API (Academic Programs International): San Jose - International Center for Development Studies (ICDS)

Students choosing to study at the International Center for Development Studies (ICDS) complete their coursework in both English and Spanish with other American study abroad students on the campus of the Universidad Latina, Costa Rica’s largest private university. The campus is located northeast of downtown in an area of San José known as Lourdes de Montes de Oca. With its modern facilities, advanced equipment, and experienced and efficient staff, the Universidad Latina provides the perfect learning environment for the ICDS programs. Students have full access to all facilities at the Universidad Latina, including libraries, bookstores, coffee shops and a food court. Intimate class sizes provide students with ample opportunities to participate and explore areas of particular interest to them, and students who desire greater interaction with local students can seek friends from among the general Universidad Latina student population.

Programs in San Jose Includes:

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  Sustainable Development and Social Justice: This program combines academics, service-learning, and cultural immersion to provide students with the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge of human rights, analyze challenges to environmental sustainability, and understand human development in greater complexity. Social justice, sustainability, gender issues, social cohesion, the dichotomy of exclusion and inclusion, as well as the relationship between Latin America and the United States, are just some of the many themes of development explored in this program. The analysis of case studies and hands-on engagement with the local community are features of this program. 

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  Latin American Health Care Studies: This program is ideal for those who want to pursue health studies in Latin America. The International Center for Development Studies (ICDS), in partnership with Hospital Clínica Bíblica, offers an eleven-week program to provide university students in the health fields an opportunity to improve their language proficiency and interact with Spanish-speaking patients and their families, while gaining a more in-depth understanding of healthcare in Latin America. Two of the courses offered will be taught under the care of Hospital Clínica Bíblica, Costa Rica’s largest and most prestigious private hospital with over 70 years of experience.

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  Summer Latin American Health Care Studies: The International Center for Development Studies (ICDS), in partnership with Costa Rica’s largest private hospital, the Hospital Clínica Bíblica, offers a six-week program for students who want to increase their knowledge of medical Spanish and the health field in Latin America. The program is designed to increase students’ language proficiency while giving them a broader understanding of the Costa Rican healthcare system. Students will complete two courses: “Healthcare Systems in Latin America” and “Spanish for Health Sciences.” The “Healthcare Systems” course is taught at the Hospital Clínica Biblíca, which has been serving patients for over seventy years.

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  S: This program offers students the opportunity to improve their Spanish language skills while gaining exposure to the Costa Rican society and culture. Students will complete 3 hours of class Monday through Thursday afternoons, following a morning spent engaging in community service. The community service experiences will be incorporated into the classroom, through interactive exercises such as debates and presentations, as well as the completion of reflective essays, journals, blogs, etc. Some examples of community work available include volunteering with a sustainable farm, helping at-risk children at a local school or community center, working with marginalized seniors, classifying pre-Columbian artifacts at a local museum, and working with migrant communities.

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  Summer Spanish and Sustainability Practices in Costa Rica: Participants will begin the program in San José. Students will complete a Spanish course, as well as community service, for the first three weeks in the capital. During this time, participants will live with a local Spanish-speaking family. Students will complete the second course, Sustainability Practices, at Finca (property/farm) La Flor in Cartago. The course centers on recycling, forestry, medicinal plant gardening, permaculture, organic agriculture, forestry, clean energy and water management. Participants will live on-site at the local finca (farm). They also work alongside community members as a part of an inclusive employment program. During this time, participants use the Spanish they learned and continue to improve their language skills through Spanish Conversation Sessions. At the conclusion of the program, students will travel to the central Pacific coast for a visit to a national park and a local beach.

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  Health Sciences and Shadowing in Costa Rica: Featuring a 36-hour supervised shadowing experience within the Costa Rican healthcare system, this program is ideal for students in pre-health majors or tracks ranging from Nursing to Dentistry to Physical Therapy to Sports Medicine to Nutrition. The program is open to all levels of Spanish speakers, although please note that limited places are available for students with no Spanish language, and shadowing placements for those with no Spanish will also be limited. Students will choose one of two courses offered: Healthcare in Latin America (taught in English) or Spanish for Healthcare Professionals (taught in Spanish at the 300-level). Through coursework, intensive shadowing, visits to local organizations and homestays, students will be immersed in Costa Rican culture and learn firsthand about one of Latin America's most unique healthcare systems.
  
  
  


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  Summer Business Spanish and Corporate Social Responsibility in Costa Rica: As part of this six-week summer program, business students have the opportunity to perfect their business Spanish and gain greater insight into how corporate social responsibility, ethics and sustainable development are connected. Students will have the opportunity to learn about different business strategies and public-private schemes aimed to contribute to sustainable development in Latin America, particularly in Costa Rica. Site visits to relevant public institutions and private companies, field trips centered on ongoing development projects, and cultural activities complement the classroom learning process and give students a taste of the business climate and the Costa Rican people and culture.