The Amazon Interdisciplinary Field School 2025

EXPERIENCE - Bring to your studies renewed depth, purpose and national/global awareness.

Program Highlights and Travel Dates

Visit Colombia's Amazon Rainforest and experience its rich biological and cultural diversity. After a cultural tour of Bogota, you will travel south to the Calanoa Natural Reserve where you will engage in creative activities, trek and canoe into the forest, and learn indigenous knowledge from local guides and shamans. This 6-credit course and field school uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore themes of sustainability, conservation, community development, and indigenous perspectives.

Highlights

• Learn about Colombia's history, culture, and current issues from local experts.
• Visit Bogota's museums, local markets, gardens, historical and iconic architectural sites, and more.
• Trek through the tropical rainforest and boat down the Amazon River.
• Search for river dolphins by the Peruvian shore.
• Tour indigenous villages and meet with shamans, local artisans, and master craftspeople.
• Engage in creative workshops including pottery making, drawing, photography, and so much more.

Click the following links to download the previous poster and trifold:

• Poster
• Trifold

Destination

Bogota, Colombia
Leticia, Colombia (Amazonas)

Most of the trip will be spent at the Calanoa Natural Reserve, an artistic, ecological, and community-focused learning center located on the shore of the Amazon River. Calanoa offers an unforgettable experience of the rainforest through workshops that support a creative dialogue with local communities and the environment.

Field School Dates

1. Pre-departure classes:  January– April, 2025* 
2. Travel/Experiential: 2 weeks May 1– May 16, 2025* 
3. Reflection & Dissemination: TBD  

*Exact days/times for classes are TBD. 

Cost and Payment Details 

Program Fee

$3,835* CAD (estimated) 

Program fee covers:
All travel within Colombia, including

• Transportation in Bogotá
• Flights from Bogotá to Leticia
• Land and boat transportation in the Amazon
• Lodging in Bogotá (bed & breakfast)
• Lodging in Leticia and Calanoa
• Majority of your meals
• Local instructors, lecturers and guides
• Entrance fees to museums and local attractions
• Comprehensive Travel Insurance*

*NOTE: 
-    Insurance included in the program fee is either Manulife’s Single Trip All Inclusive package (age 29-60) or the Youth Deluxe Package (under 29).
-    Any ineligibility or requests for top-up/additional insurance will not be covered by the program fee; students will have to pay out of pocket. 
-    If a student has a pre-existing high-risk medical condition, they are strongly recommended to get medical clearance from their family doctor to travel to ensure that their medical policy can be used on the trip.
-    For questions about your specific case, please email internationalprograms@kpu.ca. 

Does NOT cover:

• International Flights
• Your personal spending budget
• Additional transportation costs, 
• Additional meals and alcohol
• KPU tuition (6 credits)

Bringing $200-$500 extra for personal expenses should be sufficient for incidentals (e.g. additional meals, souvenirs, extra outings, etc.).

NOTE: Should a decision be made by KPU to cancel a field school due to low enrolment or other academic/risk issues, participants will be entitled to a full rebate of any payments made including the deposit.

Overall costs

Program fees are an estimation only. The amount will be confirmed at the time of acceptance.

*Rate based on 6 credit charge through Tuition Estimator. Please verify the latest costs by viewing the KPU tuition estimator.  Additional fees may apply on your KPU account for the Multi-Pass and Kwantlen Student Association Extended Dental and Health Plan.     

**Costs are subject to change. For a more accurate estimate, please search for the field school flight dates through your preferred provider.

Payment Timeline

1) Program Fee

Program fees are estimates only. Prices are confirmed at the point of acceptance.

*The final payment may change depending on the number of students accepted into the program

2) Tuition

Payment of academic fees, due dates, withdrawal charges, refund policies, and associated policies for academic fees are set as per the university calendar.

Where to pay

Make your payments on your OSS (Online Self-Service).

Scholarships

Field school scholarships and fundraising opportunities are available! 
The awards below are open to accepted field school students:

Classes Offered and Pre-requisites

DESN 3000 or ARTS 3000 Interdisciplinary Amazon Field School (6-credits)

Classes begin in January and and are co-taught by Design and Arts faculty. To enhance their experience in Colombia, students are encouraged to take introductory Spanish in the Spring term.  Exact day/time for classes TBA. Exact days/times for the pre-departure classes are TBD. Some of the pre-departure work will be done self-paced over Moodle.

Pre-requisites

30 credits of 1100-level courses or higher, or with permission from field school instructors.

Students must be nineteen years or older at the start of the course.

If you are unsure of your qualifications, please contact the field school faculty leaders with your questions, including your student number, program, expected number of credits completed by Spring, and a phone number you can be reached at.

Please contact internationalprograms@kpu.ca if you have any questions about the application.

Application Details and Deadlines

Application Timeline

Please contact internationalprograms@kpu.ca for more information if you have questions or concerns.

Application Deadline

Friday, October 25, 2024
Application Steps
You can apply to join the Amazon Interdisciplinary Field School Design Field School by following 2 easy steps: 
STEP 1: Fill out and submit your completed application online.
STEP 2: Pay your $750 deposit towards your program fees for the field school by November 8, 2024.

Application CLOSED 

Contact Information

Faculty Leaders: 
Marlis Joller
Interior Design, Wilson School of Design  
marlis.joller@kpu.ca

Fabricio Telo
Sociology, Faculty of Arts
fabricio.telo@kpu.ca

KPU International:
Shanell Wong
Study Abroad Coordinator
internationalprograms@kpu.ca
604.599.2572