This course is a highly experiential study abroad program designed to provide first-year Herbert students with an international perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping agriculture, the environment, and cultural traditions in Guatemala. Students will engage directly with agricultural landscapes and communities to understand farming practices, particularly maize cultivation and commercial livestock production, both of which are deeply tied to environmental stewardship, food systems, and cultural identity.
Course Dates:
March 7 -13, 2027
Application Deadline:Â October 1, 2026
Course: AGNR 491, 1 credit
Primary Course Contact: Laura Crowe, lcrowe@utk.edu
Course Description
Through site visits, field activities, and interactions with local farmers, conservation practitioners, and community members, students will examine the relationships among agriculture, natural resource management, and ecosystem health, including the role of land use, biodiversity, and sustainable practices. The course also offers hands-on exposure to crop production, livestock systems, local flora and fauna, and traditional and commercial food products such as chocolate.
Program highlights
- A trip to a local dairy farm
- Visit a local chocolate farm
- Engage with an indigenous community
- Visit a local avocado farm
- Hike the Pacaya Volcano
- Tour of museums and a local market
- Experience Lake Atitlan by kayaking and hiking
- Tour De La Gente Coffee Plantation
Course
AGNR 491: Herbert First-Year Study Abroad Program
Academic Information
Accepted students will be enrolled in AGNR 491 for 1 credit hour during the Spring semester. Successful completion of the course includes full participation in the Guatemala abroad experience.
Students should meet with their academic advisors to ensure they meet eligibility requirements and that the course is degree applicable.
- First year student in the Herbert College of Agriculture
- Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA at time of application and until program departure
- Must be in Good Academic Standing and Good Conduct Standing with The University of Tennessee.
- Must attend all program meetings
All students will be provided with the Smith Center Study Abroad Scholarship and the Herbert Study Abroad Scholarship
| Budget | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget item | Estimated Costs | ||
| Program Fee | $1,771.34 | ||
| Global Programs Admin Fee | $350.00 | ||
| Study Abroad Insurance | $54.44 | ||
| Scholarships for Program | – $975.78 | ||
| Billable subtotal: | $1,200.00 | ||
| Estimated Roundtrip Transportation from Knoxville | $750.00 | ||
| Estimated Additional Meals | $0 | ||
| Estimated Personal Expenses | $0 | ||
| Non-billable subtotal: | $750.00 | ||
| Total: | $1,950.00 | ||
Course Contacts:
