PROGRAM DATES:

July 9-August 3, 2018 (in Costa Rica from July 15-25)

COURSE INFORMATION:

HEAL 230: Global Health (3 credits)
ANTH 340: Medical Anthropology (3 credits)


PROGRAM INFORMATION:

This will be a multi-tiered, collaborative, double-course program in Public Health and Anthropology that will focus on healthcare, health culture, and health institutions in Costa Rica.

The classes associated with this program will be structured as hybrid courses with components online, in the field in Costa Rica, and in-class on the College of Charleston campus. The full program dates will be July 9-August 3, roughly coinciding with Summer II scheduling, though students will begin their introduction to the courses earlier. Toward the end of spring semester there will several pre-departure meetings with students enrolled in the program. These meetings will review course format, materials, and go over expectations. Students will also complete several pre-departure activities as part of the grading criteria. These meetings will allow students to meet each other (and the program directors), and are intended to help establish a sense of rapport among program participants. During the first week of the program (7/9-7/13) students will receive course content online to provide contextual knowledge about some of the activities they will engage in while in Costa Rica. This content will include lectures, video clips, and discussion board-based activities which will further allow students to get to know and interact with faculty and each other.

The field component will be from 7/15-7/25. Students will fly into San José and will stay with host families in San Joaquín de Flores. While students will be in the classroom most mornings, the extent of their classroom time will be dependent on whether they are enrolled in one or both courses being offered in the program. In addition to classroom time, there will be multiple academic and cultural activities out of the classroom, such as guest lectures from professionals that work in the public health/medical field, tours of local medical and/or public health related facilities, and visiting/engaging with local community resources. Examples of cultural activities include: a visit to a sustainable farm, a visit to a national park, and dance lessons.

Students will have one free weekend while abroad: Saturday, July 21 and Sunday, July 22.

Students will depart from Costa Rica on 7/25 and return to Charleston. Once in Charleston, the class will continue on-campus until 8/3. At CofC, students will attend class and content will be delivered in a face-to-face format. This final week will include end-of-program student presentations, but will also provide an opportunity to debrief students about their experiences abroad.

PROGRAM DIRECTORS:

Dr. Christy Kollath-Cattano
Department of Health and Human Performance
kollathcattanocl@cofc.edu
843-953-5565

Dr. Kollath-Cattano is an Assistant Professor in Public Health. Dr. Kollath-Cattano has a PhD in Anthropology, which has provided her with extensive knowledge about health in a cross-cultural context. She also has experience working in Global Health efforts related to tobacco control in Latin America. More specifically she has worked with researchers in Mexico and Argentina in order to better understand risk factors for youth smoking initiation and to create prevention policies. She is proficient in Spanish.

Dr. Allison Foley
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
foleya@cofc.edu
843-953-8189

Dr. Foley is an Assistant Professor in Anthropology with a PhD in Biological Anthropology and experience teaching Medical Anthropology at the College of Charleston. Dr. Foley's research and teaching interests lie in understanding the intersections between social identity, culture, and health. She has studied and worked abroad, helping to lead undergraduate students in archaeological and cultural field work in Scotland and Belize.

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).

*A minimum number of participants is required for all study abroad programs to run