The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a Major in Portuguese (Bachelor of Arts) and a Minor in Portuguese, open to students from any major across campus.

At the introductory level, students build fluency in speaking and writing through a carefully designed sequence of language courses. For detailed information, please consult the major and minor requirement sheets available in the side menu.

At the advanced level, students take courses in the history of the language, linguistics, and the literatures and cultures of Portugal and Brazil. Majors can choose to focus on language, literature, culture, or a combination of these areas.

Many students pair their Portuguese major with a second major in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences, enriching their academic and professional pathways.

Program Learning Outcomes

Major in Portuguese

 

Major and Minor Requirements

Major in Portuguese

Minor in Spanish

 

Students studying at the library

The Lower-Division Courses in our department include one track in the Portuguese language program:

A. Portuguese for Second Language Learners – Port 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6

Students with no prior experience in Portuguese should enroll in Port 1. Those with previous exposure to the language—through high school, study abroad, or as heritage/native speakers—are encouraged to consult our Placement Guidelines.

Students in class

Upper-Division Courses

Students pursuing the major or minor in Portuguese must complete 40 upper-division units for the major and 20 upper-division units for the minor. These units are distributed across the following areas of study:

  • Advanced Grammar and Composition
  • Portuguese for Specific Purposes
  • Portuguese Literature and Culture
  • Brazilian Literature and Culture

We also offer two concentration tracks within the Portuguese Major: Brazilian and Portuguese Studies and Spanish and Portuguese Studies. These tracks allow students to tailor their coursework to their academic and professional interests, whether focusing on the diverse cultures and literatures of Brazil, Portugal, and Lusophone Africa or combining their study of Portuguese with advanced work in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures.