Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.
CIEE Study Center Syllabi
To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.
Required Intensive Pre-Term Portuguese Language Courses
The 90-hour Intensive Pre-Term Portuguese as a Second Language intensive courses are offered prior to each semester.
The student-centered methodology is active, participatory, and prioritizes work in pairs and groups, as well as activities requiring students to solve tasks and navigate situations. Mistakes are part of the learning process and the course methodology encourages students to self-correct and correct their peers as a precursor to correction by the teacher. Classes are based on a core text with supporting audio and visual materials. Courses included a mix of practical activities, lectures, auditory exercises, and reading and analysis of texts and business documents.
Level I – BEGINNER Portuguese as a Second Language
6 semester/9 quarter credits, 90 contact hours
Level II – INTERMEDIATE I Portuguese as a Second Language
6 semester/9 quarter credits, 90 contact hours
Level III – INTERMEDIATE II Portuguese as a Second Language
6 semester/9 quarter credits, 90 contact hours
Level IV – ADVANCED I Portuguese as a Second Language
4 semester/6 quarter credits, 90 hours
Level V – ADVANCED II Portuguese as a Second Language
4 semester/6 quarter credits, 90 hours
Required PUC Rio Semester Portuguese Language Courses
The Department of Letters at PUC-Rio offers regular and intensive language courses that develop students’ abilities to understand, speak, read, and write Portuguese in both formal and informal situations. The courses also prepare international students to attend regular university courses in all academic areas, including history, anthropology, literature, international relations, and engineering, among others.
There are five proficiency levels offered in the Portuguese as a Second Language program. Level I, II, and III consist of 90 hours of instruction per term (six hours per week), corresponding to six academic credits. Level IV and V consist of 60 hours of instruction per term (four per week) corresponding to four academic credits. In order to place candidates according to their proficiency, students take a mandatory pre-program placement test which is available online. Candidates who test above Level V will be allowed to attend the university's regular undergraduate introductory Portuguese language courses.
The student-centered methodology is active, participatory, and prioritizes work in pairs and groups, as well as activities requiring students to solve tasks and navigate situations. Mistakes are part of the learning process and the course methodology encourages students to self-correct and correct their peers as a precursor to correction by the teacher. Classes will be based on a core text with supporting audio and visual materials. Courses included a mix of practical activities, lectures, auditory exercises, and reading and analysis of texts and business documents.
Level II – INTERMEDIATE I Portuguese as a Second Language
6 semesters/9 quarter credits, 90 contact hours
Level III – INTERMEDIATE II Portuguese as a Second Language
6 semesters/9 quarter credits, 90 contact hours
Level IV – ADVANCED I Portuguese as a Second Language
4 semesters/6 quarter credits, 60 contact hours
Level V – ADVANCED II Portuguese as a Second Language
4 semesters/6 quarter credits, 60 contact hours
PUC Rio Elective Courses
The list of courses below includes courses recommended for international students by the PUC Office of International Studies. It is a sampling of direct enrollment courses and not a complete list of courses offered at PUC which are accessible to international students. The complete PUC-Rio course catalog can be found at http://www.puc-rio.br/ensinopesq/ccci/centers_courses.html. (Courses generally consist of 60 contact hours each, with recommended credit of 4 semester/6 quarter hours, unless otherwise noted)
ARTS
ART 1020 – Drawing I, Intermediate level
ART 1021 – Drawing II, Advanced level
ART 1026 – Technical Drawing
ART 1034 – Planning and Project Development: Product Design III
ART 1036 – Planning and Project Development: Graphic Design IV, Intermediate level
ART 1037 – Planning and Project Development: Product Design IV , Intermediate level
ART 1038 – Planning and Project Development: Graphic Design V, Advanced level
ART 1039 – Planning and Project Development: Product V , Advanced level
ART 1111 – Graphic Representation Laboratory I, Intermediate level in Graphic Production
ART 1112 – Graphic Representation Laboratory II, Advanced level in graphic production
ART 1114 – Graphic Representation Laboratory: Illustration Techniques
ART 1121 – Tri-dimensional Representation Laboratory I, Basic level
ART 1123 – Tri-dimensional Representation Laboratory III, Advanced level
ART 1210 – Visual Language Fundamentals I , Basic level
ART 1211 – Visual Language Fundamentals II, Intermediate level
ART 1310 – Introductory Electronic Representation Laboratory, Basic level
