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Study Abroad in Biology

The Pomona College Biology department encourages students to study abroad for one semester. Many program options are available, including five programs tailored specifically for biology-related majors listed below:

Applications include:

  • a personal statement,
  • two essays addressing the culture and political climate of the country you intend to visit, and
  • three letters of recommendation from faculty.

Applications are submitted at the beginning of the semester prior to the start of the program (e.g., apply in September for a spring program). For more specific information, please consult the Office of Study Abroad.

 

Comparative Ecology and Conservation: Quito, Ecuador

Tucked high in the Andes, Quito is blessed with a spring-like climate throughout the year and is one of the most beautiful cities in South America. In 1978, UNESCO designated Quito as a world heritage site. Ecuador boasts a spectacular geography that encompasses tropical Pacific beaches, Andean mountain villages, and Amazonian rainforests. Home to over 1,500 species of birds, 10 percent of the world’s known vascular plant species, and animal species found nowhere else on earth, Ecuador provides a dynamic setting for studying conservation strategies and the many pressures faced by a small, developing nation.

The School for International Training (SIT) program in Quito focuses on the theme of “Comparative Ecology and Conservation.” Students begin the program with intensive Spanish language study. Following this class, students begin the core seminar in Comparative Ecology and Conservation, taught in Spanish and English, which deals with the following sub-themes: Ecuadorian Life and Culture; Comparative Ecology; and Conservation and Policy. The core seminar is supplemented by excursions to the Ecuadorian Amazon, a cloud forest reserve, the highland Andes, and the Galapagos Islands, as well as a rural homestay in the cloud forest. The other academic components of this program include a required environmental field study seminar and an independent study project.

Program dates
Fall semester, early September to mid-December.
Spring semester, late January to mid-May

Eligibility
Previous college-level coursework and/or significant preparation in environmental studies, ecology, biology, or related fields, as assessed by SIT. Four recent semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent and the ability to follow coursework in Spanish.

More information:
Quito - Ecology from the Office of Study Abroad
Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation from SIT

 

Globalization & the Natural Environment: Cape Town, South Africa

University of Cape Town

This program has been designed by environmental studies faculty of the Macalester-Pomona-Swarthmore Consortium Program in consultation with the University of Cape Town, and is based on the interplay of two key concepts. “Globalization” is the dynamic and complex interplay between the universal laws of science across diverse environments and the particular challenges confronted by local populations as they engage with the natural world. “Natural Environment” encompasses the physical and biological systems of the planet and its connection with the human condition. Students will investigate how the interconnections of the natural world with human activity have been expressed over time and across cultures, with a specific focus on South Africa.

The program begins with the core seminar, Globalization and the Natural Environment. This course is required of all participants and is taught in two parts: Part 1 by the Consortium Visiting Professor, and Part 2 by the program's Resident Director. The seminar includes field trips, films and other educational activities related to the seminar theme (1.0 Pomona course credit). When the UCT semester begins in mid-February, students enroll in at least two regular university courses that support the theme of the program. These courses must be at the 200 or 300 level (1.0 Pomona credit each). The program also offers participants an opportunity to do a Directed Study Project either individually or in small groups.

Program dates
Spring semester, early January to late June

Eligibility
Students should have a declared major in a field relevant to the program theme. Preference is given to students with a 10.5 GPA or higher. Pomona applicants should have completed the following courses: EA51; two Division II courses; and EA50 or STS1. Students with academic coursework emphasizing international and environmental studies are especially encouraged to apply.

More information:
Cape Town - Globalization & the Environment from the Office of Study Abroad
Globalization & the Natural Environment from Macalester College

 

Neuroscience: London, England

The Pomona Program at University College London is run in cooperation with the school’s International Office and the on-site Pomona director from the neuroscience faculty. UCL, founded in 1826, is the oldest and largest College of the University of London and consistently ranks among the top ten institutions in the United Kingdom. This study abroad option is available to qualified Pomona students who wish to take advantage of the school’s top-ranked Neuroscience program offered jointly by five departments: Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biology, Pharmacology, Physiology, and Psychology. Students are fully integrated into academic life at UCL and are expected to attend courses exactly as British students do. This means attendance at lectures, seminars, tutorials, and labs associated with each course, as well as sitting the end-of-the-year examinations during the Summer term.

