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SFS Bhutan: Himalayan Environment and Society in Transition (Semester)

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SFS Bhutan
SFS Bhutan
SFS Bhutan
SFS Bhutan
SFS Bhutan
SFS Bhutan
SFS Bhutan
SFS Bhutan

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About

Spend a semester in a corner of the Himalayas where few foreigners ever step foot. Trek through remote villages and high mountain passes to experience Bhutan’s vibrant culture, Buddhist philosophy, and environmental issues firsthand. Learn about the challenges of maintaining biodiversity and traditional rural lifestyles in a time of transition. Develop skills in field research and data collection, and apply them to a research project on conservation and development issues in Bhutan.

SFS students live and study at the Center for Himalayan Environment and Development Studies. The Center is located at one end of the stunning Paro Valley, at the base of a towering ridgeline dotted with Buddhist monasteries. Campus is a small cluster of buildings designed in the traditional Bhutanese architectural style. A pleasant 15-minute walk brings you to the markets, shops, and cultural events of Paro Town.

Highlights
  • Embark on a multi-day cultural trek to experience the natural beauty of Bhutan’s countryside and the traditional lifestyles of its people.
  • Visit monasteries and take part in unforgettable tsechus (festivals) to learn more about Buddhism and Bhutanese culture.
  • Explore Bhutan’s diverse range of biomes through trips to Himalayan ridges, the subtropical Punakha and Chukha Valleys, and the alpine meadows of Phobjikha.
  • Develop field skills including: GIS and mapping, species identification, camera trapping and mist-netting, biodiversity surveys, research design and implementation, data collection and analysis, research presentation
  • Conduct research in some of the following areas: Mountain ecology and conservation, climate change, Gross National Happiness, forest management, river ecosystems, agriculture and urban migration

Scholarships

The School for Field Studies Scholarships
SFS Awards More Than $650,000 in Need-based Aid Each Year

SFS works closely with your home school to help you fund your SFS program. Many applicants receive aid through their home institutions or other outside sources, so check with your financial aid office to see what aid may apply to an SFS program.

Value
$500 - $5,000
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Questions & Answers

Reviews

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  • Academics 9
  • Support 10
  • Fun 10
  • Housing 9
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Marta
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

The world is your oyster...SFS helps you to shuck it!

May 26, 2019

I have been back in the U.S. for 2.5 weeks now, and I am glad to say that despite the time continuing to pass, I will never have a shortage of amazing memories to look back on from my semester in Bhutan.

The School for Field Studies has opened up the world for me; it has shown me another culture and way of life, a stunning country, and it has turned typical Western education on its head: you don’t have to be in a classroom to learn; you don’t need a library to study. SFS fosters learning in real-life situations: having to cope with language barriers when trying to interview locals; collaborating with peers to complete research projects; most of all, I think it helps foster self-reliance, self-compassion, and self-knowledge. Kadrinche la, Bhutan!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Monks on the roof of a monastery, DANCING! They were fixing something on the roof and one was tied to another with a rope...it was both the most absurd and heartwarming thing I had seen!
A brilliant day in the Paro Valley

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Elizabeth Ridolfi

Program
SFS Bhutan: Himalayan Environment and Society in Transition (Semester)
Elizabeth is from Auburn, California but lives in Davis. She is an Environmental Horticulture Major. She spends most of her free time chasing her cat around and preventing him from getting into mischief.
female hiking

Why did you pick this program?

Elizabeth: I picked this program because I wanted real research experience and to travel abroad.

What do you wish someone had told you before you went abroad?

Elizabeth: I didn't want advice. I wanted to learn on my own.

What is the most important thing you learned abroad?

Elizabeth: Problem solving and communication. My people skills got a work out.

What do you tell your friends who are thinking about going abroad?

Elizabeth: DO IT and keep an open mind!

What was the hardest part about going abroad?

Elizabeth: Trying to not get frustrated at the new changes and adjustments you have to make to yourself.

What's your favorite story to tell about your time abroad?

Elizabeth: I love to tell people about the trek through the Himalayas and the sinking in quicksand, leech encounters and beautiful scenery.

What made this experience unique and special?

Elizabeth: Bhutan is a country that most people will never go to or see. Many people have not even heard of it. Just to go there was an honor.

Tell us about an experience you had that you could not have had at home.

Elizabeth: Climbing a mountain in a driving rainstorm was one of the proudest moments of my life. Even after climbing another taller mountain a month later, that mountain in Bhutan has to be my proudest moment.

bhutan fields

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Elizabeth: Keep and open mind and do not stress out if something doesn't work the first time.

What made this trip meaningful to you, or how did this trip change your perceptions, future path?

Elizabeth: This trip proved that I was made out of much sterner stuff than people gave me credit for.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Sophie Ohaus

Program
SFS Bhutan: Himalayan Environment and Society in Transition (Semester)
Sophie Ohaus is currently the Program Intern at The School for Field Studies (SFS) in Bhutan. Sophie graduated from Colorado College in 2014 with a degree in Sociology and Global Health. After graduating she spent the year working for a qualitative analytics firm and a local community foundation, but the urge for adventure kept calling, leading to her to one of the most remote countries in the world, Bhutan!
A young girl posing for a picture.

Did YOU study abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

I studied abroad three times! The first time was between high school and freshman year of college with The School For Field Studies in Australia. The second time was the summer between sophomore and junior year of college in Ecuador, and the third time was junior spring in India.

The first time I studied abroad, I went because I wanted a break from conventional schooling before starting college. However, I found that I loved it so much I was constantly driven towards finding more opportunities to study abroad.

Also, as a sociology major I discovered my passion for understanding how people interact with the world around them, especially the interactions between humans, development, and the environment. Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to explore these interactions among different cultures all over the world.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Communication is key! I believe that proper communication is one of the most important aspects towards insuring a successful company, especially in study abroad where everyone is working outside their home environment and it is easy to get lost in a hectic schedule.

Our staff makes sure to check in at least once a day by having breakfast all together, and we have longer staff meetings once a week. These daily check-ins and weekly meetings help all of us stay on the same page and also makes sure that everything runs smoothly.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

I believe that The School for Field Studies gives its student a rare opportunity to immerse themselves and give back to the local community through the unique Directed Research (DR) component. During the DR part of the semester, students have the chance to conduct a research project that specifically relates to the local community’s environmental needs.

Due to each SFS research station’s unique long-term research plan, these projects can build off themselves year to year, ensuring that the research informs local stakeholders and helps them to create positive changes in the community.

Here in Bhutan, the students don’t only get to present to the local community, but they also get the opportunity to present to a much larger audience in the country’s capital of Thimphu.

The Directed Research aspect is such a strong feature of SFS that with the guidance of our professors and the help from local stakeholders, the students often produce very high quality reports which has allowed them to present back home, get published, or develop senior theses.

Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of the SFS team.

It's hard to pick one specific time that I've felt especially proud to be part of the SFS team, there are just too many! Seeing how much our students grow over their experience in Bhutan is always a very rewarding experience.

This usually culminates for me when I watch them present their Directed Research findings at the end of the semester. Dressed in traditional ghos and kiras, the students always impress me, not only with their research but also in the way that they present themselves.

The ease at which they can talk to the local people, dress in national dress, and discuss their research makes me proud to know that these students are a part of The School for Field Studies' community.

About The School for Field Studies (SFS)

The School for Field Studies (SFS) offers field-based programs that revolve around environmental studies and research. The programs involve exploration of the human and ecological aspects of issues having to do with the local environments. Students assist SFS's global partners and host communities in their research, finding meaningful solutions to...

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