The Teaching, Research and Extension Chamber (Cepe) approved the creation of History courses in the evening period at the Barão Geraldo campus, proposed by the Institute of Philosophy and Human Sciences (IFCH), and International Relations courses in the daytime period at the Limeira campus, presented by the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FCA), in its 418th Ordinary Session, this Tuesday, December 2nd. The proposals will proceed to the final vote in the University Council (Consu) of Unicamp, and the expectation is that both courses will be offered in the 2027 academic year.
Rodrigo Camargo de Godoi, associate professor of History of Imperial Brazil at IFCH, presented the proposal for a bachelor's degree program in History offered in the evening. With 52 places available, the proposal foresees the hiring of ten professors. "The History course at IFCH, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026, has a recognized trajectory due to its convergence of studies. Currently, we have 21 professors, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and extension programs," he commented.
The nine-semester course will cover strategic themes such as human rights, urbanism, African and diasporic studies, environmental history, art history, Amerindian studies, and cultural heritage, among others. The general coordinator of Unicamp, Fernando Coelho, praised the proposal, which began to be debated in 2024. “It is very modern, as it has a component focused on understanding the 'Brazilian thing'. Being offered at night, it will guarantee democratic access and will allow the IFCH and the department to move forward as an example of modernization and expansion,” he stated.
The International Relations course, with 60 places and a duration of eight semesters, will be the first daytime course in the Social Sciences area at FCA and foresees the hiring of 15 professors. The proposal was presented by Milena Pavan Serafim, associate professor of Public Administration at FCA, and by Rafael Dias, also a professor at FCA who currently heads the Executive Directorate of International Relations (Deri) at Unicamp.
“The proposal aligns with our commitment to strengthening the campus. FCA began its activities in 2009, with eight of its 16 courses approved. Between 2012 and 2013, there was the first mention of interest in the International Relations course, and in 2022, the first draft was made. In March of this year, FCA presented an updated draft to the PRG [Vice-Rectorate for Undergraduate Studies], a working group was created, and the proposal was approved by the CCG [Central Undergraduate Commission] in November,” said Serafim.
“There was a slight increase in the timeframe,” explained the Vice-Rector for Undergraduate Studies, Mônica Cotta. “I made the PGR available to assemble the working group, so the process was a little faster. The Vice-Rector's office tried to provide all the support so that both courses could materialize in 2027. As a researcher, I see that we need all areas interacting,” she added.
Dias highlighted that, among the distinguishing features of the educational program, is the Research Laboratory in International Relations, which will be offered starting in the fifth semester. “The aim of this bachelor's degree program is to propose regional studies and connections with research and outreach. The focus is on developing a professional capable of working from the interior of São Paulo state to the world,” he stated.
“The course was designed to address a geospatial gap. There is a demand for international relations professionals in metropolitan regions permeated by multinational companies,” he highlighted. According to Dias, in addition to consulates, embassies, and international representation entities, the field of work also includes federal, state, and municipal government agencies, universities, research centers, and consultancies.
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