This Spring semester exchange is sponsored by a Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) grant awarded to Winston-Salem State University, UNC Charlotte, and USC Columbia, by the US Department of Education.

Students on this exchange will have the opportunity to examine the African Diaspora in a comparative context and explore the complex connections between notions of identity (especially racial identity) and access to education, jobs, and political power. Possible topics of study will include Brazilian history, literature and cultural studies, public policy and comparative race relations. 

Students will engage in an ongoing discussion of the comparative roles of African-descended peoples in Brazil and the United States and come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the historical and social constructions of race as well as the many challenges it poses to the creation of a democratic society. These questions and other areas of study will be explored through interdisciplinary coursework and participation in a capstone conference with students and faculty from other universities involved in the exchange program.

Semester-long study is available in the Spring, from March through June. To enhance your previous preparation in Portuguese, you will participate in an intensive language course in Brazil for five weeks in January and February before regular university classes begin. The Fall semester before the semester abroad, you will study at WSSU with Brazilian exchange students and other US exchange candidates.

Locations:  The Brazilian Government sponsors three Brazilian partner universities in this exchange: the Federal University of Bahia, in Salvador; the Federal University of Paraná, in Curitiba; and the Federal University of Santa Catarina, in Florianópolis.

Program Cost: Approximately $5,000 before scholarship

Tuition is paid to WSSU and are the same as those for in-state or out-of-state students enrolled on campus at WSSU.

Program Eligibility:

• Cumulative 3.2 GPA
• Sophomore, Junior, or Senior class standing
• Successful completion of a minimum of three semesters of Portuguese language through the POR 2311 level
• Enrollment in and successful completion of these courses prior to or during the Fall semester:  POR 3310, Brazilian Culture and HIS 3341, Black American History to 1865
• A demonstrated interest in the Diasporic theme of the exchange

To apply for a FIPSE scholarship to cover program costs, submit an application package which includes:

• Application Instructions
• Application Form
• Course Selection Form (one for each institution)
• Language Evaluation Form
• Recommendation Form
• Conduct and Disciplinary Record Form
• Liability and Participation Agreement
• Latest Official Transcript of Academic Study
• Statement of Purpose

For more information on this exchange and an application, please contact:

Dr. Robert Anderson

Department of Foreign Languages 

(336) 759-3452

andersonrn@wssu.edu

Center for Global Education's Safety Handbook on Brazil