Program Provider: School for Field Studies (SFS)

Program Site: Kilimanjaro Bush Camp near Kimana, Kenya and Haven Nature Camp west of Arusha, Tanzania.  Students spend the first half of the semester at one site and the second half at the other.

Duration: Fall or Spring. Fall semester runs from mid September to mid December. Spring semester runs from late January/early February to early May.

Description: The School for Field Studies is a leader in field-based international education. Its mission is to deepen students' understanding of the relationships between environmental sustainability, social justice, and economic development.

In this region the search for ecologically appropriate solutions to the conflict between food production and wildlife habitat is urgent. Students examine the many dimensions of this issue through a case study approach, field work, and a directed research project.

Academics: Students learn field research skills and live in close proximity to wildlife and local Maasai communities.  In addition to learning some about East African tribal culture, students explore human-wildlife conflicts from the perspective of local ranchers, communities, and park rangers and have the chance to visit areas and meet residents inaccessible to most tourists. Required courses include Techniques of Wildlife Management, Wildlife Ecology, Environmental Policy and Socioeconomic Values, and Introduction to Swahili Language and East African Tribal Communities.

The Directed Research course involves over 150 hours of coursework including instruction in research design and the completion of a field research project addressing a component of the semester's research objective.

Course load and Credit: Students take five courses and earn a maximum of 16 USC units. 

Environmental Studies majors and minors do not earn major or minor credit on this program.  While they are welcome to attend this program, if seeking major or minor credit they should explore special off-campus programs offered through the USC Deparment of Environmental Studies as well as semester study abroad programs in which they are directly enrolled at a foreign university (such as the Univeristy of Queensland in Australia, the University of East Anglia in England, etc.).

Accommodations: At both camps, students sleep in thatched-roof bandas, with a main building, or chumba, which houses a dining room, kitchen, classroom, and library. Additional facilities include a duka (shop), bathrooms, and open-air showers.

Activities and Other Program Features: Students have many opportunities for social interaction as well, including:

• Presentations of research findings to community stakeholders.
• Visits to local markets and a neighboring boma (Maasai homestead) for traditional Maasai celebrations, a lecture on culture and artifacts, and to conduct interviews for research work.
• Community service work in local schools, hospitals, orphanages, and with a local women's group.
• Visits to an elephant orphanage and a giraffe center.

Eligibility: Minimum 3.0 GPA, 18 years of age and at least one semester of college-level biology or ecology.

Estimated Semester Cost:
Tuition..............................$16,050
Additional Expenses*............$9,833
Total.................................$25,883

Cost Updated: 12/12/11
Text Updated: 8/19/08


*Additional expenses include estimated costs for airfare, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, and personal expenses (which can vary greatly from student to student). USC financial aid, scholarships, and tuition remission may be applied to program costs. Please visit the Office of Overseas Studies for more detailed cost information.

Links:
School for Field Studies (SFS) - Kenya/Tanzania Semester
SFS Kenya/Tanzania Course Syllabi