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.
Upcoming Amazon Field School Info Session
📅 Tuesday, October 15, 2024
⏲️ 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
🗺️ KPU Surrey Campus - Spruce 210A/ Online
🔗 bit.ly/KPUFieldSchoolOct15
JOIN ONLINE FROM HERE
Click the following links to download the previous poster and 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.
Itinerary
| Date | Details | Location |
| January - April, 2025 | Classes at Kwantlen Polytechnic University | Kwantlen Polytechnic University |
| May 1, 2025 | Arriving in Bogota, Colombia | Bogota, Colombia |
| May 16, 2025 | Depart for Vancouver or continue your travels | Vancouver |
| Summer 2025 | Completion of assignments - creative project, journal/ sketch notebook, critical reflection | Vancouver |
| 1st week of September, 2025 | Dissemination of trip | Kwantlen Polytechnic University |
| September 15, 2025 | Final Grades uploaded | N/A |
Field School Dates
- Pre-departure classes: January– April, 2025*
- Travel/Experiential: 2 weeks May 1– May 16, 2025*
- 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.
| PROGRAM FEE | TUITION COST - 3 CREDITS | International FLIGHT |
Domestic Student | $3,835 | See tuition estimator* | Estimated $1,500** |
International Student | $3,835 | See tuition estimator* | Estimated $1,500** |
*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.
Domestic Student & International students | PROGRAM FEE Total $3,835 | Payment DEADLINE |
1st Payment | $750 non-refundable deposit* (Applied to the program fee) | November 8, 2024 |
2nd Payment | $1,500 | December 6, 2024 |
3rd Payment | $1,585 (or remaining balance)* | January 15, 2025 |
*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.
| Tuition Cost - 6 credits | DEADLINE |
Domestic Student | See tuition estimator | mid-January, 2025 See Spring 2025 Semester Fee Payment Deadline* |
| International Student | See tuition estimator | mid-January, 2025 See Spring 2025 Semester Fee Payment Deadline* |
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:
| Award | Amount | Application Form | Due Date |
| KPU Global Experiences Scholarship | $2,000-$3,000 | October 25, 2024 | |
| Guard.me Global Mobility Fund | Depending on situation | ||
| *You only need to submit ONE (1) Scholarship application form for both the KPU Global Experiences Scholarship and Guard.me Global Mobility Fund. | |||
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
September 17, 2024 | Applications open |
October 25, 2024 | Applications close |
November 8, 2024 | Confirmation of Acceptance & the $750 Non-refundable deposit are due |
December 6, 2024 | $1,500 Second Payment towards the Program Fee is Due. |
January 15, 2025 | $1,585 (or remaining balance) Final Payment towards the Program Fee is Due. |
mid-January, 2025 | KPU Tuition Payment due by Spring 2025 Fee Payment Deadline |
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
KPU International:
Shanell Wong
Study Abroad Coordinator
internationalprograms@kpu.ca
604.599.2572
