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SFS Study Abroad: Tropical Island Biodiversity in Panama

Name: SFS Study Abroad: Tropical Island Biodiversity in Panama
Brand: The School for Field Studies (SFS)
SKU: 15286
Rating: 4.75 (4 reviews)

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4.75 Rating

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Location

Panama
- Bocas del Toro

Term

Fall, Spring, Summer

Subject Areas

Agriculture American Studies Animal Science Biology Botany Conservation and Preservation Cultural Studies Earth Sciences Ecology Environmental Studies Field Studies Geography Global Studies Hispanic Studies Humanities Indigenous Cultures Latin American Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Sciences Oceanography Public Policy Social Sciences Statistics Sustainable Development Tourism Wildlife Sciences +17

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

Associates Bachelors

Housing

Dormitory

Pricing

Price Details

Program fees include tuition, housing, daily meals, field excursions, entrance fees, cultural activities, advising services, airport transfers, 24/7 mental health and well-being support, official transcript processing and more – check out our website. Need-based scholarships available.

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes Meals Transportation Wifi

What's Included (Extra)

No Application Fee!

What's Not Included

Airfare Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Aug 03, 2023

Last Reviewed: Jul 23, 2024

Wish List

20 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Students spend a semester in the dynamic community of Bocas del Toro, where they study the complexities of this rich biodiverse region from rainforests to underwater ecosystems to mangrove islands. Study the impacts of tourism and development on the island system’s unique habitats, evaluate local environmental policies, and apply the principles of resource management and conservation to your research project.

The SFS Panama campus, once a beachfront hotel, sits among the slender palms and warm sands of Isla Colón. Lush rainforests, hundreds of mangrove islands, and coral reefs teeming with diverse marine life, the Bocas del Toro archipelago is a vibrant living laboratory for studying tropical biodiversity. The laidback tourist hub of Bocas Town is a short taxi ride away, with access to shops, restaurants, and a vibrant culture that is as unique as the mix of people who live here.

Click on Visit Site above to learn more about studying abroad in Panama with SFS!

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Program Highlights

Earn academic credit: 18 credits for semester programs and 4 credits for summer programs. Conduct a 4-credit research project during the semester program.
Enjoy the Caribbean Sea as your backyard – work, study, snorkel, and live at our island campus.
Visit the Caribbean Coral Restoration Center to learn the methods used in creating artificial reefs; snorkel nearby artificial reefs and coral nurseries to observe restoration work firsthand.
Sample medicinal plants and hand-ground cacao on visits to various chocolate farms as part of a semester-long exploration of the intricacies of contemporary and Indigenous tourism.
Travel extensively around the islands of Bocas del Toro - above and below the water -encountering mangroves, rainforests, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and agroforestry fincas.

Popular Programs

Semester | Tropical Island Biodiversity Studies

Spend a semester in the dynamic community of Bocas del Toro, where you will spend your days exploring coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds studying sea stars, turtles, rays, dolphins, and schools of tropical fish. Go behind the scenes of this “paradise” and study the impacts of tourism and development on the archipelago’s unique habitats. Design and conduct a field research project.
5 classes | 18 credits | One life-changing study abroad experience.

Summer | Tropical Island Ecosystems

Snorkel and hike through the diverse environments of Bocas – from coral reefs and mangroves to beaches and rainforests – and study human impacts, such as tourism, on the island’s ecosystems and communities. Meet with area residents who depend on both tourism and natural resources and learn about current approaches to sustainable development in the archipelago.
1 class | 4 credits | One life-changing study abroad experience.

Program Reviews

4.75 Rating

based on 4 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 75%
4 rating 25%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Academics 3.5
Support 4.5
Fun 5
Housing 4.5
Safety 4.75

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

Bocas del Toro, this program, and my cohort will always have a special place in my heart. This program is everything I could've wanted for my first study abroad program. Learned cool things but also just got to enjoy the country. I think the academic part of this program was well-balanced - it made you think but it wasn't super challenging to the point you felt like you were actually in school (lol). I liked that my cohort wasn't huge. No cliques or distinct "groups", everyone mingled with each other!!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

The most nerve-racking was during my weekend away. Most people went to Bastimentos (one of the neighboring islands). During the day the friends I stayed with took a shortcut to Wizard Beach, then (since we were told) we were going to walk over to Red Frog Beach. Unbeknown to us, you couldn't walk over to Red Frog since there wasn't an actual path. So we had to hike through the forest in shorts and flip-flops. We made it through completely safe though! Now I feel like I'm ready to hike the Amazon!! LOL

