Short-Term Programs Abroad

Biology of Ecohealth in Tanzania – BIOL 489

Students in Tanzania

BIOL 489: Biology of Ecohealth in Tanzania

Travels during the Summer

3 Credits

Prerequisite: None

 

This three-week summer session course is taught entirely in Tanzania during Penn State's first summer session (typically May/June). Students will examine regional dry savannah ecology, human-environment interactions, development of zoonotic diseases, and conservation of natural resources.

In addition to lectures and discussions, this exceptional opportunity allows students to spend time with Maasai pastoralists and Hadza hunter-gatherers, participate in animal behavior research projects, and study Tanzania’s iconic animals including elephants, giraffe, lions, cheetah, leopards, baboons, wildebeest, zebras, and a diverse array of birds.

The course is limited to 14 participants and will include extensive time in West Kilimanjaro, Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. When available, the itinerary may include guest lectures by local experts in ecology, conservation, and health, as well as a visit to a rural medical facility.

See the available scholarships and grants below, as students in this class are eligible for ample travel funding!

 

Check out what students experience in Tanzania - in 360° video:
Immersive 4K videos from BIOL 489: Biology of Ecohealth

COSTS
 

For a complete line-by-line budget, visit our budget sheet (under "Costs & Funding").
 

 



SCHOLARSHIPS

BIOL 489 students are eligible to apply for the following scholarships (among many other financial opportunities), some depending on students' individual circumstances:

 

 
APPLICATIONS
 
Contact Dr. Douglas Cavener at drc9@psu.edu
 
Next offered in Summer 2025 - Apply Here
 
 
 
INSTRUCTORS
Dr. Douglas Cavener,  Dorothy Foehr Huck & J. Lloyd Huck Distinguished Chair in Evolutionary Genetics; Adjunct Professor, Nelson Mandela African Institute for Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
Paul Shaffner, Instructor of Biology