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
DOWNLOAD WLC MAJOR - PORTUGUESE EMPAHSIS REQUIREMENTS WLC Practicum OptionsNote that this plan is a prediction of courses but does not guarantee this exact availability of courses. Also note that students with prior language learning experience do not necessarily need to begin at the 1010 level and should visit our Language Placement FAQ page for questions about where to begin.
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.
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.
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.
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!
- Polytechnic School of the University of Sao Paulo - Note: Only available to engineering students; language of instruction is in Portuguese
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.
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.
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
