Thailand: Wildlife and Conservation

Overview 

Thailand is a biodiverse country with varied habitats, and diverse wildlife including elephants, monkeys, gibbons, bats, reptiles, arthropods and birds. Like many countries, Thailand faces challenges to maintaining biodiversity including social and economic development, pollution, and climate change; however, Thailand is committed to wildlife and habitat conservation. The Wildlife and Conservation program in Thailand will provide students a unique opportunity to understand conservation issues and solutions affecting Thailand’s diverse wildlife. Students will explore several National Parks and protected areas including coral reefs where we will study the wildlife and conservation practices. Students will understand wildlife habitat associations, identify threats to conservation, consider human dimensions in conservation planning and identify research and conservation actions needed to implement conservation planning.

Highlights and Excursions

• Tour of the highlights of Bangkok including the Grand Palace and Wat Pho.
• Visit the CBT Mangrove restoration project outside of Bangkok.
• Birding, wildlife walks, bat cave visits, and boat trips in three national parks: Khao Sam Roi Yot, Kui Buri, and Kaeng Krachan.
• See the famous shrine in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park.
• Group cooking class
• Opportunity to see elephants, bears, monkeys, gibbons, and more at the Wildlife Friends Foundation rehabilitation center.
• Snorkeling and island day trips near Phuket.

Good to Know

• Some locations will have limited access to wi-fi or cellphone service (including local cell phone providers).
• Students should expect a moderate level of physical activity (walking) on this program.

Living Arrangements

Shared (2-4 students per room) occupancy housing. 3 star hotels in Bangkok and Phuket. Camping or Park Bungalows in the national parks.

Program Dates 

December 28, 2024 - January 11, 2025

Due to travel times, students will need to plan to depart the US on Dec 26 or 27 to arrive in Thailand by Dec 28. Students should also plan to depart Thailand on Jan 11, with a  return to the US on Jan 12. 

NOTE: The course will start at the end of Fall semester 2024 and carry into Winter Break 2024. Please talk with faculty Kelly Williams (williak5@ohio.edu) or Kelly Johnson (johnsok3@ohio.edu) for more information.

Academics  

Students will enroll in:

• 2nd half Fall 2024: Wildlife and Conservation in Thailand (1 credit hour)
• Spring 2025:  BIOS 4900 Special Topics in Biology: Wildlife and Conservation in Thailand (4 credit hours)

*Pre-requisite: BIOS 1710/15 or equivalent

Cost  

The program fee for this program includes: Student accommodations, daily breakfast, some meals, excursions, airport transfers, in-country transportation, welcome and farewell dinner, and international medical health insurance. 

In addition to the program fee, students should plan for 4 credit hours of tuition*, administrative fee, and out-of-pocket costs. Below is the student budget worksheet for this program, which outlines these costs.  

Undergraduate Student Budget Worksheet WB 24-25

Items that are not related to the program (ie. additional entertainment, souvenirs, extra travel, contingency funds) are not included in the cost estimates provided and should be budgeted for separately.  

*Note: 

• If you are nominated to this program, you will be required to pay a deposit to confirm your participation. The deposit is a down payment on the total costs to be billed by OHIO and is determined by the total cost of the program. 
• For programs completed over winter-break and spring break, the credit-hours associated with the program are part of the spring semester. Students taking between 12 to 20 Athens campus hours, including those associated with the program, will not incur additional tuition costs for the spring semester. Students taking less than 12 or more than 20 Athens campus credits for the spring term will see their tuition charge adjusted accordingly.  

Funding Opportunities 

More information on financial aid and scholarships can be found on our funding pages.

Eligibility

This program is open to all Ohio University students (undergraduates and graduates) who are in good conduct standing. Participants must have completed the pre-requisite BIOS 1710/15 or equivalent.

Students who will be on probation at any point during the program for a conduct offense that took place less than a calendar year from the program start date may not study abroad. Read the entire conduct policy.

This program accepts NON-OHIO students. For more information about this process visit the Non-OHIO student page.   

Participants must have a at least a high school diploma or the equivalent (e.g. GED) by the start date of the program to be considered for eligibility.  Students enrolled in College Credit Plus (CC+) are not eligible for study away programs.

Application Requirements 

Applicants are required to submit:

• Personal Statement with prompt “What do you hope to gain from this study abroad program? How do you think it will benefit your future educational and career goals?”
• Contact information (Names/emails) for 2 References.
• Additional Question: “We will be traveling in close quarters to some remote areas with few amenities. What personal qualities, skills and/or experience do you possess that would contribute to the success of the group and the to Thailand program as a whole?”

This program has rolling admissions - early application is recommended. A high volume of applications is expected. Students should apply early to ensure their application materials will be considered.

Entry and Exit Requirements 

U.S. citizens are required to have a valid U.S. passport when traveling outside of the United States. If you plan to study or travel abroad in the next year,  apply for your passport  now. Some countries also require a visa to legally enter or reside in the country. 

U.S. citizens  will not  need a visa or other special document to enter the country for the length of this program. Please also note that visa requirements may vary if you plan to stay in the country longer than the program dates or travel to other countries during or after the program. Please familiarize yourself with these recommendations and requirements prior to applying to this program. 

For more specific visa-related information, please visit OGO’s  Visa Information Page.

Information for  Non-U.S. citizens 

Resources 

• Health and Safety
• Additional Information on Country
• Accessibility Requests and Accommodations