"The first-hand experiences with people and political issues challenged us to change our perspectives on what it means to be a Christian in a world full of difficulties and poverty."

-- Jacob Galloway - Northwestern College, Fall 2005

Core Courses

Spanish Language Study (6 credits)
Students come to Costa Rica with varying degrees of fluency in Spanish, so 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.

 Spanish Language Course Overview

Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives (3 credits)
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 Latins and field trips to various sites.  This seminar is designed to introduce students to the:  

• Historical development of Latin America, including selected case studies. 
• Variety of analytical perspectives from which the Latin American reality is explained and understood. 
• Character, past and present, of U.S. policy  in the region.
• Nature and influence of the economic reality  in the region.

 Core Seminar Syllabus
Presentations by invited speakers are delivered in both English and Spanish, while most required readings are written in English.

Travel Practicum (1-3 credits)
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.

 Travel Component Overview

Concentrations

Spanish language study and core seminar, "Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives," together with the travel-practicum, form LASP's experiential and academic "core".  In addition to these core components, each applicant selects one of the following four concentrations:
        Latin American Studies 
        Advanced Language and Literature 
        International Business: Management and Marketing  (fall semester only)
        Environmental Science (spring semester only)
Concentration work takes place during weeks 10-14 of the semester and entails related coursework and service opportunities/internships.

Grading

Evaluation of your work is based on many factors. These include but are not limited to: participation, written assignments, and examinations. A "C" grade indicates adequate performance, a "B" grade indicates good, competent and complete work, and an "A" grade indicates creative excellence that is integrative and exceeds requirements.

Credit

To participate in the program, you must be enrolled as a full-time student and be receiving academic credit from your home institution. LASP does not grant credit directly; rather it serves as an extension campus of the member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The program recommends to your school that you be granted the equivalent of 16 semester hours of credit (24 units). Credit distributed is specific to each concentration.

All students receive 6 credits for Spanish Language study and 3 credits for Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives.  Credits are generally applied to a student's academic major or minor, and the school's language requirement. The seminar courses correspond to upper-level courses in other areas. While concentrations vary on how credits are divided, credits allocated for every student, regardless of concentration, total 16-18.

Latin American Studies Concentration

Component	Semester Credit Hours
Spanish language Study	6
Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives	3
Faith and Practice Seminar	3
Service Opportunity/Internship	3
Travel Practicum	1-3
TOTAL	16-18

Advanced Language & Literature Concentration

Component	Semester Credit Hours
Spanish Language	6
Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives	3
Language & Literature Seminar	3
Service Opportunity/Internship	3
Travel Practicum	1-3
TOTAL	16-18

International Business Concentration

Component	Semester Credit Hours
Spanish Language	6
Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives	3
Business Seminar	3
Case Study Project/Internship	3
Travel Practicum	1-3
TOTAL	16-18

Environmental Science Concentration

Component	Semester Credit Hours
Spanish Language	6
Latin American History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives	3
Science Seminar	4
Field Research	2
Travel Practicum	1-3
TOTAL	16-18

Live with a Costa Rican Family

Students are placed with a family who lives in or near San José. The families who are chosen to "adopt" one LASP student each semester come from a cross-section of the Costa Rican Christian community. Families are urged to integrate students into normal family lives as much as possible. Costa Rican homes may be relatively simple, so students may share a room with a "sister" or "brother." When appropriate, students should expect to help out around the house. Meals will likely be very simple and students will be served the same food that their family eats. Rice and beans are staples in Costa Rica and are usually eaten once or twice a day.

Serve in a Local Practicum/Field Study

Each semester, students will be placed in some type of practicum/field study that coincides with the participant’s specific concentration and interest.  LASP students have assisted on construction projects, export/import businesses, conservation of tropical flora and fauna, in classrooms, orphanages, day-care centers, hospitals, penitentiaries, farms and much more. The LASP staff monitors student work and visits project sites.

Travel in Central America

To broaden the cross-cultural experience, the LASP group travels through other countries in Central America during various times throughout the semester. The travel practicum component will not stop in every Latin American country, but will include visits to several of them, discovering both the similarity and diversity among the Latin American peoples. In recent semesters, the LASP group has traveled to the countries of Nicaragua and Guatemala.  Travel allows you many direct, personal encounters with Central Americans and with the reality of their lives.

Re-entry Workshop

At the end of your semester, you will participate in a Re-entry Retreat prior to returning to your respective homes. The purpose of this weekend-long activity is to prepare each student for the possible challenges of transitioning back into the home culture.