APPLICATION DEADLINE: Please note that applications are due by 10 pm on March 15!

COURSE INFORMATION:

Students take six credits from the following selection:

LACS 105: Contemporary Brazil - 3 credits
LTPO 150/250: Portuguese Literature in Translation - 3 credits
PORT 101: Elementary Portuguese - 3 credits

PROGRAM INFORMATION:

These courses are intended to provide an overall introduction to Brazil in terms of its literature, history, politics, economy, geography/land distribution, environment/ecology, religious beliefs, food, art, popular culture (folkloric and popular music and dance). Brazil is of one of Latin America’s most important countries, and a country that has been a key part in the making of the Atlantic world.

This intensive two and a half week program will examine the way in which its historical background has contributed to the rich regional diversity of Brazilian culture, and how literature can provide a coherent point of entry for broader esthetic and other questions surrounding images of tropical places, and the south and southeast regions in particular. Special features of these two courses encompass a trip to getting to know the States of Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Rio de Janeiro. This will be done in three ways:

1) By visiting Belo Horizonte and the historic sites of the state;

2) by visiting Corumbá, a city in the heart of the Pantanal, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, by the border of Bolivia and Brazil. The City of Corumbá was the main point of trade between Brazil and Bolivia; it is almost untouched and a place with a wild forest and green pastures at a margin of Rio Paraguay. It's a rich and diverse environment. This way, students have the best opportunity to gain an insight into the infinite expanses of the country and the region. Guided study excursions to museums, cultural centers, historic sites, natural parks and boat trips will be part of the two courses:

3) and by traveling to Rio de Janeiro, where the group will have the opportunity to experience life in a densely populated, urban area. As one of the spots of the 2014 Soccer World Cup, and the host of the very successful 2016 Summer Olympics, Rio has become the world center of attention, attracting foreign businesses and investments. Students will visit the sites of both events as well as the ecological urban forest of Tijuca, where the landmark statue of Christ was built.

Participants should be able to walk for long periods of time, moving frequently from one place to another. They should also expect a long plane trip, with possible waiting time at the airport or taking planes at night/early morning, in addition to bus trips. Due to Brazil’s topography, students with limited mobility may encounter difficulty in certain areas.


PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

-Students must have or be eligible to obtain a passport
-Students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher
-Students will be required to get the Yellow Fever immunization 10 days before arriving in Mato Grosso do Sul (May 10)


PROGRAM DIRECTORS:

Dr. Luci Moreira
Department of Hispanic Studies
moreiram@cofc.edu
843-953-6753

Dr. Moreira was born in Brazil. She received her Ph.D in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching Education from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she was the Resident Director of the Study Abroad Program in Brazil for two years. She also taught at the University of Georgia, University of California-Berkeley, and is an Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies at the College of Charleston. She is also the Director of the Summer Portuguese Program at Middlebury College in Vermont since 2008.

Mr. José Moreira
Department of Hispanic Studies
moreiraj@cofc.edu
843-953-5318

Professor Moreira teaches Spanish and Portuguese at the College of Charleston and has extensive knowledge of Brazil. He worked for the federal government in Brazil and will be the Assistant Director for this program, as he has done for the programs to Brazil in the past.

Both faculty have directed twelve summer programs to Brazil since 2003.

Note: For questions regarding on-site program details and course content, please contact the program directors. Any inquiries regarding application processing, billing, or financial aid opportunities can be directed to the Center for International Education (contact information listed above).