Technology, Design and Architecture in Brazil (Faculty-Led Program)

Highlights

• Tour Brazilian institutions, creative studios, and universities known for their technology and innovation in urban design, sustainability, Biodesign, metaverse, accessibility, and transportation.
• Explore the architecture in Brasilia, a UNESCO World Heritage city known for its imaginative urban planning and modular architecture.
• Join a hands-on workshop at PUC-RIO University to learn how design projects address local social and sustainable issues and tour the university's Biodesign Lab.
• Participate in excursions to iconic cultural landmarks, including the Christ the Redeemer statue, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
• Experience local culture by living in a homestay with a family in Brasilia for one week.

While in Brazil, you'll spend the first week in Rio de Janeiro, enjoying its summer-like weather, visiting iconic cultural landmarks, and exploring technology and innovation at Brazilian institutions, creative studios, and universities. You'll spend your second week in the city of Brasilia, a UNESCO World Heritage city renowned for its landmark contribution to the history of town planning. You'll immerse yourself in modern architecture and explore Athos Bulcao's graphic modular work applied to buildings and facades. While in Brasilia, you'll be able to work directly with a former co-worker of the renowned Oscar Niemeyer. Throughout your time in Brazil, you'll document your experiences through daily journaling, culminating in creating a physical or digital artifact inspired by a Brazilian artist, landmark, or cultural aspect.

For the first week in Rio de Janeiro, you will stay in a shared hotel room, and for the second week, you will stay with a homestay family in Brasilia.

Course Term: Spring course at RIT, travel to Brazil in early Summer
Travel Dates: May 10-26, 2025
Credits: 3

Course Details:

• IDEA 590/690: Travel Seminar

Students will be enrolled in a spring course at RIT and travel to Brazil in early summer.

No pre-requisites. Open to undergraduate majors, 2nd year and above, and graduate students. 

Application Deadline: October 20, 2024

Eligibility:

• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher (students with lower than a 2.5 GPA would be considered on a case-by-case basis)
• Have a clear conduct record with RIT
• Have no financial holds on your RIT eServices account at the time of your program acceptance/confirmation

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Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: A student budget worksheet outlining all program costs will be available soon. 

Financial Aid:
Financial aid may cover some program costs. As you review the budget worksheet, please remember that it does not include your RIT financial aid or scholarships which may cover some of the program costs. The purpose of the budget worksheet is to show all the costs associated with your study abroad program which will help your RIT Financial Aid Assistant Director determine how your aid and scholarships may be applied. 

To understand how your financial aid and scholarships may apply to your program costs:

• Make an appointment with your financial aid assistant director (call Financial Aid at 585-475-2186) and mention that you are calling for a study abroad appointment
• Upload a copy of your budget worksheet(s) via the Financial Aid upload portal at https://join.rit.edu/register/FA_upload (at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled meeting, so they have time to prepare) 
  • Please rename the file name of your budget worksheet before uploading it to the Financial Aid portal based on the instructions provided in the portal (adding your name and student ID)

To find out the name of your financial aid assistant director for your degree program visit: https://www.rit.edu/admissions/aid/contact#counseling-team

We recommend you meet with Financial Aid before the application deadline so you understand how your aid will apply. The RIT financial aid office is located in Bausch and Lomb Center (Bldg. 77), 2nd floor, 2125.

Scholarships:

• RIT Education Abroad Travel Grants ($500-$1,000)
  All students with pending applications in the RIT Study Abroad Compass for this program will be automatically considered for an RIT Education Abroad Travel Grant. You will be informed of your scholarship status shortly after the application deadline. Scholarships awarded based on financial need.

• Other scholarships: RIT Study Abroad Scholarships, National Study Abroad Scholarships

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To Apply

1) Watch this video on application steps for RIT faculty-led programs which covers important information (video is captioned)

2) Start an application in the RIT Study Abroad Compass