Costa Rica: Ecology & Ecotourism

Work alongside long-time conservationists as you observe sea turtles and hike through lowland and coastal rainforests investigating the ecogical and social factors that influence ecotourism in Costa Rica.

Course Overview

Imagine a place hidden in a dense jungle forest along the Caribbean Sea, a quasi-island surrounded by the ocean and canals. Only accessible by boat, visit Costa Rica like never before. With our partners at Ecology Project International, we spend time in this course immersing in the rainforest and coastal beaches of Pacurare Reserve. Study three species of sea turtles in their native habitat while understanding how ecotourism intersects with research and education.

Costa Rica is one of the key leaders in the "green travel" movement and students will learn directly from local experts in this course. Students will also visit La Selva Biological Station, which has been home to hundreds of leading scientists over its 60 years. The people and forest of La Selva are unmatched as a place to understand lowland rainforest ecology and conservation.

In this course, we will take time to see how ecotourism can truly fulfill the promise of social, economic, and environmental benefits to local communities and global visitors while working to save key species in the process.

Prior to and following the field experience in the Costa Rica, 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:	July 31-August 9, 2025 Arrive at least one day before and depart on the day after the course ends
On the Web:	Pre-travel preparations: February-March Login to online course: April Online course dates: May 19 - August 9
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 into Costa Rica - flying into San Jose, Costa Rica (airport code SJO).
Costs:	* $3,600 calculated as = $455 per credit tuition x 5 graduate credits + $1150 program fee + $175 Miami global fee

Course Themes

Sea turtle research and conservation
Ecology of lowland and coastal rainforests
Ecotourism and local practices
Local communities and community-based environmental education
Inquiry-based learning & participatory education

A typical day is likely to include:

Immersion in Pacuare reserves natural environment
Research rotations studying sea turtles, local primates, and Agami herons, only found nesting in this Reserve
Student-led discussions of key course topics
Engagement with local communities
Open inquiries
Journal writing

Costa Rica Student Reflection:

"Having a deep passion and drive for an issue can be consuming and being able to see that issue through a variety of perspectives is invaluable" -Eileen Keating

Student Reflection

Karen Morely on an Earth Expeditions trip to Costa Rica

Planned Sites

Google Earth image of Costa Rica with two locations marked. A second image shows the marked locations zoomed in and labeled La Selva Biological Station and Pacuare Reserve

Pacuare Station

Pacuare's coastline is hugged by dense rainforest. What was once logged for timber or grazed by cattle is now a protected home for a wide variety of wildlife – more than 32 species of mammals, including jaguar, ocelot, three species of monkeys, and many reptiles call Pacuare home.

With beach, forest, canals and freshwater habitats, Pacuare is also home to a wide variety of birds - 253 species currently! The rare and beautiful Agami heron nests in a small lagoon within the Reserve. It is the only nesting site in Costa Rica and one of only a few accessible nesting sites in the world.

The main trail runs the length of the Reserve through the forests located behind the beach with other shorter trails lead to areas of special interest, making for enjoyable observations the flora and fauna of the area.

La Selva Biological Station

La Selva Research Station offers 1,600 hectares of well-preserved old-growth and recovering wet lowland tropical forest showcasing some of the best-preserved elevational gradients in the tropics.

La Selva sits within a complex biological, socioeconomic, and political landscape that has been significantly transformed over the last 40 years by a continuously expanding agricultural frontier, burgeoning human population, and accompanying major infrastructure. Protected areas, such as La Selva, provide a rich opportunity for studying how natural ecosystems respond to a broader landscape matrix of human uses.

(Course locations are subject to change.)

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Costs Include:

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
Field station fees
Course activities (optional activities are not included)
Ground transportation (van, boat, train, etc., as needed)
Park entrance and guide fees

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

U.S. Students and Students Living Abroad

To support involvement by a broad range of professionals nationally and globally, Miami University discounts tuition for participants accepted to an Earth Expeditions graduate course. Applicants must be over the age of 18 and hold bachelor’s degrees. Upon successful completion of both the field and Web-based components of the Earth Expeditions course, participants earn seven graduate credit hours.

Undergraduate Students Seeking Graduate Credit

Undergraduate students at Miami University may apply for an Earth Expeditions course and earn five credits for the field component, with the option to complete two additional credits for the fall Web component. Normal Miami tuition rates apply, as do eligible summer tuition waivers and scholarships. Contact Project Dragonfly for more information.

Inquiry & Action Follow-on Course

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)