximum of 8 credit hours for a semester of off-campus study, or 12 credit hours in total from non-Colby programs, including credits transferred from other institutions, toward their major requirements.

Below is a list of many of the popular programs that meet program requirements as well as the interests of past ES students.

The Off Campus Study Liaison for Environmental Studies is Cathy Bevier (Arey 103; Ext 5720)

Field Programs   |   Summer Programs   |   Washington   |   International University Programs   |    Programs Grouped By Destination

Field Programs

International Programs   |   Domestic Programs

School for Field Studies is the oldest study abroad program in the country that focuses on environmental studies. SFS offers semester-long programs in Africa, Latin America and Australia, ranging in topic from marine resources to tropical rainforest management. The hands-on approach used by SFS combines lectures, presentations, laboratories and community service with a student directed research project that forms the culminating project of the semester. SFS currently runs five programs:

• Costa Rica: Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Development - a program designed especially for environmental studies majors
• Turks & Caicos Islands: Marine Resources Management
• Mexico: Marine Mammal Conservation & Coastal Ecosystems
• Australia: Tropical Rainforest Management

School for International Training offers dozens of opportunities around the world to study development, gender, conflict resolution, public health and many other themes including environmental studies. SIT programs augment formal academic studies with a month-long, independent research project designed in consultation with the program director and a local expert in the field. SIT environmental studies programs can be found in:

• Australia: Conservation and Resource Management
• Australia: Natural and Cultural Ecology
• Belize: Natural and Cultural Ecology
• Botswana: Ecology and Conservation
• Brazil: Amazon Resource Management and Human Ecology
• Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation
• Iceland: Renewable Energy, Technology, and Resource Economics (petition)
• Jordan: Appropriate Technology and Sustainable Development (petition)
• Madagascar: Ecology and Conservation
• Panama: Development and Conservation
• Tanzania: Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
• Tanzania: Zanzibar -- Coastal Ecology
• Viet Nam: Ecology and Sustainability in the Mekong Delta

Round River Conservation Studies

As a research and education based organization they emphasize the importance of each to achieve their conservation goals; and therefore, see the student programs and research efforts as complements of one another. Students take four classes while there, but also emerse themselves in a research program. There are four programs: Southwest Africa (Cheetah project or Rhino project), Ecuadore, and British Columbia (Taku River - First Nation).

International Honors Program. Sponsored through Boston University, the International Honors Program coordinates both semester and year-long programs in global ecology, global culture, indigenous studies and urban studies. The global ecology program examines conservation practices, economic development, environmental policy and social movements in England, Tanzania, India, New Zealand, Mexico and the United States offering students the unique opportunity to make comparative studies using examples from around the world.

Organization for Tropical Studies - The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), in partnership with Duke University, offers semester and summer programs for undergraduate students interested in field biology. The Costa Rica Semester and Summer Programs utilize the three OTS field stations as well as other Costa Rican sites, allowing direct study of a wide range of tropical ecosystems and habitats. The South Africa Semester Program is based at the world-renowned Kruger National Park, allowing direct study of African savanna ecosystems. All of the Undergraduate Offerings feature the OTS method of field-based, experiential learning under close the guidance of highly qualified professors. Graduates of an OTS undergraduate program will be well prepared for advanced studies in tropical biology and resource management.

Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in Costa Rica - Offering summer and semester programs for Agriculture & Agroecology, Biological Sciences, Environmental Studies, Field or Independent Study, Literature, Culture, Spanish, & Tropical Biology. This is an excellent program, particularly for those wanting to spend some time studying the ecology of the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. There is also a one month home stay during the latter part of the semester when students are working on research projects. The program is based in Monteverde (a cloud forest area), but extensive field trips are taken to other areas of Costa Rica as well.

Domestic Field Programs

Semester of Environmental Science at Woods Hole - (Petition) - The Semester in Environmental Science is sponsored by the Ecosystem Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, a world renowned center for biological research and education with a long tradition of offering superb training in science. The curriculum includes core courses in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem analysis that introduce fundamentals of biogeochemistry and ecosystem science. An elective in either Aquatic Chemistry, Ecology and Management of Wetlands, Problems of Human-dominated Ecosystems, Issues in Global Ecology, Mathematical Modeling in Ecology, Microbial Methods in Ecology, and The Role of Animals in Ecosystems (not all electives offered in all years). A Science Writing Seminar and an Independent Research project are also offered.

Williams-Mystic - Williams-Mystic combines academic excellence and the learning environment of Mystic Seaport. Students study the past, present, and future of the earth's oceans by participating in four courses, a museum skills class, a Pacific Coast caravan, a trip to Nantucket Island, and a deep water offshore voyage.

