Required courses
There are three required courses for a total of 9 credits that provide formal training: BIOL 553 and two other courses which are offered in alternate years. Field trips and transdisciplinary approaches are structuring elements of these courses.
Hands-on experience in an internship setting is gained through the Research in Panama course ENVR 451 (6 credits). It consists of an independent studies project organized around multidisciplinary environmental issues. The nature of the project centers on practical environmental problems and questions important for Panama; students form teams that work with Panamanian institutions (NGO, governmental or research).
Please note that the courses differ slightly from year to year.
Students from all Faculties are welcomed. The only prerequisite is a working fluency in Spanish (HISP 218 or HISP 210 or equivalent) and a statistics class (MATH 203 or BIOL 206 or equivalent).
Courses offered each year (9 credits)
BIOL 553. Neotropical Environments.
Credits: 3
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.
Description
Ecology revisited in view of tropical conditions. Exploring species richness. Sampling and measuring biodiversity. Conservation status of ecosystems, communities and species. Indigenous knowledge.
- Restriction: location in Panama. Students must register for a full semester of studies in Panama
- Winter
- 24 hours lecture and 36 hours field work over a 4-week period
- Prerequisites: HISP 218, MATH 203, and BIOL 215
- Corequisites: ENVR 451; GEOG 404 and HIST 510 alternating with GEOG 498 and AGRI 550
- Restriction: location in Panama. Students must register for a full semester of studies in Panama
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ENVR 451. Research in Panama.
Credits: 6
Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.
Description
Research projects will be developed by instructors in consultation with Panamanian universities, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. Project groups will consist of four to six students working with a Panamanian institution. Topics will be relevant to Panama: e.g., protection of the Canal watershed, economical alternatives to deforestation, etc.
- Winter
- Restriction: students in the Panama Field Semester program. Offered in Panama only
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Courses offered in alternate years (6 credits)
Winter 2024
HIST 510. Environmental History of Latin America (Field).
Credits: 3
Offered by: History and Classical Studies (Faculty of Arts)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.
Description
Human-nature interactions over different scales of time in Latin America (with an emphasis on neo-tropical environments) and the application of the historical perspective to contemporary environmental issues, including historiography and
methodology; cultures of environmental knowledge.
- This course will be offered in Panama as part of the Panama Field Studies Semester. Language of instruction is in English but fluency in Spanish is required for the fieldwork component of the class.
- Prerequisites: HISP 218 or HISP 210 or equivalent proficiency
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AGRI 550. Sustained Tropical Agriculture.
Credits: 3
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)
Terms offered: Winter 2026
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Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.
Description
Contrast theory and practice in defining agricultural environmental "challenges" in the Neotropics. Indigenous and appropriate technological means of mitigation. Soil management and erosion, water scarcity, water over-abundance, and water quality. Explore agro-ecosystem protection via field trips and project designs. Institutional context of conservation strategies, NGO links, and public participation.
- Prerequisites: HISP 218 or equivalent; MATH 203 or AEMA 310 or equivalent
- Restriction: Restricted Enrolment. Location in Panama. Student must be registered for a full semester of studies in Panama
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Winter 2025
NUTR 341. Global Food Security.
Credits: 3
Offered by: Human Nutrition (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)
Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026
Description
Food insecurity is one of the most critical issues humanity has faced in history. The magnitude of this phenomenon, reflected in its worldwide presence and in the number of individuals affected, makes it an imperative component of all nations' and of all internaltional agencies' agendas. Its complexity of determinants and its numerous consequences require the involvement of multipe disciplines and sectors. McGill undergraduate students as future professionals tackling global issues require an integrated and multidisciplinary training on food security.
- Corequisite(s): NUTR 207 or permission of Instructor
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GEOG 498. Humans in Tropical Environments.
Credits: 3
Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)
This course is not offered this catalogue year.
Description
Focus on understanding of inter-relations between humans and neotropical environments represented in Panama. Study of contemporary rural landscapes, their origins, development and change. Impacts of economic growth and inequality, social organization, and politics on natural resource use and environmental degradation. Site visits and field exercises in peasant/colonist, Amerindian, and plantation communities.
- Winter
- 6 hours lecture for 4 weeks, 3 hours seminar, 2 hours laboratory, 8 hours conference
- Restriction: Location in Panama. Student must register for a full semester of studies in Panama
- Prerequisites: HISP 218, MATH 203 or equivalents
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Winter 2026
- LACS/HISP 485: Cultural Narratives and the Environment (TBC)
AGRI 550. Sustained Tropical Agriculture.
Credits: 3
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)
Terms offered: Winter 2026
View offerings for
Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.
Description
Contrast theory and practice in defining agricultural environmental "challenges" in the Neotropics. Indigenous and appropriate technological means of mitigation. Soil management and erosion, water scarcity, water over-abundance, and water quality. Explore agro-ecosystem protection via field trips and project designs. Institutional context of conservation strategies, NGO links, and public participation.
- Prerequisites: HISP 218 or equivalent; MATH 203 or AEMA 310 or equivalent
- Restriction: Restricted Enrolment. Location in Panama. Student must be registered for a full semester of studies in Panama
Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.
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***Note that B.Sc. students - only - may qualify for the B.Sc. Global designation. Verify the eligibility and application process.
