ACADEMIC CATALOG >>
2007-2008
Attention: This catalog is for archival purposes only. Please see www.ccu.edu/catalog for current information.
LAS (Latin American Studies Program)
LAS 210 Travel Practicum (1-3)
The LASP group travels to several countries in Central
America during the semester. The travel practicum component is not a vacation trip;
it is an integral part of the learning process. Among other assignments, students will
be required to attend conferences and maintain a journal of ideas and perceptions
developed throughout the trips. Enrollment is limited to students admitted to
the Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad semester based in Costa Rica.
LAS 213 Spanish Language Study I (3) and
LAS 214 Spanish Language Study II (3)
Students come to Costa Rica with
varying degrees of fluency in Spanish, so the Latin America Studies Program (LASP)
places them in the Spanish class that corresponds to each participant's level of oral
proficiency based on a placement exam and interview during orientation. Students study
grammar, conversation, phonetics and/or literature based on the results of their tests.
Classes are taught by Latin Americans, which means participants hear and learn the
language the way it is spoken in Latin America. This is reinforced during everyday
interaction with Spanish-speaking host families. Enrollment is limited to students
admitted to the Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad semester based in Costa Rica.
LAS 301 Advanced Spanish Language & Literature Seminar (3)
As the foundation course
for the Language and Literature concentration, this course focuses on the social,
cultural, political, economic and religious issues of Latin America in the target language.
Students examine how Latin Americans view their neighbors to the north and around the world
through conversations, conferences and related literature. This concentration is designed to 1)
Expand students' Spanish language skills through a seminar taught exclusively in
Spanish, a practicum with a Latin American organization, and the daily use of Spanish while
living with a Costa Rican host family; 2) Examine Latin America through its literature, using
it as a means to examine society and culture; 3) Meet and interact with prominent
literary figures in the region; 4) Take part in work/service opportunities; 5) Attend local
theatrical and film productions. Enrollment is limited to students admitted to
the Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad semester based in Costa Rica.
Pre-requisite: This concentration is designed for Spanish language majors with a minimum
of one year of college or university intermediate Spanish and one semester of
advanced Spanish conversation and/or composition. Co-requisite: LAS350.
LAS 310 Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives (3)
This seminar
introduces the social, historical, political, economic, philosophical and theological
currents that constitute Latin American society and culture. The course includes personal
discussions with Latinos and field trips to various sites. This seminar is designed to
introduce students to the historical development of Latin America, including selected
case studies; the variety of analytical perspectives from which the Latin American
reality is explained and understood; the character, past and present, of U.S. policy
in the region; and the nature and influence of the economic reality in the region. Enrollment
is limited to students admitted to the Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad
semester based in Costa Rica.
LAS 322 Worldview Examined and Applied Seminar (3)
Designated to introduce students to several worldview perspectives within the context of Latin America and the major issues the Christian Church in Latin America confronts, including Liberation Theology. Students are challenged to reflect biblically on the above-mentioned perspectives in order to more fully develop their own Christian approach to the dilemmas of Latin America.
LAS 330 International Business Seminar (3)
OFFERED FALL SEMESTERS ONLY. As the
foundation for the International Business: Management and Marketing concentration, students
spend an intense five weeks addressing the fundamentals and application of international
business. Business concentration students are exposed firsthand to the political, social,
and economic realities of Latin America and must constantly answer the question: "What
should the role of a Christian person be in the face of these realities?" Throughout
this concentration, students will 1) Meet Latin American business and government leaders;
2) Visit plantations, cooperatives, maquilas, and the Bolsa de Valores (the Costa Rican
stock exchange); and 3) Be part of a hands-on co-requisite case study project.
Enrollment is limited to students admitted to the Latin American Studies Program,
a study abroad semester based in Costa Rica. Pre-requisite: Course background should
include macro-/micro-economics and introductory-level management. Basic marketing and
international relations or cross-cultural studies are also recommended. Co-requisite: LAS351.
LAS 340 Environmental Science Seminar (4)
OFFERED SPRING SEMESTERS ONLY. As the
foundation of the Environmental Science concentration, participants explore the natural
sciences in a tropical setting and study their influence on the process of sustainability
through this seminar and the required co-requisite field research. Students are immersed
in a variety of ecosystems: dry forests, lowland rain forests, mountain cloud forests,
volcanic regions, as well as beautiful reefs. Costa Rica serves as a natural laboratory.
Students of the Environmental Science Concentration will 1) Aid in longitudinal research
projects ranging from ecology to ecotourism; 2) Examine sustainable development and management
of Costa Rica's protected natural areas; 3) Investigate the general ecology of several
tropical biomes, including highland cloud forest, mangrove forest, coral reefs, lowland rain
forests and dry forests; and 4) Study from the perspective of an informed Christian steward
of the creation. Enrollment is limited to students admitted to
the Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad semester based in Costa Rica.
Required Pre-requisites: One semester of zoology or an applied laboratory science,
Recommended Prerequisites: One semester of general chemistry or physics. Required Co-requisite:
LAS352.
LAS 341 Field Research (2)
OFFERED SPRING SEMESTERS ONLY. This course is
a required component of the Latin American Studies Program's concentration in
Environmental Science. Participants will perform field research in one or more tropical
biomes in Costa Rica or the surrounding region. Enrollment is limited to students admitted to the
Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad semester based in Costa Rica.
LAS 350 Service Project/Internship (3)
This course is a required component of
the Latin American Studies Program's concentrations in both Latin American Studies and
Advanced Languages and Literature. Participants gain valuable and pertinent first-hand experiences
in service opportunities related to their classroom studies. In recent semesters, service projects
have been organized not only in Costa Rica but in neighboring countries throughout Latin America.
Enrollment is limited to students admitted to the Latin American Studies Program, a study
abroad semester based in Costa Rica.
LAS 351 Case Study Project (3)
OFFERED FALL SEMESTERS ONLY. This course is a required
component of the Latin American Studies Program's concentration in International Business:
Management and Marketing. Students will be a part of a hands-on case study project in Latin America.
Enrollment is limited to students admitted to the Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad
semester based in Costa Rica.
