BIOL 422
Steps to Apply:
1. Create an Account (if you do not have one)
2. Click Apply to the Program
3. Complete all Application Forms
Program Highlights:
- Snorkel in the Galapagos
- Canoe on the Amazon
- Hike in the Andes
- Discover the Culture of Ecuador
This study abroad course is complementary to materials learned in Biology 430 (a spring term prerequisite for this course). The course includes international travel where students will have the opportunity to observe, and describe biogeographical principles, with an emphasis on island and tropical biogeography. While in Ecuador we will focus our activities in the high Andres, Amazon basin, cloud forests, and the Galapagos Islands. Students will engage in research projects and conduct floral and fauna surveys/inventories in conjunction with faculty and researchers from several University and conservation programs. Students will study/observe vegetation, wildlife, and human cultures and synthesize how each are molded by the environment in which they are found.
This course requires that we spend a lot of time outside - expect hot humid weather at lower elevations and cold, winter-like temperatures in the high Andes. Please be prepared to walk/hike a number of miles each day.
**Passport Requirement**
Deadline: December 1, 2024
Student with a Valid Passport:
Students who have a current passport will need to upload an image of their passport by December 1, 2024 to their enrollment forms.
Student without a Valid Passport
Apply for or renew your passport immediately. After November 1, students must pay to expedite the application process. Do not delay beginning this process.
Application & Renewal Website:
The routine processing time is currently up to 8 weeks and expedited services is up to 3 weeks. These processing times are subject to change and can lengthen significantly. We highly recommend applying for or renewing your passport as soon as possible. Most countries require at least 6 months remaining time on your passport expiration from your intended date of departure. Example: If your passport expires December 1, 2025, you would need to renew your passport to travel in the summer 2025.
**Preparing for Travel**
Travel and Entry Requirements: U.S. State Department Website:
Each country has established entry requirements and travel restrictions set for foreign visitors and their citizens. Any country can change their regulations at any time. We encourage all students and their families to review details about the country or countries you plan to travel to and to continue monitoring the information leading up to your departure.
