Academic Credit
Make the Caribbean your own unforgettable classroom this summer! Academic credit in Marine Biology is available on our Foxtrot and Eleuthera programs, and college credit is available in Outdoor Education on our Echo programs. Whichever program you choose, you'll combine fun and adventure with hands-on learning – this is one class you'll never forget!On our Foxtrot program, you can earn independent study credit in Marine Biology as an Optional Course. Pending your faculty sponsor's review and approval of Sail Caribbean's curriculum, this elective will include work to be completed before and after your Caribbean experience, where you'll learn to identify the sea life that surrounds you each day… sponges, sea turtles, baby squid, friendly nurse sharks and a whole rainbow of fish. You'll participate in four to six hands-on seminars focusing on the tropical marine environment and using our curricula, Fringing Reefs of the British Virgin Islands and Guide to Marine Sciences of the British Virgin Islands. Topics will include coral reef biology, reef ecology, artificial reefs, fish identification, and others. You'll complete your requirements with your faculty advisor upon returning to school.
If you prefer to live ashore, our Eleuthera program allows you to earn marine science certificates for high school credit while residing at the highly regarded Island School in the Bahamas. Credit is earned through traditional classroom discussions, enhanced by hands-on research projects and field experiments led by experts from The Island School and Cape Eleuthera Institute. You'll track the Bonefish, monitor the complex shallow water ecosystems known as "flats", and assist in mapping patch reefs. You'll have the chance to really dig in by planting mangroves and creating artificial reef balls, which contribute to the protection of the island's fragile ecosystem. Though each day will vary, expect to spend an average of 3-5 hours daily in either a classroom setting or managing field projects.
Students on our Echo program can receive up to 6 college credits in Outdoor Education by successfully completing our Echo Leadership & Sailing Expeditions program. This is Sail Caribbean's most challenging course, focusing on leadership, teaching methods, youth mentoring, advanced sailing and seamanship, and safety and emergency management. Students are expected to participate fully and at a level that is reflective of their maturity and professional goals. There are daily evaluations and students are expected to make genuine efforts to improve their skills. To receive the academic credit, you must request a transcript from our partner college and pay a $100/credit fee.
For further information on earning academic credit, please call us at 800-321-0994. We'd be happy to talk to you or your teachers about the process.