Field Courses at Concordia University, Portland

Recently Concordia University at Austin and Concordia University—Portland have developed a field course collaborative that allows both universities to offer field courses in various parts of the world to students on both campuses. Over a thousand students have accompanied professors from these universities to U.S. National Parks in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii as well as to countries such as Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Jamaica. The professors have found that compared to traditional courses, field courses promote the development of more positive attitudes toward nature, and students acquire a longer-term understanding of concepts. These courses have promoted enhanced cooperation and communication between faculties and have fostered lifelong friendships among CUS students.

BIO 370 Field Course: Tropical Biology

Students with a monkey

Spring Semester, 2010
March 12-20, 2010

An Archaeological Adventure:

The farming methods and cultural practices of the ancient Maya had a profound impact on the ecosystems of Central America. Today, there are majestic remains of this proud group of people in the form of intricately inscribed stellae, huge temples, and precious artifacts. Step back in time with us to investigate the religious and cultural ceremonies of these people, learn how they lived, and explore reasons for the collapse of this culture.

A Cultural Adventure:

Belize is a developing country, and, as such, the people there lead a way of life foreign to most of us. Many roads, even major ones, are unpaved. Walking, bicycling and horseback riding are major means of transportation and subsistence farming methods are common. Homes in rural areas are of simple design — often without indoor plumbing or electricity. Yet these people have a rich, proud culture that, in many respects we might envy. In this course you will likely interact with people from several distinct cultures — including Garafuna, Creole, Kekchi Indian and Mayan.

A Social and Spiritual Adventure:

When a group of 20 people from two different campuses live, travel, study, laugh, eat, play and learn together for several days they develop friendship that often last a lifetime. Additionally, positive international relationships develop during friendly games of spades, rummy, basketball or soccer with the native Belizians. And in the evenings we make memories together by watching sunsets, playing games, singing, and lying on the boat docks looking up at the stars. Though this is a upper-level college course that involves disciplined, rigorous work, there also will be considerable free time to explore their own interests, especially on the Caribbean island we will visit. Students typically return to the U.S. feeling like it really was an emotionally relaxing spring break.

A Natural History Adventure:

The tropics probably contain the greatest diversity of wildlife of any place on earth. In the rain forest we frequently see birds such as parrots, trogans, and toucans — and mammals such as monkeys, coatis, pacas and sloths. When we snorkel among the coral reefs and lagoon of the Caribbean we will see an amazing variety of sponges and corals that provide habitat for many brittle stars, crabs, lobsters, and anemones. Also common are squid, spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, dolphins, starfish, sea cucumbers, and dozens of bony fish species. Your senses will be totally saturated with the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of the bountiful wildlife of the tropics. And we’ll look at environmental concerns to explore ways we can be better stewards of this special place.

Fees:

The course fee of $1,465 ($1,665 if taken not for credit) covers airfare to and from Belize starting at the Bush International Airport (IAH) in Houston, all travel in Belize, lodging, entrance fees to parks and preserves, and about half of the meals.

Other costs (estimated at this time):

  • Travel from home campus to Houston — Students must arrange to drive or fly to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH) on their own, planning to arrive in plenty of time to catch our TACA 411 flight to Belize at 14:05 (at least two hours lead time for international travel).
  • Expenses in Belize — There is a Belize departure tax of about $15 which must be paid at the Belize airport when we leave Belize. Additionally, the above fee does not cover about half of the meals which average about $15 — $20 per day, so budget about $80 for food. Other possible expenses include the cost of a passport for students that don’t have one, tips and souvenirs.

Miscellany:

Participants will be carrying out moderately strenuous hiking and swimming/snorkeling activities and so should be prepare to do so. Facilities, while comfortable, are typical of educational rather than typical tourist type quality. This allows students to obtain a better feel for the culture and reduce costs. Students must submit health information to the instructor prior to departure.

Registration:

Students should register for BIO 370 for spring semester, 2007. A $100 nonrefundable deposit, submitted as early as possible to the business office will hold your place. Full payment of fees is due by the first day of spring semester classes. Students should also be in good physical condition for hiking, snorkeling and other field work.

Tentative Itinerary

Pretrip and Posttrip Coursework:

  • There will be some assigned readings and exams prior to and after the field experience. Also, at the end of the semester there will be a formal semester exam.

The Spring Break Field Experience (tentative):

  • Day 1 — Travel to Houston on your own; fly as a group on TACA 411 at 14:05 arriving in Belize at 16:35. Travel by bus to Succotz in Western Belize; overnight stay at the Trek Stop
  • Day 2— Hike in the forest adjacent to the Trek Stop; visit a Butterfly Garden
  • Day 3— Hike along a river to study aquatic and riparian wildlife communities
  • Day 4— Trip to Tikal in Guatemala; explore some of the most spectacular Mayan ruins in the world and see lots of rain forest wildlife; return to the Trek Stop for overnight
  • Day 5— Take a bus to Belize City; take a water taxi to Caye Caulker in the Caribbean; overview of the island ; overnight at Tom’s Hotel
  • Day 6— Snorkeling lessons; snorkel in the lagoon
  • Day 7— Study beach plant communities; snorkeling trip to visit the coral reef
  • Day 8— Snorkeling trip to the reef and other marine communities
  • Day 9— Commuter flight from Caye Caulker to Belize International Airport; international flight back to Houston on TACA 410 leaving Belize at 10:15 and arriving in Houston at 13:50; students travel back to home campuses via their own arrangements

Please see Dr. Sergei Polozov (503-280-8123, L-312) before you register.