SFS CAMBODIA: CLIMATE CHANGE, ETHICS, AND CONSERVATION (SEMESTER)
PROGRAM DETAILS
- Terms: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 18 semester-hour credits
- Prerequisites: One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science; 2.7 GPA, 18 years of age
- Application Deadline: Fall: May 1st. Spring: November 1st. . Early applications encouraged
- Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans
OVERVIEW
In Cambodia, conservation has found its roots in community. From the ancient temples of Angkor to the floating villages of the great Tonle Sap Lake, efforts to preserve biodiversity are deeply intertwined with community livelihoods. Spend your semester in this fascinating country, learning about threats to ecosystems and natural resources, environmental governance, and the ethics of conservation and development. Traveling extensively, you will spend time in the elephant-inhabited forests of Mondulkiri, the mountain and coastal ecosystems of Kampot, the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, and at key sites along the Mekong River. In the final weeks of the semester, you’ll spend your time out in the field conducting an extensive research project.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
- Spend the night in a floating village on the Tonle Sap Lake and speak with villagers about climate-related livelihood challenges and adaptation strategies.
- Visit the Mondulkiri highlands to study elephant conservation and learn about the changes and challenges to the indigenous Bunong peoples’ traditional lifestyles.
- Conduct a comprehensive field research project: Develop a research question, collect and analyze data, write a paper, and present your findings.
SFS students live and study at the Center for Conservation and Development Studies – our most urban Center – which lies on the outskirts of Siem Reap, near the famed temples of Angkor. The Center is a breezy, modern campus nestled in a quiet neighborhood minutes away from the bustling downtown area where you will find restaurants, shops, and markets with unique Cambodian flair.
RESEARCH THEMES
- Elephant ecology and conservation
- Climate change impacts
- Traditional medicine and ecological knowledge
- Community conservation strategies
- Protected areas and threatened ecosystems
- Environmental ethics and justice
- Natural resource governance
CORE SKILLS
- Biodiversity and water assessments
- Species identification and population monitoring
- Animal behavior observation
- Tourism impact assessments
- Forest survey methods
- Tag/recapture techniques
- Camera trapping
- Interview methods
- Citizen science protocols
- Conservation grant writing
- Ethics and reasoning
- Basic Khmer language
- Research design and implementation
- Data collection and analysis
- Research presentation
CONNECT WITH SFS
Visit the
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Call the Admissions Hotline at 800.989.4418
Email
admissions@fieldstudies.org
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