An orientation seminar includes research methodology, an introduction to the country, and intensive Spanish-language instruction. An ACM program. The MSID program in Ecuador focuses on problems of development and social change through grassroots internships in poor communities. The program incorporates both classroom work in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and a field study placement in a rural community. Course topics, taught in English, include theories and topics of development, cross-cultural seminar, national and regional history, economics, and culture.
Students also study intensive Spanish.
Field study placement categories include public health, education, environmental protection, social services, women in development, agriculture, and small business. Housing is in homestays with local families. The SFS program in Mexico focuses on Magdalena Bay, an important coastal habitat severely threatened by overfishing and the pressures of development. The program then concentrates on three interdisciplinary case studies focusing on local environmental problems and resource conflicts. Days are spent in a combination of lectures, field exercises, and research on work sites including beach areas, mangroves, waters, and local communities.