Rio de Janeiro - Study Brazil

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Overview

Quick Facts

City:

Rio de Janeiro [1]

Country:

Brazil [2]

Program credits:

15-19 per semester (5-6 courses)

Language(s) of Instruction:

English

Portuguese

Language prerequisites:

None

We dare you not to fall in love with Rio. The friendliness of the Cariocas, the beauty of the ocean, the miles of stunning beaches, and the sound of samba in the air will enchant you.

This program leverages Brazil’s rich history and culture, the academic excellence of the local universities, its booming economy, and the unmatched opportunities for living and learning in one of the world’s most beautiful and fascinating cities.

You enroll in English-taught IES Abroad courses in a variety of disciplines, along with a Portuguese language course. The study of Brazilian art, music, literature, and film will also be fundamental parts of your learning experience.

You will also enroll in one or more courses at Ibmec (a leading business school) or ESPM (one of the top institutions in Brazil for marketing, journalism, and public relations), where you will experience first-hand the Brazilian educational system. Maybe you’ll even make some Brazilian friends while you’re at it! There will be partner univeristy course offerings in English. Also, Advanced Spanish speakers with at least four semesters of Spanish may be able to take Portuguese-taught courses at a local university after taking an intensive Portuguese language course during the program orientation period.

Rio will also be your classroom. Wherever possible our courses take advantage of the city through course-related field studies to sites of historical, artistic, and cultural interest. From shopping in a local grocery store to navigating the transportation system, everything you do will be part of your learning experience. Welcome to study abroad!

We want you to feel at home in Brazil, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Rio by providing you with the resources to maximize your time living and learning abroad. Become familiar with the local cultural environment and build professional relationships with Brazilians by enrolling in our internship or service learning programs. These are unique opportunities for building your international resume.

Program Dates

These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.

Academics

Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.

We offer courses in Portuguese Language, History, and Culture, as well as other topics, taught by local professors. Course options at prestigious local universities enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day.

You take 15–19 credit hours per semester.

You create your own academic experience by selecting from the following program components:

IES Abroad Portuguese language course (required, 4 credits)
English-taught IES Abroad areas studies courses (3 credits each)
English-taught course(s) at Ibmec or ESPM* (2-5 credits each)
Portuguese-taught course(s) at Ibmec or ESPM* (2-5 credits each)
Internship (starting Fall 2013) or service learning placement and seminar (3 credits)

*You must take at least one course at a partner university.

Courses

This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.

You are required to take a Portuguese language course and at least one partner university course.

To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication [3].

Ibmec [4]
Download English-taught course syllabi here [5]. Of the syllabi in this document, the following courses will be offered in Spring 2013:

Topics of Macroeconomics
Strategic Financial Management and Globalization
Financial Statement Analysis
Transnational Business Law
Empirical Corporate Finance
Decisions in Organizations
Special Topics in Human Resource Management

If you have studied Portuguese or advanced Spanish, you can also enroll in any Portuguese-taught course at Ibmec.

Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (ESPM) [6]
Spring 2013 English-taught courses offered at ESPM are:

International Organizations (72 contact hours; 5 credit hours)
International Negotiation (36 contact hours; 2.5 credit hours)

Partner Institution(s)

Ibmec
www.ibmecrj.br [4]
Centrally located in downtown Rio on the famous Avenida Presidente Wilson, Ibmec is one of Latin America's most prestigious business schools. Classes are small (usually fewer than 20 students), admission is extremely competitive, and faculty have advanced degrees from top institutions.

Download English-taught course syllabi here [5]. Specific course offerings for upcoming terms are pending.

If you have studied Portuguese or advanced Spanish, you can also enroll in any Portuguese-taught course at Ibmec.

Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (ESPM)
www2.espm.br [7]
Over the past 62 years, ESPM has become one of the top institutions in Brazil for marketing, journalism, and public relations.

ESPM’s Rio campus, close to historic Rio and many cultural attractions, offers degrees in the management and marketing of entertainment and sports, business administration, communications, public relations, graphic design, journalism, and international relations. English-taught courses are offered in many of these fields for Brazilian students at ESPM, and classes are small and interactive.

Spring 2013 English-taught courses offered at ESPM are:

International Organizations (72 contact hours; 5 credit hours)
International Negotiation (36 contact hours; 2.5 credit hours)

Along with offering high-quality professional education and training, ESPM also encourages its students to become socially, economically, culturally, and environmentally conscious citizens.