Students take four UCL courses, each worth 1.0 Pomona course credits. Students identify a maximum of two UCL departments in which they wish to enroll and are admitted directly by these departments. One department must be Anatomy and Developmental Biology. Other departments from which students may choose include: English Language and Literature, Philosophy, Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Geography, History, History of Art, or Science & Technology Studies. Typically, students enroll in two courses in each of the two departments identified in the application. One of the total of four courses must have significant European cultural content. Students must attend a weekly seminar organized by the Centre for Neuroscience, and also are expected to attend the Anatomy Department’s lecture series.

Program dates
Spring semester, early January to mid June. Students will attend two UCL terms (Spring and Summer) with an extended break of approximately 5 weeks between terms.

Eligibility
9.0 GPA and junior standing required. The following Pomona courses are prerequisites: Neuroscience 95, Chemistry 1a and 1b (or Chemistry 51), Chemistry 110a and 110b, and Biology 40 and 41M. Applicants must schedule an advising session with Professor Lewis, the Neuroscience Coordinator.

More information:
London - Neuroscience from the Office of Study Abroad

 

Tropical Biology: Townsville, Australia

Townsville

This program is hosted by James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, and is intended for students majoring in biology. Students choose from a wide array of courses in the Faculty of Science & Engineering, specifically within the School of Tropical Biology, School of Marine Biology & Aquaculture, and School of Tropical Environment Studies & Geography. JCU is an important center for research for the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical rainforest, both of which are easily accessible from Townsville.

Students may take courses from any department within any of the three Schools listed above, but should pay careful attention to prerequisites when selecting courses. Pomona also requires students to take one course focusing on Australian culture in an area such as literature, history, sociology or anthropology. Typically, students enroll in four courses in order to maintain a full load and receive 1.0 Pomona credit per course. Students work closely with the Pomona on-site director to plan an academic program.

Program dates
Spring semester, early February to late June

Eligibility
Applicants must plan and undertake a science-oriented academic program. Pomona Biology 41E and a 9.0 GPA are required.

More information:
Townsville - Tropical Biology from the Office of Study Abroad

 

Tropical Biology: Monteverde, Costa Rica

The Pomona Program in Monteverde is administered by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). The program is designed for science students, and it allows them to explore their interests in tropical biology and ecology more fully by taking advantage of Monteverde’s unique setting. Students live in a biological field station in four-person rooms, each with a private bath. Meals are taken at the field station as well. During a four-week homestay, students live and take their meals with local Costa Rican families.

Students take the following five courses for a total of four Pomona credits: Tropical Diversity, Tropical Community Ecology, Independent Study in Biology, (1.0 Pomona course credit each); Spanish Language, Humans in the Tropics (0.5 Pomona course credit each). As part of the program, students participate in field trips to Costa Rica’s Atlantic and Pacific slopes, as well as several trips to Monteverde’s diverse forests.

Program dates
Fall semester, mid-August to mid-December
Spring semester, early February to mid-May

Eligibility
Pomona Biology 40 and 41E required plus one additional semester of ecology, environmental science, or the equivalent. Three semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent. 8.25 GPA required.

More information:
Costa Rica - Tropical Biology from the Office of Study Abroad
Monteverde, Costa Rica - Tropical Ecology & Conservation from CIEE

 

Pomona College - Department of Biology
175 W. 6th Street, Claremont, CA 91711-6324
Administrative Aide: Gail Sundberg | Department Chair: Dr. Jonathan Wright
Phone: 909-607-2950 | Fax: 909-621-8878 | biology@pomona.edu