Program Overview

Conservation and Development for Social-Environmental Sustainability and Wellbeing

Course Description

Costa Rica has the reputation of being an international beacon of "Sustainable Development" for its many successful social and environmental initiatives. In this course, we will engage directly with a number of experiences at different scales that attempt to bring together elements of environmental conservation and social-economic development in order to achieve improved wellbeing and sustainability. We will visit National Parks, Family Farms, Coffee Co-Ops, Indigenous Territories, as well as some of Costa Rica's Eco-Tourism offerings. These examples will allow us to analyze and discuss the obstacles and opportunities that exist for solutions to some of the urgent social-environmental challenges that affect our world today.

Course Details

• Course Code: EU/ENVS 4810A
• Course Date: June 18, 2026 to June 27, 2026
• Course Instructor: Felipe Montoya

Related Courses

• Environmental Arts and Food Sovereignty in Costa Rica (EU/ENVS 4810B)
• Changing Natures: Environmental and Social History in Costa Rica (AP/HIST 4083/5060)
• Managing for Sustainability in Costa Rica (AP/ADMS 4971)
• Social Determinants of Global Health: Costa Rica "Exploring Health and Aging in Costa Rica" (HH/GH 4924)
• Global Eco-Arts Residency (FA/PANF3030/VISA5030)
• Nature, Neoliberalism, Political Ecology: The Politics of Water in Costa Rica and Latin America (EU/GEOG 4050)
• Environmental Psychology (HH/PSYC 3450)
• Advanced Topics in Environment and Health: Ecosystem Approaches in the Field (EU/ENVS4800A/5182)
• Educating for a Sustainable Future (ED/EDST/EDUC 3700, EDUC 5444)
• Narratives in/of Costa Rica. Individuals, Communities and their Voices (GL/SP/COMS 4608)
• Natural History: Environmental Education in Costa Rica (ENVS 4120)
• Environmental Law and Justice (ENVS 4421/5061)
• Food, Land and Culture (ENVS 5011)
• Fundamentals of Ecological Engineering (CIVL 4045)
• Independent Field Work: Social Determinants of Health in Costa Rica (IHST 4000)
• Globalization and Indigenous Peoples (ENVS4215)
• Community Psychology
• Promoting Global Health
• Extraction and its Discontents
• Climate Mitigation/Climate Solutions in Costa Rica (EU/ENVS 4402)
• The Business of Fair Trade (AP/SOSC 4051)
• Protected Area Management in Costa Rica (ENVS 4446/5016)