Pros

lots of things to do in town
nightlife
lots of freedom on the weekends

Cons

can't think of any

picture of playa bluff (bluff beach) -- this beach is not too far from the center!

sorry this is side ways but this is (playa rojo rana) red frog beach

this is me snorkeling at Zapatillas Dos!

final outing on isla carenero (carenero island) (Bibi's restaurant is in the pic)

I loved this program! I did the summer one in 2019, it was so so fun. It was a great way to experience Panama on both the Pacific Coast and in the Bocas del Toro region. Because it is focusing on sustainable tourism we got to visit a cloud forest, coffee plantation, cacao plantation, and green resorts, go surfing and spend many days snorkeling in the archipelago.
The program wasn't that academically challenging in terms of rigorous course work, but the life skills and the adventures had make it well worth while!

SFS Panama is a study abroad program unlike any other - it is so interdisciplinary, which invites students from a wide range of majors to apply and find what interests them in the program. I went into this program thinking that I would be majoring in Biology with a focus in Marine Science, but the interviews with local people, listening to guest lecturers, and reading so many articles about the social factors amidst ecosystem degradation, I understand my true passion lies in Psychology. I'm not convinced my passion for Psychology would have reemerged unless I went on this program with SFS and for that I am truly grateful.

My friend and I swimming at a private cove which was a 10 minute boat ride away from our center

Nurse shark photographed while at a snorkel site

One of many Poison Dart Frog species in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago

One of the professor's dogs named Webster who lived with us at the center

my semester with TIBS was awesome! It was so cool to have the ocean, rainforest, and archipelago as a whole as a classroom. All of the professors and staff at SFS are amazing people who truly make the program as awesome as it is. They're all super talented and passionate about what they do and for sure people I'm coming away super lucky to have gotten to know. The classes were all super engaging and interesting. The center is right on the water and they have paddle boards and kayaks to use which was awesome. The town is super close and most of the activities there are to do on your free time are diving, surfing, snorkeling, and hanging out on the beach. There is not much free time during the first two months but there is more once directed research starts. I didn't mind at all being so busy the first two months though because classes were so cool and we got to go to so many different places with class.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

I wish I knew that there would be limited access to hiking/backpacking/camping so don't bring your backpacking gear to this program because you won't use it. Also, READ THE WELCOME LETTER AND THE WHOLE FIELD GUIDE when they send it out!!!

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

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

Mark Seifert of SFS

What separates SFS from other study abroad program providers?

SFS is focused on building meaningful connections between our students and the natural world. We are the most prominent environmental studies study abroad provider in the United States and we have been providing experiential learning for over thirty-two years (15,000+ alumni).

We operate from seven program centers throughout the world and will be expanding our operations in the near future. We are dedicated to a rigorous interdisciplinary approach to environmental studies and our students get to perform meaningful research that benefits the local people in the countries in which we share a home.

Did YOU study abroad?

I studied abroad twice: in London with a Michigan State University study abroad program and again the following year in Costa Rica with The School for Field Studies. I found SFS to be foundational in the way I think about my life as a member of the planet and it strongly influenced much of my professional development.

A recent report suggested that up to 50% of incoming freshman stated that they intended to study abroad during college, but then only 3% actually did. What’s going on here?

Interesting. Most of our sending institutions have a significant portion of their students studying abroad – some as high as 60% of all enrolled undergraduate students. There is little reason why every undergraduate student should not have the opportunity to study abroad – the opportunities to do so are so numerous. Perhaps students don’t know of the great programs that exist for them; programs like SFS that attracts students who are serious learners that want a sense of adventure along with deep learning both inside and outside of the classroom.

Which country do you think is an underrated study abroad destination? Conversely, do you think there is a country which is overrated?

I don’t believe that any country is under or overrated. I think there are some countries that are under visited. For example, we just opened a new program on island biodiversity in the Panamanian Caribbean because too few students have had the advantage to study in this most dynamic of natural places. As far as being over visited, I would say England or Italy – students need to get out of the cities and visit wild places more. They need to come to SFS.

There is little reason why every undergraduate student should not have the opportunity to study abroad – the opportunities to do so are so numerous.

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...