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Portuguese & Brazilian Studies

Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Program

As a designated National Resource Center for Latin American Studies, the University of Utah is pleased to offer a Portuguese emphasis in the WLC Major, a Minor in Portuguese & Brazilian Studies, an MA in Portuguese Language Pedagogy, and an MA in Latin American Studies with a focus on Brazil.

Portuguese is a truly global language. With more than 240 million speakers spread across every continent, it is the 6th most widely spoken language in the world — more people speak Portuguese than French, German, Italian, or Japanese. It is the official language of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Mozambique; it also retains a historical presence in Macau (China), East Timor (Southeast Asia), and Goa (India).

In addition, there are large communities of Portuguese speakers in many other countries. Over a million citizens of the United States are native speakers. In Utah alone, more than thirty thousand people speak Portuguese. 

Foremost among Lusophone nations, Brazil is also the largest country in South America, the world’s 5th largest country, its 9th largest economy, and the second largest industrial power in the Americas. Due to Brazil’s prominence on the global stage, Portuguese is considered one of the most strategically significant languages on the international scene.

Most importantly, however, the Portuguese language serves as a gateway to the rich diversity of Lusophone history, music, literature, cinema, and art. From Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India at the end of the fifteenth century to Brazil hosting the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, Portuguese has long enjoyed a far-reaching cultural influence around the globe.

About the WLC Major: Portuguese Emphasis

A major in World Languages and Cultures: Portuguese includes 21-22 credits in the Portuguese emphasis, combined with 9 core credits, 6 perspective elective credits, and a 3-credit practicum for a total of 39-40 credits. This comparative approach allows students to gain a depth of knowledge in their chosen emphasis, while also exploring a breadth of topics in global cultural studies. For assistance with requirements for the completion of the WLC: Portuguese Major, please visit the Undergraduate Advising page. 

WLC Major: Portuguese Emphasis Curriculum Degree Requirements

Total credits required for degree: 39-40 credits

WLC Core Courses
Complete all of the following (9 credits)

WLC 2010: Introduction to Literature and Culture (3 credits)

CLCS 3610: Thinking about the World Comparatively (3 credits)

CLCS 4610: What Matters (3 credits)

Comparative Perspectives Electives
Complete 6 credits of the following

Comparative electives are designed to provide students with wide global perspectives and thus cannot come from the languages/regions used in their emphasis.

CL CV4550: Ancient Myth and Religion (taught in English)

CLCS 3720: Empathy, Medicine, and the Human Condition (taught in English)

CLCS 3900: African Cinema (taught in English)

CLCS 4900: Special Topics (taught in English)

HINDI 4630: Bollywood - Seeing India through Indo-Pakistani Film

HINDI 4610: Indo-Pakistan Literature and Media

JAPAN 4570: Multicultural Japan (taught in English)

JAPAN/KOREA 4580: Japanese Empire to Korean Wave: Popular Culture in Motion (taught in English)

PERS 4325: Hyphenated Lives: Muslim-Americans in the U.S. (taught in English)

PTGSE 4710: Luso-Brazilian Cinema (taught in English)

RUSS 3580: Russia and Asia (taught in English)

ANTH 3110: Women Cross Culturally

ANTH 3134: Language, Thought and Culture: Anthropology of the Human Mind

COMM 3770: Cross Cultural Documentary

COMM 5620: International Communication

ENGL 3600: Introduction to Critical Theory

ENGL 3780: Global/Transnational Literature

ENGL 5775: Holocaust Literature

ETHNC 5350: Diaspora, Transnationalism & US Community

FILM 3110: History of Film until 1952

FILM 3120: History of Film from 1952

FILM 3270: The Foreign Eye: Exilic, Diasporic, and Border Cinema

LING 3470: Language and Culture

LING 3600: Cross Cultural Communication

MUSC 3600: World Music 

PHIL 3640: World Religions

SOC 3741: Migrants & Communities 

THEA 4701: Gender on the Global Stage

WRTG 4010: Writing across Borders

WRTG 4050: Writing & Cultural Rhetorics  

Required Courses
Complete all of the following (6-7 credits)

PTGSE 2020*: Intermediate Portuguese II (4 credits) 

*Students who are placed above PTGSE 2020 can substitute an advanced PTGSE course. 

