Location:

Santa Ana, Costa Rica

Program Type:

Intensive Language

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Duration:

3-4 weeks, 1-3 months, 4-6 months, 1 year

Language:

Spanish

Program Overview

Program Description:

The Republic of Costa Rica is a small country in Central America nestled between the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, north of Panama and south of Nicaragua. It is exceptional in that many environments can be visited within a short time. Rain forests, cloud forests, unspoiled beaches, coral reefs, white water rivers and volcanoes can be reached within a couple of hours by car from San José. Costa Rica is one of the few stable, democratic republics in Latin America. It has the highest standard of living of the Central American countries. The health record is excellent, and illiteracy is very low. Peaceful by nature, the Costa Ricans have no army, as it was abolished in 1948.

The Intensive Spanish Program at CONVERSA follows the teaching methodology of the Peace Corps and the Foreign Service Institute. No previous study or knowledge of Spanish is required, and on arrival, students are given a placement test in Spanish to determine the appropriate level of study. The program is offered in four week sessions and classes have no more than four students each. Students are taught by different instructors each week to strengthen their conversation and oral comprehension skills. Intensive instruction for five-and-one-half hours per day is taught entirely in Spanish and individual tutorials on Saturday mornings and additional conversation practice are available upon request. 5. Students are typically awarded a maximum of 6-8 credits per four week cycle.

Program costs include: instructional costs, health insurance, room and board, CCIS and sponsor fees, texts and materials, round trip airport transfer

Setting Description:

Centro Linguistico CONVERSA, a language institute dedicated to teaching Spanish and English as foreign languages, is located just twenty minutes outside the capital city of San Jose. The main campus of the institution is in Santa Ana, located on a former six-acre mountainside farm named El Pedregal, providing intensive Spanish language instruction on a serene setting. Known for its mild climate and its national parks, volcanoes, fine beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, rain forests, and wildlife refuges, Costa Rica offers a rich cultural and environmental backdrop for intensive study of the Spanish language.

Cost:

$4,200