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ACM Announces New Study Away Program in Rio de Janeiro

ACM Announces New Study Away Program in Rio de Janeiro October 30, 2015
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All eyes will be on Brazil next summer when Rio de Janeiro hosts the Olympic Games for the first time. August 5, 2016 marks the start of the Olympics and later that month will be the kick-off of the new ACM off-campus study program in Brazil.

The new Brazil: Culture, Community, & Language at PUC-Rio program was created in partnership with Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro and is an ideal fit for students interested in developing an in-depth comparative perspective on topics such as race and society, an emerging global economy, political corruption and reform, or sports and culture.

Students in Rio de JaneiroStudents at the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

Photo courtesy of Alissa Anderson

“This program gives students the opportunity to completely immerse themselves in Brazilian culture while taking classes at one of the country’s top private universities in a gorgeous city,” said Christopher Welna, President of the ACM. “It provides a dynamic setting for students to develop a deep understanding of contemporary Latin America and to learn that mellifluous language of Portuguese, which is all the easier if you’ve studied Spanish, French or Italian.”

Students will take courses taught in English at PUC-Rio, along with a required course in Portuguese language available at all levels of proficiency. Elective courses focus on Brazilian culture in areas such as anthropology and sociology, art and design, history, business and marketing, and international relations.

Program participants with advanced Portuguese language skills may be able to enroll in courses in the standard PUC-Rio curriculum, taught in Portuguese.

An optional independent study project allows students to focus on a topic of interest under the supervision of the ACM visiting faculty director. Faculty at ACM colleges are eligible to apply for the visiting position for the fall 2016 semester.

View of Rio de Janeiro.

Outside of class, students will experience Brazilian life by living with host families and exploring the many cultural and recreational opportunities the city has to offer.

Students can also participate in faculty-led service-learning trips alongside Brazilian students. These activities take place in low-income areas of the city and its surrounding communities, giving students exposure to life outside of central Rio.

“We know that students will be curious about other parts of Rio, and this program provides a respectful and safe structure for them to examine different social issues facing the Brazilian population,” said Joan Gillespie, ACM Vice President and Director of Off-Campus Study Programs. “I think students will enjoy learning how Brazil is coping with these issues and seeing how the U.S. can learn from it.”

On the PUC-Rio campus.On the PUC-Rio campus

Which students are a good fit for the new Brazil program at PUC-Rio? All ACM off-campus study programs are designed for liberal arts students seeking to explore various interests, so students from all majors are encouraged to apply. Additionally, because Brazil is currently a nation in transition, students who are especially motivated by curiosities about other cultures and counties would benefit from the program.

Students can apply now to join the inaugural Brazil at PUC-Rio program cohort in fall 2016. ACM also offers a semester exchange program at the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF). To learn more about these and other off-campus study options, visit ACM.edu/programs.

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