The 2011
International Field Study in
Guatamala
July 31-August 14, 2011
Thick jungles, mountain terrain and interior, lakeside Mayan villages provide an electrifying backdrop for this intensive public-health investigation in the developing country of Guatemala. Over a 15-day period, this study will address such topics as social, cultural, political, and economic determinants; endemic diseases; environmental health; and organization, financing, and delivery of health care. While immersed in the rich culture of Guatemala, students will attend daily classes, tour selected health facilities, travel to remote Mayan villages and interact with local residents. The tour also includes exceptional recreational and sight-seeing opportunities--highlighted by travel to the magnificent Mayan ruins at Tikal National Parque--and a visit to more-than-one-thousand-year-old altiplano market in Chichicastengo.
This six-credit field study takes students out of a traditional classroom setting and immerses them in the rich culture and vast beauty of the developing country of Guatemala. Daily lectures and discussions groups, along with visits to a variety of interesting health facilities, complement extensive fieldwork. This unique, hands-on curriculum is designed to give students a meaningful view of Guatemalan life through interaction with its peoples and social institutions.
Students take lodging in four charming hotels. Guestrooms in the Aurora Hotel in Antigua Guatemala surround a beautifully landscaped courtyard. At the magnificent Hotel Santo Tomas in Chichicastenango, students reside in a veritable Colonial museum. The Posada de Santiago in Santiago Atitlan boasts a magnificent view of Lake Atitlan and San Pedro Volcano, and sleeping quarters in unique bungalows, set among a delightful sub-tropical garden. Inside the rainforest of Tikal National Parque, the Tikal Inn's thatched-roof cabaņas offer lullabies of howler monkeys and jungle insects beneath a dreamy, star-drenched sky. Along the way, students buy their own meals at restaurants of their choosing, with some continental breakfasts provided.
A unique academic quest makes this an unforgettable learning experience.
Courses
Graduate students register for 6 credits in:
PCH 570- International Field Studies in Health ($3,048)
Undergraduate students register for 6 credits in:
PCH 490- Health Studies Abroad ($2,418)
Requirements
A major strength of this program is its appeal to students of many varied disciplines.
To participate in this program, students must be a high school graduate, 18 years of age or older, and capable of mild strenuous exercise. Students must also complete a health report, sign a release of liability, have emergency health insurance, and an international student I.D. card specified by the University, and receive permission of the instructor to register.
Program Fee: $2,100
This program fee includes
• Transportation to and from Guatemala, beginning on campus,
• Travel within Guatemala,
• Entrance fees to course attractions.
Participants are responsible for their own meal costs, as well as the cost of obtaining a valid passport, textbooks, and any health preparations. Medical care needed in Guatemala is the responsibility of the student, as are the costs of laundry, snacks, personal items, recreational activities, souvenirs, and any additional expenses of altered itinerary or arrangements.
Program fees are based upon historical program costs and current rates of exchange. Extreme fluctuation in exchange rates or boarding costs in Italy may result in additional fees being charged. The University reserves the right to change the itinerary of proposed trips if needed to control the cost of the overall trip. In the event that additional fees exceed the current costs by more than 20%, the student may choose to drop the course and receive a refund of all funds recoverable by the university. Fees will be frozen on May 1, 2011 and after May 1 there will be no refunds. The program does not accept responsibility for personal property, which must be insured separately if desired, and reserves the right to make changes required by circumstances. In the event of an off-campus course cancellation, students will be refunded all the fees recovered from the program providers (airlines, hotels, etc.). The SCSU SPAR office will aggressively negotiate for refunds. The university reserves the right to cancel this program in the event that student safety abroad is in question.
Cancellation insurance is strongly advised. In the event of a cancellation, tuition refunds will be given in accordance with the policy of the university. Copies of the cancellation policy, required releases, and medical statement may be obtained from the SPAR office.
This program accepts no responsibility for personal property, which must be insured separately if so desired; in particular, students are urged not to bring valuables with them. The program reserves the right to make changes required by circumstances.
For additional information and application contact:
Dr. William G. Faraclas, Trip Director
Professor and Chair
Department of Public Health
(203) 392-6969
FaraclasW1@southernct.edu
