APPLICATION DEADLINE: Please note that applications are due by 10 pm on March 1!

PROGRAM DATES:

Instruction will begin on the College of Charleston's campus on June 26, 2017. Travel dates are June 29-July 20, 2017.

COURSE INFORMATION:

Students will be enrolled in the following two courses:

TRAN 360: Doing Business in Costa Rica (3 credits)
-AND-
LACS 101: Introduction to Latin American & Caribbean Studies (3 credits)

SCIM 360: Sustainability Issues in Costa Rica (3 credits) will replace LACS 101 if a student has satisfied their Humanities general education requirement.


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Doing Business in Costa Rica will introduce students to the cultural, legal and business environments in Costa Rica. The course will focus on the practical issues that a foreigner will encounter in conducting business in international venues. Company visits include the Chamber of Commerce, US Commercial Services in Costa Rica, Florida Ice & Farm, Baxter, Port of Charleston, Fantini Office Furniture manufacturer, Frutera La Paz, AdAstra Rocket, and many others.

TRAN 360 counts as an upper-level business elective or general elective for non-business majors. The second course is intended to provide an overall introduction to Costa Rica in terms of culture, history, politics, religious beliefs, etc. LACS 101 counts as Humanities general education course. This program could satisfy the requirement of Business Travel Course for international business majors if they enroll in both courses (6 credits total).

Local activities include river rafting, canopy tour, and some physical activities during tours in the rainforest, such as hiking.


PROGRAM DIRECTORS:

Dr. Marvin Gonzalez
Department of Supply Chain & Information Management
gonzalezm@cofc.edu
843-953-4276

Dr. Gioconda Quesada
Department of Supply Chain & Information Management
quesadag@cofc.edu
843-953-4277

Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Quesada started teaching at CofC in Fall 2003. Since then, they have led numerous international student programs in Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada, and Spain. This particular program started in 2010, and each year there are more companies to visit. Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Quesada emphasize many international issues in their classes, due to their backgrounds and research agendas. Both faculty members are originally from Costa Rica.

Dr. Nadia Avendaño
Department of Hispanic Studies
avendanon@cofc.edu
843-953-5364

Dr. Avendaño is an Associate Professor in the Department of Hispanic Studies and an affiliate to the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program and the Women's and Gender Studies Program. She served as Program Director for the summer program in Trujillo, Spain in 2006 and in 2015.

Note: For questions regarding on-site program details and course content, please contact the program directors. Any inquiries regarding application processing, billing, or scholarship opportunities can be directed to the Center for International Education (contact information listed above).