This
12-day program offers students the opportunity to gain an
international perspective on social work through lectures,
field trips to social service agencies, and presentations by
social work faculty from the University of Costa Rica. The
program will focus on child welfare, social work in the
schools, public health and social security, gender, and
gerontology. The following questions will be examined:
In addition to daily seminars and site visits, students will have the opportunity to travel to significant cultural and historical sites in and around San José. Dr. Helen Hartnett, Assistant Professor of the KU School of Social Welfare, will lead the program.
Costa Rica is known for its natural beauty, extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna, social and political stability, high educational levels, and efficient infrastructure and services. San José, Costa Rica’s capital, is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. It lies in the Central Valley on a plain surrounded by large forested mountain ranges, some of which include active volcanoes, green savannahs, and working coffee plantations.
The Universidad de Costa Rica was established in 1843 under the name Universidad de Santo Tomás and was restructured in 1940 and re-named the Universidad de Costa Rica. It is the oldest and largest university in Costa Rica, with a population of 35,000 students.
The University of Kansas-Universidad de Costa Rica exchange program, initiated in 1958, is the oldest inter-university exchange of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Initiatives such as the collaborative short-term study abroad programs designed by the KU School of Social Welfare and the Universidad de Costa Rica build upon and strengthen the bond between the two universities.
Students are housed in double-occupancy rooms at the Hotel Ave del Paraíso located next to the campus of the University of Costa Rica.
DatesMay 22 - June 2, 2007
Open to BSW, MSW & Doctoral Students, and Social Work Practitioners. Minimum 2.5 GPA required (exceptions considered after submission of a petition).
There are no language requirements, though students with previous exposure to Spanish will find it helpful.
Three hours of credit or 45 CEU credits are granted by the University of Kansas upon successful completion of the program. Three hours may be applied towards the MSW degree requirements. Contact the School of Social Welfare for more information.
Program Fee: Approximately $2,320 ($2,520 for non-KU students). The program fee includes undergraduate tuition, fees, accommodations, two group dinners, excursions, orientation, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services, and administrative expenses.
Additional costs: Airfare, meals, books, passport fees, and personal expenses.
KU students who qualify for summer financial aid in the form of Stafford and/or other loans, Pell or SEOG Grants, and scholarships may apply the aid to the cost of a Study Abroad Program.
Limited supplemental scholarships are available to KU undergraduates. Applications are available at the Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the scholarship application. The scholarship application deadline is March 1.
Non-KU students should check into the financial resources available to them at their home institutions.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2007. Early application is strongly encouraged.
Applications are available in the KU Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the application.
(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download an application. If your computer does not have Acrobat Reader you can download it for FREE.)
All dates, costs, and program information are subject to change as necessary due to fluctuations in the exchange rate or other reasons.
Additional program information and course descriptions are available on the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare website at: www.socwel.ku.edu/academics/CostaRica/index.shtml
Melanie Hepburn, Assistant Dean
The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare
phone: 785-864-8937
e-mail: melanieh@ku.edu
The University of Kansas
Office of Study Abroad
Lippincott Hall
1410 Jayhawk Blvd. Room 108
Lawrence, KS 66045-7515
phone: 785-864-3742
fax: 785-864-5040
e-mail: osa@ku.edu
