Study Abroad in San José: Courses

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Intensive Spanish Language Courses

These 4-week courses will be taught during morning sessions for a total of 80 hours (5 credits). Exams are taken every 2 weeks. Students will be placed into the appropriate level depending on a written test taken on-line prior to departure and an oral test taken upon arrival in San José. All courses are subject to a minimum enrollment of 5 students. There is a maximum of 10 students per language class. The 12-week program fee includes tuition for one Intensive Spanish language course (5 credits). The 16/17- week program fee includes tuition for two Intensive Spanish language courses (10 credits).
Students who successfully complete their course level can choose to enroll in additional Spanish courses during the term for a supplement of $600 per course.
Please note that the extra week in the 17-week spring semester option is a mid-semester break therefore courses are held for the same duration as 16-week program.

Intensive Spanish Language Courses
Spanish 101 (5)/Spanish 102 (5) Elementary Spanish I/Elementary Spanish II
Spanish 201 (5)/Spanish 202 (5) Intermediate Spanish I/Intermediate Spanish II
Spanish 301 (5)/Spanish 302 (5) Advanced Spanish I/Advanced Spanish II

Elective Courses (taught in English)

A sample course list is shown below. For a full list of courses available, please contact the AIFS Admissions Officer. U.S. course numbers are listed first followed by the Veritas course numbers.

Elective Courses Taught in English
Art 310/ART 2100 (3)Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice
Business 350/GEB 3350 (3)International Business
Economics 340/ECON 3403 (3)International Economics in Latin America
Ecotourism 350/GEB 3500 (4)Ecotourism: The Costa Rica Case
Film 340/CTV 3400 (4) Documentary Production Process
International Relations 345/POL3450 (3)International Relations in Latin America
Photography 330/PHOT 2130 (3)Cultural Photography
Political Science 350/POL 2500 (3)Human Rights in Latin America
Social Science 329/HIS 3293 (4)Costa Rican Health Care System and Tropical Medicine

Elective Environmental Studies Courses (taught in English)

Students may take one of their electives in environmental studies for a $140 supplement. U.S. course numbers are listed first followed by the Veritas course numbers.

Elective Environmental Studies Courses Taught in English
Environmental Science 304/ENV 4040 (4)Environmental Awareness and Sustainable Development
Environmental Science 305/ENV 3005 (4)Environmental Impact and Social Development
Environmental Science 344/ENV 3044 (4)Tropical Ecology
Environmental Science 390/ENV 3190 (4)Tropical Marine Biology

Elective Courses (taught in Spanish)

Students with at least 2 years of college-level Spanish and who pass a placement test for the advanced level may choose to take elective courses taught in Spanish. A sample course list is shown below. For a full list of courses available, please contact the AIFS Admissions Officer. U.S. course numbers are listed first followed by the Veritas course numbers.

Elective Courses Taught in Spanish
Literature 330/SPN 3020 (3) Lecturas Selectas de la Literatura Latinoamericana / Select Readings: Latin American Literature
Translation 307/SPN 3070 (3)Introducción a la Traducción / Introduction to English-Spanish Translation
Literature 339/SPN 4390 (3)El Cine y la Literature Latinoamericana / Latin American Cinema and Literature
Linguistics 352/SPN 3520 (3)Dialectología Latinoamericana / Latin American Dialectology
Literature 311/SPN 4110 (3)Escritoras Contemporaneas Costarricenses / Contemporary Costa Rican Female Writers


Veritas University Courses (Taught in Spanish)

In addition to the courses listed, AIFS students on the 16/17 week program with a minimum of 2 years of college-level Spanish and who pass a placement test for the advanced level may choose to take some regular courses at the University (taught in Spanish) along with Costa Rican students. Many courses are offered every semester by the following University departments:

  • Architecture
  • Digital Animation
  • Film & T.V.
  • Advertising Design
  • Interior Design
  • Product Design
  • Photography
  • Fashion Design
For a full list of available courses, please contact the AIFS Admissions Officer. Please note that courses are subject to change.