COSTA RICA COURSE GUIDE GROUP A
CLASS TIME 8:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

ANTH 3305 - Indigenous Civilizations of Middle America

Catalog Description: The civilizations of the Aztec, Maya, Mixtec, Zapotec and the predecessors; neighboring cultures with whom they were in contact; the continuing influence of these societies in modern times

Professor's Addendum:  Have you ever wanted to learn about the archaeology of Mesoamerica ? This is the class for you! Not only will you get to hear about the well-known Aztecs and Maya but you're going to be in living in the heart of the region considered to be the cross-roads between Mesoamerica and South American indigenous cultures (like the Inca). We will be discussing the Costa Rican archaeological record and then we can go and explore the Costa Rican world. Come and see this part of the archaeological world yourself! The grade for this class will be based on two open book tests and the field notebook.

ANTH 3401 - Folklore

Catalog Description: A survey of traditional tales and oral literature, both in preliterate and peasant communities and in industrialized societies; the role of folk customs in modern culture. 

Professor's Addendum: Do you remember being told stories when you were little? How about all those jingles that you can still recite by memory? For instance, story of The Three Bears? Jack and the Beanstalk? and Simple Simon (who met a pie man going to the fair)? These stories are considered folklore. Folklore consists of the oral stories that have been passed down for generations. They make a lot of sense when you know about the particular social contexts from which the tales emerged. Folklore teaches people what acceptable behavior is and validates society's rules and traditions. We're going to be in Costa Rica , a country that still has some peasant communities and is rich in its oral traditions. After learning a bit about the origin, form, function and transmission of folklore from around the world we're going to take a look at Costa Rican folklore. Costa Rica is full of wonderful folktales centered around witches, birds and other critters, princes, and even Brer Rabbit ! We'll use our exposure to Costa Rica to practice recognizing how folklore fits into today's world. Each student will get to do a research project on local Costa Rican folklore traditions. The grade for this class will be based on two open book tests and the research project.

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ENGL 2398 - Americans in Latin America : Travel Narratives

Catalog Description: Special Studies Literature & Language. Reading , evaluation, and discussion of selected writers works or literary topics. May be repeated once for credit.

Professor's Addendum: This course will explore the genre of the transcultural travel narrative by focusing on exemplary works written by North Americans who have traveled in, and written about, Latin America . It will be a study of the conventions, the politics, and the forms of the narratives. It will examine the differences between the concept of the explorer, the traveler, the tourist, the anthropologist, the war correspondent, and the immigrant and the effects these self-constructions have on narrative forms. One of the major questions the course will ask is: How do travelers represent a culture that is not their own? Does one always, finally, end up projecting one = s fantasies, expectations, preconceptions onto the land and culture through which one is traveling? The seminar will examine several representative texts, including some from the following list: John L. Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan ; Fanny Calderon de la Barca's Life in Mexico ; John Reed, Insurgent Mexico ; Mary Morris, Nothing to Declare, Memoirs of a Woman Traveling Alone; Charles Flandrau, Viva Mexico! ; Evelyn Waugh. Robbery Under Law ; Ronald Wright. Time among the Maya: Travels in Belize , Guatemala , and Mexico.

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FA 2400 - Introduction to Digital Photography

Catalog Description: As an art form photography demands both craft and vision. Becoming familiar with the craft and methods of photographic and digital technologies, and understanding what can be accomplished with and through them is central.

Professor's Addendum: This course will cover fundamental techniques of digital photography, as well as the art of making and interpreting photographs. In addition, students will learn the importance of establishing an authentic photographic voice of their own. Photographic tools and materials, as well as aesthetic and conceptual qualities will be explored through a combination of demonstrations and assignments, readings, slide presentations, field trips, and critiques, as well as one-on-one meetings with the instructor. With theory and practice, patience, and hard work the initial intention to simply take photographs can become the art of truly making them. This art comes from conscious and knowledgeable yet, skillful and intuitive choices in equipment, lighting, exposure, printing, framing and presentation. As a photographer you will learn how to depict your subject matter and embody your vision. 

All students must bring their own laptop computer with Photoshop, digital camera, appropriate memory cards, card reader and battery chargers. Point and shoots are suitable, but a digital SLR is recommended.

FA 2000 - Field Research in the Arts: Ethics and Service - Through the Arts

Professor's Addendum: Based on the experience and success of The New Orleans Kid Camera Project, this course will be divided between sharpening the student's own photographic skills (spending time photographing for their own projects) and a service component where they will teach young residents of San Ramon using the Camera Project model. The New Orleans Kid Camera Project was initially created to address the psychological and emotional impacts of Hurricane Katrina on children returning home to New Orleans . Through the use of photography, creative writing and mixed media, children from flooded neighborhoods explored their environment and expressed themselves.

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GEOG 1600 - Environmental Geography

Catalog Description: An analysis of the interactions between humankind and the world's physical environments which have led to present-day environmental stresses.  Topics include utilization of resources, population growth, food supplies, energy and air, and water pollution.

Professor's Addendum:  Costa Rica is an ideal location for observing the causes and consequences of the global environmental change. Costa Rica is famous for its rich biodiversity, which however is threatened by global climate change and human disturbances. The summer course presenting the confliction between the goals of economic development and environmental preservation, the course deepens students' understanding of the interaction among natural, economic and social subsystems and the feedback mechanism.

GEOG 2404 - Latin America

Catalog Description: The natural environments, cultures, and economic resources of Latin America -- from Amazonia to the Andes .  Emphasis is placed on the effects of both traditional and modern land use systems on cultural diversity and change and on the internal and external forces that have limited the economic development of Mexico and the nations of Central America, the Caribbean, and South America .

Professor's Addendum:  The summer course use Costa Rica as a case to present students the land use dynamics in Latin America . Students observe the landscape pattern and discuss possible driving forces underlying the dynamic. The instructor provides insight into the colonization history, social context and environmental condition of Costa Rica . The land change trajectory of Costa Rica is compared with that of Amazonian Brazil and lowland Bolivia to help students obtain a broad view of Latin American region.

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SPAN 1001 - Basic Spanish I

Catalog Description: A sequence of courses developing all four language skills: speaking, understanding, writing, and reading. The course includes the presentation and discussion of cultural material such as magazines, films, records, and other audio-visual items when feasible

SPAN 1002 - Basic Spanish II

Catalog Description: Prerequisite: SPAN 1001. A continuation of SPAN 1001.

SPAN 2001 - Intermediate Spanish I

Catalog Description: Prerequisite: SPAN 1002 or consent of department. Continuation of the development of all four language skills: speaking, understanding, writing, and reading. The course includes the presentation and discussion of cultural material such as magazines, films, records, and other audio-visual items when feasible.

SPAN 2002 - Intermediate Spanish II

Catalog Description: Prerequisite: SPAN 2001 or consent of department. Readings and exercises in Spanish. Special emphasis on comprehension as well as oral and written expression in the language.

SPAN 3031 - Spanish Conversation

Catalog Description: Prerequisite: SPAN 2002 or consent of department. Conversation, oral discussions, interpretations and reports, practicing the spoken language. Not open to native speakers of Spanish. Native speakers majoring in Spanish must substitute three hours at the 3000 level or above.

SPAN 3042 - Advanced Spanish Composition and Syntax

Catalog Description: Prerequisite: SPAN 3041. Drill in original descriptive and narrative composition in the language with attention to style, syntax, idioms, and verb forms.


SPAN 3055 - Introduction to the Analysis and Interpretation of Spanish Literature

Catalog Description: A study of techniques of literary analysis particular to each of the major genres with readings and discussion of representative works.