TRU Science

Field School

An interdisciplinary course open to students in different programs

This course examines the issues, approaches and people involved with natural resource management in a tropical country. We run this course in Belize, Central America, because the country is relatively accessible and English is the main spoken language (we incorporate a large number of guest speakers from Belize into the course).

Belize also has good facilities, and many of its diverse natural resources are in the early stages of development. Students in this course are not stationed at one specific location for the duration of the course. Instead, we make short-term trips to various sites throughout the country, in order to examine a wide array of areas, concepts and subjects.

Some, but not all, of the resource sectors we investigate are animal and plant conservation, costs and benefits of ecotourism, government policies, cultural resources (e.g. Mayan temples), industrial development, fisheries, and agriculture.

Course highlights

  • Course length is approximately 12 days in Belize, Central America.
  • English is the main spoken language.
  • Features many guest speakers from Belize.
  • Students make short-term trips to various sites throughout the country.
  • Enrollment is open to students in various degree programs at TRU and other universities and colleges.
  • Undergrads can receive $1,500 to $3,000 in support funds.

The estimated cost for the Belize Field School is $3,600. This price includes tuition, airfare, and all costs in Belize.

What students say

Overall the course gave me a new outlook on the world in general; Taking in a whole new culture is an amazing experience, you get an appreciation of being Canadian. Lauren, business student
. . . this trip was the experience of a life time for me, because I know that if I had traveled on my own I wouldn’t have gotten to see or meet most of the people and places that I did. This experience opened my eyes and taught me a lot about the differences between Canada, a developed country, and Belize, a developing country. Tracy, biology student