Coral Reef Ecology and Conservation in The Bahamas
This 3-credit program will expose students to the ecology and conservation of tropical coral reefs through attending lectures at Concordia and then traveling to The Bahamas where they will meet with local fishers, scientists, and conservation practitioners, and snorkel on shallow, nearshore coral reefs to conduct their own field research project.
About the program
This program will introduce students to the diversity of life, main ecological processes, major threats, and conservation of tropical coral reefs, one of the most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems in the world. In addition to basic ecology, students will learn to appreciate coral reefs as complex, socio-ecological systems by interacting with local stakeholders ranging from fishers to scientists and conservation practitioners. Students will gain hands-on experience via snorkeling on shallow, nearshore coral reefs, which are accessible by boat, to quantify key ecological processes like damselfish herbivory and will use real world techniques for surveying biodiversity, bleaching, and disease prevalence on reefs.
The program consists of three weeks of lectures at Concordia followed by one week living and working at a remote, field research station in The Bahamas. While in The Bahamas, students will attend brief lectures by local scientists, conservation practitioners and fishers, but most of the time will be spent snorkeling twice daily to collect data on shallow, nearshore coral reefs that are accessible by boat. Students are expected to design and conduct a short, field research project on coral reefs using the techniques learned throughout the course. The final research report will be due one month upon return to Concordia.
Dates & courses
Dates: June 1st, 2025 - June 7th, 2025
Undergraduate Course: BIOL498
Graduate Course: BIOL614
Prerequisites
Students must know how to swim and will be given a swim test prior to the start of field work. Students must also have taken BIOL 322 and at least one of the following courses: BIOL 351, BIOL 353, BIOL 354, or BIOL 457.
Estimated cost
Program fee: Concordia will charge program participants for 3 credits of undergraduate tuition and a program fee of $3,400 CDN to cover
- Accommodations
- Meals
- Boat transportation to and from coral reefs twice daily
- Airport pick-up and drop-off in Rock, Eleuthera
Students are responsible for selecting and paying their transportation to/from Rock Sound, Eleuthera Island, The Bahamas; mandatory health and travel insurance; snorkeling gear and a snorkeling vest; spending money; any required travel documents and other miscellaneous expenses associated with travel.
Available Funding
Quebec Mobility Bursary
To help with the costs of going abroad, Concordia offers a $525 CAD Quebec Mobility Bursary to students.
To qualify, you must be a Concordia student enrolled in a Concordia Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree program and approved to participate in the field school.
Important to note:
Field school applicants do not need to submit a bursary application as it is part of the on-line field school application, and you will automatically be considered for the Quebec Mobility bursary.
The bursary will be applied to student accounts. Details on the payment of the bursary will be sent to successful field school applicants.
Contact Concordia International if you have any questions on your eligibility for funding.
Host institution
The Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) is a dedicated center for research and innovation in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas. An institute devoted to research, education, and conservation, CEI seeks to create a connection between people and the environment as a path toward a more sustainable future. CEI promotes the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems by facilitating the research of resident and visiting scientists, supporting the education of students at all levels, and spurring outreach efforts to enhance the environmental awareness of local and global communities.
Accommodations
During the week of June 1st – June 7th , 2025, students will be staying in shared dormitories at Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI). There are shared bathroom facilities and cafeteria style dining. A dive center is also located at CEI where snorkeling equipment can be rented if students choose not to purchase their own snorkeling gear prior to the start of the field course.
Application process
To be eligible to participate in the field school, you must meet one of the following criteria.
- Be enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program, with a minimum 2.7 cumulative culmative GPA (CGPA) and have completed at least 24 credits toward your current degree program by the time you leave for the program.
- Be enrolled in a Master’s degree program, with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (CGPA) and have completed at least 9 credits toward your current degree program by the departure date.
- Be enrolled in PhD degree program, have a 3.7 cumulative GPA (CGPA) and have completed at least 9 credits toward your current degree program by the departure date.
All students interested in applying to this program must attend an information session given by Concordia International.
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2025
Time: 11:00-12:00
Submit the Concordia Field School Abroad Application by the application deadline of February 14, 2025. The application can be accessed through the Concordia International CSEP Mobility Portal.
Your application must also include:
- A copy of your most recent unofficial Concordia transcript.
- A letter of intent of 500-750 words describing why you wish to participate in the Bahamas Field School and the kind of work you hope to accomplish while there. You should also make mention of what strengths or contributions you think you will bring to the group.
- Concordia admissions decisions will be communicated by email after the application deadline.
- Final admissions decisions will be made by the program director Dr. Nicola Smith
- Students admitted to the program will have to make a non-refundable $750 deposit to Student Accounts by March 19, 2025. Please be aware, however, that any deposit you make will first be applied to any outstanding balances you owe to Concordia.
- Students admitted to the program will have to attend a mandatory pre-departure meeting TBC.
All information on this website is subject to change without notice; the program is subject to a minimum enrollment of 15 students to take place; and it may be cancelled at any time and for any reason.