Study Abroad in Honduras

Honduran Field Studies

Dates
May 12 – May 27, 2008

The Program
Honduras, situated in the middle of the Central American isthmus, is a country in the midst of rapid change.  It is a tropical country of rainforests, savannas, pine-covered mountains, and tropical beaches.  A variety of culture groups, from Afro-Creole populations along the Caribbean coast to indigenous highlanders, lend an impressive degree of diversity across short distances. 

During the last two weeks of May 2008, we will travel by air from New Orleans to Honduras.  In Honduras, we will travel by boat and van to visit and study a variety of places and culture regions, from a Caribbean island populated by descendants of British pirates to the rugged inland mountains inhabited by the indigenous Lenca people.  We will explore lowland tropical forest environments, tropical beaches, growing and crowded cities, highland mountain environments, coffee plantations, and small towns.  Through onsite projects, students will leans about he different cultures and landscapes that make up this developing Central American country and gain an understanding of some of the larger forces that are contributing to the ways in which it is changing.

Credits
GHY 498 (4 hours)/ GHY 598 (4 hours)

Instructor of record for this course is Jerry O. (Joby) Bass, Ph.D.  Enrollment is limited.  Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fees
The price for undergraduates is $2,799 and $2,999 for graduates. (This includes tuition, fees, housing, group flight, ground transportation, and academic costs.  This does not include meals or spending money.)

Eligibility 
To qualify, undergraduate students must be in clear academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on at least 28 semester hours of college/university course work..  Graduate students must be in graduate standing. 

Required Documents
In order to board the aircraft, you will be required to present proof of citizenship in the form of a valid passport.  If you do no have a current passport, you will need to allow 10 weeks for processing. Passport applications are available in the International Programs Office.

Financial Aid
Field Studies in Honduras qualifies for financial aid in the form of guaranteed student loans, summer Pell Grants, or applicable graduate assistantships.  Southern Miss students requiring financial aid should contact Frances Sudduth at the International Programs Office before requesting a summer 2008 atudy abroad financial aid application from the university’s financial aid office.

Application Deadline
Completed applications with $200 deposit are due by March 19, 2008.  Balance of fees, less deposit, is due no later than March 26, 2008.  Acceptance for qualified participants is made on a first come, first serve basis, so students are encouraged to apply early. Final authority over enrollment decisions rests with the program director and the director of International Education.

For more information contact:
The University of Southern Mississippi
International Programs
118 College Drive #10047
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Phone: 601.266.4344
Email: studyabroad@usm.edu

Dr. Joby Bass
The University of Southern Mississippi
Department of Geography and Geology
118 College Dr. #5051
Hattiesburg, MS  39406-0001
Phone: 601.266.4729

click here for Honduran Field Studies application