Faro, the capital of Algarve, an artistic and historical center, also offers the pleasures of sun and sea. CIAL has offered Portuguese language instruction since 1970 and has established a special department in charge of the creation of materials and the improvement of teaching techniques for Portuguese language studies. CIAL's main facilities in the capital city of Lisbon are modern, well equipped, and centrally located. Academic Program Highlights Students are tested and placed in language classes at the level appropriate to their language proficiency, with six levels of language, from elementary through advanced offered. For those with an intermediate level of Portuguese, courses are available to acquaint the student with specialized Portuguese terminology relative to their professional interest in areas such as banking, law, the hotel industry, marketing, medicine and computer science.
Instructors use a multi-media approach, including videos and computer instruction.
Each level is taught in a four-week module of classes, which meet for three hours per day, five days per week, with a maximum of six students per class. In addition to language courses, mini-courses offered for one credit each are available in Portuguese, including Portuguese Literature, Portugal and the European Union, and Portugal and the Discoveries. Mini-courses taught in English may also be arranged for an additional fee. A 2.5 GPA is required, as are official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a minimum age of 18 years to participate in the program, which is open to students at the sophomore level and above. Student Life Students reside in private homes in Lisbon, Oporto, or Faro, with breakfast included.