ART 1311 – Electronic Representation Laboratory: Photography, Intermediate level
ART 1312 – Electronic Representation Laboratory: Audio-visual
ART 1508 – Expression Laboratory: Electronic Imaging
ART 1320 – Introduction to Computer Graphics, Basic level
ART 1411 – History of Industrial Design
ART 1412 – History of Modern Art
ART 1416 – The Evolution of Fashion
ART 1611 – Proxemics
ART 1612 – Semiotics
ART 1821 – Graphic Analysis
ART 1824 – Ergonomics/Human Factors (4 credits)
ART 1822 – Theory and Technique of Materials (4 credits)
ART 1833 – TEA IV: Digital Photography (4 credits)
ART 1836 – TEA VII: History of Photography (4 credits)
ART 1838 – TEA IX: 2-D Animation (4 credits)
ART 1051 – Plastic (2 credits)
ART 1849 – TED X: Biochip (4 credits)
ART 1857 – TED XV: Wood/Bamboo (4 credits)
ART 1864 – TED XXII: Branding (4 credits)
ART 1872 – TED XXX: Type Design (4 credits)
ART 1873 – TED XXXI: Eco Design (2 credits)
DSG 1551 – Jewelry Design (4 credits)
DSG 1605 – Bionics (3 credits)
BUSINESS
ADM1252 – Cost Accounting (Pre-requisite: ADM1251 or ADM1008)
ADM1253 – Financial Mathematics
ADM1351 – Finance (Pre-requisite: ADM1252 and ADM1253)
ADM1363 – Brazilian Financial Institutions (Pre-requisite: ADM1351 and 90 credits)
ADM1451 – Principles Of Marketing (Pre-requisite: 60 credits)
ADM1461 – Consumer Behavior (Pre-requisite: ADM1451)
ADM1462 – Marketing Management (Pre-requisite: ADM1452)
ADM1651 – Human Resources Management (Pre-requisite: ADM1952)
ADM1951 – Principles of Management
ADM1991 – Small Business Management (Pre-requisite: ADM1952 and 90 credits)
ECONOMICS
ECO 1101 – Introduction to Economics I
ECO 1208 – International Economics
ECO 1220 – Brazilian Economic History
ECO 1410 – Brazilian Economics
ECO 1411 – Brazilian Economics (2 credits)
SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
COM 1001 – Brazilian Culture
COM 1100 – Communications and Theatre
COM 1162 – Communications and Brazilian Literature
COM 1165 – History of Brazilian Cinema (2 credits)
COM 1241 – Introduction to Radio and Television
COM 1242 – Cinema: An Introduction (2 credits)
COM 1245 – Community Communications (2 credits)
COM 1557 – Documentary Film
HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY
GEO 1203 – Human Geography: Rural Space
GEO 1204 – Human Geography: Urbanization and Spatial Transformations
GEO 1304 – Geography of Brazil: Populate and Population
GEO 1305 – Geography of Brazil: The Brazilian Rural Space
GEO 1309 – Regional Geography of Brazil: Regionalization Theory
GEO 1406 – History of the Latin American Spatial Organization
GEO 1407 – Regional Geography: Contemporary World I
GEO 1604 – The Ecology of Tropical Forests (Pre-requisite: GEO 1603)
GEO 1605 – Ethical and Political Tenets of Ecology
HIS 1412 – History of Brazil II (2 credits)
HIS 1413 – History of Brazil III (2 credits)
HIS 1414 – History of Brazil IV
HIS 1511 – History of America I
HIS 1512 – History of America II (2 credits)
HIS 1513 – History of America III (2 credits)
HIS 1521 – History of America IV (2 credit)s
HIS 1604 – Social, Political, and Economic History of Brazil A
HIS 1605 – Social, Political, and Economic History of Brazil B
HIS 1606 – A General Approach to Social, Political, and Economic History A
HIS 1607 – A General Approach to Social, Political, and Economic History B
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
IRI 1104 – Politics and Economics of the International Relations(3 credit)
IRI 1201 – Introduction to International Politics (3 credit)
IRI 1202 – The Formation of the Contemporary International System (3 credit)
IRI 1303 – International Relations of Latin America (2 credit)
IRI 1304 – The United States in the Contemporary International Politics (2 credi)t
IRI 1402 – Law and International Relations (2 credit)
MODERN LANGUAGES
LET 1006 – Discourse, Society, and Interaction
LET 1023 – Introduction to Brazilian Literature (2 credit)
LET 1024 – Brazilian Literature: Prose
LET 1025 – Brazilian Literature: Poetry
LET 1036 – Portuguese Literature: From Origins to Renaissance
LET 1037 – Portuguese Literature: Seventeenth Through Nineteenth Centuries (2 credit)
LET 1038 – Portuguese Literature: Twentieth Century (2 credit)
LET 1090 – Communication and Expression I (for Social Communication)
PSYCHOLOGY
PSI 1800 – The Genealogy of Psychological Dynamics
PSI 1870 – Social Psychology (6 credit)
PSI 1872 – Psychology and Culture
SOCIAL SERVICES
SER 1157 – Introduction to Social Work
SER 1188 – Community Development
SER 1207 – Social Work Research (Pre-requisite: SER 1164 or 60 hours)
SOCIOLOGY
SOC1109 – Brazilian Sociological Thought
SOC 1126 – Urban Social Movements
SOC 1130 – Social Movements
SOC 1157 – Sociology of Daily Life
SOC 1203 – Brazilian Political Institutions
SOC 1209 – Brazilian Political Thought
SOC 1223 – Political Parties and Elections in Brazil
SOC 1240 – Poverty, Public Institutions, and Political Competition in Brazil
SOC 1302 – Cultural Anthropology
SOC 1328 – Anthropology of Art
THEOLOGY
TEO1515 – The History of the American Latin Church
study