SALANGO, ECUADOR

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Programs in Ecuador

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Program Description

Both the archaeological and ethnographic programs are organized as ongoing research projects. The primary focus is on providing students with hands on methodological training that occurs within the context of accomplishing research objectives. The ethnographic and archeological research programs are unified, centering on understanding local subsistence practices in variegated micro-ecosystems. The research is building a record for how people in coastal Ecuador have made use of multiple such ecosystems within a relatively small region from about 5,000 years ago to the present. This program offers students the opportunity to learn field methods in either archaeology or ethnography. Archaelogical students carry out site excavation and survey in the cloud forest area of El Pital, in southern Mababi Province. Ethnographic students carry out village level studies in Salango and nearby villages, in the same region. 

APPLY NOW FACULTY-LED APPLICATION

Program Dates and Deadlines:
Term Year Application Deadline
(or as space permits)		 Start Date/Check-in End Date/Check-out
Summer 2025 April 13, 2025 June 21, 2025 August 3, 2025

 

Information Sheet

Open to All academic disciplines
Language of Instruction English
Level of Study Undergraduate and Graduate
Credit Offered FAU credits
Program Primary Subject Anthropology, Ethnology, Archaeology
Sponsoring College College of Arts and Letters
Education Abroad Advisor Brendan Richardson

 

Program Course Offerings:

  • ANT 4802 Ethnographic Fieldwork in Ecuador (3-6 credits) 
  • ANT 4824 Archaeological Fieldwork in Ecuador (3-6 credits) 

Course Eligibility & Requirements:

Students participating on the program are required to take at least one of the courses offered for at least 3 credits. 

Program Eligibility & Requirements

  • Must have a 2.5 overall GPA at the time of application
  • Must be in good academic standing at the time of application
  • Must be eligible to take FAU courses during the study abroad program term
  • See Policies & Procedures page for more information
 

 

In-country FAU Faculty Leader: Dr. Michael Harris and Instructor Valentina Martinez

Education Abroad Contact: Brendan Richardson

Dr. Harris Email: mharris@fau.edu    Associate Director, FAU Education Abroad

Instructor Martinez Email: vmartine@fau.edu  

Email: brichardson@fau.edu  

For questions regarding the course, itinerary, or other in-country logistics, contact the faculty leader(s) listed above. 

For questions regarding the study abroad application, program fees, funding, or other study abroad questions, schedule an appointment with the Education Abroad Contact listed above  through Success Network (Navigate) to schedule study abroad advising.

 

Location

Salango is a small fishing village located in its own cove on the central Pacific coast of Ecuador. It's a good representation of what the nearby town of Puerto Lopez was like before the influx of tourism. The community seeks to consolidate its development process by promoting ecotourism. Amongst the natural attractions is the island of Salango, home to beautiful species of seabirds such as blue-footed boobies, frigates, and pelicans among others. Nearby is a marine sanctuary, a site with schools of tropical fish and coral reefs, ideal for diving. Humpback whales ply the coast during the field school period.

Housing

Students live in a research center located in the village of Salango. The village has a few small stores and restaurants, a church, and bars. The research center is a walled compound located on the beach. Students are housed in the Center's cabanas.

Adjacent to the beach and twenty minutes from the Field School’s primary excavation site, the Center is a walled, secure compound. The Salango Research Center is an excellent site for lodging students, as well as processing and curating archaeological materials. The Center has wifi facilities, adjacent archaeological and historical museums, modern kitchen, showers, and toilets. Breakfast and dinner are prepared at the Center by project cooks. Lunches are simple, as appropriate for being in the field.  

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Program Cost and Funding

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information 

  • Students participating on FAU Faculty-led Programs may use eligible financial aid
  • Program participants may be eligible to apply for the FAU Education Abroad Scholarship
  • See additional scholarship and funding information here.


Program Cost

$4,115.00 + tuition for the required program summer course(s). FAU in-state or out-of-state rates apply. 

Program fee payment deadlines: 
1ST PAYMENT:       $2,100.00 deposit due by April 27, 2025 
2ND PAYMENT:      $2,015.00 due by May 18, 2025 

Accepted participants will receive detailed payment instructions from the Education Abroad team via email prior to deadlines. Program fee payments cannot be deferred. Plan accordingly. 

Program Fee Includes:

  • Accommodations from check-in through check-out date
  • Round trip group bus transportation from Guayaquil airport to program site 
  • Research supplies
  • All meals at the Center and in the field
  • International Medical Insurance
  • Some excursisons

Program Fee Does Not Include :

  • $200 administrative fee paid at time of application submission
  • International Flight
  • Tuition for courses/credits taken on program (FAU in-state and out-of-state rates apply)
  • Meals off-site
  • Personal spending money

Travel Documentation, Health and Safety

Passport and Travel Documentation

  • A valid passport is required for all international travel. You need a passport to board an international flight and to enter the country. Passport cards will not be accepted as form of I.D. You may be denied boarding if you travel with a passport that appears damaged or altered.
  • Review up-to-date details HERE. Routine processing times can take 6-8 weeks, and expedited applications in 2-3 weeks. Processing times does not include the time it takes for shipping. Processing times begin when your application is received by a passport agency or center, and do not include mailing times. It may take up to 2 weeks for your application to be received by passport agency, and up to 2 weeks for you to receive your completed passport after agency mails it to you. Therefore, you should add an additional 4 weeks to you passport application processing time.
  • Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. Check the Country Information to learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling.  
  • If you are applying for a passport for the first time, you need to renew your passport, or you have any other passport questions, you can find information on the Travel.State.Gov website. In addition, several U.S. Embassies and Consulates provide information to assist applicants in collecting the documentation needed. For a list of Embassies, please visit U.S. Embassy.gov.
  • Non-U.S. Citizens may need additional travel documentation. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you should research the study abroad program destination and your home country to determine if a visa or additional travel documentation is required.

International Health Insurance

All FAU students participating on an FAU Faculty-led Program will be registered in international health and travel insurance coverage through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). This mandatory insurance ensures that students have access to medical and emergency support services while abroad. This is included in the program cost. The 2025 Coverage plan will be available in January 2025. Participants can review the current 2024 plan HERE for reference.

Health and Safety Resources to Explore Prior to Traveling Abroad

Pre-departure Orientation and Meetings

All students must attend pre-departure sessions prior to study abroad. Education Abroad and your program faculty leaders will provide you with further details pertaining to dates, times, and location in the semester before your program. 

1) Mandatory pre-departure orientation hosted by the Education Abroad office. This session will cover general international travel related topics such as health, safety, insurance, and travel tips. 
2) Mandatory pre-departure meeting hosted by program faculty leader. This session will cover program and location specific information such as arrival, expectations, itinerary, and course overview.