Harvard Summer Program in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  Brazil

• Rio de Janeiro: 
Rio de Janeiro

Term: Summer 
Dates: Inquire for specific dates.

Description: Rio de Janeiro, with its ebullient and diverse cultural life, is an intriguing center for the arts, theater, music, exhibitions, street performances, international conferences, and cultural and social debates. From 1763 to 1960, Rio was consecutively the capital of the colony, the empire, and the republic of Brazil. Nowadays the city's dwellers treasure their colonial and nineteenth-century architectural heritage as well as their superb museums, impressive libraries, and historical archives. With its vibrant popular culture, famous beaches, splendid bay, and wonderful climate, Rio de Janeiro provides students with the ideal atmosphere for a full immersion into the Portuguese language and Brazilian culture. Students stay in family homes, where they have the best chance to experience the Brazilian way of life and to speak everyday Portuguese. In addition, students in the program benefit from special lectures and workshops by Brazilian artists, activists, and renowned scholars. A large number of instructional excursions in and around Rio allow students to have hands-on experiences with different social strata of the population. The course is hosted at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, one of Brazil's leading universities.

The Harvard Summer Program in Rio de Janeiro is structured around Brazilian Culture and Portuguese Language, a second-year-level course in Brazilian culture and Portuguese language. By participating in language sessions, instructional excursions, and film screenings and listening to popular music, participants expand and strengthen their linguistic skills and learn about the history and people of Rio.

The course provides students with numerous occasions to interact with native Brazilians from diverse backgrounds and to speak Portuguese. In class, students can reflect upon the different uses of the language in which they are immersed. They compare levels of formality in both written and spoken language and develop their written and spoken academic Portuguese. Students attain an advanced linguistic level by the end of the course.

Morning sessions integrate intensive language instruction with readings, films, and popular songs, providing a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of the "Marvelous City." Afternoon and evening sessions include visits to Old Rio, samba and capoeira schools, the Maracana soccer stadium, churches, museums, and nongovernmental organizations, offering students an informal experience of the rich cultural and social life of the city. Excursions to additional sites around Rio--such as Parati and old coffee plantations--enhance students' understanding and enjoyment of Brazil.

Prerequisites: Harvard students must have completed either Portuguese A, Portuguese Ac and Ad, Portuguese Ba, or the Harvard University placement test. Other students must have completed one year or one accelerated semester of Portuguese.

Cost in US$: $5,500

- tuition
- room and breakfast
- excursions (including meals when appropriate)

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Year Founded: 1871