Course Information (Deadline for application and non-refundable deposit of $1000: April 9, 2010 )

 

Field Studies in Tropical Biology (BI340) is a 3-credit course offered in the first summer session at Saint Anselm College. This course introduces students to the biological complexity of the tropics through participatory field experiences in the ecologically diverse Central American country of Belize.  Field trips and exercises are conducted in two of the most species rich ecosystems on the planet, the neo-tropical rainforest and coral reef.  Saint Anselm faculty (Dr. Eric Berry and Dr. Lori LaPlante) and local experts will lecture on a variety of topics including the natural history of tropical biota, patterns of species diversity, rainforest ecology and conservation, ethnobiology, animal behavior, and coral reef and fish ecology.

 

Prerequisite: 1 yr of college-level biology; permission to register by instructor.
Course dates: 26 May - 11 June 2010
Estimated cost: $3500 - $4000* (*final cost will depend on enrollment and airfare prices. Costs will be finalized before the end of spring semester.)

Includes:

• Round-trip airfare to and from Belize
• Saint Anselm tuition (3 credits)
• 2 days of savannah field studies at Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
• 4 days of rainforest field studies at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary / Jaguar Reserve
• 5 days of coral reef field studies at Tobacco Caye
• 1 night accommodation in or near Belize City
• 5 nights dorm accommodations at Saint Anselm College
• All housing, ground transfers, and most meals in Belize

Other:

• This course is open to all majors meeting the prerequisite
• Participation is limited to 12 students
• A $1000 deposit (nonrefundable) will be due with your application
• Financial aid may be available - Contact Mac Broderick (phone: 641-7110)

 

 

Application and Fees

Downloadable application (7 forms: 2.1 Mb...may take a few minutes to download) **

 

The cost of this course is estimated to be $3500 - $4000. The final cost will depend on the number of students enrolled and price of airfare, neither of which we have any control.

A completed application and a deposit of $1000 (checks payable to Saint Anselm College) must be submitted to Dr. Berry or Dr. LaPlante.

Students selected for the course will have their deposits credited against the course fee.

If the number of applications exceeds 12, then a full deposit will be returned to those students who were not selected for the course.

 

Cancellation policy:

If, for any reason, a student chooses to withdraw from this course, notification must be submitted in writing to the instructor(s) and must include the reason for requesting withdrawal. Verbal statements of withdrawal will not be considered as notification of withdrawal; therefore the student will still be considered a participant until written notification is received by the instructor(s). Availability for refund will be based on the date of written notification for withdrawal.

If a student withdraws from a program less than 30 days prior to the program's start, we cannot guarantee the refund of any expenses. In the event that extreme circumstances during the 30 days prior to the start of the course cause the student to withdraw, we will review the situation on a case-by-case basis. At the discretion of the instructors, any funds that are recoverable and uncommitted may be refunded.

Under no circumstances can any refund requests be considered for students who have completed the course or who have been sent home early from the course. Furthermore, at no time can the instructor(s) refund charges that are not recoverable and have been commited on the student's behalf.