Internships

Starting in Fall 2013, you can enroll in an internship or service learning placement to earn 3 academic credits. Both internships and service learning placements are accompanied by a seminar.

While adding study abroad to your resume is impressive enough, adding an international internship experience is even more powerful, and can help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive job market. Internships can also provide invaluable cultural experience, and will help you develop professional and personal skills.

Proficiency in Portuguese is recommended.

Placement Types

Arts & Culture
Business
Health
NGOs & Non-Profit Organizations
International Relations &
Political Science
Media & Journalism

Service Learning

From volunteering at a health and social development organization like Fundação Oswaldo Cruz [8] to assisting at Viva Rio [9]—whose mission is to foster peace through social inclusion—service learning placements allow you to engage in activities that address specific community needs in Rio while also building your practical skills. In a society that is developing rapidly but where many people still live below the poverty line, this is an especially important endeavor.

In addition to placements in service agencies, the service learning program also enables you to get involved in service projects with Brazilian students. Proficiency in Portuguese or advanced Spanish is required.

Field Study

IES Abroad Rio organizes field study that complements our courses and contributes to a general knowledge of Brazilian culture and society, such as:

Tour sites around Rio relevant to its time as the capital (1763-1960)
Visit to and further study the history and biosphere of Jardim Botânico
Exploration of the Rio of Machado de Assis, one of Brazil’s most famous authors
Visit to Tijuca National Park

Housing

Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Rio, it will feel like home.

Homestays – Located in the southern part of the city, homestays generally house one to two students. Internet access is available.

Student Life

Part of making you feel at home in Rio is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it’s the orientation program that prepares you for what’s ahead, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.

Orientation

The program begins with a multi-day orientation that introduces you to our Rio staff, your fellow students, and the city of Rio. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during the week.

Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.

After orientation, you begin an intensive Portuguese language class, which you will be placed into based on your skill level.

Advanced Spanish speakers with at least four semesters of Spanish can participate in an intensive Portuguese language course that will enable them to directly enroll in courses at a local university in Portuguese. You will also delve into local culture through activities to help you learn about and make the most of your new surroundings.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

Redefine the way you live and learn in Rio through our cultural events, such as:

Taking Capoeira lessons
Joining a local sport teams
Playing footvolley on the beach
Attending samba rehearsals

Field Trips

Although your adventure begins in Rio, our field trips take you to other great places in Brazil to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in Rio. Your program fee covers a 2-day post-orientation trip and a trip to either Minas Gerais or Salvador, and you can opt to participate in the Amazon trip for an additional fee.

The Amazon
5 Days | Fall & Spring
Fly to Manaus, the queen city of Amazonas, and descend by boat to Belém, to experience nature and human life along the second longest river in the world.

Minas Gerais
3-4 Days | Spring
One of the most fascinating regions in the country for its rich history and culture, you will visit Ouro Preto, take the old train between Tiradentes and São João del-Rei, and appreciate the unique artworks of Brazilian Baroque.

Salvador
3-4 Days | Fall
The capital of Afro-Brazilian culture and religion, Salvador will enchant you. Bahia, famous for its cuisine, is also the birthplace of some of the best musicians in Brazil.

Center

IES Abroad Rio de Janeiro [10]

We can’t wait to welcome you to Rio! From our Center located in the heart of the city, our IES Abroad staff in Rio will be there to support you when you need it.

Center staff:

Octavio di Leo
IES Abroad Director
Octavio di Leo holds a M.A., M.Phil ., and Ph.D. in Latin American literature from Yale University, where he studied with and served as an editorial assistant for the well-known literary and cultural critic, Harold Bloom. Dr. di Leo has taught at Yale University, the Free University of Berlin, the Technological University of Berlin, and the University of Buenos Aires. He has also collaborated in Rome with the German composer H.W. Henze in the writing of his memoirs and a puppet opera for the Münchner Biennale. Dr. di Leo has been with IES Abroad since 2003, first as Academic Dean in IES Abroad Barcelona, then as Director of IES Aroad Rome, and now as the Director of IES Abroad Rio de Janeiro. He is a published poet, a literary critic, and a skilled translator.

Silvia Lustosa
Student Affairs Coordinator

Cost