SFS KENYA: WILDLIFE AND HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF CONSERVATION (SEMESTER)
PROGRAM DETAILS
- Terms: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 18 semester-hour credits
- Prerequisites: One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science; 2.7 GPA, 18 years of age
- Application Deadline: Fall: May 1st. Spring: November 1st. Early applications encouraged
- Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans
OVERVIEW
In Kenya, the survival of human and wildlife populations hinges on the availability of all critical resources. Spend your semester in the world-famous national parks and stunning landscapes of Kenya while studying the country’s diverse wildlife and engaging in hands-on conservation research. Here, in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, climate change and land use adjustments are negatively affecting Kenya’s ecosystems and those living in them. Research the root causes of these changes and how different conservation strategies can benefit both humans and wildlife.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
- On a multi-day camping trip, explore Amboseli National Park – widely regarded as the best place in the world to get close to free-ranging elephants.
- Spend two weeks in Tanzania, with expeditions to Serengeti National Park, Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
- Embark on a 2-week expedition to the nearby SFS Center in Tanzania. Students stay at our Moyo Hill Camp (MHC) site, surrounded by the famous parks of Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha, and Mt. Kilimanjaro.
- Conduct a comprehensive field research project: Develop a research question, collect and analyze data, write a paper, and present your findings.
SFS students live and study at the Center for Water and Wildlife Studies. The Center, known locally as Kilimanjaro Bush Camp, lies in the heart of Kenya’s Rift Valley, between three world-famous national parks. The snow-capped peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro towers over miles of savanna, replete with a diversity of wildlife. Our sprawling, grassy campus includes traditional thatched
bandas (cabins) and a central
chumba (main building), just down the road from the small town of Kimana.
RESEARCH THEMES
- Wildlife management and sanctuaries
- Climate change resilience
- Wildlife ecology and behavior
- Water conservation
- National parks management
- Community governance of protected areas
- Conservation strategies
CORE SKILLS
- GIS
- Species identification and wildlife census
- Natural resource valuation
- Water quality assessment
- Basic Swahili language
- Interview and survey methods
- Research design and implementation
- Data collection and analysis
- Research presentation
CONNECT WITH SFS
Visit the
SFS website
Call the Admissions Hotline at 800.989.4418
Email
admissions@fieldstudies.org
Read updates from the field on the
SFS Blog
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Watch student videos on
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