PTGSE 3060*: Third-Year Grammar (3 credits)

*For students who have completed PTGSE 2020 or have 1.5 years experience in a Portuguese-speaking environment. 

Advanced Portuguese
Complete 9 credits of the following

PTGSE 3050: Topics in Literature and Culture

PTGSE 3118: Pop Culture

PTGSE 3580: Contemporary Issues

PTGSE 4560: Brazilian Civilization and Culture

PTGSE 4620: Introduction to Portuguese and Lusophone Literature

PTGSE 4630: Introduction to Brazilian Literature

PTGSE 4900: Special Topics

Area Studies Electives
Complete 6 credits of the following

Any PTGSE 3000+ level course not used as a required course may be used as an elective

 

PTGSE 4510: Business Portuguese OR Medical Portuguese* (new course)

PTGSE 4710: Luso-Brazilian Cinema

HIST 3350: History of Brazil

ARTH 3520: Topics in Brazilian Art

ANTH 3154: Brazilian Culture

ECON 5460: Latin American Economic History and Development

POLS 3550: Comparative Politics of Latin America

POLS 5600: Democracy in Latin America

PTGSE 3903: Cultures & Languages Across the Curriculum Portuguese Section (CLAC; 1 credit; may be repeated up to 3 times)

WLC Signature Practicum Experience
Complete all of the following (3 credits)

WLC Signature Practicum Experience (3 credits)

DOWNLOAD  WLC MAJOR - PORTUGUESE EMPAHSIS REQUIREMENTS    WLC Practicum Options

Students with advanced language skills (e.g., native speakers, heritage speakers, students who have lived for an extended period abroad) should not enroll in first, second, and some third-year courses. If you do not know what your language level is or if you think your situation justifies petitioning for an exception, contact the WLC advisors before enrolling in classes. For pedagogical reasons, the department reserves the right to remove advanced speakers who have not successfully petitioned from classes not appropriate for their language level.

Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Minor

The Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Minor at the University of Utah encompasses courses across several departments and includes faculty members from World Languages & Culture (Christopher Lewis and Anna Hodgson), Art History (Elena Shtromberg), History (Hugh Cagle), and others. Upper-division offerings in Portuguese are interdisciplinary and most can also be counted towards a major or minor in either International Studies or Latin American Studies.

Non-language electives can include most courses that carry a 25% or more Portuguese component. Some of these are listed in the chart below. For certain courses, you will need the approval of program faculty. For questions about the eligibility of courses not listed below, or of courses taken outside the U, please consult with program faculty. 

Note: For students who have never taken a lower-level language course, passing the first requirement for the minor, PTGSE 3060 (with a B- or better), also makes one eligible for purchasing 16 lower-division credit hours at a reduced rate of $40 per credit.

Required Courses

15 Total Credits

Foundation COURSES

Complete all of the following

Complete the following

PTGSE 3060 Third-Year Grammar (3)

Complete at least 6 credits from the following

PTGSE 3050 Topics in Literature and Culture (3)
PTGSE 3580 Contemporary Issues (3)
PTGSE 4560 Brazilian Civilization and Culture (3)
PTGSE 4620 Introduction to Portuguese and Lusophone Literature (3)
PTGSE 4630 Introduction to Brazilian Literature (3)
PTGSE 4900 Special Topics (1–4)  

 

ELECTIVE COURSES

Complete at least 6 credits from the following 

PTGSE 3050 Topics in Literature and Culture (3)
PTGSE 3580 Contemporary Issues (3)
PTGSE 4510 Business Portuguese (3)
PTGSE 4560 Brazilian Civilization and Culture (3)
PTGSE 4620 Introduction to Portuguese and Lusophone Literature (3)
PTGSE 4630 Introduction to Brazilian Literature (3)
PTGSE 4710 Luso-Brazilian Cinema (3)
PTGSE 4900 Special Topics (1–4)
HIST 3350 History of Brazil (3)
ARTH 3520 Topics in Brazilian Art (3)
ANTH 3153 Black Atlantic: Anthropology of the African Diaspora (3)
ANTH 3154 Brazilian Culture (3)
CLCS 4975 Comparative Approaches to Latin America (3)
ECON 5460 Latin American Economic History and Development (3)
POLS 3550 Comparative Politics of Latin America (3)
POLS 5600 Democracy in Latin America (3)

