The Bahamas: Cultivating Conservation Networks

The iconic Bahama Islands archipelago is home to hundreds of species of terrestrial and aquatic life as well as many collaborating to protect and restore local ecosystems. Explore two breathtaking islands as we unpack historical colonialism and highlight current Bahamian experts leading in the fields of conservation and education. Visit marine reserves, mangroves, unique national parks, and community-driven conservation projects that focus on local communities at the forefront of conservation. Project Dragonfly is glad to partner with Science & Perspective and The Bahamas National Trust, among other local organizations, to offer this course.

Possible investigative activities include exploring marine biodiversity, studying bird and plant interactions, understanding the impacts of climate change on natural and human communities, and participating in local conservation workshops. All students will also have the chance to conduct an investigation of the local ecosystem, asking their own questions, collecting data, and presenting conclusions. Prior to and following the field experience in The Bahamas, students complete online coursework as they apply experiences to their home institutions.

Nassau

The tropical town of Nassau is the nation's capital and is home to most Bahamanians in The Bahamas. The city was built up by loyalists and slaves in the 18th century and many colonial influences are still seen in the city's architecture. The Bahamas National Trust, one of our course partners and the organization that set up and manages the nation's parks and marine reserves, is based in Nassau.

Eleuthera Island

As part of The Bahamas archipelago, Eleuthera is a long, thin island with rich opportunities for time in nature. This includes miles of marine coastline with access to rich waters and a number of well-established field stations conducting long-term scientific investigations.

In addition to covering the price for five graduate credits of Miami University tuition, field course costs cover all basic expenses, including:

• Meals (incidental snacks and drinks not included)
• Lodging
• Course activities (optional activities are not included)
• Ground transportation (van, boat, train, etc., as needed)

Course costs do not cover personal expenses, such as airfare to the course, personal gifts, or ancillary costs, such as passport fees, country entry fees, required course readers, and any additional course texts.

Airfare: To estimate fares applicants may wish to visit an online fare finder or call a travel agent. Bear in mind that airlines have seasonal fluctuations in fares.

Miami University also requires all participants in international workshops to purchase travel health insurance for about $40. (Successful applicants will receive more details in their web-based learning community course workshop.) In some classes an additional textbook is required. In some countries, you may have to pay entrance and departure taxes/fees at the airport.

Because of support from Miami University, the course costs listed above are a fraction of actual program costs. Earth Expeditions recommends that accepted applicants to the program check with their school district or employer to see if professional development funds are available to further offset costs.

 We offer some further ideas on Helping to Fund your Degree and Scholarships for Current Dragonfly Students

Are you a current Miami University undergrad or grad student interested in participating? Check out our Miami students page to learn more about program requirements.

Note that costs shown above are for graduate students only. Course costs for undergraduate students are based on each student’s tuition rate. If you have questions regarding your tuition promise rate, please contact the Bursar.

The 2-credit follow-on course, Inquiry & Action, puts the Earth Expeditions course ideas and concepts into practice. Students in this course will choose a research topic and construct a multidisciplinary semester-long project of their choice that includes inquiry-driven learning, participatory education, and community-based conservation to experience and promote action in real-world contexts. Students will connect and collaborate with peers and their instructional team throughout the semester working to make a positive difference in their local communities. This class is a required part of the Global Field Program (GFP) master's course sequence. Inquiry & Action is recommended though optional for non-GFP students.

Spring 2024 Course Cost: $790 (2 credits)

Do you have questions? Go to our Frequently Asked Questions page for some answers.

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