Learn the methods
Practice behavioral observation, field-note protocols, primate surveys, and ecological data collection through guided exercises.
Plan a program 
Primate Behavior & Ecology · 2027
From observation
to evidence.
An immersive primate field school where students learn to study wild monkeys, apply behavioral and ecological methods, develop an independent research question, and complete a field project at Camaquiri.
DatesJuly 2–23, 2027
Application deadlineJune 17, 202715 days before the course begins.
Duration22 days
Tuition$3,000International airfare is not included.
Field locationsCamaquiri Conservation Initiative
Course experience
Observe carefully.
Think like a field scientist.
Lectures, guided field exercises, and repeated observations along Camaquiri's trail network connect primate behavior with habitat structure, food availability, and conservation. Students progress from practicing research methods to proposing, conducting, analyzing, and presenting an independent field project.
- Observe behavior systematically and apply scan, focal, and ad libitum sampling methods.
- Measure habitat structure, food availability, group composition, and activity patterns.
- Read and critically discuss current research in primate behavior, ecology, and conservation.
- Build a research proposal, collect and analyze field data, and communicate the findings in a report and presentation.
The research journey
From field methods
to a complete project.
Students move through the same core stages used in field primatology: careful observation, ecological measurement, an approved research plan, and evidence-based communication.
Shape a question
Turn an observation into a focused, feasible research question and prepare a proposal for faculty approval before data collection begins.
Work in the field
Collect organized behavioral and ecological data while adapting to the realities of tropical field research.
Interpret and present
Analyze the results, explain their limitations and significance, and communicate the project through a written report and oral presentation.
Clear from the start
What your tuition
covers.
Course tuition is designed to cover the complete academic field experience in Costa Rica during the official program dates.
- All accommodations throughout the official course dates.
- All meals throughout the full course.
- All in-country transportation required by the itinerary, including ground and water transportation when applicable.
- All scheduled arrival, departure, and inter-site transfers within Costa Rica.
- All entrance fees and scheduled program activities.
- Academic instruction by the course faculty and instructors.
- Personal research and field equipment, including binoculars, course-specific personal materials, rubber boots, and notebooks.
- International airfare.
- Personal expenses.
- University credit or any fees charged by a participant’s home institution.
Meet Your Professor
Dr. Kaelyn Dobson
- Academic affiliation
- MD Anderson Cancer Center · Odyssey Fellow
- Specialization
- Primate behavior · Gut microbiomes · Human–primate interactions
Dr. Dobson is a primatologist whose work connects behavior, gut microbiomes, health, and conservation. Her field experience includes baseline research on Camaquiri's primate community.
2026–2027 field courses
Ready to learn
in the field?
Applications begin with fit, preparation, and academic interest. No payment is required to submit the form.
Start your application ↗