Investigate coral reefs, manatees, howler monkeys, jaguars, and other wildlife while learning the methods communities are using to sustain them.
Join our partner, The Belize Zoo, and explore diverse terrestrial, coastal, and coral reef communities of Belize, while learning about conservation programs on such species as harpy eagles, jaguars, manatees, and howler monkeys. Students in this course will spend much of their time at The Belize Zoo and the associated Tropical Education Center, where they will conduct research investigations and gain first-hand knowledge of the conservation efforts of the Zoo. To appreciate community-based conservation in action, students also spend time with a well-known small rural community whose mission is focused on balancing species conservation and sustainable tourism initiatives. Each student will also gain experience understanding marine environments in southern Belize, by staying and studying on one of Belize’s 450 barrier islands.
Students in this course will learn a range of techniques that can inspire environmental stewardship in ourselves and others, including monitoring species populations, studying human influence on coral reefs, understanding how to motivate positive environmental behavior change, or creating species observational studies at The Belize Zoo. Discover the power of inquiry to generate knowledge and inspire conservation action. Prior to and following the field experience in Belize, students will complete coursework via Canvas, Miami University's learning management system as they apply experiences to their home institutions.
| Course Details | |
|---|---|
| In-person travel dates: |
Belize I: June 16-25, 2025 Arrive at least one day before and depart on last day of course.
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| On the Web: |
Pre-travel preparations: February-March |
| Credits: | Summer course: 5 graduate credits Follow-on Fall course: 2 graduate credits All Miami University credits can be applied to the GFP or AIP (or other programs if approved) |
| Costs: | Summer course: $3,600* + your own airfare |
| * $3,600 calculated as = $455 per credit tuition x 5 graduate credits + $1150 program fee + $175 Miami global fee | |
The Belize Zoo, situated on 29 acres of tropical savanna, exhibits over 125 animals native to Belize. The Belize Zoo receives more than 10,000 school children every year as part of the Zoo’s progressive education program and is home to active jaguar and harpy eagle conservation projects.
Established to protect the local population of black howler monkeys through voluntary community participation in land management, the Community Baboon Sanctuary encompasses over 12,980 acres of broadleaf forest, wetlands, and pasture farmland. The black howler monkey, known as “baboon” in Creole, is the main species of interest in the reserve.
An island totalling 5 acres in size, Tobacco Caye is an ideal location for studying aquatic life as it is situated directly on the barrier reef system. The island is home to mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds and is a short boat ride from the biologically rich South Water Caye Marine Reserve. Working with the Tobacco Caye Marine Station, students have the opportunity to perform in-depth investigations of this diverse marine ecosystem.
(Course locations are subject to change.)
In addition to covering the price for five graduate credits of Miami University tuition, field course costs cover all basic expenses, including:
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 international workshop participants 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
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.
Course cost: $910 (2 credits)
Snorkel in biodiverse marine protected areas, explore unique national parks, and gain an understanding of community-driven initiatives by talking directly with local experts at the forefront of conservation.
