This study abroad program will provide students with the opportunity to learn about the history,culture, environmental management, ecology, and geography of the Brazilian Amazon through course work, field trips and hands on research in a summer term course.  No place on earth is better suited for the study of the thorny problems of maintaining ecological stability and improving the human welfare of people in the developing world. Through a combination of classroom presentations, readings, and field excursions, the Amazon will become our laboratory for the consideration of these issues.  The course will last approximately 3 1/2 weeks, of which three will be spent traveling in and around Manaus, Brazil.

PROGRAM: The summer program runs for 3 1/2 weeks -- May 23-June 20, 2011.  Classes will commence at Salisbury University before Memorial weekend.  After a break for the holiday weeknd, the program travels to Manaus, Brazil.  Classes and lectures will be held at the Federal University of Amazonas on non-field trip days.  A field trip up the Amazon River will take place the first week of the abroad program, while a trip to an ecotourism Jungle Lodge and a biodiversity reserve will follow.  Additional day trips to sustainable forest reserves and indigenous Riberinho communities will depart from Manaus.

CLASSES: All students will be enrolled in two courses, and will thus earn six credit hours. Neither course has any prerequisites, and both are suitable for all students. ENVR 200: Environmental Studies in the Amazon, will provide a general overview of the Brazilian Amazon, including basic training in conversational Portuguese. The second course will be cross listed in three departments: ENVR 490: Environmental Field Studies; ECON 494: Directed Study in Economics; or GEOG 450: Topics in Geography. Students may select whichever course best suits their plan of study.

LOCATION: The city of Manaus is a cosmopolitan city of approximately 2 million inhabitants and capital of Amazonas State. Located on the Negro River near its confluence with the Amazon, it is the chief port and a hub for the region's extensive river system. A great diversity of wildlife can be found in the surroundings of Manaus. The city has many large parks with native forest preservation areas, such as the Bosque da Ciência and Parque do Mindú. The largest urban forest in the world is located within Federal University of Amazonas.

HOST INSTITUTION: The Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM) is a public university located in Manaus, Amazonas offering degrees in Medicine, Law and Social Communications, Engineering, and a wide array of science and art disciplines.  UFAM is the oldest university in Brazil; founded in January 1909 as the Free University School of Manáos. In June 2002, the school was renamed the Federal University of Amazonas.

HOUSING: Students will be housed in central Manaus, close to the university; along with stays over night on a river boat and at a jungle lodge.

APPLY NOW!

Admission is competitive and enrollment is limited to 15 students.  Students will be admitted on a rolling basis until the program is full.  Once the program is full, accepted students will be placed on a waiting list. 

The application deadline is February 1, 2011.

In addition to the online application form interested students should submit the following directly to the program director:

A reccomendation from a faculty member you feel can best recommend you for participation in this program. Recommendation form available here.