San Ramon, Costa Rica (USAC) Academics
Courses
No previous Spanish is needed for any term; some courses may require Spanish but those will be noted.You will enroll in Spanish language courses at the appropriate level and can choose elective courses in life and health sciences and Latin American studies. Elective courses may be taught in Spanish or English. Course selection may change from term to term; for a list of course offerings, see USAC's website and click the appropriate term. Course availability is subject to student interest and enrollment. Important: a minimum of one year of general biology is required for some of the elective science courses.
Internships:
Qualified students may apply for internships during their time abroad. These internships are designed to complement the academic program. As a result, interns receive credit (a maximum of three) but no financial compensation. The schedule and number of work hours will be determined by the schedule of USAC courses. USAC will attempt to place students in their field of interest, but it is not guaranteed. You finalize your internship placement after you are onsite in Costa Rica and final say will be made by the internship sponsor. Students need to have a GPA of 3.0 and be in junior standing by the time the program begins. Students are placed in a Spanish-speaking environment and must be able to communicate at an advanced language level. In certain circumstances, relevant work experience may be required. Past placements have included local hospitals, pharmacies, elementary and secondary education centers, research centers, Vet's Clinic, the Senior Citizen Center, etc. Students should complete the necessary internship materials prior to arrival in San Ramón. A refundable $200 fee is charged and returned upon successful completion of the internship.
Whether or not an internship will come back as internship credit for your major will vary. Students are encouraged to contact their academic advisors to discuss what completing an internship abroad will do for them.
Service-Learning may be available. See the USAC website for information on volunteer opportunities, and the UWEC Center for Service Learning for details on project proposals and approval.
Credits & Courseload
Credits you take in Costa Rica are equivalent to UWEC credits. You may enroll in 12-18 credits per semester, with most students choosing 12-15.UW-Eau Claire Equivalencies
To view a list of courses and how they come back to UW-Eau Claire, please click on the documents below (please note there are different years represented):2019-2020 semester course equivalencies (for fall 2019, spring 2020)
2020-2021 semester course equivalencies (for fall 2020, spring 2021)
The Spanish course offerings vary little from year to year but the electives may change.
Grade Conversion
Grades are assigned by USAC professors. Courses in the program are graded on the U.S. A-F grading scale. The grades reported on your USAC grade report are the same grades that will appear on your UW-Eau Claire transcript.UWEC students abroad are not allowed to take classes pass/fail. Grades from Costa Rica are figured into your UWEC GPA and posted to your UWEC transcript.