Minimum Degree Hours

15 Total Credits

  • All courses must be passed with a C or better
  • At least 6 credits of minor requirements must be taken in residence at the University of Utah

 PORTUGUESE MINOR REQUIREMENTS

Students with advanced language skills (e.g., native speakers, heritage speakers, students who have lived for an extended period abroad) should not enroll in first, second, and some third-year courses. If you do not know what your language level is or if you think your situation justifies petitioning for an exception, contact the WLC advisors before enrolling in classes. For pedagogical reasons, the department reserves the right to remove advanced speakers who have not successfully petitioned from classes not appropriate for their language level.  

Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Master's

Click below for more information on the MA in Language Pedagogy in Portuguese offered by the Department of World Languages & Cultures and the MA in Latin American Studies with a focus on Brazil offered by The Center for Latin American Studies.

MA in Language Pedagogy  MA in Latin American Studies

Courses

View courses for the WLC: Portuguese Emphasis Major.

Click here to view courses

FLAS Scholarships in Portuguese

The Foreign Language and Area Studies Scholarship (FLAS) is provided by the Center for Latin American Studies. For FAQs, application, and other information on the FLAS scholarship, click the button below.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FLAS SCHOLARSHIP

Experience

Learning Abroad

Learning abroad is the opportunity to live, study and intern abroad while completing your degree here at the University of Utah. Learning Abroad helps connect you to over 500+ program options in over 50 countries, many of which are great for improving your proficiency in another language. Learn more about Learning Abroad by visiting learningabroad.utah.edu and completing Learning Abroad 101

To get started, see below for program options for Portuguese. 

For questions, email Learning Abroad at learningabroad@utah.edu, call them at 801-581-5849, or visit in person at Union 159.


Exchanges

The U partners with universities around the world to offer you the opportunity to complete coursework in an immersive university environment alongside local students. Coursework can be quite flexible with students oftentimes completing major, minor, and general education requirements. Additionally, the cost of an exchange program is the same as paying U of U resident tuition, which makes exchanges one of our most affordable options!


Affiliate Programs

The U partners with external organizations (Affiliates) to expand where you can go and what you can study on a learning abroad program. Affiliates offer programs at study centers, local institutions, or a combination of both in the host country. Programs are commonly structured around a particular theme or topic, such as "Language, Culture, and Society". Program options can also include internships, service learning & community engagement opportunities.

  • Portuguese focused affiliate programs: click here
    Note: FLAS eligible summer program available

International Internships

Compete for internships to Brazil through the Hinckley Institute. Different internships are available each semester, so check back to see if there is one that interests you. Some past internships include working with the Azul Airlines PR department, Vigzul management (a security systems startup), BambooZar, a nonprofit organization that promotes research for the sustainable use of bamboo, and the Utah Trade Delegation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS

University of Utah International Ambassador

Volunteer as an ambassador for international students and receive a $250 scholarship. As an international ambassador, you can be paired with an incoming student from Brazil (or other countries) to help introduce them to the climate and culture of Utah and the university, while also improving your language skills.

Utah Portuguese K-12 Immersion

Utah is expanding its Portuguese dual-immersion program in the state's elementary schools. Please contact Utah Dual Language Immersion's Portuguese Program if you would like to volunteer in a Portuguese classroom.

LEarn more about portuguese dual immersion

Faculty

Christopher T. Lewis

Associate Professor
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
Ph.D. Harvard University, Romance Languages & Literatures (2011)

LNCO 1417 | 801.581.4604
christopher.t.lewis@utah.edu

Anna Hodgson

Assistant Professor (Lecturer)
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
Ph.D. University of Arkansas, Comparative Literature & Cultural Studies (2018)

LNCO 1211 | 801.581.7737
anna.hodgson@utah.edu

Blair Bateman

Adjunct Professor
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
State Portuguese Bridge Coordinator
Ph.D. University of Minnesota, Second Languages and Cultures Education (2002)

LNCO 1216 |  blair.bateman@utah.edu

 
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Last Updated: 7/21/23