Duke University Marine Lab Beaufort -2- Bermuda Spring Semester (Petition) - In addition to the traditional semester offered solely at the Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, students may choose to split their semester of study between the Beaufort campus and the campus at the Bermuda Biological Station for Research (BBSR). The spring semester will be divided into two seven-week sessions with a break between sessions. A student may choose to spend the first session at either institution and would then switch to the other institution for the second session.

Summer Field Programs

School for Field Studies offers 30-day summer programs addressing critical environmental issues in Kenya, Australia, Costa Rica, Baja California Sur in Mexico, and the Turks & Caicos Islands in the British West Indies. By combining lectures with field exercises and field trips, you will gain hands-on experience and learn field research skills that will help you build your professional credentials. You will also have the rare opportunity to experience a new culture while helping the local community develop solutions to critical environmental problems.

• Australia
• Costa Rica
• Mexico
• Turks & Caicos

Organization for Tropical Studies - Offers several summer programs in Costa Rica, with focuses in ethnobiology, research experiences, and field tropical biology. Each program, run through OTS's La Selva Biological Station lasts four weeks and requires several semesters of biology.

Washington

Washington - Colby students from a variety of disciplines including ES have the opportunity to study and intern in Washington,D.C. for a semester and should contact the Office of Off-Campus Study for more information.

International University Programs

International Universities

Australia
James Cook University - James Cook University is Australia's leading tropical research University. JCU is a high-ranking research university with a strong focus on matters relating to the tropics and is located in Queensland near two World-Heritage-listed natural wonders - the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the rainforests of the Wet Tropics.

Australian National University, Canberra - The Resource and Environmental Management Program within the School of Resources, Environment and Society offers a broad, flexible education in environmental science and natural resource management. The curriculum comprises a core of natural and social sciences courses relevant to environmental conservation and sustainable resource management. They also have an environmental studies major.

University of Queensland, Australia - Environmental studies students can take courses in such fields as: Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Science, Nature Conservation, Tropical Forestry, Marine Resources, Wilderness Reserves and Wildlife, and many others.

University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia - with over 50 different semester programs available to visiting students. Founded in 1949 and located in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, UNSW has an enrollment of 27,000.

The University of Western Australia - This is one of Australia's top Universities and has a very good Conservation Biology Program. The University is in Perth and in in an area very different ecologically from the eastern seaboard.

New Zealand
University of Otago - Founded in 1869, the University of Otago was New Zealand's first university. Otago is located in Dunedin (South Island) and has an enrollment of 20,000. The Division of Sciences is responsible for a full range of sciences including botany, chemistry, geology, marine science, and zoology. See a summary of Bill McCloy's ('03) semester in New Zealand.

University of Auckland
This is New Zealand's top university and is found in the North Island. There are programs and classes in Environmental Science and also some offerings that would be available in policy related courses. Another area that might be of interest is Marine Science.

United Kingdom
University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom - The School of Environmental Sciences is one of the longest established, largest and most experienced Schools of Environmental Science in Europe. The holistic approach their our teaching, integrating physical, chemical, geotechnical, biological and social science methodology into the study of natural and human environments, is noteworthy.

Programs Grouped by Destination

SFS indicates a School for Field Studies Program.
SIT indicates a School for International Training Program.

Latin America
SFS Costa Rica - Center for Sustainable Development Studies
SFS Mexico - Marine Mammal Conservation & Coastal Ecosystems
SFS Turks & Caicos Islands - Marine Resources Program
SIT Panama - Development and Conservation in Latin America.

South America
SIT Brazil - Amazonian Ecology and Natural Resource Management.
SIT Ecuador - A comparative ecology and conservation program.
SIT Venezuela - See a complete list of the SIT programs throughout Latin America.

Europe
Denmark's International Studies - Based in Copenhagen, linked with the University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Business School, and Roskilde University
University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom - serving hundreds of American students each year

Africa
SIT Tanzania - There are two Tanzanian programs, one in Zanzibar dealing with coastal ecology and another focusing on wildlife conservation.
SIT Botswana: Ecology and Conservation

Oceania
SFS Australia - Center for Rainforest Studies
James Cook University - Tropical North Queensland, Australia
Australian National University, Canberra
University of East Anglia
SIT Australia - There are several SIT programs in Australia. Explore this site to find the best match.
University of Otago - See a summary of Bill McCloy's ('03) semester in New Zealand.
University of Queensland, Austrailia
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia - with over 50 different semester programs available to visiting students
The University of Western Australia - This is one of Australia's top Universities and has a very good Conservation Biology Program.

Colby Off-Campus Study Office