Nothing can replace the hands-on experience of a field-based course in the tropics! This is what the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) offers through its broad range of Tropical Biology and Ecology graduate level courses in Spanish or English in Costa Rica, and in Portuguese and Spanish in the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon, respectively. To be eligible for a course, an applicant must be fluent in the language in which the course is given. OTS graduate courses are open to students enrolled in graduate degree programs, with preference given to students at OTS Member Institutions.

The graduate program now consists of two kinds of courses:

(1) Traditional Graduate Courses in tropical biology, tropical plant systematics, Amazon ecosystems and related themes which are annual or bi-annual field courses lasting from 4 to 8 weeks. Participants are enrolled in local universities that provide transcripts for transfer of credits. Courses may be offered in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

(2) Specialty Graduate Courses that will not be repeated every year, which are intensive short courses from a few days up to two or occasionally three weeks in length. Courses are taught by expert faculty on more specific and well-defined topics. Credits may be available but need to be arranged in advance through the participant's home institution. Courses may be offered in English or Spanish.

OTS has an outstanding reputation for excellence and has maintained this through rigorous selection and evaluation of instructors, faculty and students.

Download the Graduate Courses 2013 Calendar ( 125 kb)

To see more information, click on any of the following contents:

Traditional Graduate Courses

Specialty Graduate Courses

Graduate Course Books

Web Resources