As has already been stated, we are always happy to provide information about our Bachelor’s Degree and our University, not only to Vestibluar (University Entrance Exams) candidates but also to any other interested parties. With this thought in mind, the most frequently asked questions about the UnB, the Vestibular, the labor market and the specialized Bachelor’s Degree offered by iREL. We remind you that choosing a professional career is a crucial challenge in your life. Therefore, think carefully about your choice: get information from professionals in the area, read specialized books and magazines and seek help from your school’s Career Counselor. Don’t forget to ask advice from your parents, who will undoubtedly guide you well.
For now, take a look now at our most Frequently Asked Questions:
1. I would like to have information about UnB’s Vestibular exam. Where can I get it?
Answer – The University of Brasília has a great research center, called CESPE, concerned exclusively with the preparation of the Vestibular exam, which takes place twice a year. Therefore, information about UnB’s Vestibular can be obtained directly with CESPE/UnB (Center for Selection and Event Promotion).
2. Do I have to pay to study at UnB?
Answer – The University of Brasília is a federal public institution. Therefore, the vast majority of its programs (graduation and post-graduation strictu sensu) are provided for free.
3. I am finishing high school and still haven’t decided for sure on International Relations. What can you tell me to help with the choice?
Answer – If you are finishing high school and are undecided about which career to pursue, a good talk with your parents is recommended. They will be able to inform you and guide you in the best possible way, as well as to support you in your decision. We also recommend a chat with your school’s Career Counselor, and even taking vocational tests.
You must remember, however, that this must be your choice – talk to friends and colleagues about it, as well as to professionals in the area.
4. I have decided to take the Vestibular exam for International Relations, but I don’t speak any foreign languages. Is knowledge of other languages that important?
Answer -Yes, knowledge of languages is very important for the activities of a professional in International Relations. It is important to stress that knowledge of English, at least, is CRUCIAL, from the first semester on of the International Relations course, when students will have to study from books and articles published only in English. This is due to the fact that most of the specialized literature is produced in academic centers abroad (even European specialists in International Relations publish their works in English, aiming for greater dissemination of their studies). In other words, even if students manage to pass the Vestibular exam without any knowledge of English, they will certainly not have a good academic performance, due to the high number of subjects that require reading in the English language. In addition, as a requirement to graduation, students must pass exams in two foreign languages, one of them being English.
Naturally, students will have time to dedicate themselves to the study of foreign languages according to their own personal preferences – Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, etc. UnB’s Department of Languages and Translation offers regular classes in most major modern languages, which can be taken by students as optional subjects.
5. I want to be a Diplomat – can the Bachelor in International Relations help me prepare for the Rio Branco Institute’s Entrance Exam?
Answer – Obtaining a Bachelor in International Relations can be a good strategy to prepare for Rio Branco Institute’s tough entrance exam (the Rio Branco Institute is Brazil’s diplomatic academy). Many Brazilian diplomats are International Relations graduates from the UnB, whose International Relations area was created in the 1970′s with indispensable support form Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, it is important to have in mind that the key factor in passing the Admission Exam for the diplomatic career is not the degree obtained in university, but rather a lot of dedicated and solitary study, and, of course, a solid academic university background, be it in International Relations, Law, Economics or even Medicine, Languages or Liberal Arts. To find out more about the diplomatic career and about the challenges of preparation for the Admission Exam, we recommend a visit to the internet websites the Rio Branco Institute, the Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation – FUNAG (associated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, publishes the biggest editorial catalogue on important international relations themes to study in preparation for the exam) and other specialized websites in international relations such as RelNet – Rede Brasileira de Relações Internacionais (Brazilian Network for International Relations).
6. Where will I be able to work after graduating in International Relations?
Answer – The labor market for international relations in Brazil is in open expansion, with new opportunities emerging everyday, on the most diverse levels – public and private sectors, as third sector. There are many job possibilities for a graduate in International Relations, such as in :
a) international departments of public organisms, on the federal, state and municipal levels;
b) public and private national companies;
c) multinational corporations operating in Brazil;
d) international cooperation agencies operating in Brazil, such as JICA, IICA, etc;
e) international intergovernmental organizations, such as the UN system (UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, etc.), the OAS, IBRD, World Bank, IMF, WTO, etc;
f) non-governmental organizations, both national (that have international cooperation programs) international, operating in Brazil.
7. Where can I find more information about the Bachelor in International Relations program and debate aspects of professional qualification in International Relations?
Answer – There are some specific forums where the challenges, virtues and problems of a graduation in International Relations can be debated. See some notes available on that at RelNet – Rede Brasileira de Relações Internacionais (Brazilian Network for International Relations). We also recommend the discussion forum on the growth of the International Relations area in Brazil, also available at RelNet, where it is possible to debate with teachers and students from schools all over Brazil about the great challenges of the labor market and of the graduation in International Relations.
Instituto de Relações